Back Home. Migrants Returning to Find Territory.

We are in a rollercoaster of temperatures for the past and future week but this morning was cool but not too chilly. Winds held off for most of the morning. The dawn chorus was short but sweet as the Northern Parulas are beginning to arrive in large numbers and filling the air with their loud trills.

Our first bird of the morning was a House Wren.



That was soon followed by a Gray Catbird.



As Jenny was banding the Catbird, she noticed something odd. This juvenile had a split lower mandible. No idea why, but we have witnessed a lot of different birds with deformed bills and they tend to survive quite well for many years.



One of the members of the UCF Audubon Chapter, "The Knight Hawks", released the Gray Catbird.



Our last early morning bird was a recaptured Hermit Thrush.



We had a pretty large crowd this morning.



Even when there are no new birds at the table, there are plenty of local and arriving birds to watch along the lanes. Red-shouldered Hawks are nesting near Net 9 and warblers are moving North right about now. Andrew even refound the female Rose-breasted Grosbeak hiding down at Area 21. We might set a temporary net there next Sunday.



While checking the nets, some of the kids discovered a sloughed off snake skin near Net 7. Most likely a Black Racer.



Ou last bird of the morning was a Carolina Wren. Most of the birds around today were flying high or feeding in the upper story. That may change as more bird migrate in in search of food on their trip North.



One of the other purposes for the Knight Hawks visit was to collect trash in the banding area. A lot of Floridians in the past used to dump garbage in the woods in the 50s and 60s since there was no real collection system in rural areas back then. Every rainfall reveals more discarded trash left by folks who just didn't care from the 50s through the early 80s. Huge thanks to the Knight Hawks for helping get many bags of trash out of the banding site!



We have a cold snap this week and then another warm streak in early March. Hoping to begin capturing migrants next week. Could this be our last chilly Sunday until next Winter? High is suppose to reach 90 March 4th! Then, again, there are talks of us getting back to the 40s next weekend. Buckle up.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, March 1st.
All nets will be opened by 6:20 A.M.

Windy Fest Ends with a Bang

It was our pleasure to once again be invited to do demonstration banding at the Orlando Wetlands Festival this year. Glad to have the invasive fencing absent from two years ago but the winds, gusting to 30 mph at times, dampened expectations and captures through the day. However, we did capture several birds. One deserves special mention but you will have to wait until the end as we did.

Gray Catbirds were very vocal as we set nets before dawn and the first bird of the day we captured was one of them. Though we didn't get a great shot, this one does show something we teach for aging. Catbirds are born with white/pink interiors of their bills. Once they are adults it becomes black. Can you guess the age of this bird?



Next up was a male Common Yellowthroat flying against the wind.



More surprising was a male Painted Bunting caught a short time later. Rainbows in the morning are always a treat.



Andrew was watching a female Painted Bunting for quite a while as the morning wore on an she fed 2 feet behind Net 34. Eventually, she headed into the nets giving us a complete set.



One of the festival's early visitors got to release our female Painted Bunting.



Before the festival officially opened, Richard got his bird boxes situated near the bus drop-off not far from the banding table behind him.



Down in the "Critter Crawl" pond between our net set up, Momma American Alligator was lurking as we got things set but headed to the bank once the day got a little warmer. Oddly, she stayed there in the sunlight all day making her on of the most popular photo ops of the festival on this side of the activities.



Just around the corner, a few baby American Alligators were hanging out in a smaller pond.



Out in the cells, migrating American Coots mingled around with our local Common Gallinules.



Christine found a Purple Gallinule nearby.



White Ibis were flying over most of the day but some were hanging out with Glossy Ibis in the cells.



With the high winds all day we had ample opportunities to watch Black Vultures forming kettles overhead. A few Turkey Vultures joined in from time to time.



While some of us were doing a quick tour of the cells, and Ovenbird was captured and processed by Jenny.



We watch nets flapping in the wind for quite awhile most of the day. At one point, the volunteers began to rush from one area to another and it seemed like maybe a new bird had hit a net. Nope. They were more interested by a newly emerging Dragonfly from the demonstration vegetation vats across the lanes.



At one point today, Connie found a Rainbow Scarab Beetle, our local dung beetle in Florida.



Lunch was well behind us when we caught another male Common Yellowthroat.



Fortunately, a group of visitors was nearby (actually spotted the bird in the net before us) and one of the young ladies got to release the Common Yellowthroat.



Then, our last male Common Yellowthroat was brought in for a band.



Only a few people were around but this couple got to observe and release the Common Yellowthroat.



Clouds were beginning to thicken as the day was drawing to a close. Every now and then a sprinkle was felt and we decided to call it a day about 3 PM. As we started to close nets by the table it was clear there was something in the net at the end of the lane. Jenny yelled asking how to ID a certain bird as Susan thrusted her arms in victory of a Life Bird addition as guests looked on. Andrew took the bird out of the bag and confirmed our catch.

