Spring 2010 - Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

Spring 2010
www.bbbo.org
The Marsh Wren
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
A non-profit organization dedicated to ornithological research, education, and conservation.

BBBO
Updates
Media Highlights
BBBO was prominently featured on National Public
Radio’s Science Friday show in an hour-long segment
on bird migration on October 8, 2009. The weekly
radio news magazine highlights scientific research
and is carried by more than 100 radio stations across
the United States. BBBO’s Mark Deutschlander and
David Bonter were both guests on the special live
show that was broadcast from Cornell University.
Prior to the broadcast, a Science Friday film crew
visited the banding station to record audio that
was featured on the show as well as video that was
made into two video podcasts that are available on
the show’s website. You can view the videos and
listen to a recording of the broadcast by searching
for “bird banding” on the Science Friday website:
www.sciencefriday.com.
BBBO was featured on the cover of the September
2009 issue of Rochester’s City magazine. The article
included interviews about bird migration and
banding with BBBO Board members John Waud,
Betsy Brooks, and David Bonter, and friends of
BBBO including Bob Spahn and David Klein. The
story also highlighted a large-scale study examining
the habitat needs of migratory birds during transit
through the Lake Ontario basin. The project, led by
The Central & Western New York Chapter of The
Nature Conservancy, involves the collaboration of
numerous universities and organizations including
BBBO. The article was written by nature writer and
BBBO member Laura Kammermeier.
Native Plants for Birds
BBBO Board members David Mathiason and John
Waud pioneered a banding project on the campus of
the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) starting
in 2003. More than 100 species of birds have been
banded at the RIT station, including some species
yet to be captured at the BBBO station. The RIT site
is operated for the benefit of students, on whom the
project heavily depends. This spring there will be at
least 12 RIT students helping to run the RIT banding
station. Three of them are graduate students and two
of them are writing theses in the field of ornithology.
At least half of the undergraduates are also working
on research projects.
Last fall, with financial support from RIT Senior Vice
President Dr. James Watters, 100 fruit-bearing native
shrubs were planted in the area around the
banding station. The labor for this effort
was provided by about 45 students who
volunteered their time and energy over two
Saturdays in October. Joseph McMullen
of Terrestrial Environmental Specialists,
Inc., helped select plants that should
tolerate the wet conditions including gray
dogwood (Cornus racemosa), cockspur
hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), black haw
(Viburnum prunifolium), and northern
Cover photos of a Black-throated Blue Warbler
and flowers at the banding station by Ryan
Kayhart. Top: A Giant Swallowtail in the field at
BBBO. Photo by Ryan Kayhart. Left: RIT students
plant shrubs for the birds. Photo by David
Mathiason.

arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum). Cages were built
around each planting in an effort to deter the deer.
Pussy willow (Salix discolor) will be planted in the
wettest areas this spring.
Boardwalks were also built along some of the
muddier trails in order to provide better access to
the net lanes. This effort is important for the safety
of our banders, as well as the safety of the birds being
carried back to our processing station. Additional
boardwalk construction is planned for this summer,
some directly related to the banding effort and others
to provide access to areas for use by students and
faculty in other environmental science courses.
Research Published
Betsy Brooks’ remarkable efforts in studying breeding
bird communities in Allegany County over the past
35-years are being featured in the June 2010 issue
of the Wilson Journal of Ornithology, a scientific
journal published by the Wilson Ornithological
Society. Beginning in the late 1960s, Betsy tirelessly
documented the breeding birds at three study sites
near her home in Alfred, New York. Much has
changed in the landscape surrouding Betsy’s study
area in the past few decades, and her study provides
a very rare long-term view on changes in breeding
bird communities. The article will be available at the
banding station this spring. Congratulations, Betsy!
E. W. Brooks and D. N. Bonter. 2010. Longterm
changes in avian community structure in
a successional, forested, and managed plot in a
reforesting landscape. Wilson Journal of Ornithology
122:288-295.
