Session 8 Ends

It was a nice day to be out on our final morning of Session 8. As expected, we only captured local birds. Completely typical this time of year and why we stop for June and July. The first Carolina Wren of the day escaped before getting into a bag but we got a second soon afterwards. A juvenile.



Next up was a new female Northern Cardinal. Where are all of these new birds coming from?



Things are a bit drier around as Tropical Storm Bonnie cruised up to South Carolina and pulled most other moisture away from us. Still, it was plenty wet out by the lake and prevented us from reaching the shore. Not much out on the lake, anyway.



Cicadas started calling early and though the mosquitoes were not too bad, there were plenty of dragonflies around to hunt them.



Many dry runs later Richard and Christine did catch something. A Leopard Frog. We have now caught two in the past two weeks. No, we can't band them...



As we were taking nets down for the Summer break, a male Northern Cardinal flew into Net 17. We first banded this bird just a few months ago. Sorry for the poor shots as we left the point and shoot at home. Doh!



On the way home, Andrew stopped over to the ranger's office to remind them we were done for a while. Frank mentioned a new visitor to the office. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird has set up a nest right outside their window.



She returned as they watched the nest with a bit of fluff to rest the eggs in a nice pillow. Hummingbird nests are primarily constructed of lichen and spider web and other fluffy, soft material.



Frank and Andrew retreated to the office for a while to give her space to get back to work and she finally returned to sit in the cup. This shot is from within the office.



They snuck outside to get a different angle but the light wasn't that great. It is still great to find this tiny bird on her tiny nest and young birds should be appearing in a couple of weeks.



The Moon followed us home. It was an interesting Session 8. Time to take final data and send it to the lab and compare this year's catches to all of the previous ones.



We will be back from time to time to do maintenance and then prepare for Session 9 on the first Sunday of August. This was a very wet Session from beginning to end. What will next year bring? Can't wait to find out.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, August 14th.
All nets will be opened by 6:21 A.M.

Slight Payoff After Wait

Well, that was a close one. For most of the morning we were preparing to write about the first time we were ever skunked on a banding day. Luckily, some birds started stirring later than usual.

First up was a recaptured Brown Thrasher first banded 3 years ago.



Nick got to practice the photographers hold with the Brown Thrasher before it was released.



Northern Parula typically stay high in the trees but now that the young are out of the nest the adults are coming lower to feed. we caught a few today and typically we one catch one during any outing when we do get them.



Our new visitor, Sonia, got to release our first Northern Parula.



Things grew quiet again but we did do some wildlife spotting along the way. Our Limpkins are usually out by the lake or down in the river. Today, one was in the neighbor's yard at the back of the marsh.



More and more butterflies are flying about these days like this Spicebush Butterfly.



On the river side of the marsh a female Downy Woodpecker foraged in the shade.



An American Alligator stayed just below where the Downy was all morning long. Avery even said it was up on the path at one point!



Cute little baby. It prowled around for small prey in the duckweed.



At Net 7 we caught our other two Northern Parulas, both adult males. Another bounced out of the net while we were getting these birds out.



A close-up of our final Northern Parula.



As we were coming back with the Parulas Nick spotted a sunning Black Racer behind Net 19.



The last bird of the day was a male Downy Woodpecker. Like the Thrasher that started the day, this bird was banded 3 years ago, almost to the day.



Close call and too quiet but at least we managed a decent late May Sunday. We have one more Sunday before the end of Session 8. As long as the recently developing tropical system stays off shore...
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 29th.
All nets will be opened by 6:00 A.M.

Well. Didn't See That Coming...

Ending migration right now so we had no idea what we might find today. Our first bird at dawn was a second year Brown Thrasher. They breed here but are still pretty secretive in the area.



Things quickly grew quiet but Christine came down to announce that she had a bird in Net 2. At first she thought it might be a Common Yellowthroat but changed her mind and that it should be given a closer look. Once we did...hmmmm. Turned out to be a new bird for us. Last week we had male Connecticut Warblers and this was our first ever female.



Then we returned to normal by catching local birds. This female Northern Cardinal was a new capture but definitely breeding now. That squint shows how mean she was. "Give me one chance..."



Later we caught a male Northern Cardinal who resides just down the lanes. We later recaptured another that has a territory near the end of the lanes.



