Breeding Bird Studies – Page 10 – Frontenac Bird Studies

April 20, 2010May 3, 2010 danderbyshire M.A.P.S, News

Nesting hawks & rare woodland butterflies

The search for new MAPS sites to join our existing Maplewood Bog and Rock Ridge stations has begun. The process is challenging, particularly here in the Frontenac Arch where ‘disturbed’ habitats with pronounced edges can be hard to find. The edges are important as this is where adults and young congregate during post-breeding dispersal, which is key to evaluating annual productivity. The heavily forested Frontenac region also tends to feature open understoreys with little shrub or sapling growth – not suitable for capturing birds using mistnets. Therefore the search feels something akin to looking for a needle in a haystack: a daunting job, to be sure, but not impossible. A needle we shall find!

Ontario Parks has been a tremendous supporter of FBS and have made a number of useful site suggestions for a second MAPS station within park boundaries. I will be checking out these various sites and will report on them as they are visited. I searched a good candidate site in a small portion of Frontenac Provincial Park today but unfortunately found nothing suitable for a MAPS site. Despite this I did have an incredible outing with some noteworthy discoveries.

Today’s meander took me through a patch of mixed forest dominated by Eastern White Pine. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Pine Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers were numerous in the canopy while newly arrived Eastern Towhees called from small rock outcrops. I came upon this excavation that was recently created by a Pileated Woodpecker, a common inhabitant of Frontenac Park. The sap was running quite thick and apparently attracted and drowned a considerable number of springtails along with a few other insects.

I spent an hour or two exploring the margins of many small/medium wetlands for good edge habitat but managed to find nothing of any use to a would-be bird bander. I did, however, find an impressive showing of early spring wildflowers such as Trout Lilly, trillium, hepatica, Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches and Spring Beauties. After snapping a few photos, I decided to head for an area of mature forest en route back to the main road.

This is when things got interesting! This Red-shouldered Hawk nest was rather easily discovered in a mature Yellow Birch within a steep valley of mature hardwood forest. The adults were nearby and quite displeased with my presence! This is the first nest found by FBS in 2010, which is consistent in habitat and timing with the first nest of 2009 – a Red-shouldered Hawk nest on Canoe Lake Road. I quickly left the nest site to avoid unnecessary disturbance to the hawks, which seemed to be in the beginning stages of nest renovation.

There is a considerable amount of mature deciduous forest in Frontenac with some century old stands present. These forests are ideal for several species of conservation concern such as Cerulean Warbler and Red-shouldered Hawk. However, the ‘real’ biodiversity in these forests is exhibited by its plant and insect communities.

With forthcoming Louisiana Waterthrush surveys in mind, I ambled down the bank to check on the water level and flow of this stream that courses through the forest. This past winter was the driest in decades and the lack of spring rainfall has further compounded the dry conditions. The result is very low water levels and weak flow of many streams in the park. I am hoping that we will get some decent rain in the coming weeks as the current picture for breeding Louisianas is bleak. There will be more to follow on our efforts to inventory the park’s streams for Louisiana Waterthrush.

restingwhite — West Virginia White at rest (finally!)

The stream valley was hopping with early spring activity and the most apparent of the beasts were these ghostly-white butterflies, which I suspected might be West Virginia Whites (Pieris virginiensis), a species of Special Concern in Canada. An impressive number of these eye catching butterflies were observed fluttering about near the forest floor. This species is known to occur in Frontenac Park where suitable habitats are found. West Virginia Whites occur in mature moist deciduous forests in isolated pockets of southern and central Ontario. They are known to occur at about 50 sites in the province and were once classified as an Endangered Species (1977). The West Virginia White is one of the earliest butterflies to emerge in spring when the adults seek out emerging toothwort, which their larvae feed on exclusively. I will be watching closely for this species during all of the work in mature forest coming up in May.

