November 27, 2016

Yesterday we banded at PB 46.  We recaptured a few buntings and banded 7 new ones.  Incidental captures included a Chipping Sparrow, an already banded Northern Cardinal, a Blue-headed Vireo and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Blue-headed Vireo

Red-bellied Woodpecker - female

Interesting to note is that PB 46 hosted a bird from PB 3!!  One of the first instances of a bird from a different feeder/location showing up elsewhere.  Now that we are in Season 4, maybe birds that have survived this long are starting to establish new patterns.

We have received a report of a banded Painted Bunting (one of ours!) at a new location.  It was originally banded in November, 2014 in Lake Worth.  It was first seen at the new place on November 27 in Boynton Beach.  The bird was in its male colors when it was banded which means it was born earlier than 2014.  This bird is at least 3 years old (soon to be 4 when all banded birds age a year in January!).

Painted Bunting resighting away from banding location

Photo by future PB host!

November 19, 20, 22, and 23, 2016 Bunting Season underway

I cannot believe I am more than a week behind but it has been a busy week.  We returned to three former Painted Bunting sites and did a small session at Possum Long.  In addition to banding new buntings, it was nice to get some more return data.  Now that we are approaching our 1000th banded Painted Bunting it is harder to get reports of the returns.

On November 19, we were once again at Possum Long.  For the past few weeks we have been taunted by the calls of a Summer Tanager.  Today we caught and banded it.  It was only our second one of this species.  In the second photo you can see the "tooth" (small bulge on the upper edge) on the bill, typical of tanagers.

Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager

We captured and banded 4 other birds:  A Prairie Warbler, 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Common Yellowthroat.  

Prairie Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

On November 20, we returned to PB 1 where we banded 6 new Painted Buntings (all green - 4 young of the year and 2 female (which can only determined in hand)) and recaptured a few more.  One male showed an unusually colored undertail and another male looked like it had been attacked by something and was regrowing a lot of back feathers.  The tail was also half missing.  Both were recaptures.  

Painted Bunting - male

Painted Bunting - male

On November 22, we returned to the DuPuis Visitor Center's feeders.  Though we only banded one new Painted Bunting, we were able to recapture 3 already banded birds plus 6 incidentals:  2 Common Ground-Doves, 2 Palm Warblers, a Northern Cardinal, and a Gray Catbird.

Common Ground-Dove

And on November 23, we returned to PB 58.  We banded 11 Painted Buntings (4 male, 2 female, and 5 young of the year).  This location had 3 of 4 birds return from last year.  Since we banded in the late spring, the 4th could be elsewhere as it was migration time when it was banded.  

Painted Bunting - male

We have now topped 31,000 hits on this blog - keep reading!

Next banding at Possum Long will be on November 29.  Nets go up at 6:15-6:30.  This will likely be one of the last regularly scheduled sessions until some time in January.  Keep a watch on blog entries for updates.    

November 15 and 16, 2016

Thank you to all of our readers.  We are very close to 30,000 views of posts on this blog.  Over 374 in one day recently!  It's nice to know that our efforts are being shared.

Our regular Tuesday banding was visited by Molly Bartels, photojournalist for the Stuart News.  We made the front page (above the fold!) and had a great time as always with Molly.

http://www.tcpalm.com/picture-gallery/news/local/martin-county/2016/11/15/bird-banding-at-possum-long-nature-preserve-in-stuart/93919038/

I'm not sure how long this link is live but Molly took some wonderful photos of the birds and banding process.

The excitement for the day was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  This species is only around in the winter and is not all that common especially so near to downtown.  It was a new species to be banded at Possum Long.  The red on the head is typically hidden so we moved a few feathers for the photo and to enjoy the "crown" of the kinglet.  This bird is so small - only weighing 6 grams which is just about the weight of a nickel!  Look at the soles of the feet - so bright!

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

We also banded 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Gray Catbird, a Palm Warbler, and a Northern Cardinal.  

