Son of Super Fog

Last weekend of 2018 and we have another week of heavy fog greeting us as we set nets in the dark. That means fewer birds for the day, in our observations, mainly due to moistures keeping insects down and sunlight making birds stay up in the treetops to grab caterpillars. Overall, though, bird numbers seems way down this year in general.

While setting the last nets of the morning, Andrew was met by a new visitor, Mary, who was asked to hold the first bag of the day which contained an Eastern Screech Owl as he got the remaining nets in place. Back at the table, Mary was tasked with holding the owl's foot as Andrew applied the lock-on band.



Eastern Screech Owls have two different feather colors: Red and gray. This one seems to be more reddish.



Things quickly grew quiet, as expected. Here are our Florida Winter woods.



Nearly 4 hours later, while we were getting ready to head out, we did catch a previously banded Gray Catbird



Mary waited all morning with us and got to release our Gray Catbird. At least there was that.



It has been quite awhile since we have seem many American Alligators in the river. One spot we used to see them was just beneath the table where there used to be a sand bar. That has been taken over by a lot of grasses and there is not much sand there anymore. Still, Christine found Pat, one of our frequent gators, perched just out of the river today.



We are still wondering where all of the birds are this year. Definitely not around here. Very few butter-butts. Very few warblers at all. Cedar Waxwings are only being heard singularly. This is the first week we saw larger flocks of American Robins. Too quiet. Maybe next week?
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 6th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

Super Fog

This may have been the foggiest start to any morning in our Lotus history. It was very thick before dawn and getting thicker while setting nets.

Barred Owls were heard calling in the dark near the cars and even by the sunrise, the view was rather bleak.



The dawn chorus was loud enough, but we only caught a Carolina Wren previously banded earlier in the year. One of our new juveniles born here this year.



Our most recent visitor, Cindy, took our advice and arrived just after dawn and got to release our teenage Carolina Wren after records were taken.



The rest of the day was spent searching the area for birds. The fog never burned off, but the Maple still stood out in the gloom. Florida does not have real Fall changes like this, so we enjoy the splash of color when we can.



The only other interesting view of the day was a female Downy Woodpecker digging into a snag by Net 5. Hoping that she is making a nest for the next generation.



Our next banding day will be December 30th to ring in the New Year.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 30th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Quiet. Yet, the New Normal.

Colder temps came and went since last week. We were waking to the upper 30s during the week but are back to the mid-80s today. Such is Florida weather. We will dip again some next week and then finally settle into seasonal temperatures for the foreseeable future. We will welcome highs in the 70s for a bit.

Bird-wise, it was slow. Not many birds heard or seen for most of the day. Early on, we did start the morning with an adult male Common Yellowthroat. Many others were heard out in the marsh and near the lake.



Then we spent quite a while waiting for other birds to fly through. The entire Titmouse family had been hanging up below the banding table all morning. Finally, we got one of the recaptured members at Net 15. He was an angry little guy, constantly pecking at Andrew's finger tips.



While watching a Barred Owl, we found a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers tapping away on their favorite wintering trees.



Along the neighbor's fence, there is still a lot of green popping up unlike the fungus we featured last week. All of those structures have declined, nearly completely.



Christine and Andrew were wandering the lanes and Christine found a new bloom near Net 13. It took them a couple minutes to recall that is was a Mistflower, seen here occasionally over the years.



As the day was winding down, we got our last bird of the day. A Northern Cardinal first banded earlier in the year.



Andrew went home on the search of Hooded Mergansers but only found a few Sandhill Cranes resting at Maitland Center. Two were resting on the lawn but the other was standing on point next to them.



The Sandhill Cranes were right next to the lot and made for nice, close shots. The last shots was more of a "Don't even think about it!" kind of look.



On the way out of the Center, a couple of birds flew up in front of the car. Seems a small flock of American Goldfinch were taking advantage of the puddles to grab a drink before heading off for more feeding opportunities.



We wrapped the day with three birds in hand. Looking at the past data, that is the norm for the past few years. 2015 had 7 birds on this date. Seems the numbers keep going downward. Hmmm...

And, one more thing...KNIGHTS WIN! Orlando's Hometown Team has gone two straight years undefeated and AAC Champions!!! Where is the love, NCAA?



