We have had a great week for species diversity. One of Linnea's goals was to catch a Cape May Warbler, and we actually got 2: a male and female right next to each other in one net! That same day, we caught an Eastern Kingbird, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Philadelphia Vireo, all firsts for the fall season. Later in the week, we banded the first Northern Flicker, Brown Creeper, and White-throated Sparrow. The White-throated Sparrows typically migrate later in the fall, so this is probably the first of many we'll band. We still haven't netted any Blackpoll Warblers or Yellow-rumped Warblers, two other late migrants, but we've heard a report of a Blackpoll sighting on Presque Isle.
Andrea is also fulfilling her goal to become a "skulling fool", and she has also learned to take tarsus measurements. Measuring the tarsus can be tricky, and is not one of the usual measurements we take for all the birds we band, but this is a skill Andrea wanted to learn.
Soon (hopefully later this week!) we will be trying to mist-net and band Northern Saw-whet Owls. We'll be setting up 4 mist-nets at dusk and keeping them open for about 4 hours. To lure the owls in, we'll play a CD recording of the owl call. This will be in addition to our normal 7 to 8 hours of mist-netting during the day, so we may be tired, though it will be worth it if we can catch some owls!

Here are our new species captures for the three banding sites:

Erie Bluffs:
9/10/09- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
9/17/09- Eastern Tufted Titmouse

Frye's Landing:
9/11/09- American Redstart
9/14/09- Eastern Kingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Cape May Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo, Lincoln's Sparrow, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Wood Thrush
9/18/09- Yellow-shafted (Northern) Flicker, House Wren

Niagara:
9/12/09- Black-throated Blue Warbler, Ovenbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Wood Thrush
9/19/09- Brown Creeper, White-throated Sparrow