24 August 2017 – Mourning Warbler and Chipping Sparrow

On the heels of an impressive southbound flight last night,

. . . I found two casualties this morning.

There was a HY Chipping Sparrow in the northwest alcove.  The bird had evidently been stepped on or perhaps run over by a maintenance vehicle. I left it in place for a removal trial.

Also, near the main north entrance (actually at a west-facing facade in the corner) was a Mourning Warbler. The bold eyering and long undertail coverts looked tantalyzingly like a Connecticut Warbler. It was, however, an AHY-U Mourning Warbler. The bird was 13.5g and bulging with fat (3).

 

This was the 10th Mourning Warbler on the project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Spring/Summer 2017 was busy

As I’m about to head out for a conference this week, spring and summer monitoring comes to a close.  I’ll begin August 2017 the 9th consecutive year of (mostly) daily monitoring for window casualties at the Noble Research Center on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.

It’s been a busy spring.

Beginning Mar 1st, here’s what has turned up at the Noble Research Center.

Dead Birds

1. Indigo Bunting – 5
2. Painted Bunting – 5
3. Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 3
4. Lincoln’s Sparrow – 2
5. Mourning Dove – 2
6. Nashville Warbler – 2
7. Orange-crowned Warbler – 2
8. Baltimore Oriole – 1
9. Chipping Sparrow – 1
10. Eastern Meadowlark – 1
11. House Wren – 1
12. Northern Parula – 1
13. Tennessee Warbler – 1
14. Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 1

That’s 28 individuals of 14 species, and damn, that is disheartening.

On the plus side, my commitment to checking almost every day has put me in position to save a few birds by getting them safely away from the building and taking them someplace secure to rest and recuperate for a bit. I can’t guarantee that all 6 of these survived the ordeal, but they seemed to be in good shape when I last saw them:

1. Northern Cardinal
2. Common Yellowthroat
3. Mourning Dove
4. Song Sparrow
5. Yellow Warbler
6. Carolina Wren

 

 

9 May 2017 – Indigo Bunting and Chipping Sparrow

Rounded the corner and immediately noticed this Indigo Bunting.

Over at the southeast alcove lay this Chipping Sparrow. Can you see it?

Found another SY male Indigo Bunting today at the main north entrance, plus the survey’s first Chipping Sparrow at the southeast alcove.