April Banding Looked More Like March

We held our monthly banding session at the Lowry Nature Center just west of the Twin Cities last Saturday and it was more like March than April. The temps were no where near normal and the most common bird of the day was Dark-eyed Junco.

The morning totals ended up being 24 birds of 7 species. This Song Sparrow was one of the few migrants even seen that day. The afternoon did turn out to be the best part of the weekend and I went out birding but it sure isn't spring around here just yet.

Banding results were:

Dark-eyed Junco - 12
Black-capped Chickadee - 5
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
White breasted Nuthatch - 3
Song Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 1
      This fellow was a retrap first banded in 2008. He has chewed on his band so that it is overlapped. We did not replace the band as it still moved up and down his leg and the process of removing that band and putting on a new one would have caused more stress than we felt was justified. Besides he's an tough old bird and we hope to see him many more years.

Our next banding is next Sunday April 28th at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville, Minnesota. It will be the first of 3 sessions there this spring and the predicted high that day may reach 70º. Hoping for a wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers!