Opening Night
White-throated Sparrow
Busy weekend but I was still able to get my Northern Saw-whet Owl nets up for the 2007 season. If you didn’t know . . . . for the months of October and November (with cooperative weather) I am out banding Northern Saw-whet Owls here in Allegany State Park.
Dark-eyed Junco
I don’t normally start my season until the 1st of October but “I just couldn’t wait anymore”, they are open right now as I type!!! Although I am probably going to close early tonight due to winds and I am hearing a flying squirrel near net C (they just chew up my nets). It is so strange getting back into the routine again of checking the nets for Saw-whets. It feels just like yesterday when I had been out banding those puff-balls last. Where does the time go?
Pine Warbler
Other nature related things from this weekend . . . . I did get out yesterday for a quick walk around Red House Lake. I had a bunch of Chipping Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows (first for the fall in this area for me) and Junco’s flying around the dogwoods. I spent some time watching the Eastern Bluebirds gorging on the berries . . . . then I saw an unexpected male Scarlet Tanager quickly darting in and out of the trees (probably my last one of the year 😦 sad face). I did capture its picture but wasn’t anything worth posting on here (sorry). As I was about to leave . . . . one of the local Pine Warblers showed itself and plopped right in front of my camera. You guessed it . . . . click. . . . click . . . . click . . . .
Pine Warbler
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
I love the photo of the Pine Warbler and the berries. White crowned Sparrows are a favourite of mine, but all these little birds are so hard for me to photograph because they hardly stay still. I will have to go to your Flickr site to mark a few favs!
30 September 2007 at 11:05 pm
@ Ruth – thanks and I have edited that already! Should have been White-throated Sparrow . . . . its been a long weekend! Thanks
BTW: Nets are closed and I didn’t catch any owls tonight!
30 September 2007 at 11:10 pm
The Pine Warbler picture is so good, and I love Sparrows. They are very common, but they have a certain tenacity I admire. ~Nita~
30 September 2007 at 11:30 pm
Hi Tom:
Started the Saw-whets last Saturday(21) with no Luck. Netted my first 2 NSWO’s on Thursday and another 8 on Friday. I have just returned from doing an Owl Banding Demo(Sat & Sun) at our WYE Marsh which is an hours drive north of me. We had success both nights fortunately with 5 both nights. I was very relieved of this.
They are definately moving Earlier this year and Numbers seem quite High at some locations.
Good Luck with your Swets in the Nets!
1 October 2007 at 3:31 am
Good luck with the Saw-whet’s this season! It must be great to be out banding again. Pine Warbler was a nice treat for you. We’ve had White-throated Sparrows and Juncos for a few weeks here – can’t be long until winter now 😦
1 October 2007 at 6:52 am
Awww…. I love the pine warblers! They are back here as well, and I am trying to get a decent shot at the peanut and suet feeder.
1 October 2007 at 6:52 am
I’m still waiting for the Dark-eyed Junkos and White-throated Sparrows to come back to my feeders for the winter. At least I hope they do. Good luck with the owls.
Love those Pine Warbler photos. Hmmm I may have to hit you up again for use of photos for painting. 🙂
1 October 2007 at 7:24 am
Nice! Can I assume we have saw-whet photos in our future?
1 October 2007 at 7:58 am
As always, wonderful photos!
1 October 2007 at 8:20 am
I hope you have good luck with the owls! I just love them so. Once I went for an “Owl Prowl” at night, we called to them and they called back!! Couln’t see them though. I can’t wait to see what you catch!
1 October 2007 at 10:08 am
Can you move your banding station about 200 miles southeast so I can come visit? 🙂 I need to see if there’s an owl banding operation closer to me than Cape May.
1 October 2007 at 10:13 am
Boy, living in the city I miss out on all those good birds. But I love my sparrows and house finches and I get an occasional exciting bird. We got out to the Allegheny National Forest in PA yesterday and I saw a grouse for the first time in my life. Actually, we saw two. I love the woods. I was telling my husband yesterday as we walked some trails, “That Mon@arch guy actually gets to live and work in an area similar to this.” Yep, we are both jealous.
