The buzz of Ruby-crowned Kinglets has neared their peak and they will be around into the Spring. One of our early birds was a male, told apart from the females by the namesake ruby crown atop their heads.
Today was a bit of a departure for Ruby-crowned Kinglets for us. We typically catch more females than males but we actually caught only males today.
Bird counts were lower than the week before. Radar and ground-truthing over the past few days foresaw this and the trend continued into the weekend. Fortunately, we still managed to get a Hermit Thrush during our outing.
David, an occasional vistor to our site along with his Mom, Kathy released our Hermit Thrush after banding. They have visited several times over the years and David shows a good knowledge of the birds we watch and band.
Eastern Phoebes continue to rule the air and soundscape this year. So many were heard and we did band yet another this weekend. Might be the largest number to Phoebes banded this season than in any other year here.
While making a final check of the nets, Greg and Andrew headed to the end of the trail and took a look out over Lake Lotus. A few birds were around. Limpkins, Pied-billed Grebes, Swamp Sparrows, and Common Yellowthroats made brief appearances. However, the most exciting moment was when an Otter suddenly appeared. It checked out the guys and tried to decide if a trip up the river was a good idea. Instead, it turned back and caught a fish and headed back into the lake.
Time to begin more plant maintenance and dig in for the Winter. The following weeks will either give us a lot of birds or nearly none. Weather and other factors will determine our fortunes through the end of the year. Always something to do no matter what!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 18th.
All nets will be opened by 6:10 A.M.
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