Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Chico Basin Ranch banding station 5/23/22

[Chicobander]

Here at Chico Basin Ranch we were hit with lots of snow Friday night and Saturday morning. 8-10" of snow and very heavy which bent most small trees to the ground and broke off many limbs off the larger trees. The station was closed Saturday and Sunday due to the weather. Sunday it drizzled all morning and finally the sun came out occasionally in the afternoon to help the insects fly for the flycatchers, warblers, and all the birds that were held up by the storm. Lots of birds feeding like crazy (of Course). Late yesterday afternoon the flycatchers were on the ground waving and flapping their wings to get any insect to fly up so they could get more energy for the cold night. It is always interesting to watch bird behaviors. To me, there is so much more to a bird than its name and checking it off on the list. 

Surprisingly, there were not that many banded birds around today, at least that were captured in the nets. Swainson's Thrushes were here in numbers. We caught 3 repeats from the end of last week. Their energetic condition (fat) was okay in that they were not emaciated or skinny. The White-eyed vireo we banded last week showed up in the nets today and gained over 12% of its body weight. A MacGillivray's Warbler we caught on May 12th was recaptured also and it gained about 14% of its body weight since the first day we banded it. These green oases in the middle of short grass prairie are important stop - over spots for these long distance migratory songbirds to rest and refuel for their continued migration northward.

Twenty-one bird species were captured today with Least Flycatcher and Indigo Bunting being the first of the season species.

81 New Banded Birds

Yellow Warbler - 5

Wilson's Warbler -7

Magnolia Warbler -1

MacGillivray's Warbler -7

Common Yellowthroat -2

Western 'Cordilleran' Flycatcher -2

Willow Flycatcher -2

Least Flycatcher -1

Hammond's Flycatcher -1

Western Wood-pewee -1

Warbling Vireo -1

Clay-colored Sparrow -1

Lincoln Sparrow -4

Indigo Bunting (M and F) -2

Swainson's Thrush -38

Hermit Thrush -2

Gray Catbird -3

9 Recaptures/Repeats

 Yellow Warbler -2

MacGillivray's Warbler -1

White-eyed Vireo -1

Bullock's Oriole -1

Swainson's Thrush -3

Spotted Towhee -1

This is the last week for Spring Season Banding at Chico Basin. Friday is the last day. First net check will be around 6:00 am. and operated for 5 hours each day. Stop by and visit us!

Julie Shieldcastle

Spring Bird Bander

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies