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Bird Lab Updates 2008
September 2008
Fall is a time of change, as the mornings and evenings grow cooler, the poison oak and willow leaves begin changing color, and birds begin their long journeys to their wintering grounds. It is also a time of change here at Andrew Molera State Park, as the VWS Bird Banding Lab, formerly known as the Big Sur Ornithology Lab, closes its doors until 2009. Yes, this month marks the end of regular banding at Molera for the rest of 2008. For the first time in 16 years we will not be monitoring fall migration or over-wintering birds. Friday September 12 was our last day of banding with the current Conservation Ecology staff, interns, and volunteers, and it was a bittersweet day. We enjoyed strolling the net lanes one last time, sharing the bird banding experience with the last few visitors, and releasing our very last banded bird, a mighty Bushtit. But visitors to Molera should not despair, for the banding lab will re-open in 2009 with a new staff and banding crew, and will resume public bird banding demonstrations. But most of exciting of all, this winter we will be completely renovating our Research and Education Center to create a state-of-the art visitor center with educational displays, a gift shop, and much more. So please come back and see us in the spring to experience all that Ventana Wildlife Society has to offer!
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
As we wrapped up our avian monitoring at Molera this month, we banded only four days. In that time we captured 88 birds of 19 species. Surprisingly, our top capture this month was Chestnut-backed Chickadee (20 birds), perhaps because of their tendency to form flocks in the fall—flocks which would then get caught together in the nets! Our second-place capture was Wrentit (13 birds), followed by Wilson’s Warbler, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and Song Sparrow (8 birds each). Though we only banded for four days in the first half of the month, we did catch several fall migrants including Yellow Warbler, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and White-crowned Sparrow. Interesting migrants which were seen but not banded included Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, and Lark Sparrow. Special mention must go to our volunteers this month, especially Barbara Woyt. Without Barbara, we would not have been able to operate the banding lab this month. Thank you for giving so much of your time and energy to us Barbara! We and the birds salute you.
Education and Outreach
Though we didn’t band as frequently this month, several visitors still made it down to Big Sur to witness our bird banding up close. We also welcomed back another group of Brits led by Pete Dunn, who snapped plenty of pictures of our exotic California birds. Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths found time to give talks to two different groups: the Point Lobos Docent Association and the Cypress Garden Club (who earlier this year generously granted their club Conservation Award to VWS).
Comings and Goings
On the heels of Wildlife Biologist Nellie Thorngate’s departure comes another loss for VWS: Conservation Ecology Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths is leaving this month. Jessica has worked for VWS in some capacity or another since being hired as a BSOL intern in December of 2002. In 2003 she was promoted to crew leader, and in February 2004 was hired on as full-time staff. In October 2004 she became Interim Coordinator and ran the Conservation Ecology program for eight months after the departure of Sarah Stock and before the hire of Karen Shihadeh. In 2005 her title was changed to Wildlife Biologist, and so she has been ever since. In her recent years with VWS, Jessica has devoted her time to increasing outreach to local and regional groups, traveling all around central California to talk about our research programs. She has also worked to bring more visitors to the VWS Bird Banding Lab, collaborating with teachers and trip leaders and leading bird walks and bird banding demonstrations for hundreds of students, birders, and VWS members. She also dedicated her time to increasing the VWS volunteer pool, training several volunteer bird banders. In addition to overseeing BSOL, she also ran VWS’s monarch butterfly monitoring program for the last 3 years and has written the monthly updates for the last 2 years. As Jessica is the one writing this update, she will refrain from commenting on her tireless devotion, keen intellect and sparkling wit, and instead relate how much she has enjoyed her time with the organization. She will spend the winter as lead on the monarch butterfly project (VWS will remain involved as a collaborator), and will be going to grad school somewhere on the Central Coast in fall 2009. She will miss working at VWS, and will be missed in turn. We wish her luck in her future endeavors, and suspect she may turn up to bird at Molera from time to time.
The last Conservation Ecology intern of 2008 wraps up her internship this month as well. Jordan Bell divided her time between our Camp Roberts and Carmel River MAPS stations, and was integral to both projects. Her enthusiasm for learning about birds and bird banding made her a wonderful addition to our crew this summer. After September she will actually stay on for a month as an intern for VWS’s Species Recovery program, where she will be involved in tracking and trap-up of California Condors. We wish her well and hope she has fun playing with the big birds!
Information for Visitors
Because we will not be banding for the fall or winter, there will be no public banding until 2009. If you are interested in learning what other activities or opportunities VWS provides for visitors, please e-mail info AT ventanaws.org or call 1-877-897-7740 and ask for Alena. Remember, our new visitor center will be opening in the spring, so come back soon to check it out, and don’t forget your binoculars!
BSOL Update, August 2008
The Basin Complex Fire was finally fully contained at the end of July, and as August rolled around, life slowly began returning to normal in Big Sur. Andrew Molera State Park re-opened to the public, and we resumed our summer banding schedule. The birds of Molera seemed unaffected by the fire, raising their young and fledging them with nary a problem. Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Bushtits began forming their fall flocks and foraging through the study area. Most adult birds have quit singing and many are gearing up for migration. By the middle of the month the earliest migrants have already departed, such as Black-headed Grosbeaks, and by the end of the month the first fall migrants began passing through. Conservation Ecology staff and interns have also begun their own migration of sorts. It is a time of transition for both birds and humans.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
This month we returned to our regularly scheduled bird monitoring, and in 12 days of banding we captured 204 birds of 25 species. Our number one capture this month was Wilson’s Warbler (62 birds), followed by Chestnut-backed Chickadee (26 birds) and Wrentit (21 birds). We captured several interesting early fall migrants near the end of the month, including an Orange-crowned Warbler of the subspecies celata and a MacGillivray’s Warbler. We also caught a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk, who was no doubt hunting birds in our study area. But our most unusual capture this month was a Fox Sparrow caught in early August. Fox Sparrows are winter residents in Monterey County, usually arriving in September. This is the first one we have ever banded in August! And speaking of foxes, we also had a surprise visit from a curious Gray Fox, who popped up next to the banding lab one morning and stayed just long enough to have its picture taken. We have been seeing signs of an unusually high number of Gray Foxes in the park this fall, perhaps due to the Basin Complex fire forcing them out of their usual habitat.
