Our first full day of banding yielded 23 birds – HY GRCAs, of course – plus a handful of migrants including a HY-M Black-and-white Warbler, a HY-M Canada Warbler, and a HY Eastern Phoebe. We also banded another HY Downy Woodpecker and had a return female Common Yellowthroat. She was originally banded in June of 2022 as an ASY and so would be at least 6 years old now. She was in heavy molt and had a brood patch that was in the process of re-feathering.
After breakfast we were visited by the Seascapes and Landscapes class, and the Manchester area high school students who are on the island for a week. Fortunately we had had 2 birds on our net run and so walked everyone through the history and purpose of our station, and the banding process, with two HY GRCA. Everyone was very interested and enthusiastic and asked lots of great questions. Two of the high school students who were particularly avid returned a while later, watched more of the banding process, and came with us to the nets.
In the afternoon it was determined by the island engineers – Zach and Tanner – that the Grass Lab water heater had aged out and so Zach will be heading to the mainland for a replacement. In the meantime we are without water in the Grass Lab, but all should be restored by midday tomorrow.
Our only other news for today was the arrival of David and Eleanor in the late afternoon and a delicious – and deeply appreciated in this ongoing heat – dessert of homemade strawberry sorbet and real whipped cream post dinner. Yay kitchen staff! We did have to close shortly after dinner due to an impending thunderstorm that we sincerely hope will bring down the temperatures a bit.
Goodnight from toasty Appledore – Rebecca, Peg, David, Lilah, and Eleanor
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Eastern Phoebe | 1 |
| Gray Catbird | 15 |
| Black-and-white Warbler | 1 |
| Yellow Warbler | 1 |
| Canada Warbler | 1 |
| Northern Waterthrush | 3 |
| TOTAL | 23 |
| TOTAL FOR SEASON | 52 |