NOTE: No banding this weekend. Forecasts are looking bleak. Going to give them the benefit of the doubt this time. Could be strong at anytime. We will try for the 16th and then take a break for the holidays.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 16th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

Foggy Sunday

The first of a projected series of cold fronts is creeping down and a little rain is sweeping through. Radar shows birds moving, but they are most likely ducks instead of warblers. Will still set in for a day as the morning was brought with fog. It got thicker and thicker before dawn becoming a misty air in the dark.

This shot ws taken later but still shows he extent of the fog out near the lake lingering approaching 9 AM.



Our first bird in the morning was a recaptured House Wren. A second was not far behind with a Catbird, told below.



Hermit Thrushes typically arrive so much earlier, so it was nice to get our first ones today. This one was a juvenile.



Our one Gray Catbird flew in early and was next to our second House Wren in Net 9. Most of our birds were captured before 7:30 today.



Yet another new Northern Cardinal male was captured. Cardinals do not really migrate, so where is this guy coming from? Somewhere nearby, for sure.



A second Hermit Thrush was waiting at the table when we brought the other back. This one was an adult bird.



Another of our juvenile Carolina Wrens hit the nets. Kids still not learning.



As we waited for a hopeful next feeding wave, we looked around the property and were surprised to find several species of fungi all over the place. It has been a very wet couple of years and now it is very dry. The fungus has decided to thrive on the snags and undergrowth. We took time to take photos of all of the varieties along the way, starting with the big growth in the net lanes.



But, 'skeeeeeetch!" Where did this Purple Aster come from? It is now blooming just behind Net 9.



Up in the pine flat wood region of the property we found many different fungus. This patch was circling a trunk of a small snag.



Another trunk was circled from top to bottom.



On that same tree, a small branch was growing out and also being ringed by fungus.



Most were brown and tan were punctuated by a bit of yellow deep in the woods.



Behind Net 15, a bit of shelf fungus was seen by the oak felled by Hurricane Matthew.



One of the fun things about the fog is that is shows off all of the Bowl-and-Doily Spiderwebs all up and down the lanes.



Jenny spotted a turtle at that same spot when the rest of us missed it. It seems rather beat up but she says it shows some sign of Life. We shall see in the week to come.



In the wooded area near Nets 16-17, there is now a White Aster putting on a show.



Back at Net 15, signs of Tent Caterpillars are spinning homes in the holly.



Near the table, Andrew spotted a few other fungus features. This one was another ringing a small branch.



A step to the side revealed a more yellow growth in the shade.



As we wrapped up the day and headed back to the table after net gathering, Kate noticed a flash of orange off to the left along the path we have walked all day. There is a huge fungus growth there 5 yards off to the left.



Just behind the orange bloom was a set of white mushrooms sharing the same tree.



Net 3 was alos hiding a nice colony of caps.



Our final bird of the day was one we were wondering about. Where were the Ovenbirds? Quiet but still here.



One the way home, Andrew found some of the birds at Maitland Center. We are now up to 4 Hooded Mergansers in the parking lot pond.



Also feeding along the pond's edge was a Little-blue Heron...



...and several White Ibis.



We will dip into the 30s this week but should be back into the 80s by next Sunday. Maybe we can get some new migrants in the area with this new cold front? Fingers crossed...
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 2nd.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Hmmm...

A cold front arrived a couple of days ago and radar showed huge numbers of birds flowing South. Of course, many of them could be waterfowl, Robins, or any other number of species we do not get to band. Still, the hopes were up for some good banding on a very nice, temperate day in the woods. Was not to be. It was boring.

One of our well known teen Carolina Wrens was recaptured. Again. An hour and a half later it was captured...again. They just don't seem to learn.



Just when Andrew was about to give up completely, he saw a shadow in Net 13. It turned out to be an unbanded Brown Thrasher.



Augustine managed to bring all of the kids out today. Nikki got to release the Carolina Wren earlier and Andy got to release the Brown Thrasher.



Where are our birds? This year is totally slow. Hooded Mergansers are back at Maitland Center...a pair, at least...if anyone is interested.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hoping that next week is more interesting.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 25th.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.