Summer Banding Wrap-up
It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Nova and I discovered and started the summer owl banding back in 2006. I’ve donated a lot of blood to the mosquitoes working in the woods here at night over the last two decades, but it has been worth it. This season Holly Erickson and I banded 206 Northern Saw-whet Owls (NSWO) and five Long-eared Owls (LEOW). Of the saw-whets banded this season, 60 were adults and 146 were juveniles. Included in those 146 juveniles was the 5,000th juvenile to be banded at the Point. That is a number far beyond any expectations that we had back in 2006. This was a relatively low year for saw-whet breeding success, but considerably better than some of the crashes we have experienced in the past. We also recaptured three previously banded saw-whets and one banded Barred Owl. Two of the three NSWO recaptures were originally banded in the fall of 2021 - one at Stevens Point, WI and the other in the Berkshire Mountains of MA. The third was banded last fall at Hilliardton Marsh, ON. We originally banded the Barred Owl here this spring.
This juvenile saw-whet, one of the summer’s last, had molted in more of its adult plumage than any other we saw this summer.
Although it was a somewhat slow season, it was a particularly enjoyable one. The pace provided plenty of opportunities to allow Holly to gain more banding experience, and she always jumped at the chance. As was the case this spring, it was a different experience to spend my first summer banding at our new location, and just like in the spring, I gained new knowledge about the owl migration at Whitefish Point. Hopefully we’ll get some reports back from this season’s juveniles as they make their first fall migration. We’ve had interesting recoveries in the past, including some owls that have shown up to our north, while others showed up over on the Atlantic coast. We’re also hoping that the 15 saw-whets that we fitted with nanotags will be picked up by MOTUS towers over the coming months. We’ll be providing more details on this collaboration with the Northern Saw-whet Owl Migratory Connectivity Project in an upcoming post. I want to give a huge thanks to my excellent summer banding partner Holly Erickson. You were a great banding partner Holly! Finally, many many thanks to all the season’s visitors and to all of you who provided the encouragement and support that made this possible, we couldn’t do this without you!
Upcoming Events
After a great performance this summer at Music on the Bay, the band Whorled is returning to Paradise for a special benefit house concert! We are honored to have them bring their time & talent all the way from Grand Rapids to our small community. This is the first event of its kind up here in the Whitefish Point area, and we are so excited to raise funds for the Friends of Whitefish Point while having a great evening.
30 tickets will be available for purchase for this unique concert opportunity. Snacks & drinks will be provided, as will alcoholic beverages, courtesy of Rare Bird Brewpub in Traverse City. Purchase your tickets today for a very special evening of music and to help ensure that the Friends of Whitefish Point has the funds to continue the important owl research & educational programs this fall.
For more information or to register, go to: www.friendsofwp.org/benefithouseconcert
We are excited to offer two fall birding tours in the greater Whitefish Point area this coming fall. Tour itineraries will be tailored to our participants’ priorities, offering opportunities to pursue regional specialties (such as Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Red Crossbill), to witness migration’s rush at Whitefish Point, and to enjoy other elements of this area’s unique natural life. Included with each tour is an evening visit to the Friends of Whitefish Point’s owl banding station!
100% of the tour fee will support the Friends of Whitefish Point’s long-term owl banding program. Included in the cost is two full days of birding with experienced guides and a visit to the owl banding station one night; light refreshments and warm beverages will also be provided. Lodging and meals are not included, though we’ll be taking lunch and dinner together.
Each tour has space for only 12 participants, so you may want to book early: www.friendsofwp.org/tours