MIGRATION SUMMARY FROM MAY 8th – 14th, 2008

 

Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)

 

 

Migration activity at Fish Point remained surprisingly light during the second week of May and there were no significant fall-outs compared to years past. Flycatchers, vireos, and thrushes, along with a nice variety of other species, appeared in small numbers but warblers were few-and-far between, with just twenty species recorded this week and no more than ten species observed on any given day during the official count period. Despite the paucity of birds, it was a busy week for visitors, including a hearty troop of bird spotters who all vied for the illustrious Botham Cup during Pelee Island’s annual Spring Song Festival. The weekend was another great success.     

 

May 8th    

 

There were a few birds in the netting area this-morning with 25 individuals captured during 60 net-hours. Mostly White-throated Sparrows banded along with ones-and-twos of 4 thrush species, 2 Least Flycatchers and a Blue-winged Warbler. There were a few hummingbirds noted today and a Northern Mockingbird was recorded on census.  

 

May 9th   

 

Not many birds but lots of birders and visitors at the station today. North winds made for a generally quiet morning and few migrants were recorded on census or in the netting area. The all ‘green’ bird race got underway at noon and it was a tough slog for seven enthusiastic teams – including the “Finch and Chips”! A Sedge Wren heard singing near the PIBO cottage the previous day was still about today.

 

May 10th    

 

A similar morning to the 9th with just eight warbler species tallied and fifty species recorded during the count period.  

 

May 11th     

 

An Orange-crowned Warbler was one of eight warbler spp. observed on the day along with the first Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and American Redstarts of the Spring.

 

May 12th     

 

Lots of rain last night and into the morning and not much to report apart from a few thrushes, swallows and warblers recorded on census.  

 

May 13th  

 

A nice variety of birds noted in small numbers today including the first Yellow-throated Vireo and Bay-breasted Warblers of 2008. Sixty-five species were recorded during the morning count period.   

 

May 14th      

 

The winds returned to the south but steady rain set-in mid-morning and carried on throughout the day. Small numbers of vireos, Wood Thrushes, Common Yellowthroats, and Indigo Buntings were recorded on census along with an influx of Yellow Warblers, with 17 individuals counted on the day. A Canada Warbler was new for the Spring.  

 

A total of 103 species was recorded at the Point this week compared to 103 last week. Just seven Spring-firsts were documented, which brings the season-to-date species total to 152. Eighty-nine birds were banded and five recaptured during 259 net-hours for an average catch-rate of .34 birds/net-hour.

 

Ovenbird photo – Claire Sanders

 

PIBO’s next summary will be posted on May 23rd.    

 

 

Birds Documented at Fish Point by PIBO Staff from May 8th – 14th, 2008

 

Date

May

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Loon

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Double-crested Cormorant

47

180

550

106

105

33

48

Great Blue Heron

3

2

6

3

2

2

1

Turkey Vulture

1

2

 

 

 

 

 

Canada Goose

7

9

3

3

4

8

5

Wood Duck

4

1

2

 

1

 

 

Blue-winged Teal

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Mallard

 

1

 

4

5

 

1

2

Lesser Scaup

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red-breasted Merganser

61

21

40

43

6

47

38

Red-tailed Hawk

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

Ring-necked Pheasant

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Turkey

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

Killdeer

 

1

 

 

 

 

2

 

Solitary Sandpiper

1

1

 

 

 

1

 

Spotted Sandpiper

 

2

1

 

1

2

 

American Coot

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

Bonaparte's Gull

 

 

6

 

30

 

 

Ring-billed Gull

5

15

30

13

2

4

5

Herring Gull

15

13

8

19

5

22

8

Great Black-backed Gull

5

12

3

4

1

1

3

Caspian Tern

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Common Tern

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

Forster's Tern

6

4

 

 

 

 

 

Mourning Dove

3

 

2

 

4

3

3

Rock Dove

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

Great Horned Owl

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Chimney Swift

2

 

 

1

 

 

10

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

5

2

 

 

 

 

 

