Below are a few of the highlights from the fall 2019 bird banding season, our 15th banding season at LLCC. (For a copy of the full, detailed report, email tony.rothering@llcc.edu.) You will notice numbers were significantly lower than a typical fall season. We are hoping it is just an anomaly instead of a new norm.

• 1,289 birds of 74 species were banded over 69 banding days this fall (this is significantly lower than our fall average of 2,208 birds banded over a similar time frame).
• The above numbers translate into 18.7 birds banded/day (our typical fall average is 33.2 birds/day).
• We had 269 recaptures (birds banded earlier in the fall or banded in an earlier season).
• The oldest bird recaptured was an American Goldfinch that was banded during the spring 2014 season.
• The top five species banded (based on the number banded) were: White-throated Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin and House Wren.
• During the first weekend of November, we did a little nocturnal banding and successfully banded two owl species: one Eastern Screech Owl and one Northern Saw-whet Owl (our target species).
• One new species was banded at the station (Bell’s Vireo) which brings our cumulative station total to 24,875 birds banded of 126 species.
• Over 300 people visited the station over the banding season including LLCC students, Cub Scouts, and many other community members.

The spring 2020 season will begin March 19. You always are welcome to visit if your schedule allows!

Tony Rothering, professor of biology