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.

First Robin of Fall

It was a cloudy, breezy morning following a light rain overnight. We were hoping the low cloud cover would bring us some birds in the nets but it was a very quiet day. There were a few surprises along the way. while setting the nets, Andrew saw some movement in the dark. It seemed like a local Swamp Rabbit as it moved ahead of him but then it fluttered into the air for a couple of feet and settled back to the ground. Maybe a Night jar? As he pulled the net farther out of the bag and got closer it fluttered again and returned to the ground again a few feet away. Strange.

Once the net was secured to the far pole he walked closer to get the headlamp to throw some light on the critter. We have been waiting for American Robins to return and here and, in the center of the net lane, was our first! It was not clear if the bird was in distress or just waiting for daylight but it eventually scurried into the grass and was never seen again. Many small flocks of Robins were seen and heard all morning.

Hermit Thrushes were our main bird today and our first was captured just after dawn. A second was captured shortly afterwards and it turned out to be the same bird we caught last week that was first banded as a juvenile in December of 2015. It was even in the same net as last week. It might just love the Beauty Berry in that stretch.



Lewis, a Seminole County Audubon member, was visiting today and got the honor of releasing one of our Hermit Thrushes.



It has been rather dry since Matthew departed but the light rain must have been enough to rouse this clump of fungus in the middle of the path.



Our second surprise of the day was caught not long after other visitors arrived. A Painted Bunting! Nice to see a bright green in between all the brown birds of late.



Nothing makes us happier than seeing how happy releasing a bird can make other people.



Our final bird was yet another Hermit Thrush. Long ago e had trouble pinning an ID on a Thrush. as it a Swainson's or a Hermit. It was a confusing mix due to overall coloring. hat we learned that day became our mantra: "Tail, Tail, Tail." Hermit Thrushes has a significantly redder tail than all other thrushes we band.



The last surprise of the day was more of a work. Andrew, being a "I need to get there..." guy, pushed through the upended tangle of vegetation left by the hurricane and overgrowth to reach the edge of Lake Lotus. It will still require a lot of cutting to make that path more passable for others but there were more birds seen out there for the day.



One of those birds was a male Anhinga sitting atop the willows. It eventually decided human encroachment was too much flew off toward the Window on the Lake pictured above.



Once there, it encountered another male and the two engaged one another in a fighting match for position taking them out over the lake for a fight for a proper branch to dry out. Both agreed to disagree but found suitable branches.



A new world awaits us as we get through the election. One thing is certain. Birds don't care and we don't judge out in the wild. Until it is broken. Vote!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 13th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.