Thursday, October 22, 2015

Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: Monday, October 21, 2015
Pictured: Rusty Blackbird - Adult Male *Read below for more information on RUBLs*


- Number of Birds Banded: 37
- Number of Recaptures: 46
- Number of Species Banded: 16 (+2 recap only)
- Top Four Species Banded:, Hermit Thrush 7 (+18 recap), American Robin 5, White-throated Sparrow 5 (+1 recap) and Golden-crowned Kinglet 4 (+3 recap).

- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 23
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 37
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 4
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 5.75

Highlights: Magnolia Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Rusty Blackbird, and Fox Sparrow.

Notes: Large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Pine Siskins moving around this morning, but south winds are preventing movement of other migrants into the area.

Weather: Winds Southwest. Temperature in the 50s going to 60s.

*Aging Rusty Blackbirds in the fall is a fairly easy task. Adults should have white/yellow eyes, and hatching-year birds should have mostly brown eyes. In fall, Male RUBLs (pictured today) tend to be darker with less "rust" on the edges of their feathers, and have a blue-green iridescence or gloss to the majority of their black feathers (especially the wing feathers). Fall Female RUBLs have noticeably more "rust" throughout their body feathers (especially the face) with an obvious pale eyebrow, and lack any gloss to their dark gray-black body feathers, which appear more matte or flat.
Mostly all of the rusty edging on the feathers will wear away during winter, and by spring, returning Rustys will be entirely black.

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