Thought it Would Be Busier...

We noticed a lot of small bugs while setting nets before dawn and the area seemed ripe for feeding birds to be stopping through. An approaching front from the South should have also slowed down migration a little to provide us with a solid day of banding. However, that never occurred. Once the winds from the front began to reach us most activity shut down.

The morning actually started strong with a new new being brought to the table every few minutes. First up was a new Ovenbird at Net 2, just behind the banding table.



That was followed by a recaptured Carolina Wren first banded last August.



Only a single Common Yellowthroat was captured but several more were heard.



A pair of House Wrens popped out of the grasses where Eastern Phoebes have just returned and were calling all over the property.



A string of Gray Catbirds rounded out our nice start. The the wind notched up and things got pretty quiet. Palm Warblers are also back but they were concentrated in the marsh all morning.



In our last runs before closing up American Redstarts suddenly came out to feed. The first was a female.



The rest for the session were young males. American Redstart males look like the females until they molt into their gaudy orange and black. Telling signs are subtle. Brighter feathers under the wings and a darker set of spots or streaks begin to appear on the head and sides through the first Winter.



We wrapped the day with our last American Redstart and headed home.



A possible front could keep us watching weather once again next week but we always hope for the best. Still other species left to arrive like Indigo Buntings. Fingers crossed.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, October 29th.
All nets will be opened by 7:05 A.M.