Former Intern Writes Book
Fo r m e r B B B O f i e l d
assistant Charley Eiseman
has recently published a
wonderful book, Tracks
& Sign of Insects and
Other Invertebrates. The
book is a field guide to
egg cases, cocoons, webs,
nests, leaf mines, galls,
burrows, wood borings,
and other curiosities left
behind by insects, spiders,
snails, worms, and other
critters as they go about
their lives. After working
at BBBO, Charley earned
a Master’s degree from the
University of Vermont’s
Field Naturalist program in Natural Resources. You
can order the book and learn more about Charley’s
recent exploits at this website:
www.charleyeiseman.com/book.html
Conference & Workshop
The Wilson Ornithological Society will hold its 2010
conference at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
in Geneva, New York from May 20-23. On May 23,
a tour from the conference will visit the banding
station. Following the conference, Peter Pyle, author
of the Identification Guide to North American Birds,
will lead an advanced bird banding workshop at
BBBO.
Which species is it?
Can you identify this
unusual catch at BBBO
(right)? The answer will
appear in the next issue
of The Marsh Wren.
Photos: Grasshopper Sparrow by Ryan
Kayhart, quiz bird by Greg Lawrence.
The relatively long bill and flat head shape are key to
identifying this Grasshopper Sparrow (left) from the last
issue of The Marsh Wren.

Autumn 2009 Banding Report
The season at Braddock Bay
Autumn Banding 2009
The 24 th consecutive year of autumn banding
Education & Events
at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach Banding Station
netted 4,342 birds of 88 species. Weather Six students successfully completed our Bander
permitting, banding was carried out for at least Training Course offered through the Rochester
six hours beginning at dawn every day between 22 Institute of Technology (RIT). The graduates include
August and 22 October. Parts of five days were lost Daniel Arnold, Amanda Burns, Samantha De Sando,
due to rain and/or wind. Banding was also conducted Laura Evans, Chelsea Ricker, and Kaila Rizzo.
on five days prior to and five days after the intensive
banding period, for a total of 12,687 net hours on 73
days. The banding total was the lowest since 2002,
down from 5,144 birds banded of 89 species in fall
2008 and from 5,526 birds of 91 species in fall 2007.
The season’s overall capture rate was 34.2 birds
per100 net hours (40 b/100nh in 2008).
Twelve Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were released
unbanded (last date, 20 September). There were two
new species for the cumulative fall list—a Doublecrested
Cormorant and a Purple Martin; the fall
cumulative total is now 125 species.
The busiest day was 14 October when 283 birds of 17
species were banded. Of the 283 birds banded that
day, 131 were Ruby-crowned Kinglets. There were
no other days during the fall when more than 200
birds were banded, and only 10 days when more than
100 birds were banded. Seven of the ten 100+ bird
days came between 1 and 12 October. The greatest
species diversity occurred on 24 September when
29 species were banded.
We banded record-high numbers of Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, House
Wren, Marsh Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Northern
Parula, and Canada Warbler. On the negative side,
we missed some of the “regular” species including
Rusty Blackbird, House Finch, Connecticut Warbler,
and Baltimore Oriole.
BBBO hosted a North American Banding Council
(NABC) Evaluation at both the Bander and Trainer
levels from September 25-27. Congratulations
to the following who passed at the Bander level:
Dave Alexander of Duluth, MN; Amy Finfera of
Watertown, NY; Maren Gimpel of Chestertown,
MD; Ryan Kayhart of Vergennes, VT; Nigel Mann of
Davenport, NY; and Dan Small of Chestertown, MD.
Congratulations also to Dave Alexander, and Annie
Lindsay Crary of Phenix City, AL who passed at the
Trainer level. Participating NABC Trainers were
Betsy Brooks, Mary Doscher, Mark Deutschlander,
Anthony Hill, David Holmes, Bob Leberman, Bob
Mulvihill, Richard Joos, Erin Karnatz, Hannah
Suthers, and Bob Yunick.
