Peak Happening Late

Peak Migration is happening a couple weeks late. Climate Change? I am no expert. Catbirds used to hit in force on Octoboer 1st. Now we are back to the 12th. A few were coming through in small numbers, but today was as if they were everywhere. They joined other migrants and locals as you will see below.

We had a nice cool blast to start the morning. Low 60s. We started the day with our first Indigo Bunting of the season. A young female. We also caught another adult female later.



Gray Catbirds ruled the count today with 9 birds. They typically hit on the 1st. We have been hearing a couple hear and there, but this is the first big rush through the area. One new volunteer showed up to release one of them.



House Wrens are showing up in bigger numbers, too.



It has been quite a while since we captured a Belted Kingfisher. This lady found Net 18 early on. Warning: they bite. HARD.



One of our 2 recaps was a female Northern Cardinal.



The second recap was a Common Yellowthroat and another new one.



We thought all of the Northern Waterthrushes were gone. Still got one and heard several during the day.



It is always nice to get a Gray-cheeked Thrush. This is the brief time in the season to find them here as they migrate through quickly



Ovenbirds are always a cute addition to the day.



Finally, we caught a recap Carolina Wren. They have been calling like crazy, but not moving through the lanes much.



Looks like the fronts are shifting. The bigger flow of birds might head down Texas instead of the East coast. We shall see what happens next Sunday.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Gray-Cheeked Thrush	1	0	1
Ovenbird	2	0	2
Gray Catbird	9	0	9
Carolina Wren	0	1	1
Northern Waterthrush	1	0	1
House Wren	2	0	2
Belted Kingfisher	1	0	1
Northern Cardinal	0	1	1
Common Yellowthroat	2	0	2
Indigo Bunting	2	0	2
Totals	21	2	23

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, October 19th.
All nets will be opened by 7:15 A.M.

Migrants are on the Way

Nearing peak migration today, and we started kind of busy and things died down for the rest of the day. Not the big bang we were expecting. With a smaller crew, that was OK.

Will be gathering photos from the volunteers and banders through the week so they will not be loaded until, probably Friday. Andrew is off to Maine for a much needed vacation until then.

Here is a total for today and it looks like next Sunday should get things hopping. Our Tropical storm looks to be turning East, so no worrys for that. We hope to get going Sunday for the main event of full-on migration. Stay tuned!.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Northern Waterthrush	1	0	1
Ovenbird	1	1	2
Common Yellowthroat	4	0	4
Carolina Wren	0	1	1
Northern Parula	2	0	2
Veery	1	0	1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	1	0	1
Totals	10	2	12

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sudayday, October 5th.
All nets will be opened by 7:00 A.M.

Session 18 Begins

Welome to the sauna!

Wide spread and hours-long rains last night brought us cooler weather but very wet and drippy conditions as we began our 18th banding session. Damp mornings lead to a quiet few hours before birds want to move around. It gave us some time to spruce up the needed net lane fixes and some trimming. Thanks to the rangers for mowing and removing certain blockages before we got back in business.

We only caught migrants today (not complaining) but the first 'capture' of the morning was a shock. And one of our nightmere thoughts.

Connie called in to report a Great Blue Heron was in the net at the end of the lanes. BTW, that was Net 24. The rains got the river so high, we could not get out to Nets 21 and 26. Might be weeks before we can get out there.

The heron was trapped by its bill. Connie did not want to get too close, opting for a photo before calling for help.



Andrew arrived soon afterward and as he an Connie advanced toward the bird, it began to get aggitated and freed itself and headed for the swamp uninjured. Whew. Can't think of dealing with that deadly bill close up. Great Blues are a formitable predator, eating everything they can catch. Fish, snakes, rats, and even baby alligators. Glad we didn't have to try getting it all the way out.

Soon, we began to get some migrants as the day dried a bit. The most captured species were Ovenbirds. We caught 3 new birds and one recapture.



Our one other migrant was a Northern Waterthrush.



