Slow tonight; intermittent light rain and wind make conditions less than ideal.

One hatch-year Saw-whet banded tonight.

Banding has been slower for the last couple of nights.

Oct 17:  Three hatch-year Northern Saw-whets were banded.  Additionally, a Saw-whet banded earlier this season was recaptured.

Oct 18: Four hatch-year Northern Saw-whets were banded.  Thanks to Malcolm and Maggie Mae for visiting!

Maggie Mae releases a Saw-whet.  That’s not actually the owl’s shadow…

After a few nights of rain, we had a good night for banding.

A total of 12 Northern Saw-whets were caught; of these, three had already been banded here earlier in the season.  One of these has been in the area for about six weeks.  Additionally, nine new Saw-whets were banded- all were hatch-year birds.

Thanks to Leo, Bev, and Maggie Mae for visiting!

The last couple of days have been slow, with intermittent rain.

Oct 13: One hatch-year Saw-whet banded before the nets were closed due to rain.  Nets were open for one hour.

Oct 14: Two hatch-year Saw-whets banded; light rain intermittent through night.

Rain is forecast through the weekend.

Saw-whets are still coming through; seven hatch-year birds have been banded tonight so far, including this Saw-whet with an apparently injured eye: the left eye is dilated, but the right seems to be reacting to light properly.  This bird was heavy and had lots of fat, so it’s apparently eating well despite the eye problem.

Oct 11: Ten Northern Saw-whets were banded; all were hatch-year birds.

Nets were open for 4.5 hours.

Six Saw-whets were banded on Oct 10; all were hatch-year birds.

Visitors included a local Girl Scout group and people from the Kachemak Bay Birders.

Last night (Oct 9) was a good night: twelve Northern Saw-whets and three Boreal Owls were banded.  All were hatch-year birds.

First Boreal Owl of the season:

Eight Saw-whets, all hatch-year birds, were banded on the night of Oct 8.

The nets were open for 3.5 hours; they were opened late due to rain, which moved out of the area by 9pm.

After being away for a couple of weeks (and during the peak of the migration, unfortunately), the nets are set up again.  Rain has prevented opening them for the last couple of nights, but four new Northern Saw-whets (all hatch-year) were banded on Monday night (Oct 5).

The weather is looking better towards the weekend.