Nice Spring Mix

Heading into the peak of Spring Migration. What will the day bring?

First out of the box was a Gray Catbird. They have been very elusive this past year so it was nice to have an adult on its way back home early this morning.



Northern Waterthrushes have been in the area for 2 weeks but have stayed next to the river and not crossed the lanes as they usually do. It was a great addition to the captures today.



Another Black-throated Blue Warbler hit the nets this morning. All males for the last two weeks.



It was soon followed by another adult Gray Catbird. Interesting to note that all of our migrants show no signs of fat stored up for the journey home.



A Brown Thrasher, previously banded a few weeks ago, was brought in soon afterwards. They are getting really active during breeding season.



A Carolina Wren with a brood patch was our next capture.



We are still wondering why one of our resident Simpkin was up in the trees near Net 19 today. Typically, they stay at the lake and sometimes the edge of the river near there, Today, this one was hanging out in the oaks for quite some time.



On a weekly jaunt into the woods, Andrew found a Leather Flower in bloom. One of our favorite plants located on the property.



April is full of Northern Parulas with chicks calling and parents feeding them constantly. We usually catch the males as they are the most typical feeders. Today we captured a female.



Back near the banding table, we had a caterpillar crossing the path. Further research revealed it is a Pipeline Swallowtail. Not sure where any of the host plants are around here, but...



We finished the morning with a stunning American Redstart male.



Migration is coming to a close soon. Hoping to get a few more migrants as we head into the last month of banding.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 5th in our usual spot.
All nets will be opened by 6:10 A.M.

Earth Day, Part 2

Part two of the weekend as we shifted back to the banding site after the Earth Day demo in the park. Migration is still ramping up even though most of the movements of birds are traveling up Mexico into Texas and beyond, skirting the East Coast for the past couple of years.

Sunday was Easter and a few volunteers found the Easter Bunny down near Net 9.



We captured this Brown Thrasher last week and it is still flying through the same area this week.



One of our local recaptured Carolina Wrens is on a nest somewhere right now and was briefly detained for documenting before getting back to foraging for the next brood.



This is the time for migrating Black-throated Blue Warblers and the males are moving through. A beautiful Wood Warbler we love to see before May.



Even better, the second bird we caught was the Appalachian sub-species that is indicated by darker streaks on the backs of adult males.



Southern Elderberry is blooming like crazy right now. It is even spreading all around the property but that is fine by us as it is a native.



They are very interesting when looking up at them at sunrise.



Olivia's Garden is increasing along the former site. Connie has been brought in many small plantings and added to the landscape. We have marked out the area to let the rangers not to mow through this spot in the future.



Phase 2 is beginning just across the lane where Andrew is clearing the Guinea Grass clumps and more natives are being dropped into place. We hope this area becomes a nice spot for pollinators and more.



For the first time ever, the Ear Tree, (Enterolobium cyclocarpum), is blooming big time. Hummingbirds and other birds stop by these trees, especially during migration.



We have been seeing to many Common Yellowthroats this year. Hope they return in numbers next season.



The rangers cleared out a large overgrown spot by Net 14. It really allowed the remaining Maples to grab some light and burst into new growth.



One of our nosy friends was calling overhead as we closed up. It was a Northern Parula chick. Gathering food a few feet away was an adult male with a band. Most likely the one we banded a few yards away on the other side of the river yesterday.



Next week could yield more migrants before the end of Spring approaches.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 28st.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Earth Day, Part 1

Earth Day is upon us and we headed into the park near dawn to set nets on the park side to do a demo run. Overnight radar was showing the most migrants are traveling up from Mexico into Texas and the Mid-West so we were not expecting too much action today. Conditions were also extremely windy all day, gusting into the 30 mph range often. Surprised we caught anything at all.



Our first capture was a female Northern Cardinal, probably foraging for newly emerging chicks but it was well before the guests arrived for the event.



Jenny brought back a bird after things got underway, officially, and let folks know we were banding a bird at the table. The crowd assembled and we revealed a male Downy Woodpecker. These birds are also tending to young newly hatched.



