Fall 2023 was LLCC’s 22nd banding season (12th spring season) since the station’s inception (fall 2012). Below are a few of the highlights:

• We banded 1,410 birds of 77 species over 64 banding days. This translates into 22.0 birds banded per day.
• We also had 197 repeat captures (birds banded earlier during the fall 2023 season) and 29 return captures (birds banded during a previous season).
  • Two of the more interesting recaptures were a Black-capped Chickadee that was originally banded in 2016 and a Northern Cardinal that was originally banded in 2017.
• Our highest one-day total for the season was 91 birds banded on Oct. 30.
• The top five species banded (by abundance) for the season were as follows — species (# banded): Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (139), American Goldfinch (136), House Finch  (122), Chipping Sparrow (95) and Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (93).
• The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 22 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 36,040 birds of 135 species.
• We continue to host many volunteers and guests, including a number of LLCC biology classes, UIS graduate students, and employees from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Natural History Survey.
• Our spring banding operations are scheduled to begin March 14, 2024.

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

Spring 2023 was LLCC’s 21st banding season (10th spring season) since the station’s inception (fall 2012). Below are a few of the highlights:

• We banded 1,488 birds of 82 species over 54 banding days. This translates into 27.6 birds banded per day.
• We also had 348 repeat captures (birds banded earlier during the spring 2023 season) and 130 return captures (birds banded during a previous season).
  • One of the more interesting recaptures was a Blue Jay that was originally banded in fall 2013.
• Our highest one-day total for the season was 136 birds banded on May 4.
• The top five species banded (by abundance) for the season were as follows — species (# banded): Dark-eyed (slate-colored) Junco (184), Gray Catbird (128), White-throated Sparrow (116), Swainson’s Thrush (88) and Common Yellowthroat (57).
• The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 21 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 34,360 birds of 135 species.
  • We did add a new species this season to our cumulative station list: Mallard.
• We continue to host many volunteers and guests, including a number of LLCC biology classes, dual credit biology classes (Lanphier High School), UIS graduate students and employees from the Illinois Natural History Survey.
• Our fall banding operations are scheduled to begin Aug. 15, 2023.

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

Fall 2022 was LLCC’s 20th banding season (11th fall season) since the station’s inception (fall 2012). Below are a few of the highlights:

• We banded 1,568 birds of 78 species over 68 banding days. This translates into 23.1 birds banded per day.
• We also had 325 repeat captures (birds banded earlier during the fall 2022 season) and 58 return captures (birds banded during a previous season).
  • One of the more interesting recaptures was a Black-capped Chickadee that was originally banded in fall 2015.
• Our highest one-day total for the season was 121 birds banded on Oct. 7.
• The top five species banded (by abundance) for the season were as follows — species (# banded): Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (214), Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (204), American Goldfinch (117), White-throated Sparrow (84) and American Robin (80).
• The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 20 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 33,142 birds of 134 species.
  • We did add a new species this season to our cumulative station list: Pine Warbler.
• The weekend after Halloween (Nov. 4-7), we had an owl banding event during which we captured/banded one Northern Saw-whet Owl.
• We continue to host many volunteers and guests, including a number of LLCC biology classes, dual credit biology classes (Lanphier High School), UIS graduate students and employees from the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Havana Field Office.
  • This past November, a UIS graduate student (Kayla Ferron) presented a poster at the annual meeting of the Inland Bird Banding Association. For this project, Kayla utilized data collected at the LLCC BBS. Stacey Olson and I were co-authors of this poster, and we are continuing to work on this project.
• Our spring banding operations are scheduled to begin March 15, 2023.

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

Aug. 18 will be the opening day at the LLCC Bird Banding Station for the fall season.

If you are interested in following daily/weekly banding activities, there are two Facebook pages: 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).

View spring 2022 bird banding highlights.

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

On Friday, April 8, the 30,000^th bird was banded at the LLCC Bird Banding Station! It was a Swamp Sparrow.

