Regardless, we set out the week before to deploy all 10 new nets graciously purchased by Christine and Richard at the beginning of the Summer break.
The previous week, Andrew stopped by to check out the status of the site and found all of the Guinea Grass mowed down last Spring had grown by leaps and bounds.
Thankfully, the rangers found some time in their schedule to swing by and mow the property back to a clearer status.
Oddly, the only thing they did not mow over was a patch of Rhexia, noticed last week, that is blooming between Nets 22 and 10. There has only been one sighting of this flower in the years past that was one flower next to Net 17 just up the rise.
Richard and the crew spent most of the morning clearing Net 4 which is off the main trail and has been overgrown by vines between the Gallberry trees and the pines.
Net 13 has been in a woeful condition for years and Andrew replaced it with Christine's help.
Down at the new end of the lanes, Connie and Phyllis hand clipped the spots that the rangers mower can't reach. Looking forward to some Waterthrushes heading through there in the next week or so.
The opening day of the banding season resumed the following week and, as is typical, found local birds in the nets. Our most common birds for the beginning of August are Carolina Wren and Northern Cardinal. Oddly, Cardinals were rarely heard of seen today. Wrens? We had those, for sure. Our first bird of the day was the first of 4, this one a juvenile.
Our 2nd Carolina Wren was also a juvenile but it was so tangled that we extracted and released it. But it was soon followed by yet another at Net 2.
Connie discovered and Sphinx Moth in Net 22 and had to take care to remove it back into the wild.
Then our 4th Carolina Wren. Another juvenile.
Suddenly, we had a break in the action for an hour or so. Rains had been wide spread this past week and all of the runoff goes right through the property. A week ago the river was at a typical level but today it was creeping higher along the banks.
Good news, as noted on earlier stops over the Summer, is that the Air Potato Beetles are doing quite well all over the property. Most of the potato vines are either skeletal or still being feasted upon. Breeding pairs are all over the place.
Many butterflies are around and Christine got a shot of one of the White Peacocks hanging out by the river.
We ended the morning with the Bird-of-the-Day: a Prothonotary Warbler. Records show we only catch them in either Aug/Sept or April. Migration is on.
Other migrants were seen today, such as American Redstarts. We always forget that they are already on the move. Now we power through the heat and move toward the Fall.
Seems like we have shifted to our usual Florida Summer for once in a long while. Everyone seems to think it is hotter than ever, but if you look back...this is Florida in August. Bring your water and get home before the afternoon!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, August 11th.
All nets will be opened by 6:20 A.M.
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