Mist-netting and Banding on the Carmel River
August marks the end of the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) season, and the end of our lower Carmel River avian monitoring funded by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD). In our one final day of banding at Rancho San Carlos we banded 18 birds of 8 species. Our most commonly captured bird was Swainson’s Thrush (6 birds), followed by Purple Finch and Wilson’s Warbler (3 birds each). The data VWS collected this summer will be used to help MPWMD direct ongoing habitat restoration on the Carmel River, and will ensure that restoration efforts are continued.
Mist-netting and Banding at Camp Roberts
We wrapped up our two MAPS stations at Camp Roberts this month, banding one more day at each site. At the Nacimiento River site we captured only two birds! We banded a California Towhee and a Wilson’s Warbler. At the Salinas River site we fared batter, capturing 23 birds of 12 species. Our number one capture was Song Sparrow (8 birds), followed by Spotted Towhee (3 birds) and Nuttall’s Woodpecker and Oak Titmouse (2 birds each). Interesting captures included California Thrasher, Red-shafted Flicker, and White-breasted Nuthatch. This concludes our summer monitoring funded by the California Army National Guard.
Education and Outreach
With Andrew Molera State Park open to the public once more, the flow of visitors resumed. We welcomed around 60 people to the banding lab this month, including a group of docents from Point Lobos and a group of British tourists led by British birder Peter Dunn. VWS Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths also resumed her outreach, giving a campfire talk at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. VWS manned a table at the very successful Pfeiffer 75th Anniversary celebration, where visitors learned about local Big Sur organizations and enjoyed free birthday cake. Here’s to another 75 years!
Comings and Goings
A notable chapter in VWS history comes to an end this month with the departure of Wildlife Biologist Nellie Thorngate. Her involvement with VWS can be traced back six years to fall 2002 when she worked at the Carmel Middle School Habitat and helped out with VWS’s educational bird banding there. Over the course of the next two and a half years she went from a BSOL volunteer to an intern to crew leader to a contract biologist, finally getting hired full-time as a Wildlife Biologist for the Conservation Ecology (CE) program in early 2005. Nellie was a driving force in shaping the course of the CE internship program.
In her eyes, a VWS internship was more than a field tech position, it was a chance for a young biologist to gain experience in public speaking, scientific writing, basic statistical analysis, and creative thinking. She developed and implemented the bi-annual VWS Staff Conference, where staff and interns come together to share the research they have been working on with the community. Nellie was also instrumental in procuring several large research grants, including grants from the National Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) and the Santa Lucia Conservancy (SLC). Nellie’s passion for science, thirst for knowledge, and love of birds made her an integral part of the developing CE program. And her energy, dedication, sense of humor, and keen intellect made her a great co-worker and a good friend. Nellie has accepted an environmental consulting job at H.T. Harvey and Associates, and is now settled in Santa Cruz. We will miss her, but we wish her much happiness and luck!
This month we also bid a fond farewell to two of our interns. Jill Gautreaux was our crew leader, and an excellent one at that. Jill spent the summer overseeing our interns and managing the four Carmel River MAPS stations. She brought enthusiasm to everything she did, and was a devoted, reliable, energetic, and valuable part of our crew. Her smile and infectious laugh made her many friends, and ensured a harmonious working environment. She left Big Sur reluctantly, but has winged her way to Australia, where she is working on a project that monitors endangered finches. We will miss her, but wish her all the luck in the world and many adventures Down Under! Meagan Oldfather wrapped up her internship this month as well. Meagan joined our crew mid-summer to replace an intern that had unexpectedly quit, and were we glad to see her! Meagan had already befriended us during her time volunteering at BSOL earlier in the spring, and quickly found a place on the crew and in our hearts. She met the challenges of the internship head-on, and was instrumental in running the Carmel MAPS stations with Jill. After her internship ended, she continued to volunteer at BSOL in order to ensure that the banding could continue, and for that we are grateful. Meagan returns to UCSC this fall, and we wish her success and good birding!
Welcome!
We will be banding just a few days this fall, including several days in September. Our schedule is unpredictable, so please call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
July 2008
A Red-shafted Flicker being banded at the Carmel River Lagoon in July 2008. Photo by Rick Pettit
A Warbling Vireo captured in July 2008 at Andrew Molera State Park
July saw Big Sur ravaged by the Basin Complex fire. In the end, over 160,000 acres were burned. The fire forced the closure of Highway 1 and the total evacuation of Big Sur in early July, and because of this, we did not operate the banding lab for the first two weeks of the month. As the fire approached Andrew Molera State Park, the air grew more and more smoky, and falling ash was a common sight. After Big Sur was evacuated, fire crews set backfires on the East Molera Grasslands directly across the highway from the park to halt the spread of the fire towards the highway. When the Conservation Ecology crew returned to the VWS Research and Education Center after two weeks, we found all the structures unscathed, but coated in ash. The hilltops across the highway visible from the barn are blackened and barren, but we are thankful that the grasslands burned in order to save the western areas of the park. But for all its ferocity, the fire was a patchy one, and the process of renewal and growth has already begun. Fire is a necessary part of the Big Sur ecosystem, and we know that the plants and animals will recover over time. But not all of VWS’s structures survived: the Species Recovery program lost all condor rearing facilities at the condor sanctuary on Anderson Peak, including the Consolidated Rearing Pen and the Release Pen. To learn more about the effects of the fire and how you can help by donating to VWS, visit http://ventanaws.org/species_condors/bigsurfire2008.htm.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
Due to the fire and the closure of the park and the highway, we only banded five days this month. But despite the poor air quality and the falling ash, the birds at Molera seemed undaunted, continuing to raise their young and forage busily. This month in five days of banding we banded just 104 birds of 20 species. Our number one capture was once again Wilson’s Warbler (38 birds), followed by Wrentit (8 birds) and Warbling Vireo and Spotted Towhee (7 birds each). Interesting captures included an adult female Lazuli Bunting and a Hairy Woodpecker. Our most exciting capture this month was also our one and only refugee from the fire: a Hermit Thrush. Hermit Thrushes are common throughout the county in winter, but in the summer a small population remains behind to breed in the mountains of the Big Sur wilderness. In 17 years of banding we have caught only three Hermit Thrushes during the summer, and they have all been either late migrants or dispersing juveniles. We have never caught a breeding adult before. The bird had what looked like mild burns on its feet and bill, indicating that she had been through quite an ordeal! She was banded and released, and hopefully found refuge in Molera.
