Orlando Wetlands Festival, 2025

2 years later and we are back at the Orlando Wetlands Festival. Weather was foecast to be very overcast with low winds. NOT! The early morning was fine, and yeilded some nice captures, but just around 9:30 the winds cranked up and we had mixed clouds all day. However, we did have a nice mix of species today and a welcomed a return visitor and some other nice surprises.

As usual, the most captured species out here are Yellow-rumped Warblers (Myrtle subspecies). Here, Jenny (back in action after having her baby) is holding one for all to see after banding it.



Time to start letting the visitors release our birds.



A female Northern Cardinal hit the nets shortly after the warblers.



Next up was a Gray Catbird.



Another visitor got to release the Gray Catbird.



Another migrant was added to the list. An Ovenbird.



Then one more. A Western Palm Warbler.



The Western Palm Warbler was banded and released.



Then the first surprise of the day, although we were kind of expecting it. Our Yellow-breasted Chat hit the nets in the same area it has before. We have now captured this bird 4 times in 7 years during the festivals. Loves it out here!



The Yellow-breasted Chat was released back into the wetland. Will we get it again in 2 years? Time will tell.



Then the wind picked up and things got quiet. We finally managed to capture an Eastern Phoebe.



Even some volunteers got to release a bird or 2.



Every now and then we get a chance to walk around the Orlando Wetlands property. A little break from staring at blowing nets.



We captured a new House Wren later in the day.



Our next surprise hit at the end of the nets. It was a Painted Bunting. We could also determine its sex as a male because its blue feathers were beginning to come in. Males and females are nearly identical when hatched. The females stay green while the males turn into a rainbow of color.



A happy guest releases the Painted Bunting.



Another visitor releases a Yellow-rumped Warbler.



Our final surprise of the day was an adult female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! This makes only the 2nd one captured at the Wetlands.



Nelida's son releaed the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Both boys are really starting to stretch out!



You think anyone was interested in this beautiful bird?



Another Gray Catbird gets banded and released.



Our last bird of the festival was another Ovenbird.



As we were leaving for the day we took a group picture at the wetlands photo prop. From left to right, top to bottom: Andrew, Lynn, Susan, Kate, Connie, and Jenny. Kate helped paint the prop years ago. Another successful event.



After relaxing from the festival, we will be back at Lake Lotus next Sunday. Migration is about to start picking up.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
House Wren	1	0	1
Gray Catbird	3	0	3
Painted Bunting	1	0	1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	1	0	1
House Wren	1	0	1
Ovenbird	2	0	2
Eastern Pheobe	1	0	1
Western Palm Warbler	1	0	1
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle Warbler)	7	1	8
Yellow-breasted Chat	0	1	1
Totals	18	2	20

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, March 2nd.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Wind is Not Our Friend

As we end April we hope to get a few migrants. The day looked promising early on , then the wind changed our fortunes. Mostly locals for the rest of the day.

The same Painted Bunting we banded last week is still sticking around.



Four Northern Cardinals were captured. Some new, some recaptured.



Our first baby Carolina Wren was banded along with its parent.



We sometimes get a surprise or two in our final month in the season, but is mostly baby birds and other locals. 4 weeks to go!

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Northern Cardinal	2	2	4
Painted Bunting	0	1	1
Totals	3	4	7

______________________________________
Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, May 5th.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Migrants and More

We bagan with low wind and some slightly humid air as a front was pushing in. Winds began to kick up around 9 AM. Mostly cloudy by mid-morning and we wnded up with some interesting captures.

After a large move of Gray Catbirds last week we thought they must be about out of here. But, they are still around and we caught 3 of them. Should be gone in a week or so.



Walking the lanes, there was a little shadow at Net 5. Turned out to be a junenile male Painted Bunting. Wish we had better lighting at dawn, but...



Our newest visitor, Sarah, got to release the Painted Bunting.



Ovenbirds are moving through. We captured 2 new ones and saw others moving through the woods.



We then caught a Mom Cardinal out hunting for food for her chicks. A bit later we caught a male.



Then things got quiet. Real quiet. We walked the lanes for over an hour without any real sound of birds. Eventually, we recaptured the Common Grackle we first banded a couple of weeks ago out by the marsh in the same net back then. Nearing the end of the day, we caught another Grackle not far away.

Blackbirds and Grackels don't usual get captured as they are a bit bigger for the mist nets to haul in. They can usually get out so it is a pleasure to have them in hand.



We also processed a couple of Carolina Wrens and believed the day was over when we caught the Bird-of-the-Day. A Hooded Warbler.



Hooded Warblers are rare in our woods. They usually come North along the Gulf, but when they are here they glow so bright in the low light of the net lanes are alway a joy to discover.



We processed the bird and Alex was releasing the bird. It was a little tired and stayed in his hands for a minute befor flying off at full speed.



Our final bird of the day was a male Common Yellowthroat. More yellow to end the day. Other warblers were heard and seen. Wish we could have got them. Maybe next week before the push finishes up.



Should have another pretty good week heading toward May. Weather looks good for the last migrants.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Carolina Wren	1	1	2
Gray-catbird	3	0	3
Northern Cardinal	1	1	2
Ovenbird	2	0	2
Common Grackel	1	1	2
Painted Bunting	1	0	1
Common Yellowthroat	1	0	1
Hooded Warbler	1	0	1
Totals	11	3	14

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, April 28th.
All nets will be opened by 6:30 A.M.

Nice Mix at the End of October

The humidity was up again today but that did not deter us. The mosquitoes, though, were happy and very aggresive all morning. Cooler weather should be here soon.

First bird just after dawn was a female Indigo Bunting.



Soon after that, a very angry recaptured Carolina Wren.



Common Yellowthroats ruled the day. and we had all ages and both sexes. This is a juvenile male.



We got a couple of Gray Catbirds. They were staying mainly back in the woods.



We primarily catch Western Palm Warblers but today we got a rarer, more yellow, Eastern Palm Warbler.



Next up, a handsome Swainson's Thrush.



It has been a while since we have captured a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. A nice surprise.



White-eyed Vireos that migrate through the area are usually adults and full of fat. Today was a juvenile also loaded with fat.



Most people consider this male Painted Bunting to be Bird-of-the-Day. What do you think.



An unbanded Northern Cardinal turned out to be a juvenile most likely hatched here in the Spring.



Our final capture was another candidate for Bird-of-the-Day. A Wood Thrush.



A nice end to a busy month. Hope we can keep the numbers up through November.

Today's Totals

Birds Processed	New	Recaptured	Total
Common Yellowthroat	5	0	5
Carolina Wren	0	1	1
Gray Catbird	2	0	2
Wood Thrush	1	0	1
Swainson's Thrush	1	0	1
Indigo Bunting	1	0	1
Painted Bunting	1	0	1
Eastern Palm Warbler	1	0	1
Black-throated Blue Warbler	1	0	1
White-eyed Vireo	1	0	1
Northern Cardinal	1	0	1
Totals	15	1	16

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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, November 5th.
Remember it is time to FALL BACK!
All nets will be opened by 6:10 A.M.