Session 15 Ends

Time to wrap the latest Session. Number 15 is in the books. 15 years of banding at Lake Lotus. What a ride. Hurricanes and changes in vegetation over all of these years. Never the same year twice. Today was quite a surprise with temperatures at 65 degrees and the humitiy was not overwhelming. Usually, May is already a sauna.

BUT, with the nice weather we had next to nothing moving around the property. Most birds were in the third story and little else. Cardnials were not even calling much. Great-crested Flycatchers were all over the place, just not down low.

When this happens, we study bugs and flowers. Most of the ladies were looking for bugs for hours. There were also new flowers emerging, like this Milkweed.



Sensitive Brier used to be all over the property, spreading all the way toward the entrance gate. Now it seems contained between Nets 8 and 14. But it is spreading very well.



Andrew and Connie found the same Root Weevil within minutes of each other. Connies nailed the full name along the way.



Lynn and Kate found several Unicorn Moth Caterpillers by Net 8.



The gang also found a fun discovery while checking the lanes. A Ringed-neck Snake (Diadophis punctatus). Very tiny and wiggly until it was in Andrew's hands. The colors really showed off in the morning sunlight.



The first bird on record was a recently hatched Cooper's Hawk that Lynn photographed at the nest just behind Net 12.



Things remainded quiet and Andrew was about to call the day early. A Red-winged Blackbird escaped us eariler and then we had a Northern Cardinal which we released at the table.



As we closed up. Lynn brough back a new young Brown Thrasher from Net 6. The adults have stopped calling every day. Probably busy feeding this youngster.



Time to wind down. A very quiet day but filled with many interesting discoveries. We covered the best here.

Thanks to all of our volunteers over the past 9 months. It was an interesting year. Enduring hurricanes and finding birds and Nature along the way. We get to sleep in for the next 3 months and prepare for Session 16 beginning in early September.

Take care. Enjoy the out there!

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Brown Thrasher	1	0	1
Northern Cardinal	1	0	1
Totals	2	0	2

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 3rd.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.

Migrants Definitely Gone. One More Day to Go.

Humidity has returned and we began the morning with a bit of fog trying to creep in. It was not too bad but our feet were soaked from the wet grass from an overnight rain. It does reduce the spider webs, though.

Our first bird was a recaptured Northern Cardinal only staying in the net because of the band catching in the net. It was nice and early, so it made for a nice spooky photo.



Thinking we might not get any Warblers since migration is over, but we did get a Common Yellowthroat near the lake where they stay through most of the year.



Next up was a juvenile female Northern Cardinal in the middle of the lanes.



Coming back up the lane with the Warbler, we found a couple of birds in nearby nets. In Net 15 was an adult Carolina Wren.



Several feet away was another Carolina Wren. This was a new chick as evident by the gape on the bill.



Andrew visited Oscar's grave site again and then marked it to find it easier next Session. On the way back to the table, he stopped to take a picture of his favorite landmark in the woods. A tree fall. Long ago an old tree feel and is lodged in another oak. It is striking.



Once emerging from the woods, he found a new plant along the path towards the table. We are calling this a Lanceleaf Rattlebox. Still trying to confirm, but it seems right. Now we have to see if it is invasive or Native. Some research says it is only suppose to be South of here, but things are always spreading in different directions.



As we began to wrap up, the gang found a Ring-necked Snake. It was very wiggly for a while until we got some good shots before releasing it back into the vegetaion.



Captures are typical for this time of year. Hopefully, we can get a few more babies next week before ending Session 15. Then we can sleep for the Summer until September.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Common Yellow-throat	1	0	1
Northern Cardinal	1	1	2
Totals	3	2	5

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 28.
All nets will be opened by 6:00 A.M.

Mainly Babysitting

We finished up the Purple Martin banding yesterday (combo blog on those days later) and headed out. Oddly, the entire site was soaking wet on arrival. The was almost no rain in Orlando and surrounding cities. Seems like everything dumped right here last night. So shoes were quickly soaked while setting nets and birds don't really move when everything is dripping with water.

So, we set in and got our first bird, an adult Carolina Wren with a brood patch. This is the season for baby birds as we wind down the Session.



Sure enough, our next bird was a newly fledged Carolina Wren from Net 8.



We continued the baby theme with a couple of young Northern Cardinals. One was this new female.



Next was her brother that we actually banded last week. His feathers are getting brighter by the week.



It seems the rangers or thier allies stopped by during the week and cut down our Widow Maker. This Oak Tree snapped during Hurricane Nicole last Fall and has been worrying some for a while.



Now, it is a bundle of logs and saw dust so everyone can walk through relaxed. Thanks Rangers and folks!



Side note: Andrew buried his cat up in the woods years ago to keep him near. Since the hurricanes of last year and the high winds of this Spring it has been hard to locate the spot. Trees are falling all over and new trees are growing making the forest almost unrecognizable. This week, success, the spot was relocated. RIP Oscar.



We began to shut down by 10. Nothing was moving from the table to the lake. Then, out of nowhere, we captured a few Tufted Titmice. They had been loud all morning but were high in the trees. Then Lynn got an adult in the double nets.



