Spending the day at BBBO
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
When you find yourself completely exhausted after taking a day off from work . . . . you just know you had an awesome day!! Today, I took my banding assistant (Young Naturalist J) to our favorite migration banding station. Typically when we head off to Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, it always seems like that we had picked the day after their best day of the year (and then end up getting skunked)! But . . . . this time we hit one of their best days of the season with bird’s being caught non-stop!! Young Naturalist J had two lifers and we had a handful of birds that we don’t normally get to handle.
Having fun with the bazillion powered banding glasses.
We started on the road at 5am and never made it home until 5 pmish! Young Naturalist J stated that “we worked a 12 hour day today” after waking up from his 2 hour nap in the truck. Sure enough we did 6 hours of driving and 6 hours of banding birds. I am exhausted and my fried-brain is having a hard time processing things . . . . so will continue with the details of the trip tomorrow.
Anyone want to guess what thrush’s these are?
OK, had to give you a few teaser pictures!
Brown Creeper
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Love the banding glasses! You’re really styling!
24 September 2007 at 9:28 pm
I think I will need glasses soon. Those frames may fit the bill 😉 Looking forward to your next post. No guesses on the thrushes. I have a hard enough time ID-ing birds I see in their entirety.
24 September 2007 at 9:30 pm
Great pictures today. Her in Illinois it was a Monet day. The clouds were so beautiful I am sure some budding artist must have been painting them from some hill overlooking a dry creek bed. ~Nita~
24 September 2007 at 9:47 pm
Who knew Tom and Young Naturalist J were such fashionistas! You rock that look.
24 September 2007 at 9:59 pm
Quite the fashionable look you two! Looking forward to hearing more-what were the lifers?
Hey Tom you left a comment-Yay!
24 September 2007 at 10:22 pm
Forgot to say-LOVE the Brown Creeper!
24 September 2007 at 10:22 pm
What a beautiful picture of the creeper.
You were right up in my neighborhood, Braddock’s Bay is an awesome spot to spot raptors.
24 September 2007 at 10:23 pm
@ Erie – thanks and I think my eyes are still screwed up looking through them!
@ Ruth – LOL – at least I gave everyone a hint they were thrushes!
@ Nita – we really lucked out with the weather today! Thanks
@ Trixie – you have no idea how powerful they were! You could see the pocket books of ants if you looked at them!
@ Marg – left another comment! Hmm, will have to wait till tomorrow for them! Unless Young Naturalist J spills the beans!
@ Barb – Yours and Nature Woman’s neighborhood! We wanted to head out to the Raptor Banding Station but was told they were done for the season!
24 September 2007 at 11:11 pm
It’s nice to see that even though your hard at work you are taking fashion into account as well – and passing it along to the young naturalist J as well. Meanwhile, love that creeper shot. I have NO idea though I was willing to dig into my guide in the thrushes chapter…
24 September 2007 at 11:12 pm
BBRS closed already!!!! Wow that is early as we are just getting into our best time of the year here in Innisfil Ontario. As of this morning we have done 34 Raptors,but haven’t any Owls yet!
It is one of the Stations I am waiting to Visit Myself.
Are they a Swainsons and a Hermit?
25 September 2007 at 12:35 am
LOL @ the banding glasses! Sounds like a full day!
25 September 2007 at 6:52 am
Because of the large size, I will go with the Gray-cheeked Thrush, otherwise there is not much to go on.
Take us through the ID of this mysterious bird, based on what you can see in the photo.
25 September 2007 at 7:56 am
Ops — forgot the bird on the left. Could it be a Hermit Thrush based on the buffy colour and smaller,stocky size ?? –as compared to the larger, possibly Gray-cheeked Thrush on the right ??
25 September 2007 at 8:18 am
You both look cool !!
Looking forward to seeing more of your day once you are rested.
25 September 2007 at 8:35 am
LOL! Love those glasses! I don’t know how anyone can refer to what you did today as “work”. Sounds like a lot of fun, to me. No guess on the thrush, but I love that Brown Creeper close-up.
25 September 2007 at 9:29 am
You two look like Mr. Magoo with those glasses on! Great shot of the creeper – I can hardly wait to see what else you’ve got to share with us.
25 September 2007 at 11:19 am
OMG Look at you two with those glasses!! ROFL!!!! Love your birdie photos so far! Can’t wait to see / hear about the rest of them!
25 September 2007 at 5:20 pm
@ Aullori – thanks and don’t you think, very hard day!
@ Garth – they are on the southern end of the lake and if you understand how they migrate along paths, I would assume in the fall they don’t pass through the area as like you would expect in the spring. I hope to have Owls by next week! Hmm, one of them is a hermit!
@ Jayne – sure was, thanks!
@ cestoady – You are exactly right with the two thrush! The one on the left is a Hermit and the one on the right is a Gray-cheeked Thrush! BRAVO!
@ Toni – not rested yet, had a meeting after work today!
@ Mary – thanks and glad to see you didn’t end up in my spam filter!
@ Sherri – LOL, that’s funny and we sure had fun with them! I have many great pictures to share for sure! You are in for a treat!
@ Pam – LOL – glad you loved those! I think I need to find myself a pair of those for banding!
Also: CESTOADY figured out both thrushs!
25 September 2007 at 11:20 pm
Great fashion statement Tom 🙂
26 September 2007 at 11:09 pm