An Unusual Catch-Mourning Dove

Another light southwest wind made the lake quite calm and peaceful if I might say so myself. I was surprised that the boaters were not out on the lake. They lost out on a beautiful day. Back to the birds. Today’s catch included 107 new banded birds of 21 species with an additional 27 recaptures. Eleven warblers graced us with their presence Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Nashville, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Cape May, Black and White, and Tennessee. Once again thrushes and catbirds were the main birds again. We did capture the adult male Mourning Warbler again. He is always a handsome sight to see!
Highlights for the day are the two Red-breasted Nuthatches that were taunting me high up in the Hackberry trees and the first Brown Creeper and White-throated Sparrow for the fall season. Southerly winds still had a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher hanging around and of course another great bird today was a Blackburnian Warbler!

Species and Number Banded
Blackpoll Warbler - 22
Swainson’s Thrush -21
Gray-cheeked Thrush -17
Gray Catbird -14
Common Yellowthroat - 9

An unusual catch was a Mourning Dove. They may fly into the net but the small mesh size keeps them from getting caught. The net mesh size is 30 mm which is for warbler sized birds. This dove was an adult female. It has obvious molt limit (last year’s feathers or more than one generation of feathers) and no iridescence on the head.
Today is a great day for quizzes. Here is a Black and White Warbler we captured today. Can you tell me what age and sex this bird is?

Enjoy one more Quiz Bird!

P.S. Black and White Warbler is a Hatching Year Male—gray face with distinct black stripes on the flanks. Females have blurry streaks on the flanks. Adult males have black cheek patches with distinct black striping on flanks.
The other quiz bird is a female Cape May Warbler—remember the fine streaks on the chest and the fine bill.