The final report for the fall 2020 bird banding season (our 16th banding season at LLCC!) contains these highlights:
- 1,947 birds of 88 species were banded over 74 banding days this fall. The number of species (88) is a new record for any given season!
- The above numbers translate into 35.4 birds banded/day.
- We had 397 recaptures (birds banded earlier in the fall or banded in an earlier season).
- The oldest bird we recaptured was a Blue Jay that was banded in 2014.
- The top five species banded (based on the number banded) were: Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin, White-throated Sparrow and House Finch.
- Over the Halloween weekend, we did a little nocturnal banding and successfully captured 10 owls: two Eastern Screech Owls and eight Northern Saw-whet Owls (our target species). One of the Northern Saw-whet Owls was a recapture; it had been banded in 2019 near Duluth, Minn.
- One new species was banded at the station (Red-shouldered Hawk), which brings our cumulative station total to 26,822 birds banded of 127 species.
On a side note, the 28 bluebird boxes that are currently on campus were highly productive! Out of 42 nesting attempts, 179 eggs were laid, and 122 birds fledged out (successfully left the nest). The young birds that successfully left the nest included: 72 Eastern Bluebirds, 20 Tree Swallows, 19 House Sparrows, nine House Wrens and two Black-capped Chickadees.
The spring 2021 season is scheduled to begin March 18.
Tony Rothering, professor of biology
Blue-headed Vireo
Downy Woodpeckers
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Sharp-shinned Hawk