Whoa, Baby! 69!

The rain canceled our first week of October and probably held off migrants ahead of the front clearing us. But, as Andrew told the crew, "Brace yourself for the rush!" as the latest BirdCast foresaw a huge surge for this weekend. The dam broke this weekend! Our biggest one day total for the Fall at Lake Lotus. Other flyway spots have big numbers in October, but we are in a local, urban region and don't usually have huge numbers.

Our biggest count in the past was just under 50 birds. Today was crazy good with nice temperatures to boot. A nice mix of sepecies was tallied, too.

Our first bird of the morning was an Ovenbird. We ended up with 5 by the end of the day.



We usually only get a couple of House Wrens on any given day. Today they were flowing through like mad. We ended up with 12.



One of our visitors learns how to release a wriggly wren.



Jenny photographed a Common Yellowthroat with the growing number of bags in the background.



Then the Gray Catbirds began to flow in. Another of our visitors got to release one of the first. 27 Catbirds today with more bouncing out of the nets.



Susan gets ready to settle in for data recording with Andrew at the table.



We ended up with 11 Common Yellowthroats covering all ages and both sexes. This was our sole female.



Of our 4 Carolina Wrens, 3 were recaptures and a surprising unbanded one. Thought we had them all by now.



Our next visitor got to release one of the recaptured Carolina Wrens.



Always nice to catch one of our local Brown Thrashers.



Migrant White-eyed Vireos are making their way through. They all have a fat score of 3 which is the highest.



Nelida's husband and youngest stopped by and got to release some birds. This was one of our many Catbirds.



A male Black-throated Blue Warbler always brings gasps.



Nelida returned from a trip down the lanes with 4 more birds.



Her son releases one of our House Wrens.



A welcome surprise arrived a little early in this season. A male Indigo Bunting! They typically come through closer to November.



Our 3rd Acadian Flycatcher of the Session was next.



Another of our visitors got to release some birds, including this Ovenbird.



We could hear one of our volunteers yelling in pain at Net 2 so we thought a Cardinal was going to be brought down. Instead, it was a Tufted Titmouse. They bite almost as hard.



We were secretly wishing for a Swainson's Thrush and it manifested!



Susan got to release this gorgeous Swainson's Thrush.



As the morning was winding down, we captured a pair of American Redstarts. This is the female.



Right next to her was the male American Redstart. Both birds were loaded with fat. Fuel for their long journey.



As we were closing nets we got bird 69 which turned out to be a recaptured Ovenbird. Its recapture made it the first and last bird of this very busy, rewarding day.



Whew! This is the day we wait for all year and it was worth it. Next week is forecast for rain most of the days. Hope it clears in time for next Sunday.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Common Yellowthroat	10	1	11
Carolina Wren	1	3	4
Gray Catbird	27	0	27
Swainson's Thrush	1	0	1
White-Eyed Vireo	2	0	2
American Redstart	2	0	2
House Wren	11	1	12
Black-throated Blue Warbler	1	0	1
Brown Thrasher	1	0	1
Ovenbird	4	1	5
Tufted Titmouse	1	0	1
Acadian Flycatcher	1	0	1
Indigo Bunting	1	0	1
Totals	63	6	69

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, October 15th.
All nets will be opened by 7:00 A.M.

Session 16 Begins!

Just in time to start banding, a cool front sagged into Florida bringing us drier air and a beautiful day. The extra rain did raise the river enough to keep us from Net 21, though.

Andrew walked the lanes the week before and found the grasses up to waist high and a tree down blocking Net 7. The rangers were not sure if they could get out there due to Hurricane Idaylia getting close and they had to have sand bag filling duties.



The storm ended up staying to the West along the Tampa and panhande side and the rangers had time to clear the lanes before we began. Thanks to our friends for all of their efforts!



Our other, non-human friends, the Air Potato Beetles, have begun to wake and take care of the invasive vines.



The Air Potato vines are being skeletonized more and more throughout the area.



Can't not mention the first round of getting down the lanes. The early walk is usually spent clearing webs of Tropical Orb Weavers as we get things set up.



We were all glad to be back on the property. Some more than others!



We actually had to wait a awhile before the birds decided to get out of bed. After about an hour we got our first birds: 2 unbanded Carolina Wrens.



Like the bird with Nalida, we captured 6 Common Yellowthroats in a tight group moving past. 5 juvenile males and one female.



Then, the Ovenbirds arrived. We had 3 today. Right on time.



A next surprise was our next bird that usually come through in August, which we have given up due to heat. A Louisiana Waterthrush graced us and got a band today.



Then we captured a female Black-and-White Warbler.



Our last bird of the day was barely resting in Net 18. A male American Redstart. It was full of fat and tired, just arriving from the North.



Andrew was checking nets not long from closing up and found a large wasp in Net 5 with some prey. Turned out to be a Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus) with a cicada in its grasp. Most of us gathered to watch it finally free itself and the bug and drag it back to its burrow. Once there, it will lay eggs on the insect and let the offspring feed on it before leaving the nest.



It was a nice day and great return for Session 16. Lets see what the year brings us before Fall officially begins! Looking forward to cooler weather weather not too far away.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	2	0	2
Louisiana Waterthrush	1	0	1
Common Yellowthroat	5	1	6
Black-and-white Warbler	1	0	1
Ovenbird	3	0	3
American Redstart	1	0	1
Totals	13	1	14

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 10th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

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.