Quiet with an Exception

Our next to last Sunday for Session 9 was our last chance at finding any migrants but we could tell while setting nets that this might be more of an exploration day than anything else. It was awfully quiet. We soldiered on preparing for a slow set of walks.

Baby Barred Owl was up at dawn and skipping from branch to branch while other birds began to stir.



The only noise we really heard was the feeding family of Titmice and there was also a couple of Chickadees calling with them. Been a while since they strayed to this side of the property. Then, as Andrew began his next run, he noticed a couple of birds in Net 15. Then another. And another. The flock had moved near the ground and were hitting the net one by one. One of the birds was one of the Carolina Chickadees! Becki had stopped by for her first visit in a while and was given banding duty.



This marked the first Carolina Chickadee we have banded since 2010!



We do catch more Tufted Titmice and when we do it is usually most of a family at the same time. Once one goes in and starts sounding an alarm the others fly in to investigate and also get snagged. Two of the five were juveniles, noted by the yellow gape at the edge of the bill.



The other Tufted Titmice were all adults.



As we finished up with the flock, Christine walked up with a recaptured male Northern Cardinal first banded a year ago and captured in the same Net 7.



Then things got quiet again so we were left to photograph the Barred Owls. Momma was staying closer to where Baby was earlier near the nest tree.



Poppa Barred Owl was staying by the river at Net 18



Soon, we captured our second juvenile Carolina Wren of the Spring. Young wrens are more tan overall and have not yet molted into their wing spots.



Andrew jumped the river during the next lull in the action and walked out to the pier. One of the Limpkin pair was in the water probing for snails and mollusks while the other was standing on the railing. Hanging out with these two for nearly 10 years allowed a very close approach. Not bad for a cellphone shot from two feet away!



Momma Barred Owl was now eyeing the river herself as the morning drew to a close. Yet another shot from a few feet away as they are too used to us, as well.



As we closed up for the day, a female Northern Parula was found down in Net 21.



One more morning before we take the next months off. It will probably be just as quiet or more so.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 28th.
All nets will be opened by 6:00 A.M.

Things are Stirring

Yes. Sauna again. I tried to keep it from happening but, alas...

Nothing left to do but to get to it. Ovenbrids were heard calling all over the place today but they really weren't moving around much. We had to watch other birds fly by or over the area. Could have used a capture of an Ovenbird as the past couple of years but we could not do it.

Still catching the other locals, though. Like more young Cardinals. This female is showing a lot of new feathers coming in all around her body and still shows dark spots on the her bill as typical of young birds.



This slightly older male also shows new feathers coming in but the bill is more uniform in color.



We had a couple of guests today. Alice and Kris had a great time hanging out with us and we enjoyed them being there. Guests are always welcome at the site and they can always head over to the park proper afterward.



The day was not chock full of captured birds but we did have enough to keep everyone involved. This shot from Alice shows Andrew hauling back two birds back to the banding table midway through the morning.



In one of those bags was another Cardinal. A pretty girl.



The other bag contained out first migrant of the day. A Northern Waterthrush. Two weeks in a row.



As we walked the lane in search for captured birds, Richard was being all sexy and tending to our new plantings. New plants are looking good, too!



In between the new mulberries, a plant was noticed growing near the lanes. Turns out to be a Partridge Berry. Supposed to be a favorite of some birds and hopefully it will fill in the barren spots around our new trees.



Soon afterward, we captured a Carolina Wren. Most everything we are catching are young birds. Alice got a shot of this bird being banded by Andrew.



Showing the molting process on these young birds is nicely illustrated by this shot of the secondary feathers pushing through the shafts.



One bird we had hoped to catch (and maybe we have) was a one of the pair of Brown Thrashers flying right over the nets near the pier. Next time...



Andrew had to stop by the site the previous Friday and found a Carolina Chickadee. First ever sighted by us here. Today, we had several near 10 AM. They were hanging out with the Titmice (as is typical) and we managed to capture one of the birds today.



Soon after releasing the Chickadee, Andrew went toward Net 2 to see what all the birds were fussing about. He soon found the Eastern Wood Pewee he found last Friday and the Yellow-throated Vireo our visitors found last week. Same spot for both birds at around the same time!



Right near the Vireo, a Downy Woodpecker dropped into the picture. Still wish there would have been more light for both birds.



Rounding out the day, Susan and Maria were transfixed by movement across the river from the banding table. They discovered a blooming Button Bush which was being visited by our first sighting of a Silver Spotted Skipper. Nice!



Overall, a fun day shared with new friends and some great birds viewed and banded.

Someone send us a Cerulean Warbler, would ya?
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Next Banding Day: Sunday, August 29th.

All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.