Mist-netting and Banding on the Carmel River
Carmel River Lagoon. Our songbird monitoring project at the Carmel River Lagoon funded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation wrapped up this month with three final days of summer banding. In three days we captured 52 birds of 10 species. Chestnut-backed Chickadees were the most common capture with 14 birds, followed by Wrentit (9 birds) and Wilson’s Warbler (8 birds). Our most interesting captures were a tiny Brown Creeper and a large and noisy Red-shafted Flicker. This marks the end of this year’s monitoring at the river mouth, as we will not be doing any fall migration or winter monitoring at this site. This summer was a challenging one at the river lagoon, thanks to the very aggressive yellowjackets that are reproducing abundantly. Our biologists suffered some nasty stings in the pursuit of science! Some mist nets had to be closed prematurely, and in fact, the entire site was shut down a week early. But our long-term research on avian response to habitat restoration is critical to songbird conservation, and we hope to continue our spring and summer monitoring next year.
Lower Carmel River
Mist-netting and banding at our three MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) stations on the lower Carmel River, funded by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, continued this month. We banded a total of 11 days and captured 229 birds of 23 species. At Red Rocks, we banded for four days and caught 68 birds of 14 species. The number one capture was Chestnut-backed Chickadee, with 19 birds, followed by Bewick’s Wren (12 birds) and Warbling Vireo and Bushtit (8 birds each). At the Schulte Bridge site, in four days we banded 73 birds of 18 species, which was our highest species diversity. The most-banded species was Pacific-slope Flycatcher (12 birds), with Bushtit a close second (10 birds) and Swainson’s Thrush and Bewick’s Wren tied for third (7 birds each). Lastly, at Rancho San Carlos we captured the greatest number of birds but had the lowest species diversity. In three days of banding we captured 88 birds of 12 species. Wilson’s Warblers reigned supreme (21 birds), followed by Chestnut-backed Chickadee (18 birds) with Song Sparrow in a distant third (12 birds). Banding was completed for the Red Rocks and Schulte Bridge sites, but continues into August for Rancho San Carlos.
Mist-netting and Banding at Camp Roberts
We continued banding birds at our two MAPS stations at Camp Roberts California Army National Guard Training Facility in the Salinas Valley. We banded three times at each station for a total of six banding days in June. At the Nacimiento River site we banded just 28 birds of 13 species. Our top capture at that site was Common Yellowthroat (5 birds), followed by Wrentit (4 birds), and Lesser Goldfinch and Nuttall’s Woodpecker (3 each). At the Salinas River site we caught more than twice as many birds, banding 71 birds of 20 species. At this site, Song Sparrow was the number one capture with 18 birds, followed by Bewick’s Wren (9 birds). Other top captures included Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bushtit, Oak Titmouse, and Spotted Towhee (6 birds each). We also captured several exciting summer residents, including Western Bluebird, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Lark Sparrow.
Education and Outreach
Since Andrew Molera State Park was closed to the public for much of July, we had only a fraction of the visitors that we normally would have in mid-summer. In fact, only 16 people visited us this month, compared with over 230 people last July. But we found ways to interact with groups at some of our other banding sites. We welcomed a group of Point Lobos docents to our Carmel River Lagoon banding station, and gave a banding demonstration to a large family of Big Sur Land Trust donors at our Schulte Bridge site. The outreach must go on!
Welcome!
Until the end of August, we will be banding every Saturday, and some Tuesdays and Fridays. Because our schedule is busy, we recommend that visitors call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
BSOL Update, June 2008
As many of you know, the big news this month in Big Sur is the Basin Complex fire. This fire, started by lightning on June 21, has burned almost 60,000 acres of the Ventana Wilderness as of this writing, and will surely spread farther. For the time being, VWS’s Research and Education Center and the banding lab are safe in Andrew Molera State Park on the west side of Highway 1. Banding operations continued as normal in June, despite the closure of the park to the public. Incident command headquarters is located at Molera, which means that we are sharing the park with hundreds of firefighters and other personnel. We would like to take a moment to express our deep gratitude for the tireless efforts of the men and women fighting this fire, holding the line and protecting the homes, businesses, and people of Big Sur. For more information on how this fire has impacted the California Condors and our Species Recovery Program, please see http://ventanaws.org/species_condors/bigsurfire2008.htm.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
This month we switched to our summer banding schedule, which means that we banded just three days a week. In 12 days of banding this month we banded 355 birds of 31 species. Our number one capture was Wilson’s Warbler, who recaptured the first place crown with 77 birds. In second place was Chestnut-backed Chickadee (56 birds) followed by Wrentit (50 birds) and Song Sparrow (36 birds). Over 60% of the birds we banded this month were juvenile birds, illustrating the productivity of the breeding birds at Andrew Molera State Park. We captured juveniles of several interesting species including Barn Swallow (1), Brown Creeper (1), and Oak Titmouse (2). We used to band several Oak Titmice every year, but for reasons that are unclear, we have not caught any since 2005. It is good to see some juveniles of this species, indicating that they are still breeding near the study area. Though most birds have reached their breeding grounds by June, there were still some late migrants passing through, including Western Tanager (1), Yellow Warbler (5), and Yellow-breasted Chat (2). But the most exciting capture by far this month was a stunning male Canada Warbler! This is only the second Canada Warbler ever banded at Molera, and it is the first spring record of that species for Monterey County.
