After a slower start to the month of September, we had a good push of passerines between September 7th and the 13th. Week four of the Songbird Stopover Project brought a few season firsts, lots of visitors coming to help, four days of over 100 birds banded, and a season first Black Rat Snake during a net check!
With winds continuously, and primarily, coming out of the east and southeast, it has been a slower start to the migration season here in Cape May. But during the second week of September, we finally had a couple of days of cooler temperatures, bringing some fall migrants to the ground and into the mist nets.
Over seven days, our banding team was able to safely band and release 665 songbirds at the South Cape May Meadows. We had eleven first-of-season species this week, including two species of sparrows, two thrushes, and multiple first-of-season warblers!
On September 8th, a Connecticut Warbler was the big excitement at the banding station, as well as a Lincoln’s Sparrow, a Northern Parula, and a Western Palm Warbler.
Later in the week, on September 11th, we had our busiest day of the week with 178 birds banded within six hours, including three season firsts: Philadelphia Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, and a Nashville Warbler!
The yellow and grey birds did not stop there…on September 12th, we banded a Cape May Warbler in Cape May!! Our team was thrilled to band this young Cape May Warbler, as it is a more challenging species to observe on Cape Island. The excitement did not stop there, as we successfully caught and banded a Gray-Cheeked Thrush AND a Swainson’s Thrush! September 12th also marked the first public program hosted at the Banding Station.
As we continue to work through the month of September, we anticipate a continuous flow of migrants to fly into our nets and to share the world of banding birds with the visitors of Cape May!
All bird capture, handling, and banding are authorized under appropriate state and federal permits.
Common Yellowthroat (COYE) by Noah Nei
Leucistic feather of a Common Yellowthroat by Noah Nei
Connecticut Warbler by Noah Nei
Tufted Titmouse by Maia Nguyen
