Recovering Two Banded Tern

Banded Royal Terns at Oistins

Bird banding is a tool used by ornithologists, researchers, and conservationists alike to acquire accurate information about bird movement, life span, and much more. That data can then be used to make informed decisions and recommendations for the betterment of a species. So it is important to report resightings to websites like bandedbirds.org or The North American Bird Banding Program.

Close to 25 species of foreign banded birds have been recovered on the island from stations in the Americas and Europe. For the last few years, birds reported were mainly shorebirds but two recent recoveries of Royal Terns (Thalasseus Maximus) bands reminded us of our history.  

Banded Royal tern #0884-18508

The first, tagged #0884-18508, was seen at Heywood Beach, St. Peter by Carla Daniel of The Barbados Sea Turtle Project.  The bird was in bad shape and subsequently died.  Carla was able to report the band to The North American Bird Banding Program.  She learned the bird was banded as a chick on July 9th, 2005, in Maryland, making it 17 years of age.

Banded Royal tern #1024-29229 C92

The second tern was much younger. It was seen and photographed at the Oistins,  ice jetty on June 29th. This tern, tagged 1024-29229 C92,  was also banded as a chick before it was able to fly, near Hampton City, Virginia, US, on July 10th, 2021.  C92 was quite healthy and the sighting was reported to The North American Bird Banding Program.

Yes, bird banding is an important tool, but to be effective it needs resighters like you and I. So please be on the lookout for birds with bands and report them to one of the above websites.  

Stay safe and enjoy your birding!

Banded Sanderling JK> At Six Men's Bay

Sanderling JK>

Look who is back at Six Men’s Bay – Sanderling JK>.   This bird was first seen and reported on by local photographer Himal Reece on January 3^rd, this year before it migrated to North America (Read about it here).  Another sighting this year was made at Cooks Beach New Jersey, United States on May 6^th.

Sanderling JK> was banded at Kimbles Beach, New Jersey, the United States on May 19^th, 2019 and had a few sightings between then and now, of which you can see below:

• 5/24/2019 - Reeds Beach - south, New Jersey, United States
• 5/30/2019 - Kimbles Beach - north, New Jersey, United States 
• 6/1/2019 - Villas Beaches, New Jersey, United States 
• 7/29/2019 - Moores Beach - creek, New Jersey, United States
• 1/3/2021 - Six Mens Bay, N/A, Barbados 
• 5/6/2021 - Cooks Beach - north, New Jersey, United States 

This return to Six Men’s Bay by Sanderling JK> is a sign that it was finding pleasing conditions there.  I will be on the lookout to see if he will spend the winter with us like last year. I reported the resighting to www.bandedbirds.org. 

Have a great week and enjoy your birding.

Banded Bird Discomfort

I know oh too well, that bird ringing/banding plays an important part in ornithology but I do look forward to a time when it is replaced by a much less intrusive technique. This Semipalmated Sandpiper I saw during the Global Shorebirds Count was clearly show signs of discomfort and sadly it was not the first banded bird I have seen showing behavior like this.  I do hope it quickly becoming a thing of the pass.

First Banded Bird For 2018

On January 8^th while birding at Inch Marlow in the southern parish of Christ Church I recorded my first banded bird for the year, a Sanderling tagged with a dark green band labeled CVE.  I saw this bird once before in 2015 on the other side of the island at Six Men’s Bay St. Peter (read).  Of course I registered the sighting at www.bandbird.org. 

Here are the previous sightings to date:

Captures:
5/22/2015 - Villas Beaches, New Jersey, United States Resightings:
5/26/2015 - Fortescue - Raybins Beach, New Jersey, United States
5/29/2015 - Fortescue - Raybins Beach, New Jersey, United States
8/24/2015 - North Brigantine Natural Area, New Jersey, United States

10/24/2015 - Six Men’s Bay, St. Peter, Barbados
5/25/2016 - Cooks Beach - north, New Jersey, United States
8/11/2016 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
8/16/2016 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
9/22/2016 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
9/26/2016 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
10/4/2016 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
9/28/2017 - Stone Harbor - near 120th St. beach, New Jersey, United States

11/2/2017 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
11/6/2017 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
11/7/2017 - Avalon, New Jersey, United States
1/8/2018 - Inch Marlow, Christ Church, Barbados

 

Banded Birds 2016

Banded shorebirds are becoming the norm during the southern (fall) migration and it is something that local birders are always on the lookout for.  Thus far, three tags have been recovered from a Short-billed Dowitcher, Sanderling and a Red Knot.  All sightings were reported to the website bandedbirds.com.