Often one finds the most interesting things when looking for something else. The search for new MAPS sites will continue……

August 9, 2009April 17, 2010 danderbyshire Breeding Bird Studies, M.A.P.S

MAPS Visit 7-Rock Ridge (RRID)

It’s always nice to end on a high note. The Rock Ridge MAPS site finally lived up to the potential I thought it possessed for sampling post-breeding dispersal. Waves of birds were observed during our final visit of 2009-to and fro from the rock cliffs, along edges of outcrops and overhead. Tanagers, grosbeaks, warblers, vireos-all the familiar species that breed locally in Frontenac Provincial Park. Eastern Towhee, Chipping and Field Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler seemed to be the most numerous of the species on the move. Most of the birds captured and banded were young birds such as the hatch-year (born summer ’09) male Rose-breasted Grosbeak pictured above.

3804988893_4a1141736b — Yellow-rumped 'myrtle' Warbler (S.Leckie)

We ended up banding four Yellow-rumped Warblers during the morning, a small sample of the overall number that went through.

3805807754_3a1b6abdc8 — HY Eastern Phoebe (Leckie)

This hatch-year Eastern Phoebe was the first of the species that we’ve caught this summer and may well be one of the nestlings reared on the opposite cliff face from the banding station. Note the ‘gape’ evident at the corner of this bird’s bill, a temporary vestige of its recent life as a nestling. Also indicative of hatch-year individuals is the presence of distinct buff coloured wing bars (tips of greater, median and lesser wing coverts) as seen on this bird.

It is safe to say that I’ve not ever seen so many towhees in one place as during this last visit to RRID in early August! Both young and adults were calling and flitting from everywhere and it is remarkable that only two were captured by day’s end. This is an adult female as indicated by the red-eye colour and brown upperparts (males have black upperparts).

A hatch-year individual for comparision. Note the pale brown iris and streaked underparts indicating juvenile age.

3804988583_41a45196dc — HY White-throated Sparrow (Leckie)

White-throated Sparrows were very common at the site during the first two visits and then slowly moved out until just a single male was heard on visit 6. The hatch-year bird pictured above was the first individual captured since mid-June. We will need more consecutive seasons of experience at RRID to know whether the exodus of adults and dearth of young birds in 2009 was just an anomaly reflective of localized nest failure. Another possible explanation is that the adults present at the site were “unfit” younger males occupying substandard habitats for the species.

HY Yellow-rumped 'Myrtle' Warbler (Derbyshire)

Yellow-rumped Warblers seemed to have fared better in 2009 as a decent number of young birds were captured at our sites in July/August.

A total of 24 birds were banded during visit 7, the second highest result of the season for the RRID site. Our first summer on the ridge was a very special one. Each of seven treks to the site brought new discoveries and a deeper appreciation for its ecology. The scenery is stark and dramatic, a vivid backdrop to a long list of memorable finds such as the Whip-poor-will and Common Nighthawk nests, an adult Broad-winged Hawk, carnivorous plants and otters to name but a few. I plan to revisit the site in the fall and winter and of course will return in late spring for MAPS season two at RRID.

Rock Ridge–Visit 7 of 7

New birds banded (24 of 13 species)

Common Yellowthroat-1
Black-and-white Warbler-2
Black-capped Chickadee-2
Eastern Phoebe-1
Song Sparrow-1
Veery-1
White-throated Sparrow-1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak-1
American Robin-5
Eastern Towhee-2
Yellow-rumped ‘Myrtle’ Warbler-4
Chipping Sparrow-2
Red-eyed Vireo-1

Recaptures (2 of 2 species)

Red-eyed Vireo-1
Chipping Sparrow-1

August 5, 2009August 5, 2009 danderbyshire Breeding Bird Studies, M.A.P.S

MAPS Visit 7-Maplewood Bog (MABO)

3790071104_95c000be74 — Magnolia Warbler (Seabrooke Leckie)

The Frontenac Breeding Birds program is close to completion with just the final visit to the Rock Ridge (RRID) MAPS site remaining for this year’s fieldwork. The Maplewood (MABO) MAPS site now has seven visits neatly squared away as well as the mandatory Habitat Structure Assessment (HSA) required by IBP for each registered station. During the last visit I was pleased to finally observe mixed flocks of dispersing birds moving through the site and even happier to find a higher proportion of young birds in the nets as the previous two visits were lacking in both departments. We also encountered a few species familiar to the general area but not to MABO, which included the boldly plumaged Magnolia Warbler above. Magnolia Warblers are an uncommon breeder in the region but can be locally regular in appropriate habitats (mixed forests with dense evergreen understorey).

