[mou] Odd backyard day

[dan&erika]

Hi All--

I have had, like, almost no birds at my Northfield backyard feeder all
winter--just an occasional nuthatch, chickadee, and woodpecker. On many days
I noticed no feeder birds. On 4 April 2008, a huge flock of Dark-eyed Juncos
descended on the feeder.  I banded 35 on that afternoon.  The next day I
banded 54 additional juncos (with no retraps).  What I found interesting was
the sharp increase of local residents that accompanied the juncos, almost as
if the migrating juncos reminded the residents of the location of my
feeders.  I banded a Black-capped Chickadee that I originally banded on 16
August 2007; a Downy Woodpecker originally banded on 22 September 2007; and
a White-breasted Nuthatch banded on 27 October 2007.  Other birds banded
included an Eastern Phoebe, 2 Brown Creepers, and a robin.

Today, 6 April, the feeder is again empty, with just one Pine Siskin banded
before the rain.

dan

-- 
Dan or Erika Tallman
Northfield, Minnesota
http://danerika.googlepages.com/home
http://picasaweb.google.com/danerika
danerika at gmail.com

".... the best shod travel with wet feet"
"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ...."--Thoreau
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