2020-08-06

Last day of the breeding birds study.* 8 nets, 6 hours, 42 birds, 14 species.

7 Anna's Hummingbird

2 Pacific-slope Flycatcher

1 Ash-throated Flycatcher

2 Oak Titmouse (both recaps, one from 2017)

2 Bushtit (1 recap)

3 Bewick's Wren (2 recaps)

3 Wrentit (all recaps, one from 2017)

2 Phainopepla

5 Orange-crowned Warbler (1 recap)

1 Spotted Towhee (recap)

2 California Towhee

1 Song Sparrow

7 House Finch

4 Lesser Goldfinch (1 recap)

Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS)

The Institute for Bird Populations coordinates the work of several hundred banding stations, all using a similar methodology so that results can be compared from one area to another, one year to another. I began participating in this in 2019, and this is my second year. Although we received less rain this winter than the year before, the number of birds captured went up, using the same 8 nets sites on similar days. The images below compare the two years.

Some species decreased: Anna's Hummingbird to some extent, Allen's Hummingbird more significantly. Oak Titmouse and California Towhee were down.

Increases were seen in Ash-throated Flycatcher, California Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Song Sparrow, House Finch, and Lesser Goldfinch.

For some of these species, population fluctuations are normal; others are resident birds and the decreases might be more significant.

Speaking of fluctuations: the worst net of 2019 (a total of 22) became the best net of 2020 (78). A different net went from 26 down to 12.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, all the work was done solo. I hope to do the study again next year, and I hope that others will be able to join in.

Although the work in La Verne was done solo, it was supported by others. I am thankful for a grant from Pasadena Audubon in 2018 and again in 2020 to purchase some of the nets. The City of La Verne allows me to do this work on city-owned land. Banding can be done only with a federal permit. I am a subpermittee of Walt Sakai, who does most of his banding in Zuma Canyon, Malibu.

Mike Morrison