Notes from Rush Creek: we have cool birds here
August 18th, 2009 by Chris McCreedy
Date of sighting: August 12-18
Last week I belatedly discovered a clutch of Dusky Flycatcher fledges because the male was polygamous, and I assumed I had the (only) nest when I found his first mate’s brood. Polygamy in Dusky Flycatchers has not yet been documented, but at Rush Creek, 4/14 of the males had two mates this season.
Dusky Flycatcher fledges: Oberon, Iambic Pentameter, and Jaws. Photos courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
Downy Woodpecker. Photo courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
The fledges were huge, and ready to leave Rush Creek at any time. I should have known their mother had them, she is the most successful Dusky Flycatcher female and has fledged at least 15 chicks over her lifetime. I had assumed she was dead when I did not see her in her usual haunts.
Part of the power of my study is that I have all of the adults and young banded, so that if I get any unbanded new birds, I know they are immigrants. I needed to catch those birds.
Hatch year Fox Sparrow. Photo courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
I put up all of my nets last week, and managed to net three of the four fledges. Each fledge has about a 10-15% chance of returning, and so I am comfortable with missing one.
Banding at this time of the year at Rush Creek is fun. It’s later than PRBO used to band here, and there are beautiful and interesting migrants about.
Male Warbling Vireo. Photo courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
Attached are several pictures of some of my captures. Among them, the 3 DUFL fledges, my first Wilson’s Warbler and Nashville Warbler of the fall on Rush, a MacGillivray’s Warbler (one of six I caught during the three days), and a Yellow Warbler. Also, a Fox Sparrow (I almost never see Fox Sparrows on Rush Creek, even though they breed at higher elevations within 20 miles), several Warbling Vireos, still-present Brewer’s Sparrows, and another rare bird for Rush – a Downy Woodpecker.
Male Brewer's Sparrow. Photo courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
Finally, today Bartshe Miller and I banded a
12-day-old Willow Flycatcher nestlings (Toots and Tardy). Photos courtesy of Chris McCreedy.
Willow Flycatcher nest. Last year they suffered total breeding failure on Rush Creek, and these were the first WIFL chicks I have banded in two years. Tardy and Toots, each about 12 days old since hatch: I hope you scoundrels live to fly.
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MacGillivray's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler. Photos courtesy Chris McCreedy.
This post was submitted by Chris McCreedy .
