• Only 298 birds were banded this period, with rain storms on the 4th and high wind gusts over the weekend significantly limiting banding effort.  We banded fewer than 100 individuals of any species; American Goldfinch coming in first with 96, followed by Dark-eyed Junco (81), and White-throated Sparrow falling in at a distant third (31).  We did add Pine Siskin to our season species list on Sunday and we set a new single day capture record for Northern Saw-whet Owl!  Carroll Labarthe, Felicity Newell, Molly McDermott, and Matt Shumar all helped with banding.

• On Wednesday, November 3, we banded this adult male Golden-crowned Kinglet who flashed his usually  concealed blaze orange crown during the entire banding process...so, we just couldn't help but take a picture.  As one of North America's smallest birds (averaging only about 6 grams), and Powdermill's second smallest bird (tied with the Ruby-crowned Kinglet) next to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, it is quite impressive that this species commonly winters in the area and frequently turns up during our local Christmas Bird Count.  Interestingly, the GCKI's European counterpart, the Firecrest, is Britain's smallest bird (per our British friend and ringing colleague Dr. David Norman) and is also a common wintering bird there, much farther north at 53 degrees latitude versus 40 at Powdermill.  For photos of the Firecrest and comparisons of our GCKI with this amazingly similar species, visit the BTO Merseyside Ringing Group's website  and click on 'the bird in the hand', then 'crests and (Kinglets)' . (note: you will need to use the back button to return to this page from this link)

• At Powdermill, we do not put forth regular effort to band owls (it's hard to consistently stay up late during owl migration season when you have to be up to open nets at daybreak for normal daily banding operations!)  So, most of our owls have been caught opportunistically, when we happen to have interns/volunteers here willing to stay late, and when conditions seem (to us, anyway) ideal for a migrating saw-whet owl.  Because of the irregular and very limited effort, Powdermill does not net anywhere near the numbers of owls over an entire season, let alone in one night, that most established owl banding stations catch.

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The forecast for Wednesday night--calm/clear/dark skies and light northwest winds--inspired us to try.  And sure enough, by 8:45pm, we had netted our first Northern Saw-whet Owl, the third year (adult) female  shown below, banded by Bob Mulvihill.  So begins our "Tale of Three Owls..."

• Hearing, of course, ranks high in its importance to birds and their survival.  The ear openings of most birds are hidden under feathers and only visible on a bird in the hand.  Owls' hearing is particularly acute because many hunt by sound alone.  They have, therefore, many unique adaptations.  The ears on many owls, for one, are asymmetrically arranged on the sides of the head, that is, one is usually higher on the head than the other and they are often shaped differently, this helping to locate prey and calculate its exact location.  Also, in front of the ear on both sides of all owls, is a movable skin fold that no other group of birds has.  Its purpose, to reflect and concentrate sound waves coming from behind.  It is visible in the close up photo below.

• We sent #764-53711 on her way and at 10:00pm, netted our second owl for the night, tying our single night record for NSWO.  This one, a second year (adult) female, was processed, then posed for a quick photo next to the NSWO on the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas t-shirt.

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Thanks to Project Owlnet, which is now made up of a network of more than 50 owl banding stations, we have learned valuable information regarding the migratory timing and movements of these birds by netting and banding them.  But as one of over 200 species that also nests in PA, it's role is also very important to the 2nd PBBA.  Its place in the logo symbolizes the special efforts being taken in this atlas to survey for species that may require special research attention such as nocturnal species.

• Finally, at midnight, Powdermill set a new single night record for number of NSWOs banded.  No. 3 was an after third year (adult) male which amused us with its wren-like posture.

•  By 1:00am, the winds picked up, and our caller batteries died, so we took it as an omen, closed nets, and called it a night.

Sunday, November 7; we added Pine Siskin to our species list for the fall.  While it is more pronounced in the siskin, both goldfinches and siskins have a longer and pointier bill than all other finch species; a bill morphology that has solely allowed them to exploit thistle as a main food resource.  Both of these species also have the foraging ability to pry deeper into the bracts of cones and open a wider variety of seedheads.

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Last Updated on 11/10/04
By Adrienne J. Leppold