Heading Into Migration

Nice to be back out after so many rainy Sundays. Dawn chorus was very loud but not too many birds were flying. Everything seems to be looking like breeding is on.

Connie called that she had a bird in Net 14 and thought it might be a Swamp Sparrow. Indeed it was! Usually they are lurking down by the lake's edge but this one ventured up the river.



Jenny always thinks that her bird photos make them look like Muppets. Because she makes them stare into the camera that way.



Our new volunteer, Alex, got to release our first bird of the day.



Soon afterwards we had a House Wren.



Northern Cardinals very loud right now as they set up house. We captured a male and later a female with a begining brood patch. Babies are on the way.



Gray Catbirds are heading out next month but we did hear them and got two today.



Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are also getting louder and busier. We usually don't catch them until they get distracted by chasing one another around. Today we got a nice adult male.



You can easily tell the adult males by that bold eyebrow. He was a great looking guy.



Caterpillars are dropping out of the trees. Food for all the migrating birds, but sometimes they fall on us banders. Like this Eastern Tent Caterpillar.



Time to head out and see if our luck holds out so that we can band again next Sunday. Should be a nice day and we look forward to arriving migrants.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Northern Cardinal	1	1	2
Swamp Sparrow	1	0	1
House Wren	1	0	1
Ovenbird	1	0	1
Gray-catbird	2	0	2
Blue-grey Gantcatcher	1	0	1
Totals	7	1	8

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, March 24th.
All nets will be opened by 7:10 A.M.

Foggy Sunday

The first of a projected series of cold fronts is creeping down and a little rain is sweeping through. Radar shows birds moving, but they are most likely ducks instead of warblers. Will still set in for a day as the morning was brought with fog. It got thicker and thicker before dawn becoming a misty air in the dark.

This shot ws taken later but still shows he extent of the fog out near the lake lingering approaching 9 AM.



Our first bird in the morning was a recaptured House Wren. A second was not far behind with a Catbird, told below.



Hermit Thrushes typically arrive so much earlier, so it was nice to get our first ones today. This one was a juvenile.



Our one Gray Catbird flew in early and was next to our second House Wren in Net 9. Most of our birds were captured before 7:30 today.



Yet another new Northern Cardinal male was captured. Cardinals do not really migrate, so where is this guy coming from? Somewhere nearby, for sure.



A second Hermit Thrush was waiting at the table when we brought the other back. This one was an adult bird.



Another of our juvenile Carolina Wrens hit the nets. Kids still not learning.



As we waited for a hopeful next feeding wave, we looked around the property and were surprised to find several species of fungi all over the place. It has been a very wet couple of years and now it is very dry. The fungus has decided to thrive on the snags and undergrowth. We took time to take photos of all of the varieties along the way, starting with the big growth in the net lanes.



But, 'skeeeeeetch!" Where did this Purple Aster come from? It is now blooming just behind Net 9.



Up in the pine flat wood region of the property we found many different fungus. This patch was circling a trunk of a small snag.



Another trunk was circled from top to bottom.



On that same tree, a small branch was growing out and also being ringed by fungus.



Most were brown and tan were punctuated by a bit of yellow deep in the woods.



Behind Net 15, a bit of shelf fungus was seen by the oak felled by Hurricane Matthew.



One of the fun things about the fog is that is shows off all of the Bowl-and-Doily Spiderwebs all up and down the lanes.



Jenny spotted a turtle at that same spot when the rest of us missed it. It seems rather beat up but she says it shows some sign of Life. We shall see in the week to come.



In the wooded area near Nets 16-17, there is now a White Aster putting on a show.



Back at Net 15, signs of Tent Caterpillars are spinning homes in the holly.



Near the table, Andrew spotted a few other fungus features. This one was another ringing a small branch.



A step to the side revealed a more yellow growth in the shade.



As we wrapped up the day and headed back to the table after net gathering, Kate noticed a flash of orange off to the left along the path we have walked all day. There is a huge fungus growth there 5 yards off to the left.



Just behind the orange bloom was a set of white mushrooms sharing the same tree.



Net 3 was alos hiding a nice colony of caps.



Our final bird of the day was one we were wondering about. Where were the Ovenbirds? Quiet but still here.



One the way home, Andrew found some of the birds at Maitland Center. We are now up to 4 Hooded Mergansers in the parking lot pond.



Also feeding along the pond's edge was a Little-blue Heron...



...and several White Ibis.



We will dip into the 30s this week but should be back into the 80s by next Sunday. Maybe we can get some new migrants in the area with this new cold front? Fingers crossed...
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, December 2nd.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Catbirds and Deformity

One thing to be grateful for was that the wind and the bugs were down. However, it wasn't too busy, bird-wise. Most of the day resembled this view at mid-morning.



We were catching bird fairly steadily throughout our stay. The day began with a House Wren.



It was quickly followed by a Hermit Thrush.



The first thing in the title of this post refers to the fact that Gray Catbirds were our most numerous species captured today. They are finally moving about and calling more from the bushes.



Hard to believe that is takes most of Winter until it starts to look like Fall in Central Florida.



Eastern Tent Caterpillars are beginning to weave their homes all over the property.



Eastern Tent Caterpillars use their tents as protection and take trips outside of it to feed on the leaves of the trees they call home.



We captured a Downy Woodpecker with a very deformed bill. Deformed bills, also known as Avian Keratin Disorder, is still being studied without any real answers to the cause. Birds seem to get around their handicap somehow as this is an adult male. He must be able to feed himself somehow.



We suddenly caught a few female Ruby-crowned Kinglets in a row. Males were seen feeding in the treetops.



Turtles were seen moving and feeding up and down the river.



Out in the marsh, Myrtle Warblers (Yellow-rumped Warbler) were feeding on insects. Just need them to come back along the net lanes.



This bright fungus was growing on a snag near Net 7. Wasn't there last time we were here.



Connie reached a happy milestone today. She has been with us for a while and this Gray Catbird was her first unaided extraction from a net. Congratulations, Connie!



Hate to end on a downer. Last week, Andrew's family cat, Oscar, passed away after an illness. Andrew decided to bring him to his final resting place back in the woods.



This way, Oscar can be visited every week we are out. R.I.P., Oscar. Such a good and loving kitty.



Overall, it was a very nice day. We even enjoyed having it overcast. Next week might be warmer. Willows are starting to bloom which should bring out more pollinators. Thus, more birds should be around to consume them.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 12th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.