I did not get a chance to check the Noble Research Center until 4:00 pm today but when I did there was a sad surprise at the northeastern alcove. It looks for all the world like these two were traveling together, although I certainly cannot establish that to be the case:
AHY-F Dark-eyed Junco, fat = 0.
AHY-U Fox Sparrow, fat = 1.
This is just the second Fox Sparrow I’ve found on this project.
Of 161 total casualties, this is just the third junco. It’s also the first casualty I’ve recorded since Oct. 27: apparently, the second pulse of migrants (all those Lincoln’s Sparrows) was a bit earlier this year.
Given the bird’s condition (rather stiff and disheveled with sunken eyes), I’m inclined to think that she actually hit yesterday, Nov. 30. I left her in place to examine removal rate.
Female, fat = 2
After a long hiatus in which I recorded no casualties, a big female junco ended up at the northeast alcove this morning.
Autumn arrives on the wings of juncos . . .
HY male, fat = 1
