Sunday, May 23, 2021

Wrapping Up the Session

We finished up one week early this year. Nothing but locals and a surprise capture. Photos are on the way when I have time to get through them. Work is crazy busy since everyone has come out of their caves with the new mask updates!

Stay tuned for that, but in the meantime, a huge thanks to everyone who helped out this past trying Session. Weather and pandemic made it very odd. We did the best we could and banded some interesting birds and met a lot of new friends along the way.

I hope everyone has a great Summer and we will post about getting ready for the next Session soon. I am putting off August after reviewing data from the past few years and seeing we only capture a single migrant and possible new bird. Lots of bugs and baby locals. Doesn't seem too productive these days of changing climate heating. September should be more fun.

Plus: Sleep.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed New Recaptured Total
Carolina Wrens 3 0 3
Northern Cardinal 4 0 4
Northern Parula 1 0 1
Cooper's Hawk 1 0 1
Totals 9 0 9

NOTE: Due to the new CDC recommendations, if you are fully vaccinated you are not required to wear masks, esp. at outdoor events such as ours. Get your shots and come on out. Otherwise, bring a mask. All current members at Lake Lotus are fully Vac'ed.

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 5th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.

Friday, May 21, 2021

Locals Only

The weather was perfect, yet a bit widy during the end of the day. Can't remember the last time we had such a cool May. However, it seems all of the migrants are gone and we missed all of the best Spring birds after being shut out of most of April due to rains. So we started the day with a bunch of Carolina Wrens. We always let our new visitors release at least a single bird during the day.

Carolina Wren

Among the Wrens we did get one of the early new chicks.

Carolina Wren

Then we had a female Northern Cardinal.

Northern Cardinal

More Wrens filled out the morning for the next hour.

Carolina Wren

There was quite a lull for most of the day until we thought of closing up and suddenly we had two Northern Parulas to wind things up.

Northern Parula

Next week provides us with an opportunity to band some chicks in Clermont and then we will wrap up the Session the following Sunday.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed New Recaptured Total
Carolina Wrens 6 1 7
Northern Cardinal 1 0 1
Northern Parula 2 0 2
Totals 10 0 10

NOTE: Due to the new CDC recommendations, if you are fully vaccinated you are not required to wear masks, esp. at outdoor events such as ours. Get your shots and come on out. Otherwise, bring a mask. All current members at Lake Lotus are fully set.

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 23rd.
All nets will be opened by 6:00 A.M.

Friday, May 7, 2021

In To May

We had a few weeks off due to weather, but we finally got back to it for the month of May. Proud to report that everyone, including our new visitor Ben, are all fully vaccinated! Please, please, please get your shots and help end this crazy year. Being outside and scattered most of the time helps, but getting cleared helps all of us in the long run. Do not believe any false news of problems or tracking nonsence.

The dawn chorus was nice with a lot of baby local birds but the first couple of runs were dry. Then the Northern Cardinals began to get active. Two were captured near one another. The first was a male recapture in Net 5.

Northern Cardinal

Flying past him was the female Northern Cardinal that heard his commotion as shot sideways into Net 6 just feet away. She was a new capture.

Northern Cardinal

One of our remaining migrants was up next. An Ovenbird.

Ovenbird

Our last migrant was a Northern Waterthrush, which we failed to get a shot of as we were explaining the differences between the 2 Waterthrush species.

Susan discovered a family of Limpkin down near Net 18 and a bit later we discovered them by net 20. It turned out there were 7 chicks following the parents up the river.

Limpkin

The only problem is that Net 20 is right under the Barred Owl nest tree. Both adults were there and eyeing the chicks. The parents, though, spent time digging out snails for the young and flying right at the face of the owls to keep them in check.

Barred Owl

One of the most vocal birds and chicks are the Northern Parula. Connie brought an adult female back from Net 21 near the lake.

Northern Parula

Our final bird of the day was a male Common Yellowthroat. We used to have dozens of migrant in the Spring and the Fall but they are declining in the area. There are a few that still remain near the lake through the year.

Common Yellowthroat

We will be taking a weekend off for Mother's Day but should return for the following week.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed New Recaptured Total
Common_Yellowthroat 1 0 1
Northern Cardinal 1 1 2
Northern Waterthrush 1 0 1
Ovenbird 1 0 1
Northern Waterthrush 1 0 1
Totals 5 1 6

NOTE: To ensure the safety of our volunteers and the general public, new visitors are discouraged from attending banding at this time. The few of us who remain will update the blog as long as we can and hope to see new faces in the future. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 16th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.