April 24, 29 and May 1, 7, and 8, 2018

To say we have been busy is an understatement.  We have had 5 sessions since our last report.  Migration is such a great time to be birding and banding.  Winds and rain are a key to having many of the migrants stop for refueling, otherwise they pass right over.  There are always a few who just run out of fuel and they too will feed in places like Possum Long.  We got a few times when conditions were good so we set up when that happened as well as our scheduled Tuesdays. 

We banded a total of 77 birds in these last 5 sessions.  Only one was quite notable but more on that later.  The other 76 were typical and expected Caribbean migrants.  It's always a pleasure to see these migrants and to learn what we can about them.

The warblers we banded were 1 Northern Parula, 12 American Redstarts, 24 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 10 Common Yellowthroats, 6 Black-and-white Warblers, 14 Ovenbirds, and 4 Northern Waterthrushes, (and 1 more).    We also banded 3 Gray Catbirds and 2 Northern Cardinals.

Black-and-white Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Northern Waterthrush

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Ovenbird

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

The bird of note was a Connecticut Warbler.  Seeing this bird in the wild is very challenging.  They are very secretive as they pass through.  Typically winds from the west are required to drop these birds in our area.  West winds were not very strong or long but we decided to band on a Monday, May 7, because of them.  Exactly one year ago from then was the first time we ever banded this species.  Many people never see this bird.  It was never noted on the property without it being caught for banding.

Connecticut Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

We may be banding on Tuesday May 15 or any day that weather may drop birds.  Nets would go up at 6:30.  If there are no other sessions, we will do a total update on numbers once the data are compiled. 

April 16 and 17, 2018

With weather looking to change on Sunday, we decided to band on Monday as well as our usual Tuesday.  On April 16 it wasn't as birdy as we expected.  We banded 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 1 Ovenbird, and 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Ovenbird

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

We did see a few migrants including a pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.  Unfortunately the property lost a lot of flowers during the hurricane so fruit is in short supply.  Birds stayed very high.  It was fun to see a banded Great Crested Flycatcher that returned.  We haven't banded one this spring so we know it has returned for this breeding season.

The weather held true for Tuesday and we did get a few more birds.  Maybe more exciting was what was on the property.  Glad to see these birds that only stay a short time but frustrating to have four species that would have been new to band.  We banded a Northern Parula, an Ovenbird, a Gray Catbird, 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers, and the two highlights:  a Cape May Warbler and our third ever Wood Thrush.

Wood Thrush

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Cape May Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Black-throated Blue Blue warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Though warblers were still present, the migrants seemed to be represented by larger birds.  Seen were Blue and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Summer Tanagers, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos, and a late Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  What will come next week?

After Monday's session we made an afternoon visit to PB 3.  The host is not far from Possum Long and we were seeing a good interchange of birds.  It is this location that first showed that Painted Buntings can feed at least 1/2 mile away from where they were banded.  We have seen this at two other locations since.  The host reported a bird with bands that did not seem to match anything we had banded.  Though we did not catch that one we banded 2 new Painted Buntings.  Our Season 5 has ended unless we catch another one at Possum Long.  We banded 355 this season which ties our high of Season 4.

Next scheduled banding at Possum Long will be on April 24.  Nets go up at 6:30.

March 17, 2018

On Saturday we took a long distance drive to return to PB 61.  It was a great trip!  We banded 14 new Painted Buntings which is a great total for additional visits.  This location has been very good for incidental species and this time was no different.

We banded a Northern Parula that had lost its tail.  It was growing in and all of the feathers were in sheath.  The parula had been feeding at some type of flower as it had pollen on its head.  Birds can be  important pollinators.  You can see the tiny bit of yellow at the base of the bill.

Northern Parulas

Photos by Bill LaFramboise

We also banded a Blue Jay, a Common Grackle, an Indigo Bunting (only second one the hosts had ever observed in their yard), and a Palm Warbler.

One other fun incidental was a female Summer Tanager.  We suspect that this bird was feeding on bees that were in a nest box in the yard.

Summer Tanager

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Next Possum Long session will be on Tuesday, March 27.  Nets go up at 6:45 am.

