Bird Conservancy Banding Report - Opening Day at Chatfield, 4/26/17

[Meredith...@birdconservancy.org]

A perfectly lovely first day at Chatfield.  First bird of the season was a Song Sparrow, banded last year.  First migrant was a Wilson's Warbler.

Morning started cold but warmed up fast.  Caught 20 birds of 10 species, including 4 banded in prior years:

Black-capped Chickadee 1

House Wren 1

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 1

American Robin 3

Orange-crowned Warbler 2

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Myrtle 2

Yellow-rumped Warbler, intergrade 1

Wilson's Warbler 1

Spotted Towhee 1 new, 1 banded 2016

Song Sparrow 2 new, 2 banded 2016, 1 banded 2014

Lincoln's Sparrow 1

The BCCH, SPTOs, and SOSPs were all in breeding condition - males with expanded cloacas and females with brood patches.  The male Robins flew to the banding station and squawked at us from a nearby tree until we released their girlfriends. Feels very "alive" out there!

The banding station is runs daily, weather permitting, through June 1 (except for May 4-6 and 29), from 7:00 to approximately 11:30.  There have been some changes in WEEKEND visiting policies - If you are planning a weekend visit, I strongly encourage you to go to  denveraudubon.org to get more information and guarantee your spot by PRE-REGISTERING.  Weekdays are the same as in the past - school groups arrive between 9:30 and 10; early weekday mornings are the best time for a peaceful visit with us and the birds! 

Meredith McBurney

Bander

Chatfield Banding Station

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies