Fall 2015 www.bbbo.org The Marsh Wren Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
A non-profit organization dedicated to ornithological research, education, and conservation. Nothing but NET!
his summer, the Seneca Park Zoo brought natural Net Number 5 history photographer David Liittschwager to Rochester to help document the biodiversity of Net 5 is located just between a tall hedgerow and a brushy Tthe Genesee River. For his stunning “One Cubic Foot” clump of dogwood. A field stretches out behind the series, he places a green square frame into an ecosystem dogwood for the length of a football field before it hits the and records every living creature that passes through the forest, and so the dogwood stands like an island between frame in a single day. He then takes portraits of as many the tall trees. This net has all the advantages of a perfect of those species as he can, and creates a composite image location, and it shows! representing the variety of organisms inhabiting the area. In the category of “Most Birds Captured,” Net 5 far BBBO was lucky enough to collaborate with Mr. outperformed every other net. Between 2005 and 2014, Liittschwager when he visited Rochester, and his project BBBO banded 78,107 new birds. Net 5 captured 5,313 made us wonder . . . how many birds (and how many species) birds (6.8% of the total), besting its nearest competitor by get caught in a single square foot of net? The answer varies 711 birds and exceeding the mean by more than double. from net to net, but the quest to find that answer inspired Although it shares the title with the bottom half of aerial-net us to look more closely at each of our nets to see what they 40, Net 5 also won the category of “Most Species Captured.” catch - and in some cases, what they don’t. BBBO has banded 127 species in the last ten years. At 94 species each, these two nets outpace their nearest rival by All About Nets 6 species. Mist nets come in a variety of colors, mesh sizes, lengths, Net 5 has caught one of our two American Kestrels, one and materials. At BBBO, our protocol specifies that we of our five Tree Swallows, and one of our five White-eyed use black nylon nets with a mesh size of 30mm to target Vireos. It has also had one big disappointment, however. warblers and other small passerines. Most of our nets In 2011, a Sora was lurking just behind the net. We could are 12 meters long and 2.6 meters tall, with four panels see it in the brush, but it stayed just out of reach! of netting. Four of our nets are six meters long, and 12 of the nets are part of our “aerial” system, consisting of two The Swamp Nets: 18 and 19 12-meter nets stacked on top of each other to create an array more than five meters tall. Counting the way banders There are actually 3.5 nets in what we call “the swamp,” but count (one 12-meter net or the equivalent is “one”), we use nets 18 and 19 are closest to the water. The surrounding 32 nets in our normal operating protocol. In the fall, we vegetation is mostly tall trees with a light understory of add an additional five nets, and our Bander Training Classes ferns and shrubs. Many times of the year, these nets seem often add two “experimental” nets as part of an exercise to be unproductive and disappointing. So what makes focusing on how net-site selection influences captures. them unique? They are specialists! These two nets are the Our nets pass through a second-growth habitat consisting nets “Most Dominated by a Single Species.” 25% of the of a field, shrubby hedgerows dominated by dogwood and birds captured by Net 18 and 26.5% of the birds captured honeysuckle, and a young forest. by Net 19 were White-throated Sparrows. That’s pretty lopsided, when you consider that White-throated Sparrows Although our nets are all on a fairly small loop, differences accounted for only 10.9% of the total new birds banded! in type of vegetation, amount of cover, height of the canopy, and even directional orientation translate into differences Net 18 also holds the unfortunate distinction of being the in the type and number of birds captured. We’ve looked at net that has captured the least number of birds (831) and numbers over the last ten years from 2005-2014, and here the least number of species (59). In a stroke of irony, this are some of our most unique nets! swamp net is also the only net never to have captured a Swamp Sparrow. The Back Aerials operating protocol. These nets form a line off of our regular loop, and they are referred to as “The Alphabet.” The first aerial net at BBBO was something in the way of an experiment. Mike Lanzone (at that time still in high Once stretching to net M and beyond, the Alphabet school!) erected two tall arms in the field, suspended a large wanders along the narrow and occasionally overgrown path rectangular frame between them, and strung nets on the heading to Rose’s Marsh. Threading its way through tall frame. In order to remove birds at the top of the net, the trees, this line of nets enjoys protection from both the sun entire frame had to be turned upside-down so that the top and the wind. These nets get a typical fall mix of thrushes, panel was nearest the ground. We soon developed a more sparrows and kinglets with just a speckling of warblers. compact design and deployed six aerial arrays in 1999-2000. Every fall, Betsy wonders aloud if we should put up the Three of those arrays are “the back aerials.” Alphabet. A few days later, Ryan asks “Hey Betsy! Are we Why do we love the back aerials? They get good numbers going to put up the Alphabet?” The next thing you know, of birds in a wide variety of species, it’s a lovely walk back we are tramping out with poles in hand to set the line. The to the trees, and it’s peaceful far away from the bustle of ritual is completed a couple of weeks later, when Marilyn the banding station. But . . . I think the real reason we sighs, “I love the Alphabet!” She’s not the only one who love them is because they have a knack for catching entire enjoys these cool, quiet nets. flocks of birds! 25 Birds in One Square Foot In 2010 and 2011, we could have renamed these nets “the 6-Rusties.” In those two years, the back aerials caught six So . . . what has one square foot of Net 5 captured since it was Rusty Blackbirds five different times (each on a single net first set up? A single net is 336 square feet, and averaging run)! In 2012, they caught 21 European Starlings on a single the birds across the entire net, one square foot of Net 5 run. In 2014, they caught 61 Pine Siskins on a single run. has captured three Ruby-crowned Kinglets; two Magnolia And if you want Cedar Waxwings, there are no nets better! Warblers and White-throated Sparrows; and one each of On 27 Jun 2012 they caught 36 waxwings on a single run, Traill’s Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Black-capped and they frequently catch a half dozen or more at a time. Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, The Alphabet American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Song Fall is a special time at BBBO. The weather is crisp and Sparrow, Slate-colored Junco, and American Goldfinch. refreshing, the ground is typically dry, and there are Not bad for a piece of netting no larger than the newsletter (usually!) very few mosquitoes. We take advantage of the you are holding! excellent conditions to add a string of five nets to our normal
Left page: BBBO volunteers Andrea Patterson, Cindy Marino and Marilyn Guenther take chickadees out of net 5 during an irruption year, as Kathleen Dalton watches. Photo by Kathy Habgood . Right page: Left - Betsy Brooks, Marilyn Guenther, Ryan Kayhart, Ann Nash, Pat Martin and Mark Catlin pose after successfully de-leafing Net 18. Photo by Gayle Lazoration. Right - Net 70, one of the back aerial nets. Photo by Andrea Patterson. Fall 2014 Banding Report T eyed Vireo, a Grayeyed Catbird, a Black-capped Chickadee, andaWarbling intheir sixthyears; both Vireo, aRed- and a Yellow Redstart an American years; seventh Warbler a Gray Catbird8th years; and a Yellow Warbler in their in their Robinboth andanAmerican Chickadee capped birds were of aBlack- station.these Theoldest MAPS station orthe banding main Kaiser-Manitou K-MB Beach at the season a previous from 64 returned recaptures, Ofthese We birds. banded 1371previously recaptured hatch-year birds. 