We welcomed guests for a tour of the banding station
as part of Braddock Bay Raptor Research’s Red-tailed
Hawk Day on August 22, and BBRR volunteers
at a later date. We enjoyed visits from Dr. Kristi
Hannam’s Animal Behavior Lab students at SUNY
Geneseo, Senior Seminar students from Dr. Mark
Deutschlander’s class at Hobart & William Smith
Colleges, students of Dr. Greg Cunningham of St.
John Fisher College, and Dr. Sara Morris’ Vertebrate
Zoology class from Canisius College. We hosted
members of the Creative Gardeners Club for a tour
of the banding station followed by a presentation
on migration by Betsy Brooks. We also welcomed
In Memory - Julie Claffey
Julie enjoyed walking and birding in the fields and woods of Braddock Bay Bird Observatory long before
the Observatory was even an idea! She loved visiting the banding station, especially delighting in the spring
warblers. She often came with friends whom she would encourage to hold and release one of the banded
birds. Julie loved sharing her birding knowledge with those just beginning. She would point out field marks
and delighted in teaching bird songs to those eager to learn.
The enduring image of Julie was her smile and the wonderful twinkle in her eye. Her smile lit up the banding
station when she appeared. She was a long-time friend and supporter of BBBO, and we will miss her! We
extend our sincere sympathy to her family: daughters Terri and Linda, son-in-law Al, grandchildren Josh,
Chris, Katie, and Sara. The members and Board of Directors of Braddock Bay Bird Observatory thank the
individuals and families who contributed to BBBO in the memory of Julie Claffey.

Top 10 species banded during autumn 2009
With numbers captured during previous 10 autumn seasons
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
White-throated Sparrow 898 1183 1379 867 1569 1146 1516 674 1037 554 839
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 757 492 538 330 221 702 722 619 510 420 521
Golden-crowned Kinglet 556 814 358 312 193 473 502 458 295 341 324
Magnolia Warbler 276 265 341 214 220 188 170 270 309 350 316
Hermit Thrush 261 216 178 238 414 307 450 171 200 186 186
Black-capped Chickadee 1082 48 1668 48 68 189 237 96 396 320 163
Gray Catbird 135 83 128 160 163 102 175 138 236 266 157
Yellow Warbler 56 23 33 25 58 49 123 31 142 180 157
Common Yellowthroat 104 76 157 144 150 107 125 119 161 155 128
Cedar Waxwing 30 16 37 20 96 13 36 69 85 59 110
Autumn 2009 Banding Report
members of Boy Scout Troop 99 from Hilton, Cub
Scout Den 4 Pack 282 of Rochester, and members of
the New York State Young Birders Association who
were visiting Rochester on 10 October. People from
ten states signed our Visitor’s book this fall as well as
guests from Canada, Sweden, and South Africa!
Research
Dr. Mark Deutschlander and Martyna Boruta
of Hobart & William Smith Colleges recorded
spectroradiometric data as part of a study on bird
plumage and coloration. Mark also collected data on
wingspan and wing area in migrants, which will be
used to model potential remaining flight distances
for birds of different energetic condition.
Dr. Susan Smith of Villanova University took blood
samples from four species of birds for her research
on energetic condition and ecological factors that
limit passerines during long-distance migrations. We
also took blood samples from three sparrow species
for research being conducted by RIT student Diyana
Khalisa Azhari.
Appreciation
Our fall Research Assistant was Ryan Kayhart;
Martyna Boruta and Cindy Marino were our
Field Assistants. Special thanks to volunteer Heidi
Henrichs who helped with data entry and Dominic
Sherony who spent many hours cross-checking
data from past seasons for accuracy. Banding was
conducted by licensed staff banders including David
Bonter, Elizabeth Brooks, Linda Boutwell, Mark
Deutschlander, Kelly Dockery, Jon Dombrowski,
Ember Jandebeur, Erin Karnatz, Ryan Kayhart,
Jim Keefer, Marian Klik, Cindy Marino, Robert
McKinney, Sara Morris, David Semple, Susan
Smith, and John Waud, and by visiting banders Dave
Alexander, David Holmes, Richard Joos, Hannah
Suthers, and Bob Yunick. Banding assistants were
Greg Cunningham, Virginia Duffy, Sue Evans, Greg
Lawrence, Emily Runnells, Peggy Keller, Nancy
Keppel, Tom Klotzbach, Pat Lovallo, Doug Smith,
Leanna Twohig, Barb Wagner, and Aggie Windig.
