Session 16 Comes to an End

Our final Sunday of Session 16 is in the books! As expected, it was all locals.

We started up getting all of the Northern Cardinals. First up was a male adult.



Then, a female Northern Cardinal.



THEN, our first newly fledged Northern Cardinal.



Species switched over after that. Now we were catching mainly recaptured Carolina Wrens. We ended up with 6 today.



Our final bird of the day was a Brown Thrasher.



Thanks to all of our volunteers and visitors this past Session. We plan to be back the first Sunday of September.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	0	6	6
Northern Cardinal	2	1	3
Brown Thrasher	1	0	1
Totals	4	7	11

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 1st.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

No Banding 5/19-Rains Are On the Way

Thunder is on the menu. No banding this Sunday.

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 26th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.

What Are You Doing Here?

May is typically a month of local adult birds and thier newly hatched chicks leaving the nests. This Sunday, however, we captured several birds still migrating North. Really running late!

The day started normally with a recaptured adult Carolina Wren. By the end to the day we recaptured a total of 3.



Then the surprises began with a Northern Waterthrush. It should be the last one we see until the Fall. We also banded 3 of this species today.



We managed to pick up a couple of male Northern Parulas who were out looking for food for their chicks.



Great-crested Flycatchers are as elusive as ever, but we did get a female today.



There was a family of Tufted Titmice around Net 15. They kind of dispursed and the one bird lagging behind as a fledgling. It was exploring the trees right next to Andrew as he stood and observed. After a few minutes it couldn't get past the end of the net and was captured.



The baby Tufted Titmouse gave Andrew one last bite before flying back towards its parents.



Our final bird of the day was a nice surprise. Another late migrant: a female Black-throated Blue Warbler!



Can't wait to see what awaits us before the end of our banding season.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	0	3	3
Northern Parula	1	1	2
Great-crested Flycatcher	1	0	1
Northern Waterthrush	3	0	3
Tufted Titmouse	1	0	1
Black-throated Blue Warbler	1	0	1
Totals	7	4	11

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 19th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.

Now We Settle in for Locals

By May our migrants are pretty much gone and we prepare for locals to breed and unleash thier young upon us by the end of the month. At least the wind left us alone.

Our first bird of the day was an adult Carolina Wren, with a brood patch. We first banded this bird as a juvenile last year.



Next up, we caught a male Northern Parula. He was busy gathering food for their chicks and can be heard up and down the lanes. This was a newly banded bird.



You can easily tell a male Northern Parula from the female by the 'necklace' on their breast.



Northern Parulas are typically seen from below. If you do see them from above you notice the yellow-green on their backs.



In the same net, another male Northern Parula was captured. This one was a recapture, first banded in March.



We were wondering where all the birds have gone from the marsh. Net 21 has been fairly quiet this year. But, on the last net check we found an adult male Downy Woodpecker in the net.



With just a few weeks in the season we will probably get some babies and usually more reckless adults trying to feed them and not paying attention. They will all be treated with great care as the bird population at Lake Lotus continues to thrive.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Northern Parula	1	1	2
Downey Woodpecker	1	0	1
Totals	3	2	5

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 12th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.

Wind is Not Our Friend

As we end April we hope to get a few migrants. The day looked promising early on , then the wind changed our fortunes. Mostly locals for the rest of the day.

The same Painted Bunting we banded last week is still sticking around.



Four Northern Cardinals were captured. Some new, some recaptured.



Our first baby Carolina Wren was banded along with its parent.



We sometimes get a surprise or two in our final month in the season, but is mostly baby birds and other locals. 4 weeks to go!

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Northern Cardinal	2	2	4
Painted Bunting	0	1	1
Totals	3	4	7

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 5th.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Migrants and More

We bagan with low wind and some slightly humid air as a front was pushing in. Winds began to kick up around 9 AM. Mostly cloudy by mid-morning and we wnded up with some interesting captures.

After a large move of Gray Catbirds last week we thought they must be about out of here. But, they are still around and we caught 3 of them. Should be gone in a week or so.



