After The Coldfront (apologies to Neil Young)

With a cold front that passed through yesterday leaving temperatures in the low 50s this morning, I headed out to my banding site hoping to hit the jackpot. There were birds around but not as many as I'd have expected. No warblers and only a few other migrants. The most noticeable species present in numbers was American Robin.

Being an optimist up went the nets. I didn't catch a lot but the diversity was pretty good. This Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris, was a good catch. I only catch one or two a year and always around Labor Day. The photo doesn't really show off the yellow on this bird.



This young American Robin, Turdus migratorious, was in heavy molt and from the back was doing an impressive imitation of a vulture!

Totals for the day are:

Black-capped Chickadee - 2
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1
Ovenbird - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
American Robin - 2

The winds have continued out of the northwest all day so birds should continue to move and I will be back at the nets Sunday morning.