Owl #1000

Sep 7: The station’s thousandth owl was banded last night. This was the busiest night of the season so far, with 17 hatch-year Northern Saw-whets banded.

Photos of the station’s thousandth owl:

IMG_0113

Sep 6

Two hatch-year Northern Saw-whets banded.  Thick fog settled in about an hour after opening the nets.

George Harbeson sent some great photos from his visit on Sep 5:

Owl Dark In Hand Banded Owl Dark Full Hand Owl Dark Lift Off Owl Handheld for Banding

Sep 3-5

September 5: Four hatch-year Northern Saw-whets were banded.  Thanks to the visitors that came out to participate.  Nets were open for four hours.

September 4: Seven hatch-year Saw-whets banded.  Nets were open for five hours.

September 3: No banding due to rain.

 

Sep 2

Sep 2: Five hatch-year Saw-whets banded.  Nets were closed at about midnight as the rain started.  Rain is predicted tonight (the 3rd), so unless things change the nets won’t be opened tonight.

 

Aug 30-31

Aug 31: 6 Saw-whets banded, all hatch-year birds.  Things slowed down after the bright moon came up.  Nearly bumped into a porcupine near the nets; fortunately it didn’t get caught in a mist net.

Aug 30: No owls banded. Too much wind, too much light from the full moon.

August 26-29

Aug 29: 5 Northern Saw-whets banded, all hatch-year, despite the bright full moon.  Nets were open for 3 hours.

Aug 28: Very bright moon; nets open for 2 hours, no owls banded.

Aug 27: Too windy to open the nets.

Aug 26: Nets open for 2.5 hours, but conditions weren’t good- too windy and too much moonlight.

August 25

Three new Northern Saw-whets banded on the night of Aug 25. All three were hatch-year birds.

A fourth owl was caught; this one had been banded five days ago.

The nets were open for 2 hours and were closed at 12:15AM due to a cat in the area.

Aug 21-24

Banding results for Aug 21-24:

Aug 21: 1 Northern Saw-whet (hatch-year) banded.

Aug 22: 2 Northern Saw-whets (both hatch-year) banded.  Nice aurora display around 2AM.

Aug 23: 1 Northern Saw-whet (hatch-year) banded.

Aug 24: 5 Northern Saw-whets (hatch-year) banded.