MIGRATION SUMMARY – APRIL 3RD – 9TH, 2008

 

Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)

 

 

PIBO’s 6th year of Spring migration monitoring coverage got underway at Fish Point on April 3rd under sunny skies and with light east winds. After waiting a few days for the island ferry to start operating, the station ‘crew’ from last year is now back and the field site and PIBO cottage are in great shape despite the usual April flooding in the netting area.

 

The following summary and table describe migration activity documented at Fish Point Provincial Nature Reserve – Ontario Parks – by PIBO staff during our official six-hour morning count period. Interesting and unusual species recorded by staff elsewhere on Pelee Island will also be mentioned in future reports.      

 

April 3rd

 

A cool but pleasant morning with just the 90-minute census completed. A variety of Spring migrants were recorded including ten waterfowl species and small numbers of Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Song Sparrow. Lots of blackbirds in the area including a few Rusty Blackbirds.

 

April 4th

 

Lots of rain and just the census completed this-morning. Similar activity to the preceding day, though fewer species were recorded due to the poor weather conditions. A single Field Sparrow on the west beach was a treat  

 

April 5th

 

Very foggy and not as active as yesterday, but a nice variety of species observed in small numbers including more phoebes, American Robin, American Tree and Fox Sparrow.

 

April 6th

 

Quite a lot of activity with 46 species recorded, but generally quiet in the netting area. Eleven waterfowl species on the lake and pond along with some Brown Creepers, Golden-crowned Kinglets and Winter Wrens in the woods.  

 

April 7th

 

More songbirds in the area this-morning including the first Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers of the Spring.

 

April 8th

 

Another Spring-like day with light south winds and lots of activity for early-April. Golden-crowned Kinglets (93 DT) were numerous along with small numbers of Brown Creepers, Winter Wrens and Hermit Thrushes. An early Purple Martin was observed at the PIBO cottage in the afternoon.

 

April 9th

 

PIBO’s first week of Spring coverage came to a close with 41 species tallied during the morning count period along with 10 birds banded and one retrap. Light rain and brisk west winds made for a generally quiet morning. The first Common Loon of 2008 was recorded on census.

 

A total of 65 species was recorded at the Point this week and 65 birds were banded during 221 net-hours for an average catch-rate of .30 birds/net-hour.

 

PIBO’s next summary will be posted on April 18th.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Birds Documented at Fish Point by PIBO Staff from April 3rd – 9th, 2008

Date

                  April

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Loon

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Double-crested Cormorant

27

8

3

21

17

115

14

Great Blue Heron

 

1

 

1

2

1

 

Turkey Vulture

 

 

2

 

 

2

 

Canada Goose

14

21

4

22

20

5

6

Wood Duck

 

2

8

6

3

3

7

Blue-winged Teal

2

1

6

10

2

 

 

Mallard

 

15

8

1

5

5

6

6

Am. Green-winged Teal

3

4

 

 

 

 

 

Ring-necked Duck

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

American Wigeon

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

Greater Scaup

6

18

 

5

 

 

 

Lesser Scaup

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

(Scaup spp.)

8

 

9

13

7

 

2

Bufflehead

 

24

12

16

13

18

26

5

Common Goldeneye

8

9

6

24

6

2

1

Common Merganser

3

 

 

3

 

 

 

Red-breasted Merganser

108

55

4

37

128

87

24

Bald Eagle

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

Northern Harrier

 

 

 

1

1

 

1

Red-tailed Hawk

 

 

1

2

 

 

 

American Kestrel

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

Ring-necked Pheasant

 

 

 

2

 

2

1

Wild Turkey

 

 

 

 

4

15

 

Killdeer

 

2

 

 

2

 

 

 

American Woodcock

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Bonaparte's Gull

4

30

1

8

62

90

3

Ring-billed Gull

6

5

 

3

 

5

7

Herring Gull

13

4

1

6

3

17

19

Great Black-backed Gull

 

 

 

1

3

 

 

Mourning Dove

9

6

4

6

5

7

9

Great Horned Owl

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Belted Kingfisher

 

1

1

1

2

 

1

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

Downy Woodpecker

1

1

6

7

6

6

7

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 

 

 

 

2

6

1

Northern Flicker

1

1

5

4

9

12

4

Eastern Phoebe

1

 

6

1

6

2

3

Blue Jay

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

American Crow

5

 

2

2

6

6

2

Tree Swallow

1

 

 

2

9

8

4

Black-capped Chickadee

1

 

 

3

3

2

3

White-breasted Nuthatch

 

 

1

2

 

1

 

Brown Creeper

 

 

2

1

4

24

9

Carolina Wren

 

 

2

3

5

5

4

Winter Wren

 

 

1

1

3

7

6

Golden-crowned Kinglet

1

 

1

5

19

92

7

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 

 

 

 

1

4

 

American Robin

14

2

15

19

15

16

11

Hermit Thrush

 

 

1

 

4

7

2

European Starling

8

9

6

12

30

17

26

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 

 

 

 

5

1

7

Northern Cardinal

3

3

6

8

8

9

5

Eastern Towhee

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

American Tree Sparrow

 

 

8

 

 

1

2

Field Sparrow

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Fox Sparrow

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

Song Sparrow

3

2

13

4

9

2

3

Dark-eyed Junco

 

1

3

6

16

7

18

Brown-headed Cowbird

12

 

11

14

21

21

6

Red-winged Blackbird

205

150

187

177

215

190

170

Rusty Blackbird

11

 

8

10

9

5

5

Common Grackle

98

70

116

145

167

115

149

House Finch

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

House Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day

 

33

28

38

46

42

46

41

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2008

33

39

49

55

60

64

65

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This period

65

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April

 

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather - 1 hr after sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wind direction/strength1

E2

E3

SW2

E1

S2

E1

W4

Visibility (km)

30

10

<.25

20

25

25

20

Cloud cover (0-10)

2

10

10

0

2

9

6

Temperature o C)

4

4

5

7

8

5

11

Precipitation

 

RAIN

FOG

 

 

 

 

1 Beaufort scale