Fall 1999 Data From
Thunder Cape Bird Observatory

The twenty most common species banded at Thunder Cape in the fall of 1999
compared to their previous fall totals.

Species	1999	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992	1991
Northern Saw-whet Owl	642	311	392	216	263	400	110	48	61
Sharp-shinned Hawk	388	147	358	248	145	468	329	292	174
Black-capped Chickadee	392	56	301	95	1879	166	930	331	310
Snow Bunting	217	1	3	0	30	3	55	54	0
Western Palm Warble	173	68	199	295	403	145	230	293	295
Dark-eyed Junco	156	216	1490	8	1332	16	391	38	456
Savannah Sparrow	124	104	103	135	212	57	85	27	58
American Redstart	118	114	100	269	239	255	247	532	217
Horned Lark	116	7	1	4	21	3	1	0	0
Chipping Sparrow	115	53	181	88	108	83	66	49	30
Golden-crowned Kinglet	105	61	25	59	247	125	222	0	0
Yellow-rumped Warbler	76	50	154	119	462	187	423	167	266
Common Redpoll	76	2	72	0	1	0	70	3	1
Magnolia Warbler	75	64	53	104	111	121	104	177	79
Nashville Warbler	74	39	77	152	150	209	266	120	142
Red-breasted Nuthatch	67	285	22	508	58	196	38	36	18
Lapland Longspur	63	10	1	2	38	2	13	5	4
American Tree Sparrow	56	19	144	3	158	8	52	8	80
Northern Waterthrush	51	79	75	58	73	45	27	47	29
Traill's Flycatcher	44	37	33	51	108	58	117	34	76
Brown Creeper	44	41	38	34	69	40	91	75	130
Totals for all species	4063	2544	4480	3607	9209	4320	6520	4614	4427
Number of species and forms	100	88	92	85	101	86	99	90	92

Migration monitoring at Thunder Cape resumed on July 31 and ran through 25 October for a total of 88 days of full coverage in the fall. In general, most songbirds were observed and captured in low numbers, as has been the pattern at Thunder Cape in recent years. However, the fall hawk migration was outstanding, with record numbers of most species.

Although full coverage ended on 25 October, banding and casual observations continued through 3 November. Highlights from this period included the Cape's first Red-Bellied Woodpecker (banded) on the 28th, a Western Meadowlark on the 31st, and 68 Bald Eagles seen from the tower on 2 November.

In total,4063 birds of 100 species and forms were banded during the fall coverage period. A total of 186 species was documented in the count area. The 1999 banding total (spring and fall) of 5212 birds of 112 species and forms was the third lowest since the observatory started in 1991 but the number of species was a record high.

Red-throated Loon: 37 birds between 3 August and 10 October
Pacific Loon on 8 October
Golden Eagle: total of 39 birds on 15 days
Red Phalarope on 22 October
Little Gull on 14 October
Bonaparte's Gull: five birds on four days
Iceland Gull on 9 September
Red-bellied Woodpecker banded 28 October
Western Kingbird: 3 birds on 20 September
"Yellow" Palm Warbler banded on 22 September
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow banded on 30 August
Dickcissel banded on 19 September, seen 2-3 October
Western Meadowlark on 31 October

Back to TCBO PAGE

Back to BIRDING PAGE