Mist-netting and Banding on the Carmel River
Carmel River Lagoon. We continued our breeding season monitoring, funded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. At the Carmel River Lagoon this month in 3 days of banding we caught 71 birds of 13 species. Our top capture was Chestnut-backed Chickadee (21 birds), followed by Song Sparrow (13 birds) and Swainson’s Thrush (9 birds). Interesting captures this month include a male Lesser Goldfinch and an Allen’s Hummingbird. The unpleasant discovery of a yellowjacket nest underneath one of the mist-nets led to a brief but painful battle between the angry wasps and our bird banders. We have now removed the mist-nets from that area, which means we will not be sampling the passive restoration area for the rest of the summer. Such are the trials and tribulations of the field biologist!
Lower Carmel River
This month we resumed our annual monitoring of three sites on the lower Carmel River. This project began in 2003 and is funded by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD). The three sites were replanted with native vegetation by MPWMD in the late 90s, and for the last 6 years VWS has been conducting MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) monitoring to study avian response to habitat restoration. Banding takes place at three sites: Rancho San Carlos, Schulte Bridge, and Red Rocks. During three days of banding at each site, we captured 200 birds of 23 species. At Red Rocks we banded 40 birds of 17 species. The number one capture was Chestnut-backed Chickadee (8 birds), followed by Swainson’s Thrush and Bewick’s Wren (5 each). We banded several interesting species include Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, and Steller’s Jay. At Rancho San Carlos we caught 64 birds of 14 species. The most common captures were Song Sparrow (15 birds), Wilson’s Warbler (11 birds), and Bewick’s Wren (7 birds). Other interesting captures included a pair of Oak Titmice. Schulte Bridge had both the highest bird abundance and the highest species diversity, with 96 birds and 19 species banded. The top capture was once again Chestnut-backed Chickadee (25 birds) , followed by Bushtit (14 birds) and Bewick’s Wren (11 birds). Other interesting captures included the only Warbling Vireo banded on the Carmel River this month, along with Oregon Junco and Black-headed Grosbeaks.
Mist-netting and Banding at Camp Roberts
We continued banding birds at our two MAPS stations at Camp Roberts California Army National Guard Training Facility in the Salinas Valley. We banded three times at each station for a total of six banding days in June. At the Salinas River site, we banded 101 birds of 18 species. The top capture was Song Sparrow (36 birds), followed by Bewick’s Wren (16 birds) and Oak Titmouse (13 birds). We caught several interesting species there, including Tree Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, and California Thrasher. But the most exciting capture was a very late migrating Golden-crowned Sparrow! Normally these birds have long departed Monterey County for their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska. This individual was lagging behind, but did have ample fat reserves in preparation for the long journey ahead. At the Nacimiento River site, we banded just 45 birds of 19 species. Here the top three species were House Finch (6), House Wren (5), and Common Yellowthroat (5). But what that site lacked in quantity it made up in quality, because we caught two outstanding vagrant birds. First we banded an Ovenbird, only the second one VWS has ever banded in the Salinas Valley and the 12th we have ever banded in Monterey County. But even more exciting than that was the capture of a Gray Catbird! This is the first individual of that species that we have banded in the Salinas Valley, and only the 5th ever banded in Monterey County. These amazing captures highlight the importance of the riparian habitat in the Salinas Valley to migrating birds.
Education and Outreach
This month marked the start of VWS’s Natural Science Discovery Camp, a week-long day camp that runs for 9 weeks every summer. Kids aged 8-12 learn about the natural world through explorative activities, games, and journaling. Every week a group of wide-eyed and boisterous campers pays a visit to the banding lab to learn about conservation and to see science in action. Along with the summer camp kids, we welcomed over 120 visitors to the banding lab this month, including a group of students from Tularcitos Elementary School. VWS Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths also gave a campfire talk at Pfieffer Big Sur State Park about our bird banding research.
Comings and Goings
We are delighted to welcome a new Conservation Ecology intern to our crew this month.
Meagan Oldfather is currently attending UC Santa Cruz and majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She has previously worked with Northern Elephant Seals and hopes to focus on marine ecology in her further academic studies. The BSOL internship is a perfect opportunity for Meagan to improve her bird identification, both by sight
and sound, as well as to learn how to handle and band birds. Meagan has recently become fascinated by birds because of the important role they play in showing the sensitivity of complex ecological relationships. Meagan is also an avid mountain biker, backpacker, and salsa dancer. In the fall Meagan will be headed to Tahiti for a field quarter through UCSC.
Welcome!
For the rest of the summer, we will be banding every Thursday and Saturday, and some Tuesdays and Fridays. Because our schedule is busy, we recommend that visitors call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
May 2008
May in Big Sur was warm and sunny, and thankfully, not too windy! Spring migrants continued to pour through Andrew Molera State Park, and the resident breeding birds began fledging young already. This month we banded juvenile Orange-crowned Warblers, Wrentits, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits, Hutton’s Vireos, Spotted Towhees, Song Sparrows, and Western Scrub-Jays. Hard-working parents were busy feeding their young even as migrating birds pushed on to reach their breeding grounds farther north. May 2008 will probably be known as “The Month of the Yellow-breasted Chat”, as we banded dozens of these normally scarce migrants. True to form, some amazing vagrant birds turned up at Molera this month. Read on to find out who our surprise guests were!
