Our first bird of the day was a familiar face. The very first bird from last week was recaptured just a few yards from where it was first caught and banded. An Ovenbird.
Our newest volunteer, Melissa, got to release her first bird after helping set the nets before dawn.
Common Yellowthroats are continuing to flow through. Still just females today.
Our next surprise was a Red-Eyed Vireo captured at Net 18, which we never expected to get to today. They are often heard across the river but are rare captures for us. A nice adult bird.
Along with the Vireo was a female American Redstart, another bird that typically hangs higher in the upper story of the trees. We saw several males up and down the river today.
With migration ramping up even the locals are starting to stir. We recaptured an adult Carolina Wren shortly after the migrants.
Then, a recaptured female Northern Cardinal. They have been calling all year but stayed in the woods for most of the time.
If you check last week's blog you can compare this view. Just across the river they have a new beach dredged up from the flood. It use to be a nice mulched path along the river in the park.
Heading down by the newly opened net lanes, we see how much the water has dropped. Photos from last week were made in knee-deep water just down the way from here.
This view at Net 10 is indicative of the washed over grasses along the banks. All of this grass was about shoulder height for the last few years.
As always, Andrew wanted to check the destruction and dragged out a fallen tree branch to make a bridge to cross over the stream to check on Net 21. The poles are still in place but several palettes are washed out, of course, and it may be a few more weeks before we can get those back in place and manage to walk safely around the mud.
The view of the crew walking back from the end of the net lane shows the wash over and mud we have to deal with for now. The best part of banding is how everyone enjoys being out in Nature despite the problems thrown at us. A morning at the banding site is better than running about doing other chores! Mud cleans off.
You can tell migration is coming when the volunteers start showing up in larger numbers. Glad to have everyone out today to see some awesome birds up close.
We were hearing the bubbling of House Wrens most of the morning and it was great to confirm that they were back by capturing our first of Session 10 today.
We caught another new Ovenbird a bit later in the morning and they are calling loudly around the property.
Don't forget the Common Yellowthroats. Still more banded today. Some may call them drab, but they are pretty in their own right.
We were expecting Veerys last week but a week later is OK. We caught two today. They are the first thrushes that migrate through the area. Catbirds cannot be too far behind. We should get them next week.
Susan woke up the Brown Thrashers this morning while setting nets and we knew we would probably snag one along the way. Sure enough, we got a recapture of one of our local birds later in the day.
Everyone was pleased with the female American Redstart banded earlier in the morning but seeing a male tends to bring more gasps. The Orange and Black just pops more and male warblers are so much more showy. They have to. This guy joined us as the day waned.
Wrapping up the day, we captured a new male Northern Cardinal. Haven't we banded all of them by now? He was very feisty so we had to give him a cigar to keep him from biting us even more than he did.
Nearby, in Net 17, yet another surprise for the day. A Prairie Warbler. We used to catch more at Wekiwa Springs, but here at Lake Lotus they stay up in the oak canopy. Calling and feeding, but rarely flying low enough to band. Glad this one made the list!
Migration peak is approaching us. We will be banding all weekend for at least the next two weeks. Our highest capture rates begin next Saturday and can fluctuate depending on weather patterns. Stay tuned to the site blog for updates. As of this typing it could be raining next weekend. We will update when needed but plan on both days.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Saturday & Sunday, September 30th and October 1st.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.
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