Date: 8/26/25 5:41 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] West Hill banding
Thanks to Strickland Wheelock for this report
Barbara Volkle Northborough, MA <barb620...>
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Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2025 19:38:11 +0000 (UTC) From: Strickland Wheelock <skwheelock...> Subject: West Hill banding
Time to continue our Bird Banding project at West Hill Dam - set up the nets Sun. 24th and Mon. 25th we opened with semi-low expectations given the warmth & humidity. Our 1st bird netted was a surprise - Wood Thrush [migrant probably] - following that we captured a Bluebird, 2 Savannah & 1 Song Sparrow, 1 Towhee, 2 Catbirds & a Ovenbird. There was little song/activity Mon. morning & no E Phoebes which during migration are normally active in the fields.Hopefully Mon. night's cool breeze from the NW would bring in our 1st real migrant movement overnight for our Tues. morning start. Suddenly Tues morning the fields had Phoebes flying everywhere - 1 short net caught 6 Phobes with another dozen flying about. Bird song/call notes were active around the Park with flycatchers, woodpeckers, wrens, warblers, sparrows, orioles calling. Other species netted were a Veery, 1 B&W Warbler, 1 Am Redstart, 2 Towhees, 4 Catbirds, Ovenbird. We again closed early after 3 net checks as the sun really heated up the ParkAs we enter Sept and cool winds head our way knocking down this heat, we are prepared to net hundreds of migrants moving through the Park - right now is the lull before the storm!
