Before dawn while setting the last net, Andrew noticed something down in the gloom. He called William back since he had his camera in tow. A young American Alligator was positioned at the spill over between the river and the marsh. Animals often wait in these flowing water spots in hopes that some prey might unexpectedly flow through and swim directly into a waiting row of teeth.
We started the day just like yesterday with an American Redstart. The demographic shifted a bit as today all of the Redstarts we banded were juvenile males.
Ovenbirds are still lurking about silently.
So are the Swainson's Thrushes
House Wrens were absent the past couple of banding days but they began to come back out today.
We had new visitors today and they got to release a number of birds.
Look who arrived fashionably late to the Fall party! Gray Catbird were heard recently but they finally started finding the nets today, nearly two weeks late.
Veerys usually are gone by the time the Swainson's Thrushes move in but we caught two this morning.
A variety of age and sex ranges of Common Yellowthroats were banded, beginning with an adult female.
As mentioned in previous posts, ew do catch more than birds in the nets. William rescued two large dragonflies near the table. Won't be the last.
A new female Northern Cardinal was brought to the table midday. There was still some black in the bird's bill indicating that it is a hatch-year bird, probably born on property.
The Christine came in looking like the cat that swallowed the Canary (pardon the anit-bird reference). Everyone was trying to keep the bird a secret from Andrew, who prefers to surprise others, but when she returned from Net 2, she asked, "Has he done the Bunting?", spoiling the reveal. The bird, in fact, was a male Painted Bunting, the first we have had in quite some time.
Not that anyone was interested in seeing a Painted Bunting up close...
We know that a few have been hatched around the area in the past but now it the time when migrating bird also move through. Next up will be Indigo Buntings in their blue and brown coats. We will take a rainbow any day.
More Gray Catbirds were captured and we got Dad in on the releasing action.
We got to point out the plumage of female and juvenile male Common Yellowthroats so it was fitting that we could show our visitors what an adult male looks like.
Soon, we had one of our Appalachian sub-species of a male Black-throated Blue Warbler in hand. This is turning out to be a pretty good showing for this species this year so far.
Keeping pace, another juvenile male American Redstart was banded. This is a good example of the juvenile male compared to a female. There are slight dark streaks in the cheek, dark feathers hiding underneath the white sides, and really bright orange in the 'wing-pits', as we call them.
Another was not too far behind and more were seen in the flooded area of Net 21, as well.
Our final bird of the day was a White-eyed Vireo. Many marveled in the irregular iris on this bird.
Weather forecasts are mixed for next weekend. Could be windy, could be mixed with rain, could be neither. We shall see. Just can't wait to see what other birds are arriving. Palm Warblers cannot be too far away.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, October 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:55 A.M.
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