Peak Watch

Saturday:

We headed into the morning dreaming of the growing Migration Peak. This is when we set nets all weekend for a few weeks in hopes of getting all of the early arrivals that we can waiting of the first Catbirds and other Fall arriving birds. The morning did start with a bit of a rush, but nothing like starts in the previous years.



Male Common Yellowthroats are arriving after the spate of females and our first bird of the day was one of those older males.



We have been surprised at the sudden rush of unbanded Northern Cardinals of late, but it turns out that they are all juveniles moving into maturity after a good breeding season for our locals. This young male was one of the newest additions to the banded flocks.



A molting juvenile Carolina Wren was next up, sporting newly emerging adult wing feathers.



One of our guests got to release the next Common Yellowthroat after processing.



Two Ovenbirds were captured in Net 2. The first was a recaptured adult first banded 2 years ago almost to the day. It was also caught in the same net.



Along side of the adult was a juvenile noted by the lighter fringes on the wing coverts. Perhaps an offspring following along during migration?



Next up, another juvenile Northern Cardinal, this time a female. This angle does not show the obvious black along the peak of the bill.



We did have all plumage variations of Common Yellowthroat. Adult male, adult female, and our final bird was a juvenile male. If you look closely, the young males are beginning to show flecks of black in the cheek which will become the 'mask' and the beginning of the silver brow.



Last year we had no captures of Swanson's Thrush which had us elated at the end of the day with our final capture of one. Last year was the first time ever that none were found here.



A good start for the weekend. What will tomorrow bring?

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Sunday:

Well, far fewer birds. Half as many, actually. We started the morning with a female Common Yellowthroat.



One of our grateful visitors got to release her back into the wild.



Ovenbirds were the next batch to fly through.



This adult Ovenbird was obliging for a nice pose.



We did note the interesting fact that this bird showed edges of white on its adult outer tail feathers which we had not noticed with previous bandings.



An adult male Common Yellowthroat followed close behind.



Then a juvenile male rounded out the second day of all plumages of Common Yellowthroats. This one more of an older 'teenager'.



Net 6 has been interesting since its reestablishment. First a Flying Squirrel a week ago to a young frog this week.



We wrapped the morning with a Carolina Wren. So, no real migration push this week.



Checking the surrounding ponds on the way home, Andrew did find a family of Sandhill Cranes resting at Maitland Center. No Hooded Mergansers yet. They should arrive in a few weeks.



Like last year, no big early push of migrants. Maybe next week. Fingers crossed.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Saturday, October 5th and Sunday 6th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

A Few Migrants, a Later Breeze

Heading toward peak migration. Not too much activity yet, but we are getting thing ready for a potential burst of birds in the next few weeks. Early October is the prime time to expect migrants. Our first bird was another Ovenbird.



One of our latest visitors, Rebecca, got to release the Ovenbird.



Still only getting female Common Yellowthroats. Males cannot be far behind.



Proving that is another female shortly afterwards.



Andrew was watching a Northern Waterthrush keenly for 10 minutes and decided it would not leave the marsh. As soon as he began to move back down the lanes it flew off into Net 18. Score!



While we were watching insects and listening for other birds, a scream came from Net 2. It was a new Brown Thrasher.



Perhaps the screaming was due to some injuries on this bird. On its left foot was a growth month the talons.



On the right was an infection that Jenny was able to confirm was some sort of avian pox. We banded the least injured leg and released the bird quickly.



With migration on hand, we are banding for the full weekends for a while depending on numbers. Check the times below to see new dates. Bring on the birds!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Saturday, September 28th and Sunday 29th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Moving Closer to Peak Migration

Weather is on the verge of becoming comfortable in the early hours of the morning and set nets as usual and waited.

Connie called us at the table to report a rodent in the net. When we arrived, it was clear it was a mammal. A Flying Squirrel! It seemed that it was trapped in the net, but photos show it was just using the net as a place to crawl around on and not trapped at all.



The Flying Squirrel still didn't seem to want to move on, especially with several humans now surrounding it. It finally liked the fact that Andrew was holding the net taught at some point and made its way all the way to the top of the net before hopping into the nearby oak. Interesting start to a morning...



