Spring 2022 was LLCC’s 19th banding season (ninth spring season) since the station’s inception (fall 2012). Below are a few of the highlights:
- We banded 1,776 birds of 99 species over 51 banding days. This translates into 34.8 birds banded per day.
- We also had 467 repeat captures (birds banded earlier during the spring 2022 season) and 105 return captures (birds banded during a previous season).
- Two of the more interesting recaptures were a Blue Jay that was originally banded in fall 2013 (at least nine years old), and a Downy Woodpecker and Black-capped Chickadee that were both originally banded in fall 2015 (each at least seven years old).
- Our highest one-day total for the season was 129 birds banded on May 4.
- The top five species banded (by abundance) for the season were as follows — species (# banded): Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (184), Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (152), Swainson’s Thrush (147), (Western) Palm Warbler (142) and Gray Catbird (101).
- The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 19 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 31,574 birds.
- We added five new species banded this season to the cumulative station total (currently at 133 species): Great Blue Heron, Eastern Screech-Owl, Yellow-throated Vireo, Hooded Warbler and Lark Sparrow.
- Regarding milestones, our 30,000th bird (a Swamp Sparrow) was banded on April 8.
- Our fall banding operations are scheduled to begin Aug. 18, 2022.
If you are interested in following our daily/weekly banding activities, we have two Facebook pages you are welcome to follow: Lincoln Land Community College Bird Banding Station (daily reports/photos of our banding activities at LLCC) and Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders – LLABB (~ weekly reports/photos of banding activities at other sites throughout central Illinois).
Tony Rothering, professor of biology