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
This May, we banded every day at Molera in order to better study the ecology of migrating songbirds. That meant that every morning, our nets were open and waiting for those rare migrants! Our hard work paid off, and in 31 days of banding we captured 843 birds of 52 species. Our number one capture was Swainson’s Thrush (91 birds). Wilson’s Warbler (normally our top May capture) came in a close second with 90 birds, as did Orange-crowned Warbler. Other top captures included Chestnut-backed Chickadee (78 birds) and Yellow-breasted Chat (68 birds). This was the second highest monthly total of Yellow-breasted Chats in 16 years of banding! Only May 1999 was higher, when we banded 117. Our nets were full of migrants and birds returning to breed, along with a few surprises! This month we banded three species of swallow: Cliff Swallow (1), Barn Swallow (2 birds; the 15th & 16th ever captured), and Violet-green Swallow (8). Our capture of 8 Violet-green Swallows was the highest monthly total for that species since 2000. We had several migrants passing through Molera that ended up in our nets, including Cassin’s Vireo (1), Nashville Warbler (1), Willow Flycatcher (2), Western Tanager (3), and MacGillivray’s Warbler (4). We banded 10 species of warblers this month, including three exciting vagrants: Hooded Warbler (1), Northern Waterthrush (2), and our second-ever capture of Kentucky Warbler. We also banded our very first spring Clay-colored Sparrow (the other 8 in our database were all banded in the fall) and our first Calliope Hummingbird since 1999 (the 8th ever captured).
Mist-netting and Banding at the Carmel River Lagoon
This month we began our regular breeding season banding at the Carmel River Lagoon following the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Production and Survivorship) protocol. This research is funded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and has been on-going since 1998. In two days of May banding we captured over 90 birds of 20 species. Our top captures were Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Swainson’s Thrush, Song Sparrow, and Wilson’s Warbler. We banded quite a few Neotropical migrants, including Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. We also captured several species which are regularly seen but don’t often end up in our nets, including Cedar Waxwing (6 birds), Red-winged Blackbird (3), Brown-headed Cowbird (2), and Mourning Dove (1).
Mist-netting and Banding at Camp Roberts
We resumed our annual avian monitoring at Camp Roberts, a California Army National Guard Training Facility in the Salinas Valley. This is the fifth consecutive year that we are operating two MAPS banding stations at Camp Roberts. One station is located on the Salinas River, and one is on the Nacimiento River. The rivers are running low due to the dry conditions, but there was enough rain over the winter to allow for the understory to regrow. We are hopeful that bird productivity will be higher than last year, when it was at a record low. This month we banded for two days at each site. At the Nacimiento River site, we captured 42 birds of 18 species. The top capture was Swainson’s Thrush (6 birds), followed by Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bewick’s Wren, Common Yellowthroat, Western Scrub-Jay, and Wilson’s Warbler (4 each). Our most interesting capture was a late migrant Townsend’s Warbler, the first of that species banded at that site. At the Salinas River site, we banded 77 birds of 20 species. The number one capture by far was Song Sparrow (25 birds), followed by Yellow Warbler (10 birds) and Oak Titmouse (6 birds). The most exciting captures at that site were a MacGillivray’s Warbler and two Bullock’s Orioles.
Education and Outreach
As the number of bird migrants reached their peak in the park, the number of human visitors increased as well. This month we welcomed over 170 people to the lab, including an energetic group of second-graders from All Saints Day School and a group of students from Olson Elementary School who braved the waters of the Big Sur River to see the mist-nets on the other side. The enthusiasm that the kids had for learning about birds and the excellent questions that the students asked us indicate that there were at least a few budding biologists in the crowd! In addition, we were visited by students participating in the Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and we welcomed the annual visit from students from Aliso Niguel High School. We also hosted Bruce Elliot’s birding class, and a group of developmentally disabled adults who are enrolled in a county program to teach them life skills. In addition to reaching people down at BSOL, we also travel to other venues to talk about our research. Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths gave an informative and entertaining talk to the Seacliff State Beach docents about VWS’s Conservation Ecology bird banding projects. She also manned a table at Point Lobos Days, talking to visitors about all of VWS’s exciting programs.
Peter Pyle Workshop
On May 19-23, we hosted our annual Advanced Aging and Sexing of Landbirds Workshop, led by renowned Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) biologist Peter Pyle and co-organized by VWS and the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO). This year we had a total of 12 full-time participants from across the country, our highest enrollment ever! The workshop was a great success thanks to the efforts of VWS & SFBBO biologists, our hard-working interns and volunteers, and Peter Pyle himself. Local vendors such as Trader Joe’s donated food to the workshop, and the River Inn hosted our big workshop dinner. We had two mornings of banding at SFBBO’s Coyote Creek field station followed by two mornings at BSOL, with afternoons filled with informative lectures by Peter Pyle. One afternoon we went driving south on Highway 1 and were treated to excellent views of California Condors. Everyone learned a lot about how to determine age and sex of birds in the hand using plumage and molt characteristics, and we are all excited to put this knowledge to use in the field. Thank you to everyone who helped or participated in this year’s workshop!
Comings and Goings
This month we bid farewell to intern Nerissa Rujanavech, who was with us for six weeks. She is returning to Davis, CA for the summer, and will be attending graduate school this fall. We wish her the best of luck!
Welcome!