This was our 18th banding season (10th fall season) since the station’s inception (fall 2012). Below are a few of the highlights:

• We banded 1,863 birds of 77 species over 73 banding days. This translates into 25.52 birds banded/day.
• We also had 283 repeat captures (birds banded earlier during the Fall 2021 season) and 54 return captures (birds banded during a previous season).
  • Two of the more interesting recaptures were a Blue Jay that was originally banded in the fall of 2015 and a Tufted Titmouse that was originally banded in the fall of 2016.
• Our highest one day total was 137 birds banded on Oct. 13.
• The top five species banded (by abundance) for the season were as follows — species (# banded): American Goldfinch (306), Chipping Sparrow (188), Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (121), Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (93) and Tennessee Warbler (70).
• The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 18 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 29,798 birds of 128 species.
• Over the Halloween weekend (Oct. 29-Nov. 1), we had an owl banding event during which we captured four owls:
  • Two newly banded Northern Saw-whet Owls
  • One foreign recapture Northern Saw-whet Owl (A foreign recapture is a bird originally banded elsewhere. This particular bird was banded north of Duluth, Minnesota, in 2020.)
  • One return Eastern Screech Owl (banded by us last fall — 2020)
• In regards to milestones, Sept. 22 was our 1,000th day of banding operations at LLCC.

Our spring banding operations are scheduled to begin March 17, 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).

You are most welcome to stop by the banding station whenever your schedule allows!

Tony Rothering, professor of biology

The spring 2021 bird banding season (our 17^th banding season at LLCC!) contained these highlights:

• 1,113 birds of 79 species were banded over 55 banding days this spring.
• The above numbers translate into 20.2 birds banded/day.
• We had 353 repeat captures (birds banded earlier in the spring season) and 124 return captures (birds banded during an earlier season).
• The top five species banded (based on the number banded) were: Dark-eyed Junco, Swainson’s Thrush, Gray Catbird, White-throated Sparrow and Northern Waterthrush.
• One new species (Acadian Flycatcher) was added to our cumulative station species total, which currently stands at 128 species.
• The cumulative total number of birds banded (over 17 seasons) at the LLCC BBS is 27,935 birds.

One of the more interesting recaptures was a Northern Cardinal that was originally banded in spring 2013. This spring’s capture (eight years later) was the first time this bird had been recaptured since it was originally banded. We also recaptured two Gray Catbirds that were originally banded in 2016. Each of these birds has successfully made at least five round trip migrations between Illinois and Central/South America. An amazing feat for these relatively small creatures!

The fall 2021 season is scheduled to begin Aug. 19.

Tony Rothering, professor of biology

Biology Professor Tony Rothering led a nocturnal banding this past weekend targeting a migratory owl species — the Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO). They banded six of the owls, and the seventh was a foreign recapture (meaning it was already banded by another bander/banding station). That particular bird was banded last year (2019) near Duluth, Minnesota. These recaptures provide information on distribution, longevity, migration pattern and habitat requirements. They also banded two Eastern Screech Owls (EASO). Professor Rothering says COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from inviting the public to the LLCC bird banding station at this time, but hopefully next year!

Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO)

Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO)

Northern Saw-whet owl in black light. The black light helps to age the bird as certain pigments (called porphyrins that naturally fluoresce when exposed to UV light) degrade fairly quickly when exposed to sunlight. The owl in the black light photo has relatively new feathers that have a consistent pink fluorescence, which tells us this bird hatched this year (2020).

Eastern Screech Owl

Tony Rothering, professor of biology, has been awarded a master permit by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center – Bird Banding Lab.

Since 1960, 64 million birds have been banded in North America. On average, 1.2 million birds have been banded every year for the last decade. Tony has been banding birds in some capacity since 2009.  He received a subpermit under master bander Vernon Kleen in March 2014. Over the past six years, Tony has banded over 2200 birds of 89 species. Each aluminum band has a unique nine-digit number that is forever associated with the bird that is wearing this little bit of “bling.” Having a master permit will allow Tony to expand banding initiatives in central Illinois and work with ornithologists/wildlife ecologists throughout the state, country and continent on various research projects. Tony is also often seen giving “bird talks” around the community. Congratulations, Tony, on your accomplishment!