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

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