Come join us for some summer banding! From June through August we will be banding every Thursday and Saturday morning, and some Tuesdays and Fridays. Because our schedule is busy, we recommend that visitors call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
April 2008
Jill Gautreaux, holding a Sharp-shinned Hawk, is the new Conservation Ecology crew leader.The skies remained sunny and bright this month, and in Big Sur the trickle of spring migrants widened to a river. It’s looking like another windy spring, as gusty weather forced us to close our nets early for much of late April. The winds didn’t deter the large numbers of Orange-crowned Warblers and Wilson’s Warblers passing through. One sure sign of spring is the annual return of banded breeding birds to their traditional breeding territories. One individual in particular is eagerly awaited, and that is the male Wilson’s Warbler known as 83838 (for the distinctive last 5 digits of his band number). This bird has returned to the same territory in our study area every year since 2000. He was first banded as an adult, which means that he is at least 9 years old. The oldest Wilson’s Warbler on record at the Bird Banding Laboratory in Washington D.C. is 7 years, and their average lifespan is around 4 to 5 years. 83838 returned to his territory by the Big Sur River and was captured in one of our nets (again!) this month, to our delight.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
With the beginning of spring migration, we began banding more often. For the first part of April we banded three to five days a week, and then during the last week and a half of the month, we banded every day. In 20 days of banding, we captured 501 birds of 41 species! This high species diversity was due to lingering winter residents combined with arriving spring migrants. Our number one capture by far was the newly-arrived Wilson’s Warbler, with 111 birds. Other numerous captures were Orange-crowned Warbler (65 birds), Golden-crowned Sparrow (53 birds), and our former reigning winter champ, Yellow-rumped Warbler (45 birds). We captured a host of exciting and colorful migrants passing through including Nashville Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (1), MacGillivray’s Warbler (2), Rufous Hummingbird (2), and Yellow-breasted Chat (4). Arriving breeders also began filling our nets, including Ash-throated Flycatcher (1), Swainson’s Thrush (3), Black-headed Grosbeak (5), and Common Yellowthroat (18). Other interesting captures included a male Brewer’s Blackbird (only the 15th ever caught at BSOL) and a little male Sharp-shinned Hawk. Our most exciting capture of the month was a Chipping Sparrow, only the 10th BSOL capture!
Education and Outreach
We had over 100 visitors to the lab this month, including groups from the Portland Audubon Society and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We also welcomed students from Captain Cooper School in Big Sur and Salinas Community School. VWS’s Teen Condor Camp is a program for teens that allows them to see what it is like to be a wildlife biologist. They learn about the re-introduction and management of California Condors and spend a morning at BSOL helping us open our mist-nets, learning about songbirds, and releasing banded birds. This month we had 10 teens enrolled in this program visit BSOL and get a taste of the life of an ornithologist! Also this month, Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths gave a talk about BSOL’s bird monitoring efforts to the docents at Elkhorn Slough.
Birdathon Big Day
On April 26, VWS kicked off our annual Birdathon fundraiser with a Big Day of birding, field trips, and fun! The Birdathon is our one and only annual fundraiser for the Conservation Ecology program, which includes the Big Sur Ornithology Lab. This year we have expanded the Birdathon from a one-day event to a six-week fundraising period. We started off with the Big Day, where seven birders led trips throughout the Monterey area. They ranged from a morning boat trip out into Monterey Bay to a walk around Point Lobos Ranch to an all day birding trip in Big Sur that included bird banding and scouting for California Condors. At the same time, teams of Monterey County’s “elite” birders were out in force throughout all of Monterey County from Cone Peak to the Pinnacles to Pebble Beach to the South Coast. The birders and trip leaders gathered at the end of the day at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History for a countdown reception where the total number of species was tallied. When all was said and done, our birders spotted 241 species! That is a bit lower than previous years, but still quite a total! With proceeds from the field trips along with donations, we have raised about $6,000 so far. That is excellent, but we have a long way to go! We want to raise $30,000 this year and we need your help!
The Birdathon isn’t over yet, and there are plenty of ways for you to participate. You can make a one-time donation, pledge to sponsor a birder or a team of birders, or form a team of birders or bird on your own and raise pledges. Fabulous prizes will be awarded for the individuals and teams that raise the most money in pledges. The fundraising period lasts until June 15, so gather up your friends and family, church group, rotary club, or Audubon chapter and form a team. Gather pledges from everyone you know, and then go out and try to see as many birds as you can. Send your pledge sheets and birding totals to us, and we do the rest! We will tally up everyone’s pledges, and at the Birdathon Awards Dinner on July 12, we will award the winners with special prizes. For more information on how to participate, please go to our website at http://www.ventanaws.org/conservation_bsol_birdathon. It’s a great way to get involved with bird conservation, and it’s fun for everyone!
Comings and Goings
This month we welcomed our new Conservation Ecology summer crew. Three new interns started work with us on April, so you will be seeing some new faces at BSOL!
Jordan Bell studied biology at St. Andrews University in Scotland and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Whitman College in Washington State. After graduating, she returned to Sweden, where she had conducted her undergraduate thesis research, in order to further examine bumblebees and bellflowers. Since then, she has worked at a big cat refuge in the Ozarks of Arkansas and at an animal hospital in Seattle. After banding songbirds in Yosemite National Park last summer, she worked in the Gulf of Mexico as a marine mammal observer. Jordan enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her cat and lizard, bicycle, and violin. She is single and looking for love.
Nerissa Rujanavech graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology. Before coming to BSOL, Nerissa did backcountry surveys for birds, insects, frogs, snakes, bats, and fish in the Trinity Alps Wilderness in Northern California. She also stalked Sage Grouse on the plains of Wyoming and chased Gray-crowned Rosy Finches through the Southern Sierra Nevadas. Nerissa wishes for more Common Yellowthroats and Bushtits.
Jill Gautreaux comes to BSOL from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Louisiana State University and earned a degree in Wildlife & Fisheries/Conservation Biology. Before joining the BSOL crew, Jill was employed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries where she participated in various avian research projects including Brown Pelican banding and translocation studies, Red-cockaded Woodpecker demographic monitoring, and Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship landbird banding. She is excited to expand her bird banding and western bird identification skills during her internship at BSOL and is grateful for the opportunity to do so in a place as beautiful and birdy as Andrew Molera State Park!