Thanks to Tom Muller for mowing paths, and to
Kelly Dockery and the Garden Committee, Chris
Gates, Steve Maley, and Doug Smith for their
assistance with building and grounds management.
Appreciation to the following individuals who helped
scribe, tended net lanes, or assisted with other
aspects of our educational or banding operation:
Cathy Belair, Amanda Burns, Jane Capellupo, Judy
Engerman, Marilyn Guenther, Kathy Habgood, Gary
Herbert, Kathleen Holt, Joanna Klima, John Lehr,
Rosemary Lillis, Chita McKinney, Shirley Meston,
Andrea and Emily Patterson, Terry Perry, Megan
Phillips, Debbie Reed, Lynn Runnells, Gregg Sargis,
Lee Schofield, Jeanne Skelly, Ruth Stork, Lona Van
Orden, Tom Verhulst, and Kelly Wicks. A special
thank you goes to Bill Kaiser and The Genesee Land
Trust for permission to band on their land.
- Compiled by Betsy Brooks and Ryan Kayhart
Right: The vireo trifecta: Blue-headed, Red-eyed, and
Philadelphia. Previous page: Autumn leaves at BBBO.
Photos by Ryan Kayhart.

Birds Banded Autumn 2009
Birds banded during autumn 2009
included the Nashville Warbler and
Blackburnian Warbler shown above.
Photos by Ryan Kayhart.
*“Traill's” Flycatcher includes
both Willow Flycatcher and Alder
Flycatcher. These species are difficult
to distinguish from one another
except by their calls.
Double-crested Cormorant 1 Cedar Waxwing 110
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 Blue-winged Warbler 10
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10 Tennessee Warbler 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Nashville Warbler 58
Downy Woodpecker 13 Northern Parula 6
Hairy Woodpecker 5 Yellow Warbler 157
Northern Flicker 8 Chestnut-sided Warbler 14
Intergrade Flicker 1 Magnolia Warbler 316
Eastern Wood-Pewee 5 Cape May Warbler 3
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 39 Black-throated Blue Warbler 48
“Traill’s” Flycatcher* 13 Yellow-rumped Warbler 27
Least Flycatcher 29 Black-throated Green Warbler 18
Eastern Phoebe 23 Blackburnian Warbler 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Western Palm Warbler 6
Blue-headed Vireo 23 Bay-breasted Warbler 4
Warbling Vireo 16 Blackpoll Warbler 52
Philadelphia Vireo 18 Black-and-white Warbler 12
Red-eyed Vireo 86 American Redstart 60
Blue Jay 4 Ovenbird 8
Purple Martin 1 Northern Waterthrush 16
Black-capped Chickadee 163 Mourning Warbler 4
Tufted Titmouse 28 Common Yellowthroat 128
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 Hooded Warbler 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 4 Wilson’s Warbler 41
Brown Creeper 70 Canada Warbler 17
Carolina Wren 1 Scarlet Tanager 2
House Wren 34 Eastern Towhee 1
Winter Wren 65 American Tree Sparrow 3
Marsh Wren 4 Chipping Sparrow 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 324 Field Sparrow 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 521 Fox Sparrow 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Song Sparrow 82
Veery 15 Lincoln’s Sparrow 9
Gray-cheeked Thrush 56 Swamp Sparrow 30
Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s Thrush 13 White-throated Sparrow 839
Bicknell’s Thrush 1 White-crowned Sparrow 11
Swainson’s Thrush 60 Dark-eyed Junco 80
Hermit Thrush 186 Northern Cardinal 29
Wood Thrush 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
American Robin 18 Indigo Bunting 3
Gray Catbird 157 Common Grackle 4
Brown Thrasher 1 Purple Finch 6
European Starling 13 American Goldfinch 50

Volunteer Spotlight
Tom Verhulst
Tom’s involvement with BBBO began when his
friend and neighbor Kathleen Holt invited him
to accompany her several times when she was
scheduled to scribe at BBBO. Tom immediately
appreciated being able to get close-up views of the
birds being handled at the banding station, and he
found the research fascinating. But he says what
really got him hooked was “the chance to hang out
with a great bunch of very nice people who know a
lot about birds and are always willing to share their
knowledge with me.”
