MIGRATION SUMMARY – SEPTEMBER 12th – 18th, 2007

 

Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)

 

Migration activity was generally light at Fish Point during the summary period and species diversity remained surprisingly low for mid-September – seventy-six species were recorded at the station from the 12th-18th compared to ninety-one during the same period in 2006. This has been an overall trend this Fall, i.e. 124 species have been recorded this Fall to September 18th compared to 141 on this date last year. Despite the relatively quiet time, a nice variety of migrants were observed in moderate numbers including a steady supply of thrushes, the first Red-headed Woodpeckers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets of the Fall, and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper.         

 

September 12th    

 

A little breezy and cooler this-morning with forty-six species recorded during the morning count period. Swainson’s Thrushes were active – eighteen birds were banded along with 3 Wood Thrushes, 2 Veerys and a Gray-cheeked Thrush. A few shorebirds were noted on the census including small groups of Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

 

September 13th  

 

Similar conditions to the 12th but with fewer migrants recorded both on the census and in the netting area. Just two flycatchers were tallied this-morning – an Eastern Wood Pewee and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher – along with ones-and-twos of nine warbler spp.     

 

September 14th    

 

Strong southwest, 19° C at dawn, and very little activity to report. There were no members of the blackbird family (or European Starlings) counted during six hours of morning coverage – surely a station first!  

 

September 15th    

 

A few more species noted today but still fairly quiet for mid-September. Forty-two species recorded on the day and fifteen birds banded during sixty net-hours of operation. 

 

September 16th   

 

There was slightly more activity at the Point this-morning including ones-and-twos of Red-eyed Vireos, thrush spp., Gray Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and eleven warbler spp.   

 

September 17th

 

Clear skies, southwest winds, and not many birds recorded on census or in the netting area.    

 

September 18th   

 

Migrants were noticeably absent this-morning with the exception of a few Sharp-shinned Hawks, a Merlin, two Red-headed Woodpeckers and seventy-two Blue Jays. Even the thrushes were low key, with just seven Swainson’s and two Gray-cheeked noted on the day. 

 

Seventy-six species were recorded at the Point this week compared to seventy-one last week and four Fall ‘firsts’ were tallied, which brings the season species count to 124. In all, 129 birds were banded and four recaptured during 420 net-hours for a catch-rate of .31 birds/net-hour. To September 18th this Fall, 808 birds have been banded in 2041 net-hours for a catch-rate of .40 birds/net-hour, compared to 1788 birds banded by this date in Fall 2006 in 1610 net-hours, for a catch-rate of 1.11 birds/net-hour. 

 

Wood Thrush photo – Claire Sanders

 

Next week’s summary will be posted on September 27th.

 

Birds Documented at Fish Point   September 12th – 18th, 2007 

    

Date

September

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double-crested Cormorant

910

60

230

1.4K

700

89

8

Great Blue Heron

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

Canada Goose

13

5

 

2

 

3

3

Mallard

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bald Eagle

1

 

 

 

1

 

2

Northern Harrier

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

Sharp-shinned Hawk

6

6

3

3

 

3

4

Merlin

 

 

 

2

 

1

 

1

Wild Turkey

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semipalmated Plover

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spotted Sandpiper

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

Ruddy Turnstone

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanderling

5

11

 

 

14

1

 

American Woodcock

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Bonaparte's Gull

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ring-billed Gull

28

1

55

300

3

37

2

Herring Gull

30

3

34

17

9

41

8

Great Black-backed Gull

1

19

60

11

18

48

35

Mourning Dove

 

3

1

1

1

1

 

Great Horned Owl

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

Eastern Screech-Owl

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

 

1

1

1

1

Belted Kingfisher

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red-headed Woodpecker

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Red-bellied Woodpecker

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

Downy Woodpecker

1

1

1

2

4

 

2

Yellow-shafted Flicker

1

1

1

2

8

5

3

Eastern Wood-Pewee

1

1

1

1

1

1

 

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

 

1

2

1

 

 

 

Least Flycatcher

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Great Crested Flycatcher

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Red-eyed Vireo

 

3

 

1

3

 

1

Philadelphia Vireo

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Blue Jay

 

3

4

 

3

6

7

72

American Crow

3

1

2

 

5

1

1

N. Rough-winged Swallow

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Bank Swallow

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Tree Swallow

17

 

 

4

 

4

 

Barn Swallow

3

 

1

9

 

12

 

Black-capped Chickadee

5

6

 

9

4

6

4

Red-breasted Nuthatch

2

3

2

4

6

3

2

Carolina Wren

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

House Wren

1

 

 

1

 

1

 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

1

 

 

3

 

 

 

American Robin

 

 

 

1

4

 

5

Wood Thrush

4

5

1

 

2

2

 

Veery

 

2

 

1

 

 

1

 

Swainson's Thrush

29

18

3

6

8

5

7

Gray-cheeked Thrush

1

3

 

1

1

3

2

Gray Catbird

1

 

1

3

7

1

4

Brown Thrasher

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

European Starling

 

1

 

 

 

3

13

Cedar Waxwing

4

3

2

3

 

 

9

Nashville Warbler

 

2

 

3

3

 

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

Magnolia Warbler

1

1

1

2

10

2

 

Black-throated Blue Warbler

1

2

 

 

1

 

 

Bay-breasted Warbler

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Blackpoll Warbler

3

1

1

8

6

1

1

Black-and-white Warbler

2

 

 

2

2

 

 

American Redstart

2

1

1

4

3

2

 

Ovenbird

 

1

2

 

1

3

 

 

Northern Waterthrush

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Common Yellowthroat

 

1

 

2

1

2

 

Wilson's Warbler

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

Canada Warbler

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

Northern Cardinal

3

3

2

2

3

2

2

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 

 

 

2

5

 

2

Indigo Bunting

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Bobolink

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Red-winged Blackbird

2

 

 

7

22

 

2

Common Grackle

3

3

 

1

7

20

1

House Finch

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

American Goldfinch

5

3

1

5

11

14

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day

 

46

37

24

42

49

32

35

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2007

 

121

121

121

122

123

123

124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This period

76

 

Previous period

71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather - 1 hr after sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wind direction/strength1

NNW4

SE3

SW4

NNE3

NW2

SSW3

S2

Visibility (km)

30

30

25

30

30

30

30

Cloud cover (0-10)

2

0

2

5

2

0

1

Temperature o C)

14

15

19

11

11

15

16

Precipitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Beaufort scale