Welcome!
Throughout the month of May we will be banding every day, and from June through August we will be banding every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Because our schedule is busy, we recommend that visitors call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
March 2008
Spring is in the air here at Andrew Molera State Park! Spring migrants have begun returning to Big Sur, bringing song and color back to the newly-green riparian habitat. Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows swoop and twitter, and the cheerful songs of Wilson’s Warbler, Warbling Vireo, and Pacific-slope Flycatcher fill the air. We have already seen signs of breeding activity in our Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Song Sparrows. The Research and Education Center, banding lab, and offices are all getting a good spring cleaning to prepare for a new crew of interns and a new season of banding.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
This month we banded just six days, but we captured 190 birds of 19 species. Our capture volume remained high thanks to Yellow-rumped Warblers, who were once again our most common capture with 89 birds. Our second most commonly captured bird was Golden-crowned Sparrow (21 birds), followed by Purple Finch and the newly-arrived Allen’s Hummingbird (10 birds each). We also captured a strikingly-colored Red-breasted Sapsucker, our first for the winter. Several early spring arrivals found their way into our nets, including Lincoln’s Sparrow (1), Orange-crowned Warbler of the subspecies lutescens (1), Rufous Hummingbird (5), and Wilson’s Warbler (5).
Mist-netting and Banding at the Carmel River Mouth
We banded one day this month at the Carmel River Mouth, but we captured 33 birds of 12 species. Our top catch was Chestnut-backed Chickadee, which accounted for over half of the total captures (17 birds). The runner-up was early spring migrant Rufous Hummingbird (3 birds), followed by Bushtit and Wilson’s Warbler (2 birds each). Other interesting spring migrant captures included Orange-crowned Warbler (subspecies lutescens) (1) and Common Yellowthroat (1).
Education and Outreach
Spring break brought quite a few visitors to Andrew Molera State Park, and we welcomed several people to the banding lab. VWS Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths gave talks about the Conservation Ecology program and BSOL’s banding to the Carmel Foundation and the Santa Cruz Bird Club. She also presented an annual summary of VWS’s Monarch Butterfly monitoring to the Pacific Grove City Council, who granted us permission to tag at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary this winter.
Comings and Goings
An important chapter in VWS history comes to a close this month with the departure of Senior Wildlife Biologist Karen Shihadeh. Karen has led the Conservation Ecology program since 2005, and in her two and a half years at VWS she has been a principle force for growth in the Conservation Ecology program.
Under Karen's guidance, we secured new grants and contracts, and increased the scope of our avian monitoring to include the Central Valley and the Los Padres National Forest. She brought passion and experience to the job, and created a positive and rewarding work environment. Her energy, smile, and dedication to bird conservation made her a great supervisor and a good friend. Karen will be departing to focus more on her family, including a new bundle of joy due in August. She will still be involved in VWS via the Birdathon and other smaller projects, so she will be in touch. We will miss her, but we wish her much happiness and luck!
We also bid a reluctant farewell to intern Ryan Pottinger this month. Ryan interned for 6 months this winter, and was an integral part of the Conservation Ecology crew. He developed the pilot protocols for monitoring color-banded Chestnut-backed Chickadees which we will continue to use in order to understand their behavior and flocking dynamics. Ryan is now working in Arizona on a project studying spring stopover behavior of Wilson’s Warblers, and will spend the summer looking for Willow Flycatchers in the Grand Canyon. We will miss him, and we wish him the best of luck in his future birding endeavors!
Welcome!
Beginning April 1, we will be banding every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through the end of October. From April 22 to May 31, we will be banding every day! Because our schedule is busy, we recommend that visitors call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
February 2008
February is a month of transition in Big Sur. The winter rains are still with us, but the days are growing longer and the sunshine seems warmer. A few months of rain has flushed the hills green, and the willow trees are beginning to put out fuzzy buds and the earliest wildflowers are blooming. California poppies are the first to peek out, flashing their bright orange faces towards the sun. The very earliest year-round residents have already begun singing, and Spotted Towhees and Bewick’s Wrens have begun serenading from the greening bushes. Male Anna’s Hummingbirds are displaying their iridescent pink heads and diving through the air in dramatic courtship displays. The Big Sur River has calmed itself somewhat, and we are able to wade across once again. Spring is coming, and we are ready for it!
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
Despite the rain mid-month, we were able to band for six days this month, capturing 125 birds of 16 species. Yellow-rumped Warblers continued to reign supreme this month as we captured 80 birds of that species (64% of the monthly total). Hermit Thrush (7 birds) was a distant second, and Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, and Anna’s Hummingbird tied for third place (5 birds). Interesting captures included a Western Scrub-Jay and a Winter Wren. We also caught our first official spring migrant: an Allen’s Hummingbird!
Mist-netting and Banding at the Carmel River Mouth
We banded for one day this month at the mouth of the Carmel River, but we managed to catch 25 birds of 9 species. Our most numerous capture was Ruby-crowned Kinglet (6 birds), followed by Hermit Thrush and Anna’s Hummingbird (5 birds each). Interesting captures include a Hutton’s Vireo and an Orange-crowned Warbler of the subspecies that overwinters here in Monterey County.
Monarch Butterfly Monitoring
February was the final month of this season’s Monarch Butterfly project, and we wrapped up another great year of counting and tagging our favorite winter visitors. The increase in day length and the warming rays of the sun triggered the annual Monarch Butterfly mating frenzy! By the second week of February (right around Valentine’s Day!) the butterflies were chasing each other all over the place. They mated on the ground, in the air, and in the trees. After mating, the female Monarchs gradually leave the coast and head inland to find milkweed, the only plant they will lay their eggs on. Monarch totals for February were highest at the start of the month with 19,084 in the county. By the last week of the month, the number had declined to 4,370 as the butterflies dispersed.