More Fall-like weather is moving in and we hope to get a lot more migrants next week. Thankfully, we have no hurricanes on the horizon during the peak season. Lets get more fun birds from here on out!

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Northern Waterthrush	1	0	1
Ovenbird	3	1	4
Totals	4	1	5

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 14th.
All nets will be opened by 6:50 A.M.

We're Back!

Several of us arrived at 6 AM and headed in to assess the condition of the lanes and poles. We haven't been back for a couple months. There were the few poles we knew the bears already bent back then but a survey crew came through at some point and removed some of our other sets.

90 minutes later we had everything back in shape.

As some of us were reparing the poles, we began to capture Common Yellowthroats, mainly juvenile males.



We did get one adult male Common Yellowthroat.



Kimberly, one of our visitors, got to release some birds today.



Several Carolina Wrens were also captured.



Another migrant joined us. An Ovenbird.



Later on, we recaptured a female Northern Cardinal.



Finally, we captured a species we thought we missed by starting so late. A Northern Waterthrush.



Typically, the 1st of October is the big push of migrating birds. We will see if Hurricane Helene disrupts that this Sunday.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	0	3	3
Northern Cardinal	0	1	1
Common Yellowthroat	5	0	1
Northern Waterthrush	1	0	1
Ovenbird	1	0	1
Totals	7	4	11

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, September 29th.
All nets will be opened by 7:00 A.M.

What Are You Doing Here?

May is typically a month of local adult birds and thier newly hatched chicks leaving the nests. This Sunday, however, we captured several birds still migrating North. Really running late!

The day started normally with a recaptured adult Carolina Wren. By the end to the day we recaptured a total of 3.



Then the surprises began with a Northern Waterthrush. It should be the last one we see until the Fall. We also banded 3 of this species today.



We managed to pick up a couple of male Northern Parulas who were out looking for food for their chicks.



Great-crested Flycatchers are as elusive as ever, but we did get a female today.



There was a family of Tufted Titmice around Net 15. They kind of dispursed and the one bird lagging behind as a fledgling. It was exploring the trees right next to Andrew as he stood and observed. After a few minutes it couldn't get past the end of the net and was captured.



The baby Tufted Titmouse gave Andrew one last bite before flying back towards its parents.



Our final bird of the day was a nice surprise. Another late migrant: a female Black-throated Blue Warbler!



Can't wait to see what awaits us before the end of our banding season.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	0	3	3
Northern Parula	1	1	2
Great-crested Flycatcher	1	0	1
Northern Waterthrush	3	0	3
Tufted Titmouse	1	0	1
Black-throated Blue Warbler	1	0	1
Totals	7	4	11

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 19th.
All nets will be opened by 6:15 A.M.

A Familiar Face Before the Wind

Two weeks in a row? Weather is beginning to be a little more cooperative. But, it didn't last too long for today.

First bird of themorning was a new Gray Catbird.



Then we got a nice migrant. A Northern Waterthrush. Better yet, it was a recapture. We had to dig through our data and were pleasently surprised to find we banded this bird as an adult almost excatly 6 year years ago! In the same area it was first captured. Thats site fidelity for ya.



Alex got to release our Northern Waterthrush.



Next up was a new Carolina Wren. Very sharp claws on this little bird.



We caught a recaptured female Northern Cardinal banded not too long ago. Seems she has chipped her bill up somehow since we saw her last.



Our final bird of the morning was an adult male Northern Parula.



The winds were steadily increasing all morning and we threw in the towel a half hour earlier than normal. Nets were way to visible and winds also send the insects into the woods and away from the net lanes so the birds don't move through them as much. Next Sunday looks to be a very nice day.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Northern Cardinal	0	1	1
Northern Waterthrush	0	1	1
Carolina Wren	1	0	1
Gray-catbird	1	0	1
Northern Parula	1	0	1
Totals	3	2	5

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, March 31st.
All nets will be opened by 7:15 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.