MIGRATION SUMMARY – APRIL 17th – 23rd, 2008

 

Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)

 

 

There was a nice variety of birds recorded at the Point this week, with 77 species tallied in the official count area, including five woodpecker and warbler species, but migration activity was generally light and it was very quiet in the mist-netting area. Many Spring-firsts were noted including Virginia Rail, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-headed Woodpecker, House Wren and four warbler species.    

 

April 17th

 

It was nice and warm at dawn but there was not much activity at the Point compared to the previous few days. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a banded House Wren were new for 2008, but just one kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-throated Sparrow were observed.     

 

April 18th

 

A similar day to the 17th with just a few migrants in the area including one warbler and four sparrow spp. Eight birds were banded and 44 species were observed during the morning coverage period.

 

April 19th

 

A small influx of birds this morning with six Spring-firsts including Northern Mockingbird, Nashville, Palm and Pine Warbler. Ruby-crowned Kinglets were slightly more active along with increased numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers and Chipping Sparrows.

 

April 20th  

 

A rainy day with not too much to report from the morning coverage. The skies cleared later in the day and a few Spring-firsts were observed outside the count area including Red-shouldered Hawk, Black-throated Green Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.   

 

April 21st  

 

East winds and a balmy 10° C at dawn but very quiet in the netting area and on census. A singing Yellow Warbler was new for 2008.  

 

April 22nd

 

Not much of a change from the last few days with 40 species tallied in the morning and seven birds banded including a Northern Flicker and Brown Thrasher.  

 

April 23rd   

 

A small group of Sandhill Cranes and the first Red-headed Woodpeckers of the Spring were noteworthy sightings on an otherwise quiet morning at the Point.   

 

Seventy-seven species were recorded this week compared to 66 last week and 21 Spring-firsts were documented, which brings the season-to-date species total to 98. Just 37 birds were banded and two recaptured during 302 net-hours for an average catch-rate of .12 birds/net-hour.

 

PIBO’s next summary will be posted on May 2nd.   

 

 

Birds Documented at Fish Point by PIBO Staff from April 17th – 23rd, 2008

 

Date

April

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Loon

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Double-crested Cormorant

55

219

181

270

92

9

225

Great Blue Heron

6

1

 

3

 

2

2

Great Egret

 

1

 

2

 

 

 

Turkey Vulture

1

8

3

 

4

 

 

Canada Goose

4

3

6

6

7

7

4

Wood Duck

5

 

2

2

 

 

3

Blue-winged Teal

9

2

 

 

 

1

1

Mallard

 

2

2

 

6

2

3

3

Lesser Scaup

4

 

 

 

6

6

 

(Scaup sp.)

 

5

 

 

 

 

3

Bufflehead

 

16

8

9

22

6

18

16

Common Goldeneye

2

 

 

 

 

2

 

Hooded Merganser

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

Red-breasted Merganser

30

70

95

49

105

37

30

Sharp-shinned Hawk

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Red-tailed Hawk

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

Ring-necked Pheasant

2

1

2

 

 

 

 

Wild Turkey

3

1

2

 

2

3

2

Virginia Rail

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Sandhill Crane

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

Killdeer

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

 

Spotted Sandpiper

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

American Woodcock

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

American Coot

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Bonaparte's Gull

77

46

33

12

36

31

2

Ring-billed Gull

5

4

30

6

6

5

5

Herring Gull

1

8

11

13

5

13

3

Great Black-backed Gull

 

 

 

2

 

2

 

Caspian Tern

 

2

 

 

1

 

 

Forster's Tern

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Mourning Dove

2

7

7

6

8

3

9

Red-headed Woodpecker

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2

4

5

2

4

3

2

Downy Woodpecker

6

6

6

2

4

4

4

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Northern Flicker

9

10

6

2

2

5

7

Blue Jay

 

1

1

 

 

1

 

9

American Crow

5

1

6

 

 

 

 

Horned Lark

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

Purple Martin

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Tree Swallow

12

9

15

9

11

15

11

Black-capped Chickadee

6

2

2

3

2

2

2

White-breasted Nuthatch

1

 

1

 

 

1

 

Brown Creeper

8

5

 

 

 

 

 

Carolina Wren

5

5

5

2

5

6

7

House Wren

1

 

 

2

2

1

1

Winter Wren

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

Golden-crowned Kinglet

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

1

1

8

1

4

3

1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

1

3

4

2

1

 

2

Eastern Bluebird

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

American Robin

19

29

20

6

12

11

17

Hermit Thrush

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

Northern Mockingbird

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Brown Thrasher

3

 

 

3

1

1

1

European Starling

10

16

13

11

9

10

9

Cedar Waxwing

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

Nashville Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Yellow Warbler

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

1

2

12

1

6

3

1

Western Palm Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Pine Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Northern Cardinal

7

9

8

6

10

8

8

Eastern Towhee

1

 

4

2

1

 

 

Field Sparrow

 

2

1

1

2

3

1

Chipping Sparrow

 

3

17

3

4

6

3

White-throated Sparrow

1

 

4

4

8

3

3

Song Sparrow

1

3

1

 

2

1

1

Swamp Sparrow

 

 

2

2

 

 

 

Dark-eyed Junco

1

1

7

 

 

 

 

Brown-headed Cowbird

12

8

20

9

11

14

14

Red-winged Blackbird

160

168

135

130

138

197

188

Rusty Blackbird

1

 

4

4

2

2

2

Common Grackle

79

112

120

87

65

97

90

Purple Finch

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

House Finch

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

American Goldfinch

1

 

2

2

2

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day

 

46

44

48

41

43

40

45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2008

80

83

89

92

95

95

98

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This period

77

 

 

Previous period

66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April

 

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather - 1 hr after sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wind direction/strength1

SSW2

SSW1

E2

E1

E2

ESE2

SE1

Visibility (km)

25

15

5

5

7

20

20

Cloud cover (0-10)

2

2

8

10

1

0

3

Temperature o C)

7

10

10

10

10

11

15

Precipitation

 

 

 

RAIN

 

 

 

1 Beaufort scale