March 5, 2018

My how time flies and I have four more updates to catch up on.  On March 5 we went to a new location,  our 75th!  I must say that all of our hosts have been so fun to meet.  This time was no different.  The habitat of this yard supported many buntings as well as so many butterflies.  It is good to meet kindhearted folks like here.

This location is within a half mile of another site as the bird flies but a bit farther by road.  There is a little water separating the two but it will be great to see if these two locations share birds!

We banded 12 Painted Buntings and had 7 incidentals.  A Northern Parula was first catch and was a treat as always.

Northern Parula

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Painted Bunting (male)

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Other incidentals included a Gray Catbird, a Northern Cardinal, 2 Blue Jays and 2 Common Grackles.

On our way home we went to Loxahatchee NWR to check on a Vermilion Flycatcher that has over wintered.  It was nice to see how much more red it has than it did in November.

Vermilion Flycatcher

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

This is a catch-up post.  Next Possum Long Banding will be listed on the March 13th entry.

October 15, 2017

Sunday was a gift to birders and banders.  We banded a total of 21 birds of 12 species.  We saw 11 different kinds of warblers as well as many other migrants.  Remember you can see bird lists of this site on eBird.  Explore hotspots, type in Possum Long, view recent lists or all sorts of other data.

Many of the birds we banded were warblers:  1 American Redstart, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 1 Northern Parula, 1 Common Yellowthroat, 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 1 Ovenbird, and our best bird of the day.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Northern Parula

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Our best bird was a real surprise as they are tree-top lovers so we rarely catch them and also because in the fall they typically migrate more offshore.  Fall Blackpoll Warblers do not look like the "chickadee look-alike of warblers"  they are more streaked and yellowish.  However their feet still have bright soles.  

Blackpoll Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

The other 12 birds banded were 2 Red-eyed Vireos, 5 Gray Catbirds, 1 Northern Cardinal, 3 Painted Buntings (YAY!) and a Blue Jay.

Red-eyed Vireo

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Gray Catbird

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Continue to view the next 2 days.  Update for next session is on the October 17 post.

May 2, 5, 6, and 7: Banders wait for days like this!

Tuesday, May 2, was our regular Possum Long banding session.  As I stated in the last blog one hopes for certain weather in order to see and catch migrants here in Florida.  That didn't happen on Tuesday so we banded just 2 Ovenbirds. As always, the group is terrific and we had fun watching and hoping.

Ovenbird

Photo by Roy Netherton

On the evening of May 4, there was a thunderstorm and prolonged rain.  This tends to make birds stop migrating and to look for safe haven.  Thursday morning I headed out to Possum Long even though my team, except Pete for 1/2 hour, wasn't available.  I set up and then stopped for a while due to rain but from 11 am until Bill joined me after work I banded.  I only ran 2 nets but we ended up with a total of 23 banded birds! There were American Redstarts everywhere.  I estimated 50 on the property. We banded 15 American Redstarts, 1 Ovenbird, 3 Common Yellowthroats, 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers, and a Blue Jay.

I think this is one of the most unusual things I have found in a net.  We have had dragonflies, cicadas, and more in the nets and back when I was training an American Kestrel dropped a mouse that it had caught but I never expected.......

....... a peanut.  I had just banded the Blue Jay and went back to adjust the net and found what it had left behind.  I guess it lost the snack for the day.

American Redstart (adult male)

American Redstart - young male with black face patches

Many of the redstarts were young birds, as is the young male above, and the young bird below.  It looks like this bird may not have had adequate food in the nest.  It will keep these flimsy feathers until the next molt in the fall.  Otherwise the bird was very healthy with a good store of fat and a lot of energy.  It had no trouble flying.

American Redstart with deformed tail

So, overnight the winds shifted to the NW.  This is another factor in Florida that makes birds land during migration.  It is on days like this that we can hope for a lot of birds.

