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