In order to learn more about where exactly the butterflies go once they leave Monterey County, we conducted two tagging sessions in February. The first session was not successful because all of the butterflies had moved outside of the Monarch Sanctuary. But the kind-hearted couple who lives behind the sanctuary (who will remain anonymous to protect their privacy) generously granted us permission to conduct a tagging session in their backyard! Thanks to them, we were able to tag 998 new butterflies this month. Our grand total this season was 3,561 butterflies tagged! We are hopeful that at least some of those will be spotted outside the peninsula, giving us important information about their spring movement. Remember, if you find a tagged butterfly, please call the toll-free number on the tag and report where you found it. We had a great time monitoring the butterflies and we couldn’t have done it without our volunteers! A special “Thank you!” to our counters John, Tama, and Christi, and thank you to the host of volunteers who assisted with the butterfly tagging. We wish the butterflies luck on their milkweed search, and look forward to seeing their great-grandchildren next fall!
Education and Outreach
While we only had a handful of visitors to the banding lab this month, we did participate in some fun outreach activities! VWS ran a table at the annual Santa Cruz Migration Festival, where kids could learn about bird banding and condor tracking and color a picture of a Monarch Butterfly. Jessica Griffiths gave talks at the festival about bird and butterfly migration, and later in the month gave a talk to the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. VWS Conservation Ecology staff and interns also attended a roundtable mini-conference hosted by the Central Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society at California Polytechnic University. At the end of the month, VWS hosted our seventh semi-annual VWS Staff Conference. Several staff and interns gave talks on a variety of topics, including Chestnut-backed Chickadee flocking dynamics, the thorny issue of non-native bird species, and etc etc This conference is a great way for VWS personnel to communicate to each other and to members of the board and community about what exactly we do and how we’re making a difference.
Welcome!
Due to the unpredictability of winter weather, we will be banding only one to two days a week (generally Wednesdays and Thursdays) at Andrew Molera State Park through March. As a result, the lab may not be open on a given day. So, please call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
January 2008
The year started with a bang as one of the severest storms to hitthe central coast in the last 10 years swept through during the first week of January. Gale-force winds and driving rain felled trees and swelled rivers all up and down the coast. Big Sur didn’t escape the fury of the storm, and we had several downed trees in our study area. At higher elevations, the rain fell as snow, and the peaks of the Santa Lucia Mountains wore sparkling white crowns. The Big Sur River swelled to a raging, muddy torrent, which meant that we had to use our special hanging bosun’s chair to get across the river to band! But the deluge was much-needed, and in response to the rains, bright green new growth popped up everywhere. In between the storms and showers, the sun shone brightly and puffy white clouds chased each other across the blue sky.
Mist-netting and Banding at Andrew Molera State Park
Because of the inclement weather this month, we were only able to band for 5 days. But in just those five days we captured 187 birds of 17 species! Our highest one-day banding total this month was 65 birds, which is one of the highest January capture totals ever recorded at BSOL. Our number one bird capture continues to be Yellow-rumped Warbler (96 birds). Our second place species was Purple Finch (37 birds), due mainly to the flock of 28 that were all captured together in one net! Other common captures included Golden-crowned Sparrow (11 birds) and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (10 birds). Other interesting birds that turned up in our nets were a striking male Lesser Goldfinch and an Orange-crowned Warbler. We also banded three very feisty Sharp-shinned Hawks.
Mist-netting and Banding at the Carmel River Mouth
This month we only banded once at the Carmel River Mouth because we had to wait for the flooding to recede. However, during that one day we banded 26 birds of 11 species. Our top capture was Ruby-crowned Kinglet (7 birds), followed by Chestnut-backed Chickadee (5 birds) and Orange-crowned Warbler (3 birds). Interestingly, we only captured one Yellow-rumped Warbler at this site. Our most exciting capture was an adult male Common Yellowthroat.
Monarch Butterfly Monitoring
The Monarch Butterflies were blown around quite a bit by this month’s storms, though most of them managed to find their way back to their clusters after about a week. The peak number of butterflies in all sites in Monterey County this month was 10,260. We held another butterfly tagging session in mid-January, but unfortunately the butterflies did not cooperate! Due to the severe weather, the butterflies all re-clustered in Monterey Pines and Monterey Cypress trees out of reach of our butterfly net. We only managed to nab about 50 butterflies to tag. While a bit frustrating for us, it was a great illustration of the way Monarchs choose what trees to cluster on based on the weather. Coniferous trees offer them more shelter because the needles are easier to cling to, and the butterflies can cluster more tightly. Maybe we will have more luck tagging them next month!
Education and Outreach
We only had a handful of visitors to the banding lab this month thanks to the weather. But BSOL birders participated in the annual Upper Carr Lake Bird Count in association with Return of the Natives. This annual count in Salinas is being used to track the success of the native plant restoration around the lake. This year, with the help of some of Monterey County’s best birders, we counted over 65 species, a new high! VWS Biologist Jessica Griffiths also gave a talk to students at CSUMB in order to recruit volunteers for the summer. If you know a college student in the Monterey area who would be interested in working with VWS, please contact us.
Welcome!
Due to the unpredictability of winter weather, we will be banding only two to three days a week (generally Wednesdays and Thursdays) at Andrew Molera State Park through March. As a result, the lab may not be open on a given day. So, please call or e-mail Wildlife Biologist Jessica Griffiths ahead of time to confirm that we are here to welcome you. Jessica can be reached by phone at (831) 624-1202, or e-mail at jessicagriffiths AT ventanaws.org. See you soon, and don't forget your binoculars!
2007 Big Sur Ornithology Lab Updates