Back to the Drought

Well, the fog is gone, again, but so are most of the birds. Many species were seen around the property in the marsh and high in the trees. Still, they did not drop lower into the net zones.

We did get a recaptured Carolina Wren just after dawn. Another of our juveniles banded in this past Summer.



See those beautiful cottony clouds? Just below that is and arching oak that many birds use to travel just above nets 9 and 13 to forage. The entire Titmouse family is up there along with over warblers and kinglets. They chose not to play lower today.



So, when there are few birds in the nets, we explore to see where they are. Again, they were closer to the lake. A Blue-headed Vireo has been hanging out near the end of the lane for weeks and todayy it was busy feeding against the light where the old Net 21 used to be.



A male Downy Woodpecker soon chased the Vireo out of the way to explore the trees around the area.



Our other captured bird was a recaptured female Northern Cardinal, also banded last August.



Richard decided it was time to extract rebar from the old poles that had them stuck inside while we had time. Teamwork came together with Kate, Susan, and Richard holding the pole as Andrew pounded another piece of rebar into the long end to get the stuck one out. Sparks flew, folks held tight, and Susan protected her hearing throughout. Much success!



Andrew took a long way through the woods and flushed the Barred Owl pair trying to hide out.



The Limpkin pair were chasing each other all morning and at one point they flew straight at Andrew near the lake. You cannot mistake their calls, which often begin before dawn.



Nets are always half-full in our minds, but migrants are noticably missing this year. We hope to get more birds next week as some folks might be visiting for the Lake Apopka Festival. However, rains might derail any banding at all this week as a cold front charges through during the weekend. Rain is forecast most of Sunday as of this writing. Stay tuned if we are banding or not late in the week.

Note: No banding January 20th and 27th due to the forecast of rain and high winds.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 3rd.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Stupid Wind

The title is an inside joke but holds true for the day. Spring is right on our doorstep but the winds don't help catch birds as they cause the nets to blow about and be more noticeable to our flying friends. Still, it was not a bad day and we enjoyed having various visitors throughout the morning.

Gray Catbirds ruled the day, as expected but we also caught a Common Yellowthroat just after dawn.



One of our visitors got to release the bird. In fact, everyone who wanted to got a chance to release birds.



Shortly,, one of the 'biters' showed up. A female Northern Cardinal. We choose not to let visitors release then. Your first bid release should not be remembered as pitched really hard.



We weren't going to take a picture of a Gray Catbird since we have so many but since they were the majority today...



Charles brought his Grandson Ben out and he got to release a Gray Catbird and Carolina Wren this morning.



We know Spring is right around the corner when the Innoscence begins to bloom. There is a nice patch under Net 2 right now.



One of the major projects for the day was repositioning Net 21. It has been stretched along the bank of the river for years and has netted us some great captures.



However, it is also a place of change from storm to storm. There was a nice bank along this area for a while but even with the rainy season dropping off the water is claiming parts of the bank. Sometime soon someone might just tumble into the river gathering a bird.



So, the decision was made to cut down some small trees and pivot the net East into the Willows. It was always a thought from the beginning and now it is a reality.



Many smaller birds feed through here and once things start filling in we should get more birds before they fly over the net across the river. As hard as we tried for a new capture today this Blue-headed Vireo refused to dip low enough to receive some jewelry.



As the day began to wind down we caught a new male Northern Cardinal in Net 9. Seems there is no end to the new Cardinals as we go along.



As the trash from upstream reminds us, 'hang in there' until next week. We just need a little less wind to bring more birds into the nets.



NOTE: Time to Spring Forward! Daylight Savings time goes into effect this Sunday so don't forget to set those clocks. Especially tricky for banders and other early risers.

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, March 13th.
All nets will be opened by 7:05 A.M.

Wrapping Up 2015

We finally had a pretty dry morning ahead of us. Then right at dawn we had a couple of birds hit the nets. It looked to be a day of recaptures and our first bird was a Gray Catbird banded not too long ago.



The next bird was more interesting. We first banded this Carolina Wren two and a half years ago as a juvenile. It was captured both times in the same net...at the same time of morning. Guess we know its territory.



A few more Myrtle Warblers are moving in but they are staying high in the branches. We had some overcast patches of sky which made for some difficult photography.



At one point in the morning Lynn was focused on a Downy Woodpecker behind Net 21. Andrew joined in and took nearly a hundred shots of this male which was busily drumming on vines and branches.



It seldom stayed still so it was amazing that any of the shots turned out at all. We could show you 90 photos that are blurry but maybe you might want to put in a special request.



The bright red feathers on the head indicate that it is a male Downy Woodpecker.



Lynn also found a Golden-Silk Spider earlier in the day. A much more accommodating subject.



Out near the edge of the lake, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers chased one another and snatched up insects in the Primrose Willow stand.



Over on the marsh side a Swamp Sparrow sneaks up behind an Eastern Phoebe.



Back in the oaks, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker makes holes in the bark to lure in bugs for a snack.



The River Otters have been leaving tracks around for the past couple of weeks and today Chris got a shot of one stuffing its face with a tasty snail.



Who do we have here? A Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Wearing some fairly new jewelry, too! This bird was probably banded this session and is sticking around for the Winter.



