Closing Out 2019

We drove through the fog to the site before this dawn wondering how the day would play out. Not too cold, but fog keeps things quiet for most of the mornings as insects are not moving so birds are staying at the tops of the trees as the light kisses the treetops.

Our first bird just after dawn was a recaptured Carolina Wren.



Odd thing about this Carolina Wren. It appeared to be a juvenile based on all plumage signs. Buffy eyebrows. No white spots on the wings. But it was a recaptured bird so we know that we first banded it 2 years ago! It should have bright white eyebrows and bright white spots on the wings as an adult. Hmmm... Let the investigation begin.



The next net run was also interesting. Andrew headed down the lanes and stopped short at Net 19 as bird activity was evident. A Tufted Titmouse and an an Orange-crowned Warbler were dropping to the ground just behind the net and we were hoping they might fly in for capture. Instead, they suddenly headed toward the river.

Moments later, a larger shape flew in from the river toward the net and hit and bounced out. It was a Cooper's Hawk that escaped. We were disappointed but noticed that we weren't even seeing an Eastern Phoebe already in the net. A new one for the site.



There are not a lot of new blooms along the lanes these days but there is a single Stokes Aster planted by Rollins students earlier in the year that was showing nicely.



Our newly discovered Rouge Plant across from Net 13 has freshly ripened fruits to make a nice holiday scene along the river.



A chunk of tree feel behind Net 13 awhile ago and now there are many fungus feeding on the decaying wood.



Kate discovered another fungus on the tree felled by Hurricane Matthew and we are trying to ID it. The crew followed up with inspections and found an entire ecosystem thriving along the still living trunk. Perhaps we need a whole new post for that science.



Once the fog burned off enough, the light made it toward the river and Pat, one of our local American Alligators, crept back up the river to warm up.



Our final bird of the day was a Gray Catbird first banded nearly 2 years ago.



The take away from this Fall might be that we caught fewer birds but we did notice that numerous birds were recaptures returning for many years. We will tally them up by the end of the Session.

With Christmas falling in mid-week this year, we will take off this next Sunday in case people are traveling all over and then skip the following Sunday since Andrew is out of town for a late holiday break.

We look forward to starting 2020 just after the New Year. Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 5th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

Super Quiet

Cardinals were really loud during the Dawn Chorus, as were a few other species, but not many birds were flying in the morning gloom.

Our first bird was a recaptured Hermit Thrush. However, it was probably the Bird-of-the-Day since it was noted that it was first banded here as a juvenile 4 years ago and first caught about 80 yards away then in a different net. Shows that many birds try to return for the Winter in the same spot year after year.



Soon afterward, Angela walked down from Net 2 to ask for assistance getting a new bird out of the net. Christine instructed her on extracting a male Black and White Warbler for banding.



The day quickly grew quiet for most of the morning. American Robins few over and migrant and local birds called from different locations but nothing was flying low enough for capture. Back in the pine woods, Andrew found a patch of Wild Coffee growing and baring fruit. We have also planted this native plant in different spots along the lanes. Birds are spreading the plants where they can.



As we were closing nets for the morning, Ranger Corey noticed that something in the net was not a leaf. It was a House Wren being folded up as we closed. It was extracted and recorded and then safely released before we headed home.



One more Sunday before the Christmas break. Migration radars and predictions are looking slow for new arrivals, but you never know.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

Well...It Looked Good.

A chilly start and we hoped for some good numbers today. Not to be. Our first bird was a Gray Catbird just after the Dawn Chorus.



Next up was a ragged Hermit Thrush which was another new migrant for the day.



Bowl and Doily Spiders are making themselves noticeable as the weather cools. The larger web on top brings in insects while the the actual spider waiting for food waits in the second web beneath to grab their meal.



We were always open to transfer Rouge Plants growing on the opposite of the river to our side. Seems like the birds are doing it for us as the first one just popped up next to Net 9.jpg



We are training new banders as we head into the end of the year. Today, Andrew asks Angela to step up to the table to process a recaptured Hermit Thrush.



This was an adult Hermit Thrush captured earlier in the year.



We had hoped to get others involved with banding training but the birds did not cooperate. Angela seemed happy enough with her first bird handled at the table.



Swamp Maples are the most common in the state but sometimes we have other varieties in the area. This one glows bright red every Fall on the opposite side of the river.



As Andrew checked out Area 21, he spotted a mangey Raccoon creeping through the vegetation along the river. We later spotted it close to the table as we closed nets for the morning.



Birds seem few and far between, again, but we always hope for more activity as the weather warms going into the next weekend.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 8th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.