Red-headed Woodpecker

2

1

 

 

 

1

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2

2

2

 

2

2

 

Downy Woodpecker

4

2

5

4

3

3

1

Northern Flicker

3

2

2

 

1

2

 

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Least Flycatcher

3

 

1

 

1

4

4

Eastern Kingbird

 

2

 

 

 

2

2

Red-eyed Vireo

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

Warbling Vireo

 

 

1

 

 

1

1

Yellow-throated Vireo

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

Blue-headed Vireo

2

 

 

 

 

1

 

Blue Jay

 

40

15

10

2

3

9

1

American Crow

5

3

2

6

 

5

3

Purple Martin

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

N. Rough-winged Swallow

 

2

 

2

 

1

1

Bank Swallow

1

5

4

3

2

4

 

Tree Swallow

8

9

23

15

9

13

9

Barn Swallow

11

7

4

15

9

7

4

Black-capped Chickadee

6

2

7

3

1

3

 

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 

2

4

1

 

 

1

Brown Creeper

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Carolina Wren

3

 

3

3

2

3

2

House Wren

6

3

4

6

3

8

2

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 

3

6

1

 

2

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

1

6

8

2

 

 

1

Eastern Bluebird

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Robin

10

6

5

5

7

11

8

Wood Thrush

1

 

 

2

1

3

4

Veery

 

1

 

2

 

 

1

3

Swainson's Thrush

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Gray-cheeked Thrush

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hermit Thrush

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gray Catbird

 

 

1

 

 

2

4

Brown Thrasher

4

1

 

 

 

 

 

Northern Mockingbird

1

 

 

1

 

1

 

European Starling

1

3

13

 

5

8

2

American Pipit

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

Cedar Waxwing

1

 

 

 

 

 

3

Northern Parula

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Orange-crowned Warbler

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Tennessee Warbler

1

 

 

 

 

1

2

Nashville Warbler

6

4

8

5

2

4

2

Yellow Warbler

12

10

11

11

13

25

17

Chestnut-sided Warbler

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magnolia Warbler

 

1

4

 

 

4

 

Cape May Warbler

 

2

1

 

 

 

 

Black-throated Blue Warbler

 

2

 

1

1

 

 

Blackburnian Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

14

7

15

9

 

2

3

Black-thr. Green Warbler

 

 

1

1

 

1

 

"Western" Palm Warbler

1

 

 

 

2

1

 

Bay-breasted Warbler

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

Blackpoll Warbler

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Black-and-white Warbler

1

2

 

1

4

 

 

American Redstart

 

 

 

1

 

 

3

Ovenbird

 

2

 

 

 

3

5

 

Northern Waterthrush

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

Common Yellowthroat

1

1

1

 

1

 

5

Canada Warbler

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Northern Cardinal

10

4

3

7

1

5

4

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

3

 

 

4

1

2

4

Indigo Bunting

 

 

 

1

 

2

4

Chipping Sparrow

 

 

 

4

 

1

 

White-throated Sparrow

9

 

1

5

 

 

 

White-crowned Sparrow

1

4

 

1

2

8

1

Swamp Sparrow

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

Bobolink

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown-headed Cowbird

8

9

6

7

5

6

1

Red-winged Blackbird

140

82

96

75

64

104

91

Rusty Blackbird

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Grackle

55

35

33

48

37

55

38

Baltimore Oriole

9

4

13

8

9

13

17

Orchard Oriole

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

American Goldfinch

6

2

5

26

3

10

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day

 

63

50

50

46

45

65

51

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2008

145

147

146

148

148

150

152

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This period

103

 

 

Previous period

103

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May

 

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather - 1 hr after sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wind direction/strength1

N2

E3

NW4

E5

NW3

NE1

SW2

Visibility (km)

25

15

30

20

10

30

15

Cloud cover (0-10)

10

10

1

10

10

1

10

Temperature o C)

10

10

9

13

10

9

15

Precipitation

 

 

 

 

RAIN

 

RAIN

1 Beaufort scale