Fog an Wind

It was a foggy start before dawn and took a while to clear. However, that was helped along due to higher and higher winds. So the day was fairly quiet but typical for this time of year. Our first bird of the day was a new Hermit Thrush.



Gray Catbirds are being a bit quiet lately but we are still catching them.



We are having to keep a close eye on one of our resident Barred Owls who is trying to take advantage of our work. It is looking a little shabby and trying to grab easy snacks.



It was prowling around the river and then up in the branches before moving on. Stay outta our nets!



A new fence has gone up across the river. This replaced the older one which was being eroded away after Matthew and other flooding events.



We banded this Northern Cardinal three years ago. Oddly, it still have some black on its bill. Should be solid orange by now.



There were not a lot of Kinglets calling today but we managed to get one female Ruby-crowned Kinglet as the winds increased.



The Earth Smoke blooms are just beginning. It won't be long until the area is carpeted with them.



Andrew stopped by his favorite little pond looking for ducks but was more surprised to find a pair of Sandhill Cranes grazing by the water.



The main target, however, is always the Hooded Mergansers. There were several there and many photos were taken. The light was cooperative for once. The males didn't get as spooked, either.



A pair of female Hooded Mergansers were even more in a posing mood. Andrew will post a lot more photos soon on his blog and share a link.



We will be taking a couple weeks of to enjoy the season with family and friends. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

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Before we go, our friends a the upcoming Birdapalooza Fest requested we post a message about the event where we will be presenting a banding demo for the 5th year.

Lake Apopka Wildlife Festival and Birdapalooza, January 21, 2017 On Saturday January 21, 2017 join Orange County and partners at the 5th annual FREE family-oriented Lake Apopka Wildlife Festival and Birdapalooza at Orange County’s Magnolia Park, 2929 S Binion Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. Enjoy guided bus tours (limited first-come seating), and guided walking and biking nature tours for children and adults on the Lake Apopka Loop Trail. For the entire family there are live animal demonstrations, bird banding, tree giveaways, music, airboat rides (for a fee), owl pellet dissections, entertainment by IBEX Puppetry, bounce houses, face painting, exhibitors, nature-oriented merchandise vendors and food trucks. Schedule is at http://www.birdapalooza.com and updates are on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/Birdapalooza/. In addition to this free festival, Orange Audubon Society offers birding and photo trips and keynote speakers on Friday and Sunday. See www.orangeaudubonfl.org/birdapalooza for details. If any questions, call 407-637-2525.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

Picking up a bit

The weather is warming again and a fast moving front is approaching for later in the day. But it was a better day for us. In the first round at dawn we tied last week's capture total including the bird of the day right off the bat. Our first ever Chipping Sparrow! These little guys are not rare in the winter but they seem to prefer other areas, typically a bit more urban and at feeders.



We captured a few Hermit Thrushes today, including one recently banded a couple of months ago.



We caught three Gray Catbirds today. Oddly, they were all captured in Net 4 at different times. One of them was our white-chinned bird we first banded two years ago and it has been returning every year since.



We recaptured a striking male Northern Cardinal and managed to keep from getting a bite.



Across the fence at the 'neighbors', a Little-blue Heron was resting in the trees by the pond.



Out across from the pier, a Tricolored Heron was kind enough to pose in the morning light.



Then, suddenly, one of our Limpkins flew in to take the perch usually occupied by the cranky Anhinga.



Later, we recaptured a White-eyed Vireo first banded a couple of years ago.



Finally, a recaptured Carolina Wren rounded our the day.



One more week of banding before the holidays so we are looking to finish the year as strongly as possible.

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Before we go, our friends a the upcoming Birdapalooza Fest requested we post a message about the event where we will be presenting a banding demo for the 5th year.

Lake Apopka Wildlife Festival and Birdapalooza, January 21, 2017 On Saturday January 21, 2017 join Orange County and partners at the 5th annual FREE family-oriented Lake Apopka Wildlife Festival and Birdapalooza at Orange County’s Magnolia Park, 2929 S Binion Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. Enjoy guided bus tours (limited first-come seating), and guided walking and biking nature tours for children and adults on the Lake Apopka Loop Trail. For the entire family there are live animal demonstrations, bird banding, tree giveaways, music, airboat rides (for a fee), owl pellet dissections, entertainment by IBEX Puppetry, bounce houses, face painting, exhibitors, nature-oriented merchandise vendors and food trucks. Schedule is at http://www.birdapalooza.com and updates are on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/Birdapalooza/. In addition to this free festival, Orange Audubon Society offers birding and photo trips and keynote speakers on Friday and Sunday. See www.orangeaudubonfl.org/birdapalooza for details. If any questions, call 407-637-2525.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 18th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Recaptures Only

It was another quiet morning with winds kicking up around 9 AM which stopped all activity except for leaves which we were busy extracting for the next hour or so before closing up. All of our bird today were recaptures beginning with this House Wren.



Net 2 held a pair of birds shortly after the House wren. One was a very feisty Carolina Wren first banded earlier in the year.



The other was an equally feisty Ovenbird also banded this year.



As the Limpkin move further up the lowering river, an odd little Pied-billed Grebe has been following them. This bird was most of the way up the river feeding in the shadows when we got a photo. Typically, these Grebes remain in lakes and retention ponds.