86.1%were ofthose, birds were able aged; tobanded be day. oneach were banded 27 species 94.9%ofthe newly when on24and26Sep diversityoccurred species greatest the The total). There were 8additional 100+birddays. Slate-coloredday Junco (38.5%of was 85banded with that The predominant species of24species. banded with 221birds Oct 19 daywas best second total). The (31.2%ofthe 111banded with Kinglet Ruby-crowned Onthatwere day, banded. was the predominant species when356birds of20species Oct 12 daywas The busiest hoursin2012. net hoursinFall 100net 100 birds per 201and37.8birds per 29.5 compared with hours, rate 100net of28.9birds per inacapture resulted hoursofbanding total of16,562net A cumulative the total fall remains at 129 forms. list; fall for the species There were no new unbanded. released Hummingbirdsand anadditional22Ruby-throated were Hummingbirds birds, inthe ofbanded are list included exceeding Fall 2013’s 12 Ruby-throated total by266 birds. and one hybrid formwere banded, birds of 89 species duetoone day inclement inNovember weather. 4778 Wefor atotalof89days. and oneday lost inOctober 20 AugJul and 4 Nov, and 77 days and 11 Aug, between Fall Banding Station was carried out for 12 days between 20 out for 12 days between carried Station was at monitoring the Banding Kaiser-Manitou Beach migration offall year he twenty-ninth consecutive 2014 years. 28 in23ofthe last banded being after missing, also was for missing the firsttimesince 1999. was BlackbirdRusty formissing theCarolina firsttimesince 1998,and Wren (6). Grosbeak and 12Rose-breasted (4),193Slate-colored Sparrow 8 Chipping Junco (187), 33), 8Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (6),11Wood (10), Thrush including 36Traill’s record high Flycatcher (previous of6species Therebanded were record-high numbers 2012. our station inSeptember Warbler aBlackpoll we recaptured at banded originally only briefly. stopping at BBBO area, However, season this recapture a bird that through the migrated we are certain dowe birds that Seldom summerorwinter inthe area. are local seasons birds thatMost previous from return their this recaptures fall. since 2008,until seen NeitherJon had been Dombrowski. McKinney, Robinby by Bob American andthe 8th-year banded originally was Black-capped Chickadee 8th-year and aCommonYellowthroat years. allintheir fifth Tom (Rochester, Kerr Jim (Rochester, Saller NY), NY), IL), (Mokena, Channic Zach (Lincoln, MA), Burton Liz Peg Adler (Chester, Ackerson Beth (Lyme, Mary NH), VT), Training completed ourSummer 2014Bander NY) Class. Townsend andChris Rottner (Shoreham, NY), (Victor, Bethany LA), Pitre (Thibodoux, Jed NY), (Syracuse, Charlene Burke (Rochester, Pachomski Amanda NY), Education andEvents inJuly inthe ofRochester city dead 2014. a Yellow Warbler found anadultin2011was as banded 2014,and ofthestation during banding 3miles within Catbirds andanadultYellow Warbler were found dead ofCharlotte). Two NW (45miles Carolina adult Gray alive on17Feb Furr inRichfield, North 2015byRodney aHY-U 2014as Oct found inabuildingandreleased was on19 banded Sparrow AWhite-throated Ottawa). (near Bay, of Shirleys Caskey,Martha NNW 1.7 miles Ontario AHY-U captured 11days later (on was 10May 2013) by on29Apr an banded 2013as A Black-capped Chickadee Recoveries ofBandedBirds Geneseo, andJim Fry’s NaturalGeneseo, History Vertebrate SUNY from class Biology Dave Holzman’s Geneseo, SUNY from class Hannam’sSmith, Kristi Animal Behavior andWilliamFreshman Hobart from Seminar Manring’sCaroline “Avian Persuasion” College, Canisius Field from class Ecology University, Alfred from class Katie Costanzo’s We Ornithology welcomed Fred Beaudry’s for the traditional“Appledore Weekend.” (Shoal’s Station came Banding Lab) Marine the volunteers from three Appledore Island and the station ontwodaysrun inOctober University Cornell from banders helped our Fall Training 2014Bander Student Class. completed CT) (Berlin, and AndyThiede Eastern TowheeEastern was The Fall 2014 Banding Report Fall 2014 Top 10 species banded during Fall 2014 With numbers captured during previous 10 fall seasons
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 White-throated Sparrow 1146 1516 674 1037 554 839 1459 551 785 843 947 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 702 722 619 510 420 521 321 193 341 287 446 Golden-crowned Kinglet 473 502 458 295 341 324 360 176 343 456 330 Hermit Thrush 307 450 171 200 186 186 217 210 288 203 251 Gray Catbird 102 175 138 236 266 157 230 164 290 273 233 Magnolia Warbler 188 170 270 309 350 316 295 132 183 284 194 Slate-colored Junco 173 125 90 62 77 80 89 55 77 119 193 Blackpoll Warbler 47 78 65 162 343 52 280 760 575 182 189 Yellow Warbler 49 123 31 142 180 157 321 30 126 162 179 American Goldfinch 64 288 245 82 307 50 39 17 43 20 152
