SPRING 2007 BANDING SUMMARY (15 Apr. - 15 Jun.)About 350,000 birds have been banded at Manomet to date. The spring and fall migration banding program started here at the (then) Ernst House porch in the fall of 1966. We are thus in our 42nd year of data collection and education programs at this site. This spring we continued to run 50 mist nets on the same dates and in the same locations as the previous years, giving us an unparalleled comparison of range expansions and contractions, yearly variation of migration, and long-term population change.
Intergrade Flicker showing red pigment on underside of primary feathers.
Black and white morph of the White-throated Sparrow.
Formal education programs for over 400 people were based on migration banding, local ecology and conservation biology. Onsite programs have had a wide diversity of audiences this spring. Recent groups included members, schools, universities, bird clubs, adult education, and scouts and guides. Informal presentations included those given to members, visiting scientists, the press, visiting birders, and people who just walk in!
Enclosed with this letter are the spring 2007 totals for initial and repeat banding captures, graphed daily totals and a comparison with recent springs.
 Initial & Repeat Banding Totals - Spring 2007
Graphed Daily Totals 2007
Comparison with Recent Springs
New Bandings 1,573
Repeat Captures 666
TOTAL HANDLED: 2,239 birds of 81 species.
As in farming, fishing and sailing, spring bird migration depends on the weather. Spring 2004’s nine-year high numbers were attributed to unusually persistent westerly winds from mid-May onwards. These winds drifted nocturnal landbird migrants to our east coast location. Spring landbird banding 2006 suffered from essentially continuous NE winds and rain, while our ideal would be fair weather and SW winds to drift migrant landbirds E to our shore. This spring (2007) featured cool temperatures and rain, but generally fair SW winds except for two weeks in late April/early May when a massive stationary low pressure system off the Carolinas reduced our migration. Consequently, we captured an above average number of birds per net hour (a measure of comparative effort). Underlying this year’s weather effect is a significant long term decline in all migrant birds, spring and fall, since we started to band in 1970.
Our busiest days were 24 Apr (112 captures, 86 new bandings), 15-17th May (121, 181, 111 captures), 21 May (123), 24 May (142) and 25 May (127). When compared with the last 10 springs, 10 species were banded in record high numbers; 1 record low (robin) and 1 first miss for 10 springs (Wood Thrush, see enclosure). A low number of robins migrating N may be an artifact caused by the unusual numbers present all winter. The most abundant new bandings in 2007 were:
Gray Catbird (as usual!) (361) American Redstart (80)
White-throated Sparrow (176) Common Yellowthroat (76)
Magnolia Warbler (145) Ovenbird (60)
Numbers of most residents seemed to have bounced back from the harsh winter of 2004/05; it was also reassuring to see so many Neotropical migrants among the high numbers. Birders reported good migration in the Boston area and superb days on the North Shore. Unusual captures for Manomet included the first spring American Kestrel, Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow and Fox Sparrow for the last 10 years. Five cuckoos, 24 Yellow-bellied and 3 Acadian Flycatchers (the latter all on 05 Jun) were notable.
An impressive 102 recaptures from previous seasons included a new Manomet landbird longevity record of at least 14 years; a breeding Hairy Woodpecker banded as an adult male on 10 May 1994. The oldest catbird was 7; recaptured 4-year-olds included two Blue Jays and single Downy Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, chickadee, catbird, cardinal and Song Sparrow. This year, the 2-year-old cohort was particularly well represented with 40 different individuals of all the usual suspects, plus a surprise Blue-winged Warbler.
Many, many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the spring migration banding and education season of 2007 such a success. We are also greatly indebted for financial support of these programs to Manomet members and the following sources:
- Charles Stanhope Adams Nature Research Foundation
- Brewster Research Endowment Fund
- Rosalie Cheney Fiske & John Fiske Educational Fund
- Jean K. Colvin Endowment Fund
- William Drury Memorial Fund
- Ruth Graves Ernst Memorial Fund
- Helen Haber Memorial Fund
- Burr Hardon Intern Fund
- Melita Seipp Howland Conservation Science Endowment
- Massachusetts Cultural Council
- Malcolm Oakes Memorial Fund
We are deeply saddened to report the death of a long-time banding volunteer and friend, John P. Droege of Plymouth. His family and friends have generously established a memorial fund in his name to support our banding, intern and education work at Manomet. How very appropriate.
Maura Orrell-Charles (CT,VT), Meghan Powell (CT, ME), Ruthie Parsley (CA), Jason St. Sauver (SD, NY) and Ian Davies (MA) were the indefatigable staff banders and teachers this spring.
Trevor Lloyd-Evans
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