3789258417_11b69984b2 — Chestnut-sided Warbler (SL)

Another new species captured at MABO on visit seven was Chestnut-sided Warbler. This species is a regular breeder in edge/scrub habitats in the Frontenac Arch region. The Hemlock Lake (HELA) MAPS site contained at least one pair and roaming males have been heard and seen at both MABO and RRID throughout the summer but the species wasn’t banded until our last morning at Maplewood.

3790070702_d2c9dc637d — HY Chestnut-sided Warbler (SL)

We banded three in total including two hatch-year birds. Also, in the nick of time, young….

Veery (above) and Wood Thrush (below)! It would have been unfortunate to have an entire season slip by without banding any young of two dominant species at the site.

3789258181_d348629812 — HY Wood Thrush (SL)

The final task of the season was to conduct the HSA for the 20 hectare station. The process is fairly time consuming but of paramount importance to the science of the operation. Three base habitats were identified and measured to index dominant species, biodiversity, structure, hydrology and succession for analysis of annual demographic statistics. The HSA will be repeated every five years for the lifetime of the station. It was enjoyable to spend the the time identifying the various species and gaining a richer understanding of the site’s ecology. Sugar Maple (dominant), Red Maple, Red Oak, White Ash, Hop-hornbeam, American Beech, Blue Beech were common in the middle-aged forest while White Oak and Eastern White Pine dominated in the younger section of the northern half. Recorded in smaller quantities were Speckled Alder, Striped Maple, Large-toothed Aspen, Shagbark Hickory, Black Ash and Red Cedar among many others. The trees were relatively straightforward while the ground cover was a little more daunting….

Understorey and ground cover at MABO (D.Derbyshire)

Already looking forward to revisiting MABO in 2010!

Maplewood Bog-Visit 7 of 7

New birds banded (15 of 12 species)

Chestnut-sided Warbler-3
Chipping Sparrow-1
Magnolia Warbler-1
Black-and-white Warbler-1
Ovenbird-1
Northern Waterthrush-1
Red-eyed Vireo-1
Veery-1
Gray Catbird-2
Baltimore Oriole-1
Wood Thrush-1
Hairy Woodpecker-1

Recaptures (4 of 4 species)
Red-eyed Vireo-1
Song Sparrow-1
Gray Catbird-1
Chestnut-sided Warbler-1

July 30, 2009 danderbyshire Breeding Bird Studies, M.A.P.S

MAPS Visit 6-Maplewood Bog (MABO)

3767270640_bb59518c07 — Male Indigo Bunting (Seabrooke Leckie)

The penultimate visit to MABO in 2009 was completed on July 25. Weather during the morning was more like spring with cool temperatures, thick fog and cloudy skies. A result of 18 new birds banded and 24 total captures was less than we were anticipating given the time of year. We continue to await any substantial movement of young birds at both MAPS stations. We are banding a few young birds here and there but the results so far are indicating low productivity in the area as a whole. Despite a shortage of hatch-year birds, we continue to sample adult birds in high numbers, including the Indigo Bunting pictured above.

3767270732_53281c443a — HY Scarlet Tanager (Leckie)

This was the first hatch-year Scarlet Tanager (note the wing bars indicating Juvenal plumage) captured in 2009. We have banded enough Scarlet Tanagers this summer to suggest that both survivorship and productivity indices can be calculated on an annual basis. Veery, Wood Thrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush are a few other examples of species sampled in sufficient quantity at MABO and/or RRID to produce vital rate statistics.

3767269662_c541752b7f — Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Leckie)

A few Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, all females, have slipped into our nets this summer. We release all hummers unbanded as we don’t have the special permits to band this species.

3766472827_570e1cae15 — Wood Thrush (Leckie)

Thus far, results for Wood Thrushes and Veerys, abundant breeders at MABO, has been “hit and miss”. We have banded high numbers of adults but have yet to capture a single hatch-year in 2009. Considerably less common at MABO is the Hermit Thrush and yet we banded a juvenile here during visit 6! Naturally, these findings raise many questions that indicate a need for more data. A substantive network of stations across southern Ontario would be powerfully instructive toward an annual assessment of temporal and spatial variation in rates of productivity and long-term factors influencing population change. For the Frontenac Arch, we are committed to expansion of the MAPS program to bolster demographic monitoring in this region and hopefully to serve as a model for other areas in the province.