class from the University of Rochester. Two classes from full operation again this fall after several seasons of technical the Wayne Central Schools visited the station. We hosted difficulty. Two students from Canisius collected data on visits from the Allyn’s Creek Garden Club, the Culture Book flight call behavior for Dr. Sara Morris. Club, and the Genesee Land Trust. People from 10 states -Compiled by Betsy Brooks and Ryan Kayhart signed our Visitor’s Book this fall, in addition to guests from Denmark, Scotland, and South Africa. Research We collected blood samples from thrushes for Dr. Susan Smith Pagano of R.I.T., who is using plasma indicators of fattening rates and diet to study the migration physiology and stopover site use of these birds. Meghan Oberkircher took blood samples from Gray Catbirds, Yellow Warblers and Song Sparrows to learn how chronic stress levels, as assessed by immunological function, vary between breeding, molt, and migration. Using data collected at BBBO, Meghan successfully defended her Master’s Thesis in the summer of 2015. The Mobile Avian Recording Studio (MARS) trailer was in
Left page: Summer Bander Training Class, from left to right: Jed, Charlene, Bethany, Amanda, and Chris. Photo by Andrea Patterson. Right page. Top: Blackburnian Warbler. Left: Fall Bander Training Class, from left to right: Andy, Jim, Betsy, MaryBeth, Peg, Andrea, Liz, Zach, and Tom. Photos by Ryan Kayhart. Above right: Amanda braves both Pyle and a Cardinal! Photo by Andrea Patterson. Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Blue-winged Warbler 1 Mourning Dove 1 Brewster’s Warbler 2 Northern Saw-whet Owl 1 Black-and-white Warbler 7 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 12 Tennessee Warbler 15 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4 Nashville Warbler 35 Downy Woodpecker 13 Connecticut Warbler 1 Hairy Woodpecker 2 Mourning Warbler 8 Yellow-shafted Flicker 9 Common Yellowthroat 97 Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 Hooded Warbler 5 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 13 American Redstart 91
Birds Banded Fall 2014Birds Banded Fall Traill’s Flycatcher 36 Cape May Warbler 3 Least Flycatcher 17 Northern Parula 8 Eastern Phoebe 17 Magnolia Warbler 194 Great-crested Flycatcher 1 Bay-breasted Warbler 22 Northern Shrike 1 Blackburnian Warbler 3 Blue-headed Vireo 11 Yellow Warbler 179 Warbling Vireo 9 Chestnut-sided Warbler 11 Philadelphia Vireo 8 Blackpoll Warbler 189 Red-eyed Vireo 68 Black-throated Blue Warbler 37 Blue Jay 9 Western Palm Warbler 6 Black-capped Chickadee 110 Yellow-rumped Warbler 11 Tufted Titmouse 12 Black-throated Green Warbler 14 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 Canada Warbler 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 Wilson’s Warbler 42 Brown Creeper 90 American Tree Sparrow 5 House Wren 11 Chipping Sparrow 8 Winter Wren 67 Field Sparrow 5 Marsh Wren 1 Fox Sparrow 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8 Song Sparrow 64 Golden-crowned Kinglet 330 Lincoln’s Sparrow 11 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 446 Swamp Sparrow 27 Veery 15 White-throated Sparrow 947 Gray-cheeked Thrush 79 White-crowned Sparrow 13 Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s Thrush 32 Dark-eyed Junco 193 Swainson’s Thrush 130 Scarlet Tanager 2 Hermit Thrush 251 Northern Cardinal 34 Wood Thrush 11 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 12 American Robin 22 Indigo Bunting 1 Gray Catbird 233 Common Grackle 1 Above: Birds banded during Fall 2014 include Brown Thrasher 3 Baltimore Oriole 4 Yellow-shafted Flicker, Tufted Titmouse, Northern European Starling 5 Purple Finch 6 Shrike, and Pine Siskin. Top two photos by Ryan Kayhart; bottom two photos by Andrea Patterson. Cedar Waxwing 35 House Finch 1 Right: Birds banded during Spring 2015 include Ovenbird 19 Pine Siskin 115 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Cape May Warbler, Blue- Northern Waterthrush 27 American Goldfinch 152 headed Vireo, a leucistic Black-capped Chickadee, and White-throated Sparrow. Top two photos by *“Traill's” Flycatcher includes both Willow Flycatcher and Alder Flycatcher. These species are Ryan Kayhart; bottom three photos by Andrea difficult to distinguish from one another except by their calls. Patterson. Be sure to like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/BraddockBayBirdObservatory Birds Banded Spring 2015
