This week's VCE banding session on Mansfield was notable for how quiet the ridgeline has become, much more so from even a week ago. Although cool weather may have been partly responsible (temps in mid-40sF early on Thursday), very few songs and calls were heard, with little evidence of the expected family groups or roaming juveniles. Our total capture of 46 birds was our lowest of the season. Several adults of various species were in early stages of flight feather molt, so there may be less local movement occurring now. No siskins or crossbills were observed, and I did not hear a single Purple Finch. One red squirrel was noted, only the third this season.

Our highlight was an adult female Tennessee Warbler, the day's final capture. This species is well known to be unusual among long-distance migratory songbirds in undergoing a molt-migration, in which some adults actively molt their flight feathers while migrating. It is thought that many failed or non-breeders depart their boreal breeding grounds early and begin molting at stopover sites, some actually continuing to migrate while in active molt. The female we captured had not yet begun molt, but it's likely that she will soon, possibly after continuing further south.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1 adult female with regressing brood patch

Black-capped Chickadee  1 hatching-year bird  

White-throated Sparrow  3 -- all new: adult male and female, free-flying juvenile

Pine Siskin 1 new free-flying juvenile

Purple Finch  1 -- new adult female with regressing brood patch

With two additional banding sessions to come between now and early August, we expect a resurgence of activity via local hatching-year birds and the appearance of more non-local, post-breeding dispersers. There is bound to be a surprise or two.