Results of July 15 MAPS Bird Banding
We've banded 23 Acadian Flycatchers this season, a record!
WEATHER: Skies were overcast. Opening temp/humidity: 75 degrees/94%; closing temp/humidity: 82 degrees/82%.
HEAD BANDER: Mike Quinlan
DATA RECORDERS: Cynthia Bravo and Kirsten Enzinger
HIGHLIGHTS FOR DAY SIX/SUNDAY, 15 JULY 2012:
-- We banded 8 birds/5 species which is about average for Day Six since 2004 when we went to the current 14-net configuration. Of the eight banding sessions/days per year, we have banded fewer birds in Day Six than any other Day (see DETAILS).
-- We banded two more Acadian Flycatchers bringing our season total to 23. The previous full season best since 2004 was 17 in 2009.
-- We banded three hatch year (born this season) Carolina Wren bringing our hatch year Carolina Wren total to six. This is very encouraging as the Wren population in our MAPS study area was decimated by snowmageddon in 2010. Good to see the area being re-populated.
-- Our YTD hatch year total is a very respectable 24 hatch year birds/9 species beating our 2004-2011 YTD average of 13 (range:8-17) hatch year birds/7 (range: 5-9) species. Our previous YTD hatch year best was 17 hatch year birds/8 species in … you guessed it, 2008.
-- Our YTD total is now 106 birds/23 species beating out our previous YTD best of 105/30 species set in 2008.
-- Sometimes our MAPS effort intersects with Jug Bay’s long-standing eastern box turtle study. Today we came across turtle #302 (notch code: L8, R8, R12) near net #2. This male turtle was first found on 25 June 2000 near where we found it today. It was last observed on 2 Sep 2009 about 50 meters from today’s sighting. This 20+ year-old turtle has been observed 40 times now in the same general area. Since 1995, Jug Bay has notched/tracked 564 eastern box turtles. By documenting these sightings, Jug Bay and outside researchers have been able to learn more about the eastern box turtles’ home range size, where they nest and overwinter, how long they live, and the population dynamics and density at Jug Bay.To see a recap of the Box Turtle Study for 2010 (the 16th season), go to www.Jugbay.org/node/462.
-- We have two recaps/2 species – Red-eyed Vireo and Prothonotary warbler. The Protonotary was an adult female that was banded by us on 24 June 2012 at net 6. It was recaptured today at net 15. Net 15 - along the marsh edge with a lot of snags – is a favored location for this species warbler. We caught an adult male at net 15 earlier this season (22 May). These two are probably a mating pair. Out of the 40 Prothonotary warblers banded since 1990, only nine have been hatch year birds – the last in 2001.
-- Today’s female Red-eyed Vireo recap was originally banded by us as an adult on 9 July 2006 making this bird at least 8 years old. Since 2006, it has been recaptured now 5X times (2007-1X, 2009-2X, 2011-1X, 2012-1X). While not recaptured in 2008 or 2010, because of breeding site loyalty, we can be assured that it was either in, or very close, to our MAPS study area. Red-eyed Vireo are migrants that overwinter in the northern half of South America. It is astonishing to me that this bird – that weighs an average 17 grams (3 nickels and 1 penny) - has flown over 4-5,000 miles roundtrip every year since at least 2005 so that it can breed at Jug Bay.
-- Today’s pictures include a Red-eyed Vireo adult/male (note distinctive red eye and slight hook at end of upper mandible), Carolina Wren hatch year/unk, and eastern box turtle #302.
DETAILS:
-- We banded 8 birds/5 species as follows: Acadian Flycatcher/2, Eastern Wood-Pewee/1, Red-eyed Vireo/1, Northern Cardinal/1, Carolina Wren/3.
-- Since 2004, bandings per Day as follows: Day One/150, Day Two/104, Day Three/106, Day Four/84, Day Five/76, Day Six/59, Day Seven/73, Day Eight/65.
