08-19-14 Bird Field Note

08-19-14 Bird Field Note

August 19, 2014

Debbie Leick's Field Note describes rock wrens, a black swift nest site, and songbird banding.

Bird Field Note Field Observations, Rock Wren, Songbird Banding 8/19/14 Debbie Leick

This breeding season, I detected more Rock Wrens than in previous years. One detection occurred near a barren and rocky road cut along Spike Camp Ridge. I returned several weeks later and found a family group of two adults and one offspring.

In Partridge Alley, Kate detected a Rock Wren family group and found this perched fledgling.

At the Black Swift nest site in the Bitterroot range, we relocated the acoustic monitor closer to the cavern.

Kate also experimented with a pole-mounted video camera. We hope to obtain quality footage during our next visit.

We began fall migration draw surveys this week. In Tongue Creek, a migrant Wilson’s Warbler foraged on insects. A distinct “chimp” call revealed the bird’s location.

Abundant, energy-rich chokecherries (above) and elderberries (below) covered shrub branches in Tongue Creek.

Still wet from the morning rain, a juvenile Spotted Towhee begged near the corrals.

A Calliope Hummingbird perched near the feeder at West Baldy Ridge.

On the last day of the summer breeding session, the crew experienced their busiest day. They banded an impressive total of 59 birds of 16 different species. Several uncommon species included a young American Redstart and a Least Flycatcher.

At the banding station, Empidonax flycatcher identification requires a series of wing, tail, and bill measurements. The results identified this bird as the first Least Flycatcher of the 2014 season.