WPBO Sightings

Rusty Blackbird

Highlights: Le Conte's Sparrow & Parasitic Jaeger

Although we are again experiencing some warm temperatures a southerly flow, we have begun seeing some of the mid-season migrants begin to show up. Warbler diversity has been dropping off, but among the more numerous Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers we are still seeing a few others including Pine, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Wilson's, Common Yellowthroat, Tennessee, Black-throated Green & Northern Waterthrush. There are now regularly nice groups of 10-20 Golden-crowned Kinglets and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets mixed in with the warblers, chickadees and nuthatches.

We continue to have Red Crossbills flying over on a daily basis and flyover flocks of Pine Siskins are becoming more regular. Most sparrow species have yet to begin occurring in big numbers, but the diversity has been fairly good recently with sightings of Chipping, Clay-colored, Fox, Song, Lincoln's, Swamp, White-throated, White-crowned and a Le Conte's. Dark-eyed Junco numbers have increased significantly in recent days with flocks of 20-30 being seen regularly. Out on the beach Horned Lark numbers have been growing and nine Lapland Longspurs were mixed in with them today. Other recent arrivals include; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Winter Wren, Rusty Blackbird and Evening Grosbeak.

The recent weather has often kept things slow for Eric out at the waterbird count, but he has had some nice flights of Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Redhead and Common Terns. Recent highlights from the waterbird count include Sora, Cackling Goose, Snow Goose and Parasitic Jaeger. As always, more details are available on the waterbird blog. http://www.wpbo.org/blog/5

The fall owl banding season has begun. Head owl bander Mike McDonald and assistant owl bander Tim Baerwald have not surprisingly had a bit of a slow start with Northern Saw-whets moving at a trickle so far, they also banded a single Barred Owl. It has been a few years, but we are once again giving evening owl programs. They are being given Thursdays & Saturdays through Thursday October 29 in the Owl's Roost Gift shop. Now through Saturday October 3 the start time is 8:30 PM. From Thursday Oct 8 to Thursday Oct 29 the start time is 7;45 PM