Fall 1997 Data From
Thunder Cape Bird Observatory

The following table lists the twenty most common species banded at Thunder Cape
in the Fall of 1997 compared to their previous fall totals.
Last year's rank is shown in parentheses if in the top 20 that year.

1997 Rank	'96	Species	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992	1991
1	(-)	Dark-eyed Junco	1490	8	1332	16	391	38	456
2	(5)	Northern Saw-whet Owl	392	216	263	400	110	48	61
3	(4)	Sharp-shinned Hawk	358	248	145	468	329	292	174
4	(11)	Black-capped Chickadee	301	95	1879	166	930	331	310
5	(2)	Palm Warbler	199	295	403	145	230	293	295
6	(13)	Chipping Sparrow	181	88	108	83	66	49	30
7	(9)	Yellow-rumped Warbler	154	119	462	187	423	167	266
8	(-)	American Tree Sparrow	144	0	158	8	52	8	80
9	(7)	Savannah Sparrow	103	135	212	57	85	27	58
10	(3)	American Redstart	100	269	239	255	247	532	217
11	(16)	Swainson's Thrush	89	68	435	31	115	78	415
12	(6)	Nashville Warbler	77	152	150	209	266	120	142
13	(19)	Northern Waterthrush	75	58	73	45	27	47	29
14	(-)	Common Redpoll	72	0	1	0	70	3	1
15	(-)	Cedar Waxwing	70	19	272	71	27	39	32
16	(15)	Song Sparrow	56	69	97	88	83	45	26
17	(10)	Magnolia Warbler	53	104	111	121	104	177	79
18	(-)	White-crowned Sparrow	53	2	82	30	36	8	167
19	(14)	Black-and-white Warbler	51	83	52	84	91	100	31
20	(-)	Lincoln's Sparrow	47	19	68	27	31	13	36

A total of 4880 birds were banded at the Cape in the fall of 1997,
including 92 species and forms. A somewhat low 158 species and forms were
recorded in the area during the migration monitoring coverage period.

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Highlights from Fall 1997

Red-throated Loon: A single fly-by seen on 15 September.

American Bittern: One flew over the cape at dawn on 1 October.

Snow Goose: A flock of 27 birds on 1 October included 4 white-phased, 7 blue-phased and 16 juveniles.

Canada Goose: A season peak of 1001 was seen on 30 September.

Cooper's Hawk: Two records for the fall, singletons on 30 August and 21 October.

Common Nighthawk: A season high of 40 birds was seen at dusk on 20 and 21 August.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: An impressive 20 individuals was counted on 5 October.

Three-toed Woodpecker: One was heard calling and seen on 22 September.

Black-backed Woodpecker: A total of 5 birds seen on 16 October; one banded on 26 October.

Cliff Swallow: A notable 25 on 10 August.

Gray Jay: Very few sightings in late October; one banded on 27 October.

House Wren: A single fall record of a bird seen on 20 October.

Gray Catbird: A single bird banded on 10 October.

Bohemian Waxwing: A record high of 6 birds were banded this fall, with a high of 97 birds seen on 25 October.

Northern Shrike: One recorded on four days in late October.

Cape May Warbler: A late bird on 21 October was rather conspicuous in the snowy setting.

Black-throated Blue Warbler: A late bird was caught on 15 October.

Connecticut Warbler: One was captured and banded on 9 September.

Scarlet Tanager: October sightings on 6-7 and 15-16 probably involved two different birds.

Le Conte's Sparrow: Recorded on five dates from 17 August to 15 October, 2 banded.

Pine Grosbeak: A high of 11 of these finches were seen on 22 October.

Hoary Redpoll: TCBO's second banded Hoary was caught on 24 October.