Our first actual capture was a new male Northern Cardinal, the second in as many weeks.



Next, a juvenile Carolina Wren molting into its adult feathers.



Seems like they are rather late this year. We usually catch Waterthrushes in August as one of the easiest migrants. This is the second week we have caught both species starting with a Louisiana Waterthrush.



Then we had a spate of Ovenbirds. Three, in fact.



As for the Waterthrushes, we completed the pair just like last week with a Northern Waterthrush.



Last week, Andrew had been mentioning a bird that should be here by this time of the year. It was odd that we had not seen any most of the morning. Usually, they are one of the first caught in the morning when they start stirring. However, it took almost to the end of the day for one to hit the net. Our first Veery of the season. Right on time.



Just before we closed up for the day, we recaptured a Tufted Titmouse. It was first banded in 2017. It was also recaptured...just last weekend. It is with the entire family but we only get this bird over and over. Maybe next Sunday.



It is finally beginning to feel like Fall. It is just next Monday. Time to get ready for a hopeful peak migration at the first of October.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 22nd.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

A Sprinkling of Migrants

We were spared the wrath of Dorian but now we wait to see how the next weekend plays out. New models forecast a probable new system forming before we try to head out on our following Sunday. Time will tell and check back here if we have to cancel the 15th.

Meanwhile, we started our day by catching our next migrant. Another female Common Yellowthroat.



The next bird in was a local. A juvenile Brown Thrasher. You can easily tell juvenile birds by their duller colored iris. Adult bird irises are super yellow.



This young bird is heading into its next molt and we can see the pin feathers coming in on the wings.



Next up, a new adult Northern Cardinal. Always surprised we haven't banded them all before. It was also going into a new molt as you can see around the face.



Richard brought in a new Wax Myrtle to place behind Net 19. Long time readers will notice that they dug out the large Camphor tree a few months ago. This tree will hopefully bring in more migrants to the area. Alyssa helped dig the tree in as Kate and Richard supervised.



Connie followed up by watering the new addition to the property.



The air was very helpful for birds to continue to head South so we were not surprised to be waiting for anything to decide to stop by. So, we were very happy to finally capture a Louisiana Waterthrush. We usually get them in August as they are one of the earliest migrants in our location. We will take it.



Heard on property for the past few weeks, but not captured, we next gat a Northern Waterthrush minutes later. Wish we could have had them both in hand as we have before to compare. You can see the differences between both by scrolling up and down. Louisiana Warblers are brighter white and Northerns are more buff.



Check back in Saturday night/Sunday morning to see of we can band Sunday. Fingers are crossed as we edge toward typical peak migration.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

Birds of Uncertainty

Here in Florida, we watched and waited on which way the weather would take Hurricane Dorian. South Florida was in the bullseye until upper-level winds halted him in his tracks and kept it over the Bahamas. For days. Bad news for the citizens on those islands , but it did spare us the Category 5 winds in Florida. Forecasts stayed constant in predicting a Wednesday arrival so we headed out.



Our first bird of the day was an Ovenbird. We only had a few birds during the day, but at least they were mostly migrants.Can you tell the humidity was up? Glasses and camera lenses were fogging up super early.



The second migrant of the day was a female Common Yellowthroat. A little early, but we will take it.



A second Ovenbird soon followed before things grew quiet. Skies were far too nice to have birds stopping their movement South. We did spot an American Redstart and a Black-and-White Warbler foraging during the morning.



Guest joined us in a while and the young kids had no problem bringing in a Ring-necked Snake found along the path back to the table.



Out of nowhere, a cast of an insect fell onto a chair arm and had us all wondering what it might have come from. On closer inspection, it appears to be a cast-off of an exoskeleton of a young Praying Mantis.



As we began to close up for the day we caught our final bird of the morning. The remaining crowd gathered around to watch the record keeping.



The bird was a Tufted Titmouse first banded two years ago.



Now that Dorian has ripped up to the North, radar indicates large numbers of birds heading through Florida. Hopefully, we can begin real migrant captures next Sunday. Stay tuned!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 8th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.