Sharp-shinned Hawk 9 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Mourning Dove 2 Tennessee Warbler 53 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 18 Black-billed Cuckoo 3 Nashville Warbler 56 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 53 Mourning Warbler 37 Downy Woodpecker 1 Common Yellowthroat 177 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Hooded Warbler 19 Yellow-shafted Flicker 3 American Redstart 246 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Cape May Warbler 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 Northern Parula 14 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 54 Magnolia Warbler 369 Traill’s Flycatcher 165 Bay-breasted Warbler 10 Least Flycatcher 57 Blackburnian Warbler 8 Eastern Phoebe 2 Yellow Warbler 165 Great-crested Flycatcher 13 Chestnut-sided Warbler 77 Blue-headed Vireo 7 Blackpoll Warbler 51 Warbling Vireo 5 Black-throated Blue Warbler 93 Philadelphia Vireo 8 Western Palm Warbler 138 Red-eyed Vireo 68 Yellow Palm Warbler 1 Blue Jay 54 Yellow-rumped Warbler 135 Black-capped Chickadee 100 Black-throated Green Warbler 21 Tufted Titmouse 1 Canada Warbler 46 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Wilson’s Warbler 118 Brown Creeper 19 Eastern Towhee 2 House Wren 36 American Tree Sparrow 1 Winter Wren 9 Chipping Sparrow 4 Carolina Wren 2 Field Sparrow 21 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 31 Savannah Sparrow 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 25 Fox Sparrow 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 366 Song Sparrow 34 Veery 13 Lincoln’s Sparrow 59 Gray-cheeked Thrush 11 Swamp Sparrow 18 Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s Thrush 1 White-throated Sparrow 114 Swainson’s Thrush 116 White-crowned Sparrow 35 Hermit Thrush 28 Dark-eyed Junco 16 Wood Thrush 28 Scarlet Tanager 4 American Robin 20 Northern Cardinal 17 Gray Catbird 395 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 8 Brown Thrasher 23 Indigo Bunting 23 Cedar Waxwing 4 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Ovenbird 20 Rusty Blackbird 1 Northern Waterthrush 54 Common Grackle 11 Golden-winged Warbler 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Blue-winged Warbler 12 House Finch 1 Brewster’s Warbler 1 American Goldfinch 28 Black-and-white Warbler 23 Spring 2015 Banding Report T two American Robins, two Gray Catbirds, a Northern aNorthern twoGray Catbirds, Robins, two American Vireo, and a Red-eyed in their 6thOriole Baltimore years; Common Yellowthroat, anda twoCommonGrackles Vireo, aYellow aRed-eyed 7th year; in its Warbler, a aYellowyears; Vireo Warbler aRed-eyed 8th year; inits were aGray Catbird andaYellow Warbler intheir 9th birds of station. Thethese oldest MAPS or the Kaiser at K-MB season aprevious from 92returned recaptures, We AHY; 73.9%were SYand26.1%were ASY. birds, ofthose than moreof the specifically birds were able aged to be on10May, 72.3% occurred were banded. when44species diversity greatest species The additional 100+bird days. record). additional200+birddays There were andeight six aone-day spring (also Sparrows and 17White-crowned seasons) 20 spring in23 of the last the banded numbers Warblerscrowned day (a single record that exceeds also Thatday saw also fiveOrange- Redstarts. American Warblers were Magnolia birds banded and12.0%were Onthat were day, banded. species 19.4%ofthe total The not include owlbanding. capture and hour 2013.Thenet totals in Spring rates do hours 100net 2014and53.25birds per hours inSpring 100net 43.9birds compared per with hours, 100net per inacapture resulted ratehours ofbanding of46.4birds remains at 144.A total of 8,891 net seasons for all spring total the so species for records, the spring species new There were no birds. inthe ofbanded are list included 2014’s 53 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds total by 330 birds. exceeding Spring were form additional hybrid banded, one plus Jun) to were rain.4121birds lost of90species Apr andendingon6Jun 2015;twodays (31May and1 recaptured 631 previously banded birds. Of these Ofthese birds. banded 631previously recaptured Banding 2015 busiest day was 16May day when309birds of38 was busiest Station was carried out for 48 days beginning 18 out for 48days