The spring 2022 owl banding season is underway at Mill Creek Historic Park! March 16th, the first night of the season, proved to be the best of the week, with 13 northern saw-whet owls (NSWO) captured. Nightly captures declined as the week progressed, and weather prevented netting on two nights. In total, 36 NSWO were captured in the first week of banding: 32 newly banded and 4 recaptures.
Three of the recaptures were originally banded in fall 2021 by Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch at Point LaBarbe on the north side of the straits – these birds were banded on their southbound migration last fall and then were recaptured this spring as they return north! The other recapture was originally banded by Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in spring 2021 – this bird was likely captured on its spring migration last year, and was once again encountered this spring, but farther south.
It was an excellent first week and hopefully weather improves in coming weeks as the owl migration picks up!
-Evan Buck, spring 2022 owl bander
Breakdown of each night’s catch:
| Date | Newly Banded NSWO | Recaptured NSWO |
| 3/16 | 11 | 2 |
| 3/17 | 9 | 1 |
| 3/18 | WEATHER | WEATHER |
| 3/19 | WEATHER | WEATHER |
| 3/20 | 6 | 0 |
| 3/21 | 3 | 1 |
| 3/22 | 3 | 0 |
Note: recaptures originally banded spring 2022 at Mill Creek Historic Park are not included.