Back at the table, Becki processed another recaptured Gray Catbird. For some reason it decided to stay in her hand for a while before heading back into the woods.



Our last bird of the morning turned out to be the Bird-of-the-Day. A Blue-headed Vireo. We have been hearing and seeing a few lately but they are not often captured. A great end to the morning.



We will not be banding next Sunday since everyone will be scattered about for the Christmas weekend making this our last banding day of 2015. So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Here is to a wonderful 2016 full of birds and Nature for all! Festivals are not too far away and then the Spring migration. Hope to see some of you soon.

NOTE: We will also not be banding next Sunday, January 3rd, due to a forecast of all-day rain.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 10th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

It Looked Promising...

Timing was looking promising for a good day of banding. A cold front was dropping down and a large group of birds were on the move from the South. Add to that the birds were singing nearly 30 minutes earlier than usual and we were ready for action. However...

Despite the large amount of local birds calling well before dawn we only caught a few birds. First off was a new Northern Cardinal and then Becki found a Tufted Titmouse in Net 2.



Another Cardinal was in Net 12 next to a pair of Carolina Wrens. The female had a brood patch and the male was right next to her in the net. We first banded the female when she was a juvenile so it is nice to see here around and starting a family. The male was banded just a couple of months before the female.



Andrew grabbed his camera to do some looking around and found a Tussock Moth on the strap. Caterpillars are all over the place. When they are not being turned into bird food they sometimes fall from above and give us a quick visit.



The main reason we had such a slow day was the wind which rose a few hours earlier than forecast. At times it was gusting very strong, especially down near the lake.



Becky found a Blue-headed Vireo tucked away in the branches avoiding the windy conditions.



Out on the new sandbar in front of the pier, a Fish Crow picked up scraps on the sand.



To the right, a female Red-winged Blackbird stayed to the edges of the reeds while the males vied for territory.



Following a flock of Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers that were feeding high int he trees, Andrew traveled through the woods a bit to see if any thing interesting was within. Deep in the shade he found some red berries showing off to no one.



One of the recent branches that fell by Net 12, shell-shaped fungus rings most of the diameter.



Back in the woods, on a long-ago fallen tree trunk some umbrella-shaped fungus was sprouting on the shadiest side.



Interestingly, looking back at the same trunk from the other side we find a totally different type of fungus.



Bob found our final bird of the day in Net 9. A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. She had a brood patch so she was heading either to or from a nearby nest.



Finally, near those first fungus we mentioned is a blooming Bartram's Airplant (Tillandsia bartramii) also attached to one of the fallen limbs.



A few more weeks of migration and hopefully we can get in some banding in around the increasing April Showers.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 12th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.

More Flora Than Fauna

Our day back at 'home' after the Birdapalooza was a bit quieter. All of our birds were captured before 8:30 AM and then everything around stayed high in the treetops to feed on the insects in the sunlight. We did get a few Gray Catbirds. While trying to take photos as usual, Andrew's old camera drained its batteries. Time to try the phone camera. Not really good in the early light. So we missed shots of the Hermit Thrush and House Wren we also brought in.



The sunrise works a little better as he had to haul the poles back to the banding table after the festival.



As soon as the light began to creep across our area we were greeted by the sight of hundreds of Bowl and Doily Spider webs which is quite common this time of year, especially with the morning dew highlighting them.



All of our birds were recaptures today. House Wren, Hermit Thrush, and Catbirds. So, as always, we focus on other flora and fauna while waiting for more birds to join us. Next to Net 14 fungus is springing up in the crook of an old stump.



Deep in the shade by Net 1 our Stoppers are beginning to bloom.



Along the river, the Wax Myrtle we have planted are thriving and one is starting to form the first signs of fruit.



The Little Wekiva itself is looking nice after the latest rain.



On the adjoining property, a Great Blue Heron rests in a Bottle brush tree.



Near Nets 9 and 13 we are again noticing signs of our Bobcat using the area for a territory.



In a stump nearly submerged by the fluctuating water levels a spider has claimed a temporary stronghold.



On the opposite side of the river an Eastern Phoebe hunted in the shallow side of the marsh.



Oxalis continues to extend its reach around the area collecting droplets before the heat of the day evaporates them.



Earth Smoke is also spreading up and down the net lanes and blooming. Next will be the Crane's Bill plants.



Thistle species are waking up now. Florida has a lot of yellow in the Fall and Winter before the other colors spring to life.



For instance, the Spider Worts are now popping up in their usual locations that we walk and soon will draw in bumble bees and honey bees as the flowers start to dominate the river side.



Darting through the Maples, a Blue-headed Vireo feeds and sings as it flits from branch to branch.



Near the lake a male Red-winged Blackbird pranced from branch to branch and sang its territorial songs. Every now and then it would look down for a relaxed pose.



The Holly planted a couple of years ago are doing quite well and sporting tons of red berries. If only we could get Waxwings or Robins to fly down to feast while we are set on Sundays!



Right on schedule, as the light kissed the river bank before we headed out, our lovely girl wandered up to bask. Maybe we have to give her a name based on that toothy showing?



Next Sunday will be a little chilly and part of the Great Backyard Bird Count so go out and report birds seen for the weekend be added to the list!
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 15th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M. Sunday.