MIGRATION SUMMARY

 

SEPTEMBER 26th – OCTOBER 2nd,  2007

 

Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)

 

A few days of northerly winds made for a busy time at the Point from September 27th - 29th, but south winds and warm temperatures returned to the area towards the end of the summary period and migration activity tapered off considerably. Dawn temperatures at Fish Point this autumn have not dropped below 10° C, with only four readings below 15° C, which is unusual at this late date in the season. Highlights this week included Lesser Black-backed Gull on September 27th, Connecticut Warbler (28th) and Peregrine Falcon (29th – 30th).   

 

September 26th    

 

Very warm and overcast and not many birds in the area today – a few Sharp-shinned Hawks and two Bald Eagles were recorded on census along with 50 Blue Jays.    

 

September 27th  

 

Although it was 18° C at dawn, a weak cold front moved through the area last night with accompanying rain, and this prompted a good push of migrants. Fifty-eight species were counted on the day and 75 birds of twenty-six species were banded in sixty net-hours (1.25 birds/net-hour). Sixteen warbler species were counted along with a nice variety of birds including Black-bellied Plover, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Red-eyed and Philadelphia Vireo, House and Marsh Wren, Scarlet Tanager and Purple Finch.

 

September 28th      

 

Less active today but still a good number and variety of migrants at the Point – thirteen warbler species including a banded Connecticut Warbler along with ones-and-twos of Blue-headed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and White-throated Sparrow.  

 

September 29th      

 

Not as many warblers today but quite a lot of activity including 123 Blue Jays, 40 White-throated Sparrows, 17 Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Peregrine Falcon. A good variety of thrushes in the netting area with five species recorded including three banded Wood Thrushes.  

 

September 30th     

 

Activity dropped off considerably on the final day of the month and just a few birds were noted including small numbers of Brown Creepers, Winter Wrens, Red and White-breasted Nuthatches, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a variety of thrush species.      

 

October 1st  

 

It was quiet this-morning and very few migrants were recorded on the day. Blue Jays were active, however, with 198 birds counted on census, but just two warblers were tallied – a Black-throated Blue Warbler and Ovenbird – and thrushes and sparrows were noticeably absent as well.  

 

October 2nd    

 

Another balmy overcast day with not much bird news to report – 3 Bald Eagles were among four raptor species recorded on the census along with 10 Sanderlings and a pair of Chimney Swifts.    

 

Eighty-one species were documented at the Point this week compared to eighty-six last week and three Fall ‘firsts’ were tallied, which brings the season species count to 147. In all, 175 birds were banded and four recaptured during 343 net-hours for a catch-rate of .51 birds/net-hour.

 

Red-breasted Nuthatch photo – Claire Sanders

 

Next week’s summary will be posted on October 11th.  

 

Birds Documented at Fish Point  September 26th – October 2nd, 2007 

    

Date

Sep/Oct

26

27

28

29

30

1

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double-crested Cormorant

14

58

64

10K

10K

539

530

Great Blue Heron

 

 

 

1

 

1

1

Canada Goose

49

45

37

29

14

 

 

Osprey

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

Bald Eagle

2

2

 

3

2

2

3

Northern Harrier

 

 

1

3

 

 

1

Sharp-shinned Hawk

5

1

9

1

2

1

3

Merlin

 

2

 

 

 

 

1

 

Peregrine Falcon

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

Wild Turkey

 

4

2

2

 

 

12

Black-bellied Plover

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Sanderling

 

3

 

 

 

 

10

Ring-billed Gull

51

45

4

180

90

58

23

Herring Gull

59

25

50

55

60

80

8

Great Black-backed Gull

63

30

1

38

30

40

25

Lesser Black-backed Gull

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Mourning Dove

 

 

 

1

2

 

 

Great Horned Owl

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

Chimney Swift

 

 

 

1

 

3

2

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

Downy Woodpecker

 

1

4

4

1

 

1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

Yellow-shafted Flicker

3

2

2

3

4

1

4

Eastern Wood-Pewee

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

Red-eyed Vireo

1

1

1

1

 

 

 

Philadelphia Vireo

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Blue-headed Vireo

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

Blue Jay

 

57

76

7

123

92

198

43

American Crow

1

3

6

5

17

1

 

Black-capped Chickadee

 

7

12

5

2

2

13

Red-breasted Nuthatch

1

8

3

3

1

 

6

White-breasted Nuthatch

 

2

1

 

1

 

 

Brown Creeper

 

 

 

1

1

1

 

Carolina Wren

 

1

 

3

 

2

1

House Wren

 

1

1

 

1

 

 

Winter Wren

 

 

 

3

4

 

3

Marsh Wren

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 

4

1

1

1

 

1

American Robin

 

2

 

1

 

 

 

Wood Thrush

 

2

1

4

4

1

1

Swainson's Thrush

1

14

4

6

3

3

3

Gray-cheeked Thrush

1

5

4

8

3

3

1

Hermit Thrush

 

 

1

2

2

2

1

Gray Catbird

 

2

4

2

 

1

 

Brown Thrasher

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

European Starling

 

 

 

17

 

 

8

American Pipit

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

Cedar Waxwing

4

 

 

 

 

1

1

Northern Parula

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Tennessee Warbler

 

3

1

 

 

 

 

Nashville Warbler

 

5

7

 

 

 

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Magnolia Warbler

1

21

6

1

 

 

 

Cape May Warbler

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Black-throated Blue Warbler

 

10

4

3

1

1

1

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 

1

6

17

1

 

1

Black-thr. Green Warbler

 

2

6

 

 

 

 

Western Palm Warbler

 

3

 

1

2

 

 

Blackpoll Warbler

 

4

2

 

 

 

 

Black-and-white Warbler

 

6

2

 

 

 

 

American Redstart

 

6

1

 

 

 

 

Ovenbird

 

1

2

1

1

2

1

 

Connecticut Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Common Yellowthroat

 

2

3

 

1

 

 

Wilson's Warbler

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

Scarlet Tanager

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Northern Cardinal

3

1

3

2

 

3

2

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 

2

4

1

 

 

 

Indigo Bunting

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Chipping Sparrow

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

White-throated Sparrow

 

4

6

40

9

3

7

Song Sparrow

 

 

 

3

 

1

 

Lincoln's Sparrow

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Swamp Sparrow

 

 

1

2

 

 

 

Dark-eyed Junco

 

 

 

2

1

1

1

Bobolink

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Red-winged Blackbird

 

36

1

65

 

 

 

Common Grackle

4

8

 

5

 

 

25

Purple Finch

 

1

 

2

 

 

 

American Goldfinch

4

12

11

2

1

2

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day

 

22

58

45

53

33

28

35

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2007

 

144

146

147

147

147

147

147

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This period

81

 

Previous period

86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September/October

26

27

28

29

30

1

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather - 1 hr after sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wind direction/strength1

WSW3

N2

NW4

S3

SW2

SSE4

SW3

Visibility (km)

20

25

30

30

30

30

10

Cloud cover (0-10)

10

10

0

1

7

8

10

Temperature o C)

21

18

15

16

17

18

17

Precipitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Beaufort scale