Tom and his wife Jeanne served as Peace Corps
Volunteers years ago (she in Brazil, Tom in Malaysia),
and they continue to enjoy traveling, to all 50 states
and about 15 other countries so far. They now
have even more freedom to do this, as Tom retired
in 2006 after about 35 years of working for the
federal government (first with the Peace Corps as a
volunteer, a trainer, a recruiter, and an administrator
and then “finally succumbing to the siren call of
the glamorous world of mail delivery” by joining
the U.S. Postal Service). Tom sings in a community
choir, the Rochester Oratorio Society, and he and
his wife regularly attend Rochester Philharmonic
classical concerts and are eagerly anticipating the
Rochester International Jazz Festival in June. Nonmusical
interests include watching soccer (the World
Cup is coming up!) and doing The New York Times
crossword puzzle.
Tom and his wife became interested in birds by
enjoying being outdoors, here in Rochester and
wherever they traveled. It then seemed like a good
idea to not just be out in the fresh air but also to really
take notice of what they were seeing, which in many
places was birds. The next step, of course, was to try
to identify what they were seeing. So Tom says “it was
kind of a slippery slope to becoming the enthusiastic
novice birders we consider ourselves to be.”
Tom says his most memorable experience at BBBO
was being there the day that the NPR Science
Friday crew came to visit, seeing what went into
producing the video, feeling the generally pumpedup
atmosphere, and being proud to participate
in a small way as BBBO got some well deserved
recognition.
Like all of us at BBBO, Tom would love to work in
the expanded facility that’s on the drawing board and
says “more room would be great.” Like others, he
does sometimes find the noise levels make it hard to
hear the information being dictated by the banders.
“Perhaps we need to find a way to gently remind staff
and visitors to keep their voices down.”
What others on the staff notice and particularly
appreciate is his excellent but gentle skill in training
new scribes, his sharp eyes at catching occasional
errors, and his smile and good humor! Thank you for
all your hard work, Tom! - Betsy Brooks
“Any day I get to see a bird I haven’t seen before, or a
rare one, or a particularly beautiful one, is exciting,
as is any day I learn more about birds and their
behavior.” - BBBO Volunteer Tom Verhulst.

Has your membership expired?
If so, this may be your last issue of The Marsh Wren.
Please check your membership status by finding the
expiration date printed on the mailing label below.
Memberships expire at the end of the year printed.
To join BBBO, please mail a check to:
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
PO Box 12876
Rochester, NY 14612
Membership categories are: Student $15, Individual
$25, Family $30, Contributing $100, Corporate
$250. Thank you for your support!
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
A non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization dedicated to ornithological
research, education, and conservation. The organization is operated
entirely by volunteers, and financially supported by our members.
BBBO Officers and Advisers:
President Mark Deutschlander; Vice-President David Bonter; Treasurer
Robert McKinney; Secretary Linda Boutwell; Directors Matthew
Belanger, Elizabeth Brooks, Cindy Marino, Richard Marx, David
Mathiason, and John Waud; Membership Advisor Chita McKinney. For
a complete list of committees and committee membership, visit our
web site:
Front page photo of Marsh Wren © Robert Royse. White-throated
Sparrow (below) by Ryan Kayhart. Newsletter editing and design by
David Bonter.
Join us and the birds at Braddock Bay
this spring! The banding season runs
from late April through May.
The Marsh Wren
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
PO Box 12876
Rochester, NY 14612
Find us on the web at www.bbbo.org
Look for the NEW event calendar and daily banding summaries.