Long-distance Migrants

As spring migration continues, the number of long-distance migrants arriving has been increasing. During the past week several species that winter in South America showed up, including Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Grey-cheeked Thrush, Canada Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler. Having to fly farther than species that winter in the southern USA, Mexico, the West Indies and Central America, it takes them longer to get here, but they also look different. Their primaries tend to be much longer than similar species that migrate shorter distances.

Blackpolls showed up in our nets yesterday. Mostly males, but I did see a few females today.

ASY Male

SY Male

We've been hearing Red-eyed Vireos for over a week, but these two were the first ones that we've caught so far. It's not surprising. Red-eyed Vireos spend most of their time up in the forest canopy, so catching them near ground level isn't that common. Amazingly, both of them were previously banded birds.

This one was banded in spring of 2009 as an SY, so is four years old.

This one was banded last spring as an ASY, so is at least three years old. 

Their reddish eyes also give away their age. Second-year birds often retain a brownish iris into the summer.

Another Canada Warbler was also a pleasant bird to band and photograph.

This female Black-throated Blue Warbler did give me some trouble as she lacked the distinctive pale patch at the base of her primaries that I expect for females of this species. This makes her an SY bird.

 She does have the outline of the facial mask that you see on the male.

This is one of the most sexually dimorphic wood warblers.

Another one is the American Redstart. We caught two adult males and then this SY male. He looks very much like a female, but note the black feathers around the face and the rather worn plumage.

Tomorrow we band at Erie Bluffs, so it'll be interesting to see whether the change in the weather with northerly winds, has kept any birds from crossing Lake Erie.