A Great Spring Weekend

    This past weekend was what banders dream of when they're sitting inside their house on a cold winter day staring at snowdrifts. A huge migratory movement in the past few days put birds everywhere during our two banding sessions. I believe we could have stretched a mist net across the parking lot and captured some great birds. I have included some photos and at the end of this post I will put a complete list of what we handled. You know it's a good time when your most common capture is Ovenbirds!

   Wrens have finally started to fill the air with their bubbly song. Still haven't seen Marsh or Sedge Wrens in numbers yet.

   One of 2 Harris's Sparrow we handled. Not a bird we see every year and certainly not one we band regularly.

   Female Black and White Warbler. Notice the pale cheeks.

     A real treat was to band this Golden-winged Warbler. In Minnesota we have a special place in our hearts for this species. Minnesota is home to more GWWAs than anywhere else in the country. I believe we have 40% of the world's population breeding here.

Species from Saturday and Sunday

Wilson's Warbler 

Tennessee Warbler

Magnolia Warbler   

Golden-winged Warbler

American Redstart

Common Yellowthroat

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-capped Chickadee (recapture from Oct. 2013)

Blackpoll Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler  

Yellow Warbler

Least Flycatcher

Black&White Warbler

Western Palm Warbler

Ovenbird

Lincoln Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Swainson's Thrush

Harris's Sparrow

Gray Catbird

Northern Cardinal

21 species for the weekend. I think I need a nap.