Trained volunteers capture and band thousands of migrating birds, including the
dazzling Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. 





The 2009 Fall session was October 10 - 22

and the Spring 2010 session will be March 27 - April 8.

Visit the website at

www.hummingbirdsplus.org/FortMorganBanding.html

For for more information contact:                            
Bob and Martha Sargent of Clay, Alabama
HummerBSG@aol.com HBSG
P.O.Box 250 Clay, Alabama 35048
(205)681-2888 ~ Fax: (205)681-1339

Photos of the Spring 2010 Bird Banding at Fort Morgan

 

Comments About the 2009 Fall Season

by Bob and Martha Sargent

Despite the continuing decline in the overall economy, we had good numbers of guests at our banding sites this fall. The number of children from local school systems continues to be far fewer than in past years, the increase in the number of home-schoolers and their parents has greatly filled that void.

As most of you already know there is more to a successful banding session than just the total number of birds banded. While the totals are important to us, the species involved sometimes outshine big numbers. This fall 2009 was such such an occasion. We did band a respectable 1228 total birds, but the species count of 87 was truly outstanding. We were expecting about 1500 birds per session based on our time involved, number of nets and past history.

As you will notice listed in bold print on the banding totals (in the Winter 2009 Newsletter) we netted some truly unusual species and large totals on others that are worth drawing your attention to. The Middle Ground crew shared a Black-billed Cuckoo that they banded. This long-tailed caterpillar-eater is very uncommon and a real crew and crowd pleaser. We had record numbers of 28 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and 11 Northern Flickers. Northern Flicker (Yellowhammer) is our state bird in Alabama. The pre-dawn guests at our site were treated to an astonishing 5 Whip-poor-wills, with three being in-hand at our banding table at one time!

On the rare side were two Dusky Flycatchers. Tough to identify except in the hand, these are awaiting review by our state bird records committee. I had the pleasure of banding the site's first ever Western Tanager. The fact that we netted and banded two tiny Bell's Vireos caught all the crew by surprise. These, and some of the other rarities at Fort Morgan appeared to be a product of two and a half days of constant strong winds from out of the west. As is usually the case, our most productive days were during or immediately after the passing of cold fronts and rains.

I must mention that two Swainson's Warblers in the fall were a pleasant surprise, since that is a rare occurrence for us. I forgot to mention that once again the most common species we banded was Gray Catbird at 190.

I wish to express my appreciation to Herb Malone and his staff of the Gulf Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau for continuing to share visitors that come to the coast. It is always a great pleasure to have these out of state and foreign visitors as guests at our bird banding station.

Photos of the 2009 Fall Bird Banding by Janice Neitzel

 

Cooper's Hawk                                                   

White-eyed Vireo

Great Crested Flycatcher

 

 

Hooded Warbler

Catbird

Bluebird

 

 

 

 

 

 

White-eyed Vireo

Martha and Kathy Walter at the 'store'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northern Flicker, the Alabama State Bird









Fall 2009 Bird Banding photos by Spence Harrison