I saw the Dowitcher at one of the private swamps in the eastern part of the island on August 19^th.  It was part of a small group that flew in during bad weather.  The bird had a lime green tag, AXX, on its left upper leg and a metal band on its right lower leg.  The re-sighting map showed that the bird was first seen at Chatham - Cape Cod, Tern Island, Massachusetts, United States on August 10^th, 2014 before the sightings here.  The bird seemed to be in good health and was busy feeding.  The Dowitcher was seen again the next day but then was gone from the swamp.

The next bird, a Sanderling, was seen on a beach, called Long Beach, on the southern side of the island on September 14^th.  This along with other birds were enjoying the feast of invertebrates that were attracted to the Sargassum Seaweed that is continuing to pollute the shoreline of the island.  Its tag, which was light green with black writing, read U5T.  The bird was smaller than the other Sanderlings on the beach and was busy feeding.  A check with the re-sighting map showed that the bird was captured and tagged on Villas Beaches, New Jersey, United States on May 24^th, 2014 and was again recaptured at the same location on May 29^th, 2015.  Re-sightings were as follows: Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States May 12^th, 2015; Norburys Landing Beach, New Jersey, United States on May 27^th 2016; and then here in Barbados.

The following day, September 15^th, I saw another tagged bird on Long Beach.  It was a Red Knot with a light green flag inscribed with black writing on its upper left leg with the code 69X.  This bird was first seen by Dr. John Webster on August, 10^th at the same location.  The Knot was tagged at Reeds Beach - north, New Jersey, United States on May 30^th, 2011 and has a long history of re-sightings giving a clearer picture of its movement throughout North America.

Here are the re-sightings:

2012
5/17/2012 - Ted Harvey Wildlife Management Area, Delaware, United States
5/27/2012 - Cooks Beach - south, New Jersey, United States
5/29/2012 - Cooks Beach - south, New Jersey, United States
5/30/2012 - Cooks Beach - south, New Jersey, United States

2013
5/21/2013 - Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States
5/21/2013 - Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States
8/12/2013 - Grande Ile, Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada
8/16/2013 - Grande Ile, Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada

2014
5/20/2014 - Brockenbridge Gut, Delaware, United States
8/28/2014 - Grande Ile, Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada

2015
5/18/2015 - Cooks Beach - south, New Jersey, United States
5/27/2015 - Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States
5/28/2015 - Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States

2016
5/23/2016 - Brockenbridge Gut, Delaware, United States
9/10/2016 - Long Beach, N/A, Barbados

Tracing the path of these tagged birds puts into perspective the vast journeys of these pint size world travelers.  It also highlights that the protection of these birds, and those like them, is a task for the world not just one country, nation or island.     

Banded Turnstones

On March 14^th on my visit to Inch Marlow I noted two Ruddy Turnstones.  I did not recognize that they were banded however, until reviewing their photographs at home later.  One bird had a green flag with an ID code while the other only had a metal band.  I registered the one with the flag on the website bandedbirds.org and will try to get a better image of the band on the other bird with the hope of identifying and recording that also. 

Flagged Bird

The code on the Ruddy with the flag was “AUM”. The flag was dark green and was on the upper part of its left leg.  It also had a metal band on its lower right leg.  The records show that this bird was tagged on Kimbles Beach New Jersey, United States on May 5^th, 2014.  It was then recorded at this same location on November 8^th, 2015 before my sighting.

Flagless Bird

The second bird only had a metal band on its right leg. I am not sure if this was intentional or if the tag was lost during its travels.

The reporting of banded birds is important because it gives researchers a better understanding of the critical habitat needs of different species throughout their migratory routes.  Thus allowing for assistance where necessary, to help in the protection of vulnerable species such as shorebirds.  So as you go to the beaches, keep a lookout for these tagged birds.

Earlier Post on Banded Birds 

• A new Banded Sanderling at Six Men’s 
• Tagged Sanderlings