VCE's first foray of the season to our long-term study site on the Mt. 
Mansfield ridgeline was productive, if wet.  We arrived Thursday evening 
to set up mist nets and worked through midday yesterday.  Overall, 
numbers of most montane forest species seem to be 'normal', though we 
didn't conduct our annual counts, which will take place over the next 
two weeks.  Banding totals of our five target species included:

Bicknell's Thrush -- 12 (9 males, 3 females).  Eight males and 1 female 
were birds we had banded in previous years.  We caught one male on which 
we had placed a solar geolocator last summer 
(http://www.vtecostudies.org/PDF/Field%20Notes%20Fall%202009_web.pdf), 
and it was still carrying the miniature backpack, which we removed to 
retrieve its data.  We placed new geolocators on that and 8 other 
birds.  We hope to recover a number of other geolocators on subsequent 
visits this month and next.  The dusk chorus on Thursday was impressive, 
with several flight songs heard.
Swainson's Thrush -- 4 (2 males, 2 probable females).  Numbers of 
singing males were definitely higher on the ridgeline than in past 
years, continuing a recent trend.
Hermit Thrush -- 1 female.  Not a target species, but we decided to band 
it, as we're interested in documenting whether this species may be 
moving upslope over time, as it appears to be in the Catskills of NY.
Blackpoll Warbler -- 11 (6 males, 5 females)
Yellow-rumped Warbler -- 8 (7 males, 1 female)
White-throated Sparrow -- 7 (all males)

No real surprises, but Winter Wren numbers were higher than expected, as 
that species seems in generally lower abundance elsewhere, perhaps 
following the severe winter throughout  its southeastern U.S. winter 
range(?).  We heard 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets singing.  A few Purple 
Finches were in evidence, but no siskins or crossbills.  Not a single 
red squirrel seen or heard.

Very few black flies either, thanks mainly to the cool, wet weather.  
It's still early up there....

Chris

-- 
****************
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org

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