Final week in June--actually, the last five days of the month--was a milestone period for banding at Hilton Pond Center. On 26 June we trapped our 6,000th House Finch, on 27 June we captured the first fledgling Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year, on 28 June we celebrated the 19th anniversary of the first bird ever banded at the Center (a Common Grackle trapped in 1982), and on 30 June we netted a young Carolina Wren (below) that became the 39,000th bird ever banded at Hilton Pond Center.

We were especially pleased to share the wren banding with eager participants on a field trip from Chirp 'n Chatter wild bird store in Tega Cay, South Carolina. The group photo (below right) of the Carolina Wren, Bill Hilton Jr., and Chirp 'n Chatter owner Marion Brown is courtesy of Lizann Lutz, Fort Mill SC.)

So far, banding in 2001 has been well below average compared to the past 19 years. Normally we would expect to capture 1,225 birds by the end of June, but this year we're only at 727. This is due, in large part, to the first quarter's virtual absence of Purple Finches (see below)-- usually one of our two most plentiful species--but also because spring migration was nearly a bust. Many expected species were neither seen or captured.

The chart below recaps the number of birds captured from January 2001 through June 2001 and compares these first-half totals with the averages for each species since 1982. The final column contains the grand totals for the 19-year banding project at Hilton Pond Center.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1*
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1*
White-eyed Vireo--2*
Carolina Wren--2*
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Gray Catbird--1*
Eastern (Rufous-sided) Towhee--1*
Wood Thrush--1*
Northern Cardinal--1*
House Finch--4*

* = At least one Recent Fledgling

WEEKLY BANDING TOTAL
(29-30 June 2001)
10 species
16 individuals

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