2018 Orlando Wetlands Festival

The Orlando Wetlands Festival returned after taking 2017 off and it turned into a worthwhile venture by the end of the day. Reports are coming in on the positive side from visitors and staffers alike.



We began setting nets before dawn and our first bird of the day as the Sun cleared the horizon was a Gray Catbird.



Fog was expected in the morning but we thought that would be before dawn. Instead, is was perfectly clear until around 8 AM. Looking down the road from our nets you can see the fog begin to creep in from the West.



When there is a break in the action we get a chance to explore the property bit by bit. Just past the nets we discovered a long trail of Otter tracks heading toward the main ponds.



Where the track ran out, a single Black-bellied Whistling Duck basked in the sunrise just across the water.



A couple of Black-crowned Night Herons were already in the nearby trees but more were flying in from the East.



Yellow-rumped Warblers are typically the more numerous captured birds at this event. Today we only caught one that was giving us an earful.



As we set nets, Rebecca heard a Yellow-breasted Chat calling back in the brush. She an Lynn tried to lure it into the open with no luck. Soon they hiked to try for other birds.



10 minutes later, Andrew heard a squawk and turned to see a Mockingbird swooping at one of the nets and back into the trees. Was that something relaxing in that same net? Yep. The Yellow-breasted Chat! The first we have ever captured and banded. Word soon spread and everyone waiting for the event to officially begin headed over to the table.



Yellow-breasted Chats are very shy. You can often hear them calling but they rarely come out into the open. Thanks, Mr. Mockingbird, for chasing it our way!



Shortly after 9 AM, the buses and tractors started rolling tours through the wetland and straight between our mist nets. We still managed more birds along the way.



Common Ground Doves are a bit large for our nets but we did get 2 out of the 5 in the area.



One female Ruby-crowned Kinglet hit the nets today.



Killian brought his sister along and she got a chance to release the bird. It was playing shy but left after it was handed off back to Andrew.



Some of the visitors were watching the nets for a while and soon alerted us to a bird at the end of the lane.



It was an adult female Black and White Warbler.



One of our young visitors got the opportunity to release her.



Nothing makes kids smile more than holding and releasing an amazing flying creature.



More birds from some of our short hikes. Limpkin were fairly obvious in many areas around the wetlands. Looks like there is plenty of food.



Out at the Cypress Hammock dozens of Roseate Spoonbills gathered to rest and bathe.



It is always nice to spot a Glossy Ibis this time of year as they flash and shimmer in the morning light.



Most of the American Coots are flocking together on the far side of the wetlands but a few linger closer to the main entrance.



A Snowy Egret grabbed a snack and flew up into a tree to enjoy it.



We were hearing Swamp Sparrows all morning. Only one braved the wide open.



Another lucky guest got to release the Swamp Sparrow back into the woods.



Northern Cardinals were teasing us all morning just past the net lanes but began to get closer later in the day.



Then the next Bird of the Day flew into the nets near the wishing well. It was brought back to Andrew. No one could make an ID as they headed back. Once out of the bag it was determined it had to be one of two vireo species. We consulted our books and determined it was definitely a Philadelphia Vireo. Reports are that this might be the first official record of this species in the Winter at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida!



The Philadelphia Vireo is also a Life Bird for everyone. One of our regular visitors got the honor of releasing it. (Update: this bird is still being seen daily since it was banded. It is staying in the same area.)



One more male Northern Cardinal was banded before the winds kicked up and we headed home.



Which made this American Alligator very happy. All it wanted to do was get out of this pond and head elsewhere. Your turn, Smiley...



Great day and glad to be back at the Wetlands. Trees are now going into full bloom so we hope to have a good morning back 'home' next Sunday.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 25th.
All nets will be opened by 6:25 A.M.

Know What Bird Banders Hate?

Wind. The breezes were gusting earlier than forecast and only got stronger as the day progressed ahead of a deepening cold front. Sigh.

The first hour was uneventful but then we caught most of our bird in one 15 minute stretch. First up was a feisty juvenile Gray Catbird



Next up was the first White-eyed Vireos we have captured in a while. Odd thing was that this typical mid- to upper-level forager was in the bottom panel of Net 8.



So, too, was this Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle subspecies) down in Net 23.



Christine soon brought in a recaptured female Ruby-crowned Kinglet.



Maybe one of the other reason the birds were scarce was due to the familiar shape of a Barred Owl was lurking in the woods?



It seems we always have our coldest weather snap in February but it now looks like the cold is gone until next Winter. All of the Cherry Laurels and other trees are bursting with blooms.



The winds kept rising so we called it a day. As we were closing nets a Tufted Titmouse managed to fly into a half-closed Net 8.



It is time for the Orlando Wetlands Festival where we will be doing mist netting demonstrations. We set up by the Education building just inside the Wetlands entrance. More information is located here: City of Orlando: Orlando Wetlands Festival
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Saturday, February 17th. There will be no banding Sunday of this coming weekend.
All nets will be opened after dawn. Festival starts at 9 A.M.

