2000th owl banded

The 2000th owl banded during 12 banding seasons at this location arrived tonight. Owl #2000 was a hatch-year Boreal Owl.

Seven Saw-whets and two Boreals were banded tonight after a relatively slow week- I only banded during a few nights over the last week due to near-constant rain. Totals for the season at this point: 233 Northern Saw-whets and 7 Boreals banded, plus three returning Saw-whets banded in previous years.

Boreal Owl, 2000th owl banded at the station
Boreals tend to be more aggressive in-hand than Saw-whets
A large Northern Saw-whet banded this week- 118.2g, one of the heaviest I’ve seen here.

Although the Saw-whets seem to be slowing down, Boreals seem to be picking up- 4 of the season’s 7 were banded in the last 3 days. Another was seen watching the proceedings as the nets were being closed tonight:

Boreal Owl watching as I closed nets for the night