[I’m] composing this from the Ticonderoga Library…a genuine great library [that is] open Tuesday through Saturday. I’m at the Crown Point Banding Station for a couple weeks attempting to capture moving birds originating from the south to their houses in the north (and some right at and around the station itself.) We’ve had great deals of visitors in the 4 days we have actually been open…both individuals and birds. We believed we may have missed out on the migrants with all the warm weather condition we had previously in the year, however not so.
They had their own schedule and they are keeping to it. Just prior to I left home on Friday, May 5, I set the Potter traps as I had great deals of birds around the feeders. As I was loading the truck, I captured a couple of more Evening Grosbeaks, Juncos, Song Sparrow, Common Grackle, and Black-Capped Chickadees. The journey over to Crown Point [was] like going through 3 time zones…or 4. Starting out, the leaves around Eight Acre Wood were simply coming out and it remained that method almost to Newcomb.
Then we got in the [“it’s] still winter” zone with some snow along the roadway shoulders and very little revealing with tree leaves. Then decreasing off the mountain on Blue Ridge Road, the green leaves appeared almost quickly. Passing [the] North River headed east towards Port Henry, it entered into [a] “no leaf zone” once again as I acquired elevation, with some snow along the highway and around car park. I stopped to picture Blue Ridge Falls, as I had actually never ever seen it that high prior to. Then I stopped at the Hammond Pond Trail Head Parking Lot. I had actually entered that path to fish a trout pond years back, and right at the register box the forest flooring was covered with white flowering hepatica.
Banding a Yellow-Shafted Flicker at the Crown Point Banding Station. Photo by Gary Lee.
[On] this day it was once again in complete blossom, with numerous plants all through the woods amongst the turkey scratchings. I returned years back and got some seeds from these plants. I now have it in my flower garden, however just a few plants. Leaving that area and boiling down off the hill into Port Henry, it was a brand-new world with the tree excludes on whatever and much of the blooming trees and shrubs all in blossom. At the banding website, the Hawthorn leaves were coming out. Some even had little green worms which assault the taking a trip migrants.
I got to Crown Point a little after midday and the camping tents and canopies were all installed by some really great volunteers. I said, “This is a bird banding station, let’s get some nets up,” and it wasn’t long and we were in action. Many of the volunteers weren’t banders, however saw as we captured and banded some birds that were already onsite. Someone pointed out there were over 100 Blue Jays in the car park location when they can be found in the early morning. It wasn’t long when they discovered our location and started striking the webs and Potter traps. Many left after a couple of birds, however we captured Blue Jays up till dark with an overall of 52 that day. We got a couple of White-Throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Robins, and Black-Capped Chickadees (some might have been moving through and others might even be on eggs already.)
That night I got my brand-new bed mattress pumped up and I was all set for bed after hot dogs for [a] fast dinner. It was a cold night…almost a frost, however not rather. The onsite team of Ted Hicks and Tom Barber had the webs up prior to I left the camping tent the next early morning. We captured a couple of birds, however it was sluggish. We all had time to capture up on what had actually taken place in our lives in the previous year. Gorgon Howard goes home nighttime and rinses our holding bird bags and returns the next day with tidy ones, which is a terrific help. [On] Saturday, [May 6] the fort had some unique occasions as it was “Clean Up the Parks Day” in New York State. Many visitors and assistants came by to see us band and some got to hold a bird. Many birds were flying over and around the station, and getting seen and heard (which we tape for the 2 weeks while we are here.) We had steak for dinner and [got] to bed early after seeing a stunning moon.
Blue Ridge Falls. Photo by Gary Lee.
[There was a] lovely dawn the next early morning. We were capturing immediately and had a couple groups who got the complete history of the station and all the details about our birds. Most of them got to hold a bird, as the Jays were striking the webs at that time. We did capture 4 Tufted Titmouse, which should be close to the record for our 2 weeks there in [past] years. The Ospreys [were] on the nest platform down front. One of our volunteers discovered among the shells from an Osprey egg, so there should be children in the nest.
Sunday, [May 7] was sluggish, with very few birds and great deals of visitors. So, there were lots of stories informed that day…some sincere and some not. It was a stunning day and [I] even got in a nap. We did capture a quite Palm Warbler as we were getting that night, searching for much better things to come yet. As I was laying in my bed, I might hear birds landing in the trees over the camping tent so I understood the next day may be amazing (and it was.) Those 200 Blue Jays chose we had some food they required prior to they took a trip north, and much of them dropped in.
We recorded 72 that day and a lot more dropped in, struck the webs, and returned out prior to they remained in hand. We had a couple of warblers struck the webs, [including] Yellow-Rumped, Black and White, and a couple of House Wrens, [and] both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. There was a Yellow-Shafted Flicker with some red plumes in the tail and wings in there someplace. Black-Capped Chickadees began striking the webs late in the day, which continued into today huge time…however that will need to be another story next week. See ya.
Photo at top: White flowering hepatica. Photo by Gary Lee.
