After several nights off at the end of last week, we were excited to get back out and open nets this week. The owls did not disappoint! Our first net run of the week was also our most productive of the season. On top of that, it put us over 200 new saw-whets banded this fall! While the night slowed down from there, it still made for a nice welcome back. Winds and some rain kept migration to a trickle for the rest of the week, but we did catch two Barred Owl for the third week in a row.
This week brings us to a total of 233 owls: 224 Northern Saw-whet Owl, two Long-eared Owl, and seven Barred Owl. No Boreal Owl yet, but we’re crossing our fingers!
We haven’t heard much from the amphibians recently, but we have been sharing the Point with a couple of mammals. We’ve seen a red fox on a couple of occasions and found what appears to be the tracks of a small American black bear.
~ Kate Maley and Eliana Fierro-Calderón, fall owl banders
Please Note
Out of an abundance of caution and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, public observation of owl banding is not available this season.
If you have questions about the owl banding program, please feel free to reach out through social media (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) or email birds@michiganaudubon.org.