1 October 2007 at 10:14 am
I saw my first dark-eyed junco of the season in Duluth on Saturday so they should be here in the Twin Cities soon. I also heard the first “oh sweet Canada” song of the white-throated sparrows this morning! I’m looking forward to your owl posts.
1 October 2007 at 10:21 am
Great shots Tom, the pine warbler 1# is just plain great photography, btw another huge spike last night!
1 October 2007 at 11:07 am
Ooooooooo you’ve started-we’ll be right there! LOL
I love the berry/warbler photo-and I haven’t seen a White Throat yet-but then I also haven’t really been out much
1 October 2007 at 12:37 pm
Wow Tom! your photos continue to amaze! I love the blue coloring of the berries next to the greens of the leaves and the Pine Warbler. Thanks for sharing.
1 October 2007 at 1:58 pm
@ nita – thanks and I loved the shots also! thanks
@ garth – glad to hear you are starting to get them moving through your area. Last year I had my first one on Oct 1st, so cross your fingers!
@ Matt – thanks and it is nice . . . . kinda, it becomes a long season but it is very nice once you start catching them.
@ jayne – thanks and I loved the shot also! I really should get some out but temps still have been getting high recently for that.
@ toni – Should be anytime now! thanks and let me know what you need . . . I might have others that don’t get published.
@ Wren – you can be sure of that when I catch them! If you go back and read many of my postings from last year . . . . https://monarchbfly.com/category/owls/ I take a bunch of shots (when I can and don’t stress the birds too much).
@ threecollie – thanks you are too kind!
@ Chicago Nature Lady – thanks and hope it turns out to be a good two months! But, I know at some point you guys will get bored of all my Saw-whet talk! Will have to be more creative this year!
@ Patrick – lol you know there is a station at the Cornell Lab and another somewhere in Eastern New York . . . will have to look for their contact. Cape May does do them also! Email me if you want more details and names!
@ erie – You know that there are many saw-whet owl banders who band in the city and catch many of these owls! You know I would love to live near your state park!
@ Lynne – love that song . . . “Oh Sweet, Canada, Canada, Canada” or do they say “Oh Sweet, Peabody, Peobody, Peobody” here in the states?
@ Bernie – thanks and those spikes have been crazy! I need to send you another email to get more details about this site!
@ Marg – Wait until I at-least start catching them in numbers! Not going to be around Columbus weekend though (NY Ornithological Association Meeting).
@ Sherri – Thanks and it was a fun bird to photograph for sure! I only wish the lighting was a little better!
1 October 2007 at 3:31 pm
Great Pine Warbler photos!! Yay that it came right in front of you so you could photograph it! Hope you have a great Saw-Whet Owl season!
1 October 2007 at 4:19 pm
My first white-throateds showed up Sep 25, my junco numbers are increasing every day, but I am sad to report that I saw no chippers today. A Scarlet Tanager – what a treat!
1 October 2007 at 10:17 pm
Those birds are so beautiful. I haven’t seen a junco at my feeders yet.
1 October 2007 at 10:17 pm
Coming to your blog is almost as good as seeing these darlings in person! I have never seen a Pine Warbler
I am looking forward to Saw-whet Owl photos!
Never do I get tired of reading your words or looking at your amazing photos.
Sherry
1 October 2007 at 10:23 pm
Hi Tom,
I love the contrasting colors of the backgrounds and your birds in those photos. What is the plant the pine warbler is eating the fruit of? And do you know if it’s a Zone 4 plant? If so, I may have to look into getting some of them planted in my yard.
1 October 2007 at 10:52 pm
@ Pam – Thanks and I hope its good also!
@ Zen – Thanks and great to hear about your birds!
@ Barb – thanks and should be soon before they arrive!
@ Sherry – you are too kind and the Pine is a warbler I hear more than see. Thanks again, blush!
@ Ruthie – thanks and did boost the contrast some on these guys! Zone 4, sounds like a garden question! Anyone can help me with this? It’s a wetland plant Ruthie!
1 October 2007 at 11:53 pm
Great shot of the pine warbler. I think I saw one the other day, but can’t be sure… I’d love to be able to see the saw-whets up close. Too bad you’re a bajillion miles from NJ.
2 October 2007 at 11:00 am
Interesting to see that many of the same birds moving in to your area are the same that are occuring here.
5 October 2007 at 11:48 pm