Another couple were in Net 14. The most angry was an adult that was super mad. Biting and kicking.



Probably because our last bird was a fledgling just down the net. Super cute and welcome to the world.



Two more planned weeks if there is no rain. Most migrants are gone and we may just be getting a few babies and their feeding parents.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Tufted Titmouse	3	0	3
Northern Cardinal	1	1	2
Totals	5	2	7

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 21.
All nets will be opened by 6:05 A.M.

Purple Martin Banding, Day 4

We decided to get one more weekend with the Purple Martin banding before the remaining chicks fledge.

We arrived just before sunrise to beat the expected rush of participants of a planned marathon. Didn't have too much trouble getting set. It was a beautiful start to the day.



As always, the houses are brought down and the nests get removed and brought to the tables for banding. One by one, we bring them out and prepare for collecting data.



The chicks are weighed on a digital scale (unless we capture adults, then they are weighed in bags with another scale) and then they are given a specific band.



The next chick is given a new gift of jewerly and replaced back into the nest box.



A new adult Martin is captured and brought in for a band. Andrew makes sure it is secured properly before release.



Time for your close up!



Another older bird is brought in and you can see how the throat of these amazing birds are with gills that grasp and push insects into their stomachs.



Lynn gets to release the last adult of the day.



This ends our Purple Martin banding for this year. Next year should be even bigger with color bands in deploy. Back to banding at Lake Lotus tomorrow.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Purple Martin	35	2	37
Totals	35	2	37

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 14.
All nets will be opened by 6:05 A.M.

Lizard-head/Bald Cardinals

A break from the usual since I have started watching bird cam web sites more than usual. A big thing that comes up again and again with new people watching and asking about birds on the cams is that there is at least two Cardinals that are experiencing 'lizard heads" on one site I watch. Meaning that they are missing all of their head feathers and look like weird dinosaurs (Which they are, BTW).

Many links to sites that say it is a typical molt during breeding, or just after, and it happens all the time. These are mainly the first hit on Google and I get that this is what folks think is the real answer based on that.

In my research, and experience, this is not normal. I am convinced that this is due to mite infestations that cause the Cardinals to shed the infected head area to get rid of the pests and then regrow the head feathers after they are gone.

When you have time, please read this informative blog post from a fellow bander, Bill Hilton, that spells it out in great detail. I have cooresponded with him for many, many years. He knows what is what.

Hilton Pond explaining head mites on Cardinals.

I have banded birds for almost 20 years and have banded and handled hundreds of Northern Caridinals and have never seen one Northern Cardinal with a bald head in our banding sites and only a Red-winged Black Bird in the Seattle area many years ago with the same condition. And Northern Cardinals breed up to 3 time a year in Florida (if food is available) and never molt the head feathers.



Molting happens in a particular sequence along feathers on both sides of their bodies to balence things out (unless it stress molts a tail in the Spring; which is a whole other topic). Why would a bird just molt everything on the head for no real reason?

Just another thought to my new web cam familys and those that be interested. I am no specific scientist. Just a citizen scientist with observations.

I feel these 'lizard-heads' are just dealing with mites. My two cents.

Super Variety as we Head into May

So, that was an interesting day! A lot of species were captured and some that were not expected at all.

Early on we caught a juvenile Northern Cardinal.



Northern Waterthrush are still moving through at the end of Spring migration.



We recaptuered two Carolina Wrens today. Busy with nests around the area and we should start catching newly hatched birds before we leave for the season.



A friend of ours has been reporting thrushes in his area just North of us last week. We rarely catch thrushes in the Spring but many in the Fall. Today we got a migrating Veery at Net 21.



Spiderworts are familiar sight at Net 19 and they were in full show today.



We hear Great-crested Flycatchers every morning lately and Jenny has been waiting for one to be banded. Wish granted.



A female Northern Cardinal was brought in from where the juvenile was first caught. Probably Mom. We released both birds back into the area they were catpured in.



Probably our last Northern Waterthrush for the Spring. How things are going lately, though, who knows.



Northern Parula are finishing up raising young and we captured a couple today. One male and one female like this one.



The Ovenbird was another surpise. A nice adult on the way home.



Then, a male American Redstart in Net 8! We usually get a juvenile male before the end of Spring so it was nice to have an adult.



Common Yellowthroats call down by Net 21 just before the lake and it was nice to get an adult male before we left.



Connie came down from Net 2 saying it was a "tiny bird" and thought she had the ID correct. Indeed, a female Black-throated Blue Warbler! Usually our last one is on Earth Day in years past.



Then we closed out the day with a Western Palm Warbler in full alternative plumage. We rarely get to see them this bright.



Might do a last Purple Martin banding day in Clermont and then get back to Lake Lotus Sunday morning.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	0	2	2
Ovenbird	1	0	1
American Redstart	1	0	1
Veery	1	0	1
Northern Parula	2	0	2
Northern Cardinal	1	2	3
Common Yellowthroat	1	0	1
Great-crested Flycatcher	1	0	1
Western Palm Warbler	1	0	1
Northern Waterthrush	3	0	3
Black-throated Blue Warbler	1	0	1
Totals	13	4	17

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 14.
All nets will be opened by 6:05 A.M.