Walking the lanes, there was a little shadow at Net 5. Turned out to be a junenile male Painted Bunting. Wish we had better lighting at dawn, but...



Our newest visitor, Sarah, got to release the Painted Bunting.



Ovenbirds are moving through. We captured 2 new ones and saw others moving through the woods.



We then caught a Mom Cardinal out hunting for food for her chicks. A bit later we caught a male.



Then things got quiet. Real quiet. We walked the lanes for over an hour without any real sound of birds. Eventually, we recaptured the Common Grackle we first banded a couple of weeks ago out by the marsh in the same net back then. Nearing the end of the day, we caught another Grackle not far away.

Blackbirds and Grackels don't usual get captured as they are a bit bigger for the mist nets to haul in. They can usually get out so it is a pleasure to have them in hand.



We also processed a couple of Carolina Wrens and believed the day was over when we caught the Bird-of-the-Day. A Hooded Warbler.



Hooded Warblers are rare in our woods. They usually come North along the Gulf, but when they are here they glow so bright in the low light of the net lanes are alway a joy to discover.



We processed the bird and Alex was releasing the bird. It was a little tired and stayed in his hands for a minute befor flying off at full speed.



Our final bird of the day was a male Common Yellowthroat. More yellow to end the day. Other warblers were heard and seen. Wish we could have got them. Maybe next week before the push finishes up.



Should have another pretty good week heading toward May. Weather looks good for the last migrants.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Gray-catbird	3	0	3
Northern Cardinal	1	1	2
Ovenbird	2	0	2
Common Grackel	1	1	2
Painted Bunting	1	0	1
Common Yellowthroat	1	0	1
Hooded Warbler	1	0	1
Totals	11	3	14

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 28th.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Holy Cats...

Looks like everything is about to head out soon. Lots of birds sound around but we only captured two species today.

Gray Catbirds were hitting about every netand the ones they didn't hit they were still on one side or the other. They are very active and about to head North. We captured 13 new birds and one we banded last year.



We captured 3 Carolina Wrens along the way. Most with brood patches. Babies are on the way!



We usually get our last warblers and buntings around Earth Day. Hopefully that remains the same this next Sunday.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	2	3
Gray-catbird	13	1	14
Totals	14	3	17

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 21st.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Things Begin to Tick Up

Beautiful weather today. Winds did not pick up until 9:30 and we wrapped up starting at 9:45 when the air changed and all activity dropped to zero. Still had some migrants getting ready to move North so it was a pretty nice day.

First bird up was a Gray Catbird. We caught 3 today. They are getting restless and about to move out.



Next was an Ovenbird. We had 2 today.



Then, a recaptured House Wren.



We captured 4 Carolina Wrens along the way.



We ended with a new male Northern Cardinal.



So, busier. Still waiting for the wave to show up for Spring migration. We still usually get some migrating warblers through Earth Day. Stay tuned.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Northern Cardinal	1	0	1
House Wren	0	1	1
Carolina Wren	2	2	4
Gray-catbird	3	0	3
Ovenbird	2	0	2
Totals	8	3	11

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 14th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Quiet. Hopefully, Before the Storm.

We were hoping for migration to arrive today but no such luck. Turned out to be a very quiet day after a noisy danw chorus. But, we did have a nice surprise at the end of the morning.

An early Common Yellowthroat gave us some hope that the day might be good.



Followed by a recaptured Gray Catbird first baded a couple weeks ago. Then we spent most of the morning walking the lanes in bordom.



Andrew decided to throw in the towel 30 minutes early. As nets were beginning to be put away, a bird was being walked back to the table. It turned out to be a Common Grackle! We have banded some at the Orlando Wetlands Festival but this is the first here at Lake Lotus.



This Common Grackle is probably a female based on the very obvious brood patch.



Hopefully, things start to pick up next week.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Common Yellowthroat	1	0	1
Gray-catbird	0	1	1
Common Grackle	1	0	1
Totals	2	1	3

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 7th.
All nets will be opened by 7:00 A.M.