Here Comes the Wind. Again.

With a storm front on the way we headed out into the dark to set nets and hope for some birds before the winds derailed us. Our first bird of the morning was a recaptured Carolina Wren.



Next up was a House Wren in Net 23 by the marsh. They are not usually captured in that habitat. It was also a recapture from a couple of months ago.



Then, a Hermit Thrush was brought in. They have been rather scarce this year for whatever reason. This bird was first banded just over 2 years ago.



Things were a little quiet before we were hit with a wave of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. We captured 4 in different nets in less than 20 minutes. Must have found feeding time! All were females.



As the winds began to gust around 20 mph we caught our last bird of the morning which was a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle sub-species).



It was a rather interesting bird, though. We can't recall seeing all of the rufus colored feathers on a Yellow-rump. Hmmm...



Here is hoping the winds stay away next week. This is about the time that we see an increase in captures as we edge toward Spring.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 11th.
All nets will be opened by 6:35 A.M.

Typical End to January

Business as usual at the banding site for this time of the year. Not a whole lot of warblers around and where did all the Hermit Thrushes go to? We usually get at least one every week but none this year. So we began the day with a local: a female Northern Cardinal. We always offer them a twig so they have something to focus on other than our tender fingers.



Several Ruby-crowned Kinglets were banded. All were females which has been the trend for a while.



Western Palm Warbler seem to really like the Bottle brush trees just beyond the property line but we do capture one every now and then.



One of our newest volunteers, Angelo, got to release the now banded Western Palm Warbler.



The Little Wekiva River seemed to look a bit different today. Hurricane Irma really did a number on the landscape.



Earthsmoke, (Fumaria officinalis), always begins to bloom this time of the year and starts its displays by Net 22.



Also nestled around the Earthsmoke is a nice contrasting flowering display of Wild Mustard.



We added a recaptured male Northern Cardinal a little later in the morning.



Up in the woods, Andrew discovered a pile of white feathers of an as yet unidentified snack.



A nice close-up of our final Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the day.



Things wrapped up with our only Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle sub-species) today. There are usually many more around the area but they are keeping to the marsh for the time being. Hoping they will decide to head back to the nets as things begin to warm up.



A steady day but we could use more captures. Perhaps next week. There is, yet again, another front forecast to move in and keep us watching the skies.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, February 4th.
All nets will be opened by 6:40 A.M.

Back to Business

Chilly but not too chilly. Winds would be increasing later but we were out to catch what we could.

Our first bird was a new female Northern Cardinal. Our usual camera went on the fritz so we had to rely on phone photos today.



It was nice to get a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets now that we didn't have to protect them from the colder temperatures. All females.



Out by the lake, Swamp Sparrows were popping up and calling. They don't seem to want to come up near the trail this season for whatever reason.



The sound of pecking had us quickly turning to find a busy Downy Woodpecker next to the marsh.



Then we finally began catching "butter-butts". First up were Palm Warblers.



Followed soon afterward by the Yellow-rumped Warblers, Myrtle sub-species.



That was it for the morning. We did install a new trail cam along the lanes so we will see if we have it in a good spot. As we were about to leave, Christine peered over the grass to the river and found one of our American Alligators resting on a log.



We haven't seen them up this far in months. Pretty sure the cold temperatures kept them in the lake the last few weeks.



A steady day but we could use more captures. Perhaps next week.

NOTE: Watching the weather for Sunday. Check back here by Saturday night or real early Sunday morning to see if we have to cancel the day.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 28th.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.

Chilly, Breezy New Year Start

It has been a long stretch of yucky weather since before the holidays. Despite the temperatures dipping into the high 30s this morning it was at least nice and clear. The wind did pick up as the morning wore on but wasn't too bad.



A strange fact about the cold is that we tend to catch more Ruby-crowned Kinglets as they flit around to find more food. Half the birds we captured today were that species.



We don't often see Ospreys resting over the river as they prefer to be out in the open and next to the lake. This Osprey was preening and watching the rising Sun across from Net 14.



Below in the the river, one of our resident Limpkin was looking for breakfast.



Blue-gray Gnatcatchers teased us throughout the day by chasing insects all around the nets but deftly maneuvered out of range.



Just when it was noticed that we hadn't heard any Gray Catbirds yet, one was brought to the banding table.



As the wind was picking up we managed to capture a Western Palm Warbler.



Loud cries alerted us to anther Osprey up in the pines with a fish snack.



There is almost always a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker around during the Winter month but this one didn't show itself until the Titmouse family began to squawk along the riverside.



The one species we really wanted to start catching today waited until the end of our stay. A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle subspecies) got his band before we rolled up the nets.



It would have been nice to have a little more warmth but it wasn't too bad. However, another low is suppose to swing in next week and leave it chilly again next Sunday. Could be a repeat of today.
NOTE: We will not be banding January 14th. Forecast is for temperatures in the low 30s with higher winds making it more dangerous for birds if lingering in nets.
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, January 21st.
All nets will be opened by 6:45 A.M.