beginning carried Station was at monitoring the Banding Kaiser-Manitou Beach he thirtieth consecutive year of spring migration migration ofspring year consecutive thirtieth Spring Spring for the first time in 30 spring seasons. for the firsttimein 30spring birds to any band new wefailed Orioles, Baltimore several Although werecaptured 26springs. in 25ofthe previous for inarow, the fourthspring banded having been after Warbler.Prothonotary missing European Starling was Nuthatches, andourthird spring White-breasted spring Woodpecker, Pileated spring second our third and fourth Warbler (15),and22Field (19).We Sparrow our banded Warbler(19), 18 Orange-crowned (13), 19 Hooded one),395Gray Catbird was high Thrasher (322),23Brown Nuthatchincluding record twoWhite-breasted (previous There years. in their fifth all Oriole aCommonGrackle, andaBaltimore Cardinal, Ontario. Beach, on 27Apr 2015at Georgian found dead was anHY 2013as Junco on20Oct banded on21Maydead 2015inTully, York. New ASlate-colored found Gray on23May anSYwas Catbird 2012as banded A on1Mayfound Sigel, dead Pennsylvania. 2015near was ASY on16 as an banded Jun 2014 Thrasher Brown Bay Raptor Research’s MainBlindon17May 2015.A at Braddock oneofthe from nets caught andreleased was A Recoveries ofBandedBirds class. We BayRaptor the from Braddock class. visits hosted University’sand Cornell Field Spring Ornithology Vermont,the Center Hannaford inMiddlebury Career Olsen’s Rodney Geneseo, from class SUNY science from ESF, SUNY from Hannam’s Kristi class AnimalBehavior Houghton Belford’s Alan College, Field Class Ornithology College, Canisius We the station ontwodays May.run inearly Student University Cornell from banders helped Class. Training 2015Bander completed ourSpring Hall, NY) (Albany,Jeff Robinson CA), and WhittleJulia (Campbell Tristan NY), (Powhutan, Luxner VA), (Norwich, Kinney KyleRutherford, City, NJ), (Lake Kennedy Norma MN), Tyler Education andEvents Brown Thrasher banded as an AHY on19MayAHY 2013 as an banded Thrasher Brown welcomed Sara Morris’ Ornithology class from class Ornithology Morris’ welcomed Sara Breen (Honeoye Falls, NY), Kathleen Farley (East Kathleen Farley (East NY), Falls, (Honeoye Breen were record-high numbers banded of six species species of six were banded record-high numbers of Prey Days, and Pat Lovallo represented us us and Pat represented Lovallo Days, of Prey at BayRaptor the Research’s Braddock Bird Several ourvisitor’ssigned book. Japan, andthe Cuba, United Kingdom states, 9 from andvisitors the station this season, Kirkconnell. visited More than 545people Cuban from birder Arturo a visit we enjoyed and Temple Club, Garden Sinai. In addition, the Weather-or-not Joseph, the Sisters ofSt. the Hickok CenterCitizens, for Brain Injury, the Senior Chili Greece, from group hiking the GCSC Birding Association, Rochester Audubon Society, the Bird the Kirkland Club, Audubon Society, the Chemung Valley Research’s the Bedford Days, Bird of Prey Eli Knapp’s from class Ornithology BBBO volunteers represented BBBO BBBO volunteers represented BBBO Spring 2015 Banding Report 2015 Spring Top 10 species banded during spring 2015 With numbers captured during previous 10 spring seasons 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Gray Catbird 192 306 309 225 253 302 190 232 282 300 395 Magnolia Warbler 160 298 453 290 297 335 488 466 282 379 369 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 409 524 564 367 567 293 253 437 446 287 366 American Redstart 112 231 212 159 284 244 344 213 267 219 246 Common Yellowthroat 130 241 201 165 171 151 193 135 181 162 177 Traill’s Flycatcher 97 120 151 133 141 155 200 163 154 97 165 Yellow Warbler 230 261 196 205 166 321 221 166 128 154 165 Western Palm Warbler 84 26 30 147 83 117 68 84 89 155 138 Yellow-rumped Warbler 96 80 152 137 179 122 80 91 90 209 135 Swainson’s Thrush 35 73 141 61 113 71 86 110 76 54 116