Two years ago, the last festival, we captured and banded a Yellow-breasted Chat. A Chat had been reported and seen for the past couple of weeks in the nearby area and we were hoping we could get some info on the bird. Could it be the same individual? Yes! Just as we were about to leave, here was our bird. As expected, everyone still in the area flocked to the table to see this beautiful bird.



Part of our research involves site fidelity (birds returning to the same spot year after year during migration) and this Yellow-breasted Chat is showing us that. Good protection, good habitat, good food. "I'm going near Disney World!" Welcome back, dear friend.



Two visitors were their way out of the festival after spending time heading here for the sole purpose of locating the Yellow-breasted Chat. Just so happened that they were by the net when the Chat flew in and was being extracted. Knowing this, Andrew called Lydia over and asked her to release the bird back into the scrub. A perfect end to a frustratingly windy day. Connections like that are the best part of festivals.



We need to mention that one of our volunteers, Kate, actually had a nice display by the bus drop off. A painting of Ospreys with chicks in a nest that she painted that was a photo board for visitor picture memories. From top to bottom, left to right: Connie, Susan, Kate (the artist!), and Christine. Great job, Kate!!



Sliding scale? Despite the 30 mph wind gusts, 8 bird captures was fairly surprising. Where were common birds like Cardinals? Weird. Great-crested Flycatcher out of season? Very weird. Yellow-breasted Chat recaptured? Spectacular.

Might have to call this a solid 7 after over a decade of festivals here. Next week we head back home as we inch toward Spring. Robins are already turing North...
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 23rd.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Migrants and Locals in the Chill

A chilly start to the day and we are getting used to the new reflector poles a bit. Not a lot of captures but we are getting our trainees some more practice Along the way. First up was a Gray Catbird.



Shannen got to process our one Northern Cardinal of the morning. A female.



Not was happening along the lanes for quite awhile but Andrew found a lot of interesting birds closer to the lake were we used to be able to have Net 21. Floods have eroded the banks too much to be out there anymore and even typical birdwatching is a bit sketchy. A shame because a wide variety of species are still out there, including our few Myrtle Warblers (Yellow-rumps) this year...



...Orange-crowned Warblers, who love the blooming Willows...



...along with a Prairie Warbler feeding next to it.



Swamp Sparrows still haunt the vegetation near the lake like this one that popped up during the watch. Listen closely and you can hear them all across the shoreline.



The biggest surprise was what brought Andrew back down to Area 21. A bird flew out right next to him on his first trip down and it looked familiar but oddly out of place. On the second search it was confirmed. A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are typically seen in a confined timeframe. During the Fall on their way South, and a couple of days in April on their return North. What is she doing here in February? We may never know as she would not stop hiding behind the branches for the rest of the viewing. Plus, they don't give up secrets easily.



On the trip back up the lanes, a Limpkin was prying out breakfast by the Cypress knees.



Another Gray Catbird gave Angela a chance to get back into the banding chair.



A but later, a Carolina Wren offered the same opportunity.



As we wrapped up the day, Christine noticed an American Alligator that we call Pat sunning on the river bank below the table. Male? Female? Don't know. Pat.



Next weekend we head to the Orlando Wetlands Festival where the city of Orlando staff ask us to do demonstration at each event. Winds are predicted to be high so who knows what we will find or capture. There have been reports of a Yellow-breasted Chat in the area where we captured and banded one last year. Same one? Stay tuned.
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Next (planned) Banding Day at the Orlando Wetlands: Saturday, February 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Groundhog Day without the Repeats

A little fog and a lot of new reflective parking barriers greeted us in the dark of the morning as we got ready for the day. The reflectors were part of the solution to stop semi-trailers from parking on the side of the property. A good start, but super confusing on how to get our cars in on first glance. We managed.

Our first bird of the day was an Ovenbird.



Soon afterwards was a recaptured Hermit Thrush. Always notice the tail. It is a great distinguisher between them and Swainson's Thrushes. They also are the only over-Wintering Thrushes we have in Central Florida.



A fellow birder friend, Lee, brought a few young birding enthusiasts along this morning and they are got to release a bird today. Jenny banded and helped them release our White-eyed Vireo.



Angela got some more experience at banding with the first of our 3 Gray Catbirds.



Lee also got his chance to release one of the Gray Catbirds.



Our 3rd Gray Catbird of the day before the day grew quiet.



As we were wrapping up, we captured an Eastern Palm Warbler. They are sometimes referred to as Yellow Palm Warblers even though a lot of reference guides are lumping them together are just Palm Warblers. Notice how many yellow feathers are scattered throughout the birds plumage. Western Palm Warblers are very drab and brown this time of year.



Should be a little chillier next Sunday but we can learn to layer.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 9th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.