One of our young visitors got to release the Downy Woodpecker to resume its searching for food.



Later on in the day, we caught a recaptured Carolina Wren.



Our final bird of the day was a Northern Parula who had been foraging around ED Net 4 all morning. It was only a matter of time until we caught him as he brought food to a calling chick overhead.



Tomorrow we return to the usual banding sight to see what may arrive. Spring Migration is getting close so we hope to find more travelers.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 28th in our usual spot.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Another Random Day

No big migrant movements here today but it ended up a little interesting. We got to install a few new plants and made some other changes along the way.

First bird of the day was a new adult Gray Catbird. No fat yet. Staying or late or readying to bulk up?



Next up, a recaptured Northern Cardinal, first banded last Summer.



Andrew got tired of fighting the constant growth of a Holly Richard planted years ago by Net 15 so he shifted it to the opposite side of the lane just a few feet down. We will not rename this spot as it is only mere feet away.



Connie spied a small Spider down in the area she in placing new plants. Susan later did some sleuthing and discovered it is a Humpbacked Orb Weaver, Eustala anastera. New find here.



Not too long afterward, the crew found an Indigo Bunting flirting with the nets of 13 and 9 but managed to stay in the upper story of the oaks before flying toward the park proper. A hopeful sign for next week at Earth Day, though.



Jenny then brought back the Bird of the Day. A Prothonotary Warbler. It was down in the marsh area ringed by Cypress trees. Right where you would expect them.



In Net 2, we caught another Gray Catbird. This one was loaded with growths on its legs. Research suggests that is is caused by mites. Since the growths were so large, we did not band it as not to do any further damage.



A close up of the leg irritation on the Gray Catbird.



While checking nets, we noticed that one of the Red Cedars planted by Net 14 is fruiting. Big time! Guess we know which one is a female.



As we began to close up for the morning, Connie called to say that there was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Net 20. It was a male.



Ruby-throated Hummingbirds tend to get stressed after getting released from the nets so we took it back to the table and tried to coax it to have a sip of water. It soon flew off back into the woods. Always interesting to see how the gorget changed colors based of the angle of the light.



We always check to see if any American Alligators are heading in to sun. Pat was heading in not long before we wrapped up and found a spot in the sun before long.



NOTE: Saturday is Earth Day in the Lake Lotus Park where we do demos throughout the day. The park will be open for Earth Day from 10 until 3. Then we will band as usual on Sunday on 'our' side of the river.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Saturday for Earth Day in the park and Sunday, April 21st in our usual spot.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Catbirds Getting Restless

Fog settled in as we began to set nets but it burned off fairly early on after sunrise. We haven't been seeing or hearing many Catbirds the past few weeks, but today they were beginning to stir as migration nears.

Our first bird of the morning was the juvenile Carolina Wren that escaped us last week where it was netted next to its sibling.



Another recaptured Carolina Wren soon followed.



Speaking of Gray Catbirds, we finally caught one for the first time in weeks. One escaped down the lanes and many other were seen hopping from branch to branch all over the property.



We then recaptured a male Northern Cardinal which was first banded last Summer.



Just behind the the table, a Web Bow was illuminated by the morning rays.



All of the Holly trees that Richard planted years ago are in bloom.



We got a new Brown Thrasher in the "Thrasher Zone", a specific radius where we always see this species.



What are birds? Dinosaurs! Just look at those feet.



We caught another Gray Catbird as our final banded bird today. None of the Catbirds are showing any signs of fat deposits yet. Better get bulked up before the long trip home, guys.



Northern Parula are getting noisy again as they forage. By the end of the month we should be hearing hungry chicks.



Christine spotted a Monarch down by Net 22. It remained in that area for the rest of the morning. Perhaps it is the same critter that was feeding on our Milk Weed?



We were serenaded by a crying Limpkin as we prepared to fold up nets.



Migration is beginning and we hope to get some interesting birds next week. A Northern Waterthrush came close to the nets but remained along the water of the Little Wekiva. Fingers crossed.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 14th.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.