at the Cool Kid’s Ecofest in Batavia. Peggy Keller gave a brown bag lecture on the Birds of Ecuador and Columbia in the EWB Center. On May 27, we held our annual picnic and memorial garden ceremony, this year remembering Bob Reed and Donna Traver. Research The Mobile Avian Recording Studio (MARS) trailer was kept exceptionally busy as Canisius students Katie Little and Stephanie Schelble tested the flight call behavior of warblers under the guidance of Dr. Sara Morris. Current projects include investigating how much variation in flight calling responses exist both within and among species, how energetic condition of birds affects calling rate, how season (spring v. fall) affects rates and types of responses, and how different calling rates affects response. We collected blood samples from thrushes for Dr. Susan Smith Pagano of R.I.T., who is using plasma indicators of fattening rates and diet to study the migration physiology and stopover site use of these birds. We also collected blood samples from several species or passerines for Dr. Greg Cunningham of St. John Fisher College, who is collaborating with scientists in France to explore the diversity of telomere length in Passeriformes. Eventually, this groundwork research may help us understand how telomere length is related to life history traits in birds. - Compiled by Betsy Brooks and Ryan Kayhart
Left page: Spring Bander Training Class, from left to right: Tyler, Kathleen, Tristan, Norma, Andrea, Julia, Betsy, Jeff, and Kyle. Photo by Ryan Kayhart.
Right page. Top: Scarlet Tanagers. Right: Red-eyed Vireo. Photos by Ryan Kayhart. Thank you to our volunteers! The students . . . learned how imperative it is to have a reliable and knowledgeable staff of volunteers as part of the team. Volunteers are incorporated into every aspect of the operation including opening the nets, extracting birds, processing them, and scribing. Without such a well-rounded and experienced staff Braddock Bay Bird Observatory would not exist, so appreciating them for what they do is one of the most valuable lessons the students could have learned. ~Tristan Luxner
Tristan was a student in our spring 2015 Bander Training Class. His peers elected him to be Bander-in-Charge the day the class ran the station, and his words could not be more true. Our volunteers definitely are the heart of our operation! They come to us from different backgrounds, and they each bring unique skills and ideas to the table. Below we list our corps of volunteers for the fall of 2014 and the spring of 2015. We appreciate the contributions of each and every one! Thanks to Steve Maley for mowing and home maintenance, Jim Gilette for mowing the field and grading the driveway, and Tom Muller for mowing paths; to Sue Dougherty, Lyn Jacobs, Willie Norton, Rosemary Reilly, and Doug Smith for their help with habitat maintenance; to Allen Nash for spreading woodchips on our trails and to John Boettcher for completing several “handyman” projects at the banding lab; to Tom Klotzbach for helping with the new computer; and to Jeanne Verhulst for helping with data entry. Much appreciation goes to all our faithful volunteers who scribe and tend the nets: Bob Ames, John Boettcher, Brandon Bonter, Jane Capellupo, Mark Catlin, Andrea Celano, Kim Denise, Hannah Elsinghorst, Jeanine Ferrence, Barb French, Marilyn Guenther, Kathy Habgood, Ann Hauser, Gary Herbert, Shayna Hettler, Julie Kleinhans, Matthew Laframboise, Aidan and Maddie MaKinster, Chita McKinney, Charmaine Merchant, Shirley Meston, Nancy Murty, Willie Norton, Lauren Parker, Terry Perry, the Podulka family, Karl Reinhold, Sonya Rooney, Rachel Saless, Stephanie Schelble, Lee Schofield, Judy Snell, Ruth Stork, Alice VandeMoere, Tom Verhulst, and Willem Windig. Banding was done by licensed banders Ann Adams, David Bonter, Elizabeth Brooks, Greg Cunninghm, Mark Deutschlander, Jon Dombrowski, Erin Karnatz, Ryan Kayhart, Peggy Keller, Marian Klik, Tom Klotzbach, Cindy Marino, Dave Mathiason, Rodney Olsen, Susan Smith Pagano, Andrea Patterson, Emily Patterson, Doug Smith, and John Waud. Banding assistants were Claire Ashton, Alan Belford, Claire Buck, Virginia Duffy, Kevin Eckert, Laura Evans, Jenna Holzschuh, Kyle Kennedy, Tom Kerr, Greg Lawrence, Gayle Lazoration, Katie Little, Pat Lovallo, Maggie MacNeil, Pat Martin, Danica Metlay, Ann Nash, Meghan Oberkircher, Jim Saller, Rick Sherman, Chris Townsend, Leanna Twohig, Alison Van Keuren, Barb Wagner, Bella Weber, Cici Weber, Aggie Windig, two BBBO Bander Training Classes, and two groups of banding students from Cornell. Ryan Kayhart was our Research Assistant for both seasons, Jenna Holzschuh our Field Assistant for Fall 2014, and Kyle Kennedy our Field Assistant for Spring 2015. A special thank you goes to Bill Kaiser, Nancy Britton and The Genesee Land Trust for permission to band on their land.