Maplewood Bog-Visit 6 of 7

New birds banded (18 of 12 species)

American Redstart-1
American Goldfinch-1
Indigo Bunting-1
Red-eyed Vireo-6
Song Sparrow-2
Scarlet Tanager-1
Hermit Thrush-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-1
American Robin-1
Wood Thrush-1
Hairy Woodpecker-1

Captured and released unbanded (1 of 1 species)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1

Recaptures (5 of 5 species)
American Robin-1
Song Sparrow-1
Common Yellowthroat-1
Black-and-white Warbler-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1

July 27, 2009May 12, 2012 danderbyshire Breeding Bird Studies, Nest Monitoring, the Nest Files

the Nest Files – Field Sparrow

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Nidiologicals-Peck and James (1987) and M.Carey et.al. (1994)

Habitat=field, pastures and second growth forest edges and clearings
Microhabitat=nest built on or near ground; elevated in shrubs and tress later in breeding season.
Spring arrival=April
Average nest height=.2 to .5m
Nest builder=female
Nest building period=5-8 days in early part of season: 2-3 days in later part
Average # of broods/season= multiple (average of 2.9 in PA study).
Average Egg Date=26 May-21 June
Average clutch size=3-5
Incubation period=average 11-12 days
Egg colour=white or cream colour, heavily spotted on entire surface with denser markings at larger end
Incubation=female
Fledgling stage=young leave nest 7-8 days after hatching
Parasitized by cowbirds=yes

The Field Sparrow, a close relative of the Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina), remains a common inhabitant of fields and various forms of scrub habitat in the eastern half of the United States, southern Ontario and Quebec. Rare north of the Southern Shield, the Field Sparrow has withdrawn from many areas in southern Ontario due to intensification of agricultural practices as well as the spread and maturation of forest cover in recent decades. They require open areas of dense low ground cover with some woody vegetation for nest support and song perches. It is likely that this species’ population reached its zenith in the 19th century when a low percentage of forest cover and low-intensity agriculture provided great expanses of suitable habitat. Here on the Frontenac Arch, the species remains abundant in rock barren habitats with its shallow till as well as abandoned farms. Forest fires would provide appropriate conditions for this species if not for current forest fire suppression practices.

The nest pictured above was discovered on a recent trip to one of our MAPS sites on crown land in the northern section of the FBS study area. Apart from farm fields, Field Sparrows are ubiquitously found in rock outcrops and in areas burned over in the mid-20th century. Eastern Towhee also occupy these areas and the two are almost always heard singing close together. This nest was actually the second Field Sparrow located at the site, the first of which failed for unknown reasons in early June. In both cases the nest was found elevated in a shrub, although this more recent example is considerably higher than the first, a typical response of the species to the increased growth of vegetation in late summer. The nest itself is similar to the nests of Chipping Sparrow, which are almost entirely constructed with grasses. One difference between the two is that Field Sparrows tend to use a lesser variety of grass types and less animal hair in the nest lining.

The nest is located in a main fork within the crown of an as yet unidentified shrub/sapling. This plant would not not have been suitable for nesting in late spring/early summer as it would would have been exposed to predators in the absence of developed vegetation around it that has now provided dense cover.

This shot of the nest site taken further back shows its position relative to our access trail. The habitat would be best described as a grassy clearing between dense deciduous forest and a large peat bog. To name a few, Yellow-throated Vireo, Scarlet Tanager and Yellow-billed Cuckoo sang from the forest edge throughout the summer, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat and Wilson’s Snipe occupied the bog, while Eastern Towhee shared the sunny gap with Field and Song Sparrows.

3644881885_73331515c7 — Fledgling at Rock Ridge in early July

Fledgling and juvenile Field Sparrows have been encountered throughout the summer period across the study area. This area, with its countless rock outcrops and old fields, has been and continues to be an important region for Field Sparrows in Ontario. The retreat of the glaciers left extensive areas of bare rock and/or shallow vegetation resistant soils, providing open areas for Field Sparrows to prosper. It is plausible however that the suppression of fires, natural succession of fields and conversion to intensive agricultural methods will continue to reduce their numbers in Ontario and beyond.