Spring 2003 Data From
Thunder Cape Bird Observatory

Low Numbers, Plenty of Species!

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The twenty most common species banded at Thunder Cape in spring 2003.
With comparative numbers from previous years.
Overall ranking 1992-2002 in parentheses.

2003 Rank	Species	2003	2002	2001	2000
1	Chipping Sparrow (1)	159	436	306	242
2	Slate-colored Junco (3)	105	1172	11	0
3	American Redstart (8)	104	103	80	71
4	Myrtle Warbler (4)	62	255	78	33
5	Ruby-crowned Kinglet (26)	55	17	6	26
6	White-throated Sparrow (12)	47	142	16	44
7	Black-throated Green Warbler (22)	38	39	26	17
8	Magnolia Warbler (11)	37	73	26	33
9	Savannah Sparrow (15)	37	43	26	39
10	Blue Jay (6)	36	290	35	23
11	Swainson's Thrush (19)	36	34	36	27
12	Song Sparrow (18)	33	40	14	17
13	Western Palm Warbler (14)	31	50	29	22
14	Black and White Warbler (20)	27	25	13	20
15	Nashville Warbler (9)	20	129	16	27
16	American Goldfinch (28)	18	48	25	15
17	Common Grackle (36)	18	26	30	4
18	Ovenbird (24)	18	43	22	6
19	Brown Creeper (63)	17	7	2	3
20	Canada Warbler (21)	17	17	15	8

Spring banding was a little slow this year with only 1,240 individuals banded, well below the eleven year average of 2,100 birds per season. Species richness was high however with 81 species banded, well above the average of 74 species per season. There were a number of rarities including the banding the province's first Brewer's Sparrow and Thunder Bay District's first Kentucky Warbler.

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Spring 2003 Highlights:

Red-throated Loon: a total of 58 birds observed
Northern Shoveler: 4 observed May 2 and another on May 10
Parasitic Jaeger: immature observed on May 21 and an adult on June 1
Iceland Gull: an immature observed May 21
Golden-winged Warbler: a male banded May 22
Connecticut Warbler: one heard singing May 23
Kentucky Warbler: male banded May 29 (District first)
Western Meadowlark: one banded June 5
Indigo Bunting: 12 banded
Lark Sparrow: one banded June 2
Oregon Junco: one banded April 27
Brewer's Sparrow: one banded May 27 (first for Ontario)

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