Anyway, I still headed out to the banding site today and was NOT skunked! I had 3 Northern Cardinals and 2 Black-capped Chickadees for the day. I also got to work a little on maintaining my summer tan and I did a bit of "vegetation management" for next spring. I brushed out an area that I think will fit up to 8 twelve meter mist nets. I'm having visions of spring warbler flocks hanging like ornaments in the nets.
I had to get out to see if there were any birds in some of the other spots I frequent and the answer was pretty much - no. I did happen upon a Northern Shrike out in a field and I watched a female Northern Harrier dive after a flock of small passerines as she floated by on her way south. About the only bird I got close to was a Red-winged Blackbird who was showing his new feathers after a whole summer of sitting in a cattail marsh somewhere. In a short 5 months he'll be back on that marsh with a fresh glossy black set of feathers and bright red epaulets. For now though he looks a bit cryptic:
If I'm correctly understanding what I've read, that Blackbird is actually in fresh feathers with the brownish edges that will wear off and reveal the sleek solid-black underneath by March.
ReplyDeleteamr -
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent point. I did not try to age the bird just by sight so you may be right. I'll check some resources and correct the post with what I find. I do know T.S.Roberts commented on how variable the plumage can be in first fall and winter birds.