Yet another female Connecticut Warbler was captured in Net 17. Wow. Again, it was 10 years ago that we captured this species at Wekiwa Springs and it was at the exact same time of year.



The next check of nets began and Phyllis called that we might like a photo op of a turtle. We thought it was in the river but this girl was up on the net lane. A Florida Cooter (Pseudemys floridans) climbed all the way up on our side to find a nice spot to lay eggs.



We were briefly distracted by calls overhead as a pair of Swallow-tailed Kites sailed high in the sky.



Meanwhile, the Cooter moved directly in our path to Net 4 and began to dig holes to deposit her eggs.



On closer inspection, she actually had three holes working. Later, Phyllis noticed eggs in the holes.



Our photo efforts had to end since we suddenly had some birds in Net 11. A pair of Tufted Titmice. One recaptured adult that we first banded as a young bird last year was the first to be processed. She was still growing in her brood patch and looking all scruffy.



Think birds aren't dinosaurs? Just look at those awesome talons on Titmice!



Next up was the other Tufted Titmouse. A baby who was full of attitude.



Just after being banding it demanded to be released.



Then relented to be photographed for a more respectful pose. We released the pair together by the river. Mom went one way and the chick the other. Mom called for her child and they soon reunited a few feet away before getting back with the flock.



Two weeks to go in Session 8. Will most likely be filled with local breeding birds but you never know...
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 22nd.
All nets will be opened by 6:00 A.M.

Party Isn't Over Yet

Just when we think it is going to turn back into a locals-only kind of weekend we were really surprised to get a bunch of migrants thrown into the mix. Even better, they were migrants that are pretty rare for this area this time of year.

Right after sunrise there was a bird in Net 9 that looked out of place. Approaching the bird it was clear it was Bird-of-the-Day right away. We had not caught a Connecticut Warbler in about 10 years and that was at the old banding site in Wekiwa Springs!



While we were finishing up with the banding of the Connecticut Warbler, a second one was caught close to the table. Wow. The first bird was actually recaptured 90 minutes later just down the lanes. Birders hearing of the find came out later and reported hearing a few more.

Next up was a Veery. Typically, they are only seen here in the early Fall. Odd thing about this bird is that it was a juvenile and still retained its juvenile plumage from tip to tail.



Then we had a lovely little Common Yellowthroat.



A local Carolina Wren was recaptured. We first banded this bird 3 years ago and it is still doing quite well and has a brood patch so it either is currently tending a nest or fledglings.



The Barred Owl family was still easy to find but they weren't as active as last week which forced us to close a few nets. Most of the crew got to be amused as a squirrel decided to test the new baby. Brave little rodent. The adults do occasionally take them for lunch.



Becky had a very feisty new female Northern Cardinal. That is not a smile on her face. Cardinals bite. Hard.



Northern Cardinals are nesting now, too, and with all the vivid color she is in full breeding mode.



Later on we recaptured a male Northern Cardinal.



Checking the end of the net lanes we flushed a Green Heron next to Net 21.



Andrew dared to wander out to the lake's edge even though it is getting overgrown and very wet after recent rains. It was worth it, though. Feeding in the Willow at the end was a very late Yellow Warbler. This is another rare find that should be up North by now. Not one complaint except that it flew over to Net 21 to bathe in dew and preen but went around the net. We have never banded a Yellow Warbler. They love the higher branches.



Heading back toward the table, Chris spotted a Blackpoll Warbler along the river. There are large flocks moving through the area right now but they are another species that is difficult to catch.



We then caught a very small male Downy Woodpecker and released him back near the nest tree in the snags by Net 16 where he was captured.



In Net 7 Maria had Northern Parula. Like the wren earlier in the morning, we banded this bird 3 years ago.



One of our visitors got to release the Northern Parula.



While we didn't get that Yellow Warbler a family of Tufted Titmice moved through to feed. When we do capture them it usually most or all of the flock since they stick so close together. We only got 2 of them but the rest of the family was right there watching us as we extracted a recaptured adult...



...and a newly fledged juvenile. Check out that gape on that cute little thing! We processed the birds and then released them together by the river so they could head back to the flock.



It didn't really sink in until we were leaving how awesome a day it really was. Three rare birds and plenty of data on the local birds. Maybe, just maybe, we can have one more weekend of migrants. Please? Three weeks to go in the season.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:05 A.M.