Northern Cardinal

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I'd also like to share a photo sent to me by my friend Kathy Malone.  She was visiting recently and found a banded Northern Parula at Possum Long.  Her photo is exquisite!  Can you see the band? (Hint - right leg!)

Northern Parula

Photo by Kathy Malone

On November 16, we banded Painted Buntings at PB 2.  We banded 8 Painted Buntings and 2 Northern Cardinals.  We also recaptured an already banded Painted Bunting from Season 3.  

Next banding will be announced soon.  We have some Painted Bunting dates and then Thanksgiving. We will not be at Possum Long on November 22.  Watch upcoming posts.

November 8, 11, and 13, 2016

Sometimes there is too much to do and so little time.  My apologies for being late posting this but at least there are a lot of birds to report!  Tuesday, at Possum Long, we moved operations closer to the pond and it paid off.  It was a warbler blitz:  6 species and 11 birds!  One Northern Parula, 1 Ovenbird, 1 Prairie, 2 Palm, 1 Black-throated Blue, and 5 Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers. There was another warbler species recaptured - a Common Yellowthroat.  Also recaptured were 2 Painted Buntings and 2 House Wrens.

It seemed a bit late for the Ovenbird and the BT Blue but neither flagged as particularly rare on eBird.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (female)

Northern Parula

Photo by Pat Marshall

Prairie Warbler 

Photo by Pat Marshall

Ovenbird

Palm Warbler

recaptured House Wren originally banded in 2015

On November 11, we were once again hosted at PB 27.  This location has two caged feeders that perfectly fit our traps.  We banded 9 new Painted Buntings and recaptured 3 more.  Two of the three recaptures were from Season Two (early 2015 - two seasons ago).  This is great data for us.  

Painted Bunting (glowing in the sun)

Photo by Pete Grannis

Painted Bunting

Photo by Pete Grannis

We did a supplemental session today (Nov 13).  We banded 5 new birds and recaptured 2.  We banded one Gray Catbird today.  It seems odd to be "missing" them but we hadn't banded many recently. Much different from Tuesday we only banded 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Extra bonuses were a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and an Eastern Phoebe, only our second banded at Possum Long

 Eastern Phoebe 

Gray Catbird

Next Tuesday session:  November 15.  Nets go up at 6:15 am.  Remember to find us closer to the pond.  We WILL NOT BE at Possum Long on 11/22.  Watch future posts for our return.

October 30 and November 1, 2016

On October 30 we returned to PB 61 and banded.  The wind was challenging and we are working on placing feeders so that we can catch more Painted Buntings that are there.  Despite the challenges we banded 3 new buntings and recaptured 2 from last spring.  We had quite a few incidental captures which incidentally added 2 new species to my banded list.  I really appreciate the hosts at PB 61 (and everywhere else!) as they make all of the research possible.  Incidental captures included a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a Gray Catbird, a Northern Mockingbird, a Common Yellowthroat, a House Sparrow, and the two new ones; Spot-breasted Oriole and Blackpoll Warbler.  The Blackpoll is rare this time of year as they tend to migrate south over the water, not land.  It is also getting late.  Typically they feed high in treetops so it was very good to band this one.

male Painted Bunting

Common Yellowthroat

Northern Mockingbird

Blackpoll Warbler

Spot-breasted Oriole

November 1 we banded at Possum Long.  We had a very good Painted Bunting day banding two new ones and recapturing two from previous seasons.  

We also banded a House Wren and two Black-throated Blue Warblers.  We recaptured the same White-eyed Vireo from 10/1/16 that had been banded in 2013.  It is still doing very well.  The Northern Cardinal that we recaptured was born this past summer.  It has now begun to replace its tail with adult feathers.  You can see the color change in the photo.  The feathers in the center are newer and more red than the outside ones that still show the browner color.

Northern Cardinal

Next banding will be Tuesday, November 8.  Nets go up at 6:15 am (time change folks!)  We may be closer to the pond if our net lanes have dried.  Expect Yellow-rumped Warblers!