PIBO’s  fall migration coverage season reached the halfway point on September 23^rd, which coincided with the most active morning of the autumn to date. Sixty-four species were noted that day during the standard count period and 71 birds of eighteen species were banded. There were  a number of other fairly active mornings from the 21^st – 30^th, but, for the most part, the final ten days of the month were largely uneventful compared to previous years.  Similar conditions have prevailed this fall at PIBO as well as a number of other migration stations in Ontario.

Steady rain on the 21^st made for a quiet time and just the census and some additional observations were taken. The weather improved the next day and a range of migrants appeared including 14 warbler species. Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Lincoln’s Sparrow were new for the fall. A nice variety of birds were banded in small numbers including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Tennessee and Magnolia Warblers, Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush.

Sixteen warbler species were recorded on September 23^rd along with five fall ‘firsts’ – Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Winter Wren, American Pipit, Savannah Sparrow, and Rusty Blackbird. Thrushes were active in the netting area – 18 Swainson’s and 8 Gray-cheeked were banded – along with moderate numbers of  nine banded warbler species, 5 Red-eyed Vireos, and the station’s second captured Cooper’s Hawk. Activity tapered off somewhat on the 24^th but there were still quite a few birds around in small numbers including ten warbler spp., a banded Philadelphia Vireo, and the first Golden-crowned Kinglets of the season.

A similar morning on September 25^th produced 50 species during the official count including 11 warbler species and a fall ‘first’ for Brown Creeper. Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows were active on the 26^th along with good numbers of Winter Wrens (22) and the first Eastern White-crowned Sparrows of the fall.

The winds shifted to the southwest on September 27^th and migration tapered off accordingly, with 38 species and just 4 warbler species noted that day. Kinglets, thrushes, and Winter Wrens remained fairly active as the month came to a close, with 43 Golden-crowned and 15 wrens tallied on the 30^th, and a few additional fall ‘firsts’ were noted, including Eastern Meadowlark on the 28^th. While cormorant numbers have thinned out in the last few weeks, 2500 birds were recorded at the tip on September 29^th, along with 8 Bald Eagles.

PIBO’s next migration update will be posted on October 12^th.