Down by the river, our resident cranky male Anhinga stood guard over the mouth of the river.



The final catch of the day was a Gray Catbird. Probably the best data of the day as we found this bird was first banded here 5 years ago.



We leave you with our version of Fall views here in Central Florida. Browning Cypress, mellow Maples and yellow flowers surround the Window on the Lake. A large view of this shot also reveals an Osprey, Anhinga, and Great Egret as American Robins travel far overhead.



A cold front will get here by next weekend. Maybe it will bring a few more birds out feeding and flying.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 11th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

All Quiet

How quiet was it today? So quiet that Andrew spent 2 1/2 hours clearing Primrose Willow down by the lake. We did eventually net a couple of Gray Catbirds and it was a very pretty morning.



A little later we had a Carolina Wren and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Net 2 behind the table. The last we had was a male but this is a lovely female.



American Alligators have been scarce for a while. Once the sunlight made it over the trees and small one climbed out of the neighbors pond to warm up.



Now that the river levels have lowered the Limpkin pair is constantly moving up from the lake to feed. They are basically oblivious to our wanderings. So much so that you have to back up to get a little of the bird in a photograph.



Our last bird captured was a House Wren.



Andrew swung through Maitland Center to see if our Winter friends had returned. Indeed, 6 Hooded Mergansers were feeding in the parking area pond. They will stay here until the Spring.



At the same pond there is almost always an Anhinga getting all cranky that you stopped to take a picture. So, she gets his taken, too!



Hopefully we can have more activity next week. Goldfinches are back and other warblers are around. Just need them where we are.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 4th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.

Getting Chilly With It

Looks like it might be a colder year this year. We got started today with the temperature in the low 40s. Last year we had to wear a jacket maybe one day all season. Oh, well. Perhaps it will bring us some interesting birds.

Today was Gray Catbird day. They were the most captured species throughout the morning.



House Wrens were calling in various locations but we only netted a single bird that was first banded two years ago.



Just when it occurred to us that we had yet to hear a single Eastern Phoebe, one found a net down the lanes.



We caught a couple of Hermit Thrushes. Both were juveniles and very fluffy against the cold.



Time for a trip out to the lake. Skies were super clear and Moon was nice and crisp.



Myrtle Warblers (Yellow-rumped Warbler) are increasing in numbers and are now found mainly coming through the marsh and out over the lake.



At the mouth of the river a Pied-billed Grebe fed in the shallow water in front of the fishing pier.



A Tricolored Heron joined the grebe after sneaking through the grasses.



Cattails are shedding and they are getting plenty of help from the increasing winds.



As stated, Myrtle Warbler numbers are increasing and we finally got our first one of the season.



Once we banded the Myrtle Warbler Richard called for a group photo.



On our final net check we got a handsome Swamp Sparrow to round out the day.



It should be a little warmer next weekend. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 27th.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Pea Soup

A dense fog dropped into the area as we arrived at the banding site before dawn. It made for an eerie setting for putting the nets up. There was no sound save for occasional drips from the trees as the condensation gathered. Would the birds sleep in? Eventually, our Barred Owl pair called to each other before reconnecting.

We almost didn't see our first bird in the gloom. It was at the end of Net 6. This is not a terribly productive net but it paid off this morning. It captured only the third Wood Thrush we have banded here.



An Eastern Phoebe was brought in from Net 21 by the lake. They are still calling all over the property.



Back next to the woods in Net 4 was a recaptured White-eyed Vireo we first banded a month ago. They tend to nip.



Things remained pretty quiet. Time for a trip out to the lake. Did we mention it was foggy this morning?



In front of the fishing pier was a small flock of birds. A juvenile Wood Stork, Snowy Egret, White Ibis, and Common Gallinules were feeding side by side.



A Great Blue Heron soon joined them. The river had deposited a lot of sediment in front of the pier. The water is getting more shallow here after every flooding rain.



An Eastern Phoebe was taking advantage of Primrose Willow stalks to perch and hunt from.



Over in the cattails, a Marsh Wren played peek-a-boo. The Willow tree next to the Wren was later filled with birds once the fog began to burn off, including Orange-crowned, Prairie, Myrtle (Yellow-rump), and Palm Warblers, Blue-headed, and White-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroats, and House and Carolina Wrens. Northern Cardinals were busy eating Tallow seeds.



Even when Blue-gray Gnatcatchers drop down right in front of you they don't sit for long. Too many bugs to snatch!



Bowl and doily Spider (Frontinella communis) are on property pretty much year-round but they are especially easy to see when the fog is around.



We captured a couple of House Wrens. This one was first banded 2 years ago.



We have been waiting for the first Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the net and today was the day.



We tend to capture more females than males so it was great to have that shock of red that gives the Ruby-crowned Kinglet its name in our hands.



As we were taking the nets down we captured two more birds. Gray Catbirds were mewing in the vegetation all morning but were not flying around too much.



This is the third week we have banded Hermit Thrushes. They are definitely back in the neighborhood.



Temperatures are slowly dropping as we head through the month. The upper 40s are forecast in about a week. Time to break out the jackets.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 20th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.