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.