Adopt a Net! A new way to support Braddock Bay Bird Observatory!! Over the years, many people have adopted birds through To adopt a net, simply visit our website at our Adopt-a-Bird program. Now, you can support BBBO’s
ucked into the hills at the south end of Seneca Lake sits Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory, a 60-acre sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. John Tand Sue Gregoire founded the sanctuary in 1986 and it is now protected as a perpetual wildlife habitat. In addition to restoring native plantings, establishing ponds, and providing nestboxes, the Gregoires actively monitor wildlife on the property including dragonflies and damselflies, butterflies, and - of course - birds. These dedicated field ornithologists have banded more than 80,000 birds of 145 forms, and have contributed data to the Atlantic Flyway Review, Project Owlnet, and the federal banding database; and have published in several newsletters and journals including the North American Bird Bander. Recently, the Gregoires retired from passerine banding, and they were faced with a dilemma . . . what do you do with nets you no longer need? Their solution was to contact Betsy Brooks and say that we could have them for the price of “come and get them!” On a sunny afternoon, we visited Kestrel Haven to pick up an astonishing 256 nets! Black nets, brown nets, green nets, white nets, blue nets, long nets, short nets, big mesh, small mesh . . . almost everything you could imagine! Some of the nets were lovingly folded in handmade cloth bags, others carefully stored in bread bags, and still others were in their original packaging. We are currently in the process of sorting through the nets. One by one, we unfurl them, measure the length and mesh size, assess the material and quality, and put them carefully in bags with a precise label. We will use as many of the nets as we can in our daily operations and in our owl banding projects, and we will try to find suitable homes for the rest. Three nets have already found their way to a local raptor-banding organization, and we hope that many more will be able to help new and underfunded banders start their own stations and conduct their own projects. BBBO sends a huge Thank You! to John and Sue Gregoire for their generous donation. We look forward to seeing the nets in action!
Left: Peggy Keller with a Pileated Woodpecker. Photo by Ryan Kayhart. Top and right: nets donated by John and Sue Gregoire. Photos by Andrea Patterson. Some information for this page is from Kestrel Haven’s website. You can visit them at
Has your membership expired? Braddock Bay Bird Observatory If so, this may be your last issue of The Marsh Wren. Please check your membership status by finding the A non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization dedicated to ornithological research, expiration date printed on the mailing label below. education, and conservation. The organization is operated entirely by volunteers, and financially supported by our members. Memberships expire at the end of the year printed. To join BBBO, please mail a check to: BBBO Officers and Advisers: Braddock Bay Bird Observatory President David Mathiason; Vice-President Susan Smith Pagano; Treasurer PO Box 12876 Chita McKinney; Secretary vacant; Directors Matthew Belanger, David Bonter, Rochester, NY 14612 Elizabeth Brooks, Mark Deutschlander, Richard Marx, Andrea Patterson, and John Waud. For a complete list of committees and committee memberships, visit our web site. Membership categories are: Student $15, Individual $25, Family $30, Contributing $100, Corporate Photo of Prothonotary Warbler (cover) by Ryan Kayhart amd Mourning $250. Thank you for your support! Warbler (below) by Andrea Patterson. Newsletter editing by Andrea Patterson.
If you aren’t doing anything this “Mourning”, why not take a moment to renew your membership to BBBO?
The Marsh Wren Braddock Bay Bird Observatory PO Box 12876 Rochester, NY 14612
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