Banding birds at Hazel Run May 2016

[hazelrunmama]

Here are a few pics from the banding we did on 5/18.  All in all, we netted 128 birds of 17 spp, including 4 hummingbirds that were released without banding (you need a special license for banding hummers...and teeny tiny bands!  )

Here's the breakdown: 

• Rose-breasted grosbeaks (RBGR): 59 netted; 51 banded + 8 that had already been banded at a past session (including one that was 6 yrs old!! and banded here in 2011!)
  
• Baltimore oriole (BAOR): netted 18; 17 banded + 1 recaptured with a band from 2012 (banded here as a 2nd year bird then, so another 6 yr old!)
  
• American goldfinch (AMGO): netted 18; 15 banded + 3 that already had bands (one from 2012 and two from 2014)
  
• White-breasted nuthatch (WBNU): netted 6; 4 banded + 2 others that already had bands (one from 2014 and one banded earlier this year)
  
• Blue jay (BLJA): 5 banded
  
• Black-capped chickadee (BCCH): 3 netted; 2 banded + 1 recap banded in 2014
  
• Hairy woodpecker (HAWO): 2 netted, both already had bands from 2015
  
• Tufted titmouse (TUTI): 2 banded
  
• Indigo bunting (INBU): 2 banded, both beautiful males
  
• American robin (AMRO): 2 males banded
  
• Red-bellied woodpecker (RBWO): 2 banded
  
• Chipping sparrow (CHSP): 1 banded
  
• Purple finch (PUFI): 1 banded
  
• Ovenbird (OVEN): 1 banded
• Pine siskin (PISI): 1 banded
  
• Downy woodpecker (DOWO): 1 netted that already had a band
  

I'm entering eBird data for the second Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, so I was also checking for brood patches and cloacal changes that indicate birds are currently breeding.  Of the birds we banded, the following species showed physiological evidence of breeding:

• WBNU
• RBGR
• BCCH
• TUTI
• DOWO
• AMRO
• BLJA
• RBWO
• PUFI
• PISI
• OVEN
  
• AMGO (just starting to see the formation of brood patches on the fems)
  

And I promised some pics...  We were pretty busy, but I managed a few shots:

Aging a RBWO by looking at plumage characteristics:

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Processing an OVEN:
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Measuring the wing chord on a RBGR:
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[hazelrunmama]

Clarice and Gary clearing the nets:
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Extracting a RBGR from a mist net:
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Determining gender and age of a BAOR by plumage:
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Just a note on this last shot--do you see the red sores on Clarice's left thumb?  Those are chew marks from those dratted grosbeaks!  LOL  Man, those things can pinch!!!  O.O

[hazelrunmama]

And finally, Gary about to release a male BAOR after banding:
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[downylover]

Great pictures! I had no idea you could tell the age of birds by the plumage.

[luv2bird]

May 22, 2016 14:49:17 GMT -5 hazelrunmama said:

Here are a few pics from the banding we did on 5/18.  All in all, we netted 128 birds of 17 spp, including 4 hummingbirds that were released without banding (you need a special license for banding hummers...and teeny tiny bands!  )

Here's the breakdown: 

• Rose-breasted grosbeaks (RBGR): 59 netted; 51 banded + 8 that had already been banded at a past session (including one that was 6 yrs old!! and banded here in 2011!)
  
• Baltimore oriole (BAOR): netted 18; 17 banded + 1 recaptured with a band from 2012 (banded here as a 2nd year bird then, so another 6 yr old!)
  
• American goldfinch (AMGO): netted 18; 15 banded + 3 that already had bands (one from 2012 and two from 2014)
  
• White-breasted nuthatch (WBNU): netted 6; 4 banded + 2 others that already had bands (one from 2014 and one banded earlier this year)
  
• Blue jay (BLJA): 5 banded
  
• Black-capped chickadee (BCCH): 3 netted; 2 banded + 1 recap banded in 2014
  
• Hairy woodpecker (HAWO): 2 netted, both already had bands from 2015
  
• Tufted titmouse (TUTI): 2 banded
  
• Indigo bunting (INBU): 2 banded, both beautiful males
  
• American robin (AMRO): 2 males banded
  
• Red-bellied woodpecker (RBWO): 2 banded
  
• Chipping sparrow (CHSP): 1 banded
  
• Purple finch (PUFI): 1 banded
  
• Ovenbird (OVEN): 1 banded
• Pine siskin (PISI): 1 banded
  
• Downy woodpecker (DOWO): 1 netted that already had a band
  

I'm entering eBird data for the second Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, so I was also checking for brood patches and cloacal changes that indicate birds are currently breeding.  Of the birds we banded, the following species showed physiological evidence of breeding:

• WBNU
• RBGR
• BCCH
• TUTI
• DOWO
• AMRO
• BLJA
• RBWO
• PUFI
• PISI
• OVEN
  
• AMGO (just starting to see the formation of brood patches on the fems)
  

And I promised some pics...  We were pretty busy, but I managed a few shots:

Aging a RBWO by looking at plumage characteristics:

Processing an OVEN:


Measuring the wing chord on a RBGR:

Pictures are wonderful Hazel. Very interesting, never seen banding, thank you for sharing

[hazelrunmama]

May 23, 2016 21:20:50 GMT -5 downylover said:

Great pictures! I had no idea you could tell the age of birds by the plumage.

There are a lot of subtle differences that can give you a clue to the birds age--molt patterns, patches of lighter feathers, wear and tear, cryptic barring variations...and it's surprisingly complicated.  I'm glad I'm not responsible for getting it right!  LOL

Glad you enjoyed the pics, l2b!  It's always an interesting time when the banders come out.  I wish I'd had time to get some pictures of the Indigo buntings, but we were really hopping at that point with no chance for photo ops.

June and July are big breeding months and I don't like to keep the adults away from tending their nests and offspring, so they won't band here again till the third week of August. 

[downylover]

How many times per year you band?

This is Mr. Duck last year and this year. Do you think he was young last year? His chest wasn't solid brown, his head wasn't fully green, etc. His coloring and patterns are so much more defined this year. Mrs. looks the same to me.

[hazelrunmama]

It's hard to say--the first male is likely just having a hard molt. I think a lot of ducks are promiscuous in their choice of mates (a different one for each nesting) but I have no idea if that's a 100% thing or if the odd couple might meet up and mate year after year...and I could be wrong altogether as it's a long time since I've read up on it... o.o (heheheh My memory is a tricksy beastie. )