2nd bird of the morning was our 2nd Louisiana Waterthrush of the season! Last season we had only a Northern Waterthrush. Maybe August is the Louisiana Waterthrush time to pass through? More years of observations should help figure this out.
We also captured more Carolina Wrens. Nothing new but one of the birds was new so we are rounding them all up one by one.
Always fun to watch their fixation on certain points as you hold them. The body moves but the head stays at the same point in space.
Another young Cardinal joined the ranks of the banded local birds.
Our next migrant was a new bird for us at this site. A Red-eyed Vireo!
Now that we are seeing birds that have been traveling we can start checking for fat deposits on the bird's body. This shot shows that there is the yellowish fat under the feathers.
As we were closing up for the day Maria let out a short yelp of surprise. Seems a visitor was waiting inside the net poles and hopped out as she separated them. It was a very agile treefrog which changed colors as it landed on the grey-brown oak branches.
Another Cuban treefrog?
We observed many other sights as we ended our day such as the now blooming Scarlet Mourning Glory.
Right next to that plant was one of many groupings of a plant of the Old World tropics: Wild Balsam Apple.
There are also numerous Sensitive Briar plants as we head toward the exit. Their leaves fold up if touched and the flowers are a delicate marvel.
We were most excited, though, by this discovery. Susan did some quick research a short time after we left and decided on the Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar. It is also called the Eyed Tiger Moth.
This is the first caterpillar we have found actually feeding on Air Potato, one of our nemesis plant species! At least someone is helping us get rid of this plant.
Almost time for Buntings!
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Next Banding Day: Sunday, September 6th.
We will open nets by 6:30 A.M.
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