And boy did we get it!!!  We set an all time record for banding at Possum Long.  We banded 49 birds. The only higher day was during a Painted Bunting session when we banded 50 birds (3/21/14 - Season 1 Painted Buntings).   Once again there were a lot of American Redstarts but also some new additions.  We banded 28 American Redstarts, 1 Northern Parula, 4 Common Yellowthroats, 8 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 5 Ovenbirds, 1 Swainson's Thrush and 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Common Yellowthroat (young male)

Swainson's Thrush

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Ovenbird

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Appalachian race

Winds continued from the NW on May 7 so we opted for extra session number 3.  Early on the crows were mobbing something.  We have 3 types of raptors on the property with fledged young.  We guessed one was near our nets.  Then a thud.  We found a young Osprey on the ground.  It did not move away as we looked so we called Martin County Animal Control.  An officer came out and at first assessed and observed the bird.  It could move its wings so the next step was to get the bird out in the open.  It finally flew off on its own.  

juvenile Osprey

After the Osprey rescue we processed 25 birds.  American Redstart numbers had dropped but throughout the day the Blackpoll Warbler numbers seemed to grow.  We banded 10 American Redstarts, 4 Ovenbirds, 6 Black-throated Blue Warblers, a Common Yellowthroat and 4 other birds (suspense).  

One was a Northern Waterthrush which we get only 1 or 2 a season so it was a welcome surprise.

Northern Waterthrush

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Blackpoll Warblers (and Cape May Warblers) are so frustrating as they feed high in our tall trees. Other places where the trees are shorter they can sometimes be seen lower and would be more able to find their way into a net but not at Possum Long.  Well, today was a first - the first Blackpoll Warblers banded at Possum Long. Two of them - both females.  

Blackpoll Warbler - male  (not banded)

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Blackpoll Warbler - female - one of two banded

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

So, was that enough excitement for today?  Nope, not even close.  Today we also had another new bird for the property; one I had never seen in the county and had never banded before.

CONNECTICUT WARBLER!!  This species travels through Florida very quickly and is hard to locate.  Bill and I have seen this bird in several other states and a few times in Florida.  Such a treat to see and evaluate in hand.

Connecticut Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Winds are predicted to return to blowing in from the south.  This is ideal weather for the migrants so we wish them well on their journey to breeding territories.  

The next regularly scheduled banding at Possum Long will be Tuesday, May 9.  Nets go up at 6:30. Winds may be back to blowing from the west!

March 12, 14, and 15, 2017

On March 12, we banded at PB 10 where we finally caught the birds that were present!  The host reported only 1 unbanded green after we left.  Sometimes we are not that lucky.  We banded 10 Painted Buntings and recaptured the two that had been banded in December.  When people tell me that banding will scare their birds off I remember times like this.

We had 6 incidental bandings:  2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 2 Common Ground-Doves, 1 Great Crested Flycatcher, and a Northern Parula.

Red-bellied Woodpecker (female)

On March 14, we had our regular banding session at Possum Long.  We did well with 2 Painted Buntings; one a recapture and one a new bird.  Both were green so it afforded us the perfect opportunity for a side-by-side photo.  The key feathers are where I am pointing - that bird is a female because the feathers have a green edging.  The bird on the left shows grayer feathers in the same area.  It was born last summer.

Painted Buntings

Photo by Pat Marshall

(a cropped version of the above)

We also banded a Northern Parula and a Downy Woodpecker.  Birds are moving through the property with a recent report of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo!

Northern Parula

Photo by Pete Grannis

Northern Parula

Photo by Pete Grannis

Downy Woodpecker - female

Photo by Pat Marshall

We returned to DuPuis Wildlife Area (PB 6) several times but caught the most birds on March 15. We banded 8 Painted Buntings and recaptured quite a few.  At least one male was from Season 1!!  We also banded a new Chipping Sparrow and a recaptured one from 2 years ago.  The Clay-colored Sparrow was also still present.

Many birds are using the caged feeder.  The Painted and Indigo Buntings LOVE it.  There are also Chipping Sparrows that use it and the Clay-colored was in it for a few minutes.  Also a Gray Catbird managed to squeeze in.  I don't think they eat seed very often.  

Caged feeder (plans in Encouraging Painted Buntings page on this blog)

You can see a male and a green I hope.

Next scheduled Possum Long banding:  Tuesday, March 21.  Nets go up at 7:30 am.  

February 15, 19, 20, and 21, 2017

Wow!  It has been a busy week.  We went to 2 past Painted Bunting sites and a new one.  We did an impromptu session at Possum Long in addition to this week's regularly scheduled Possum Long banding.

On February 15, we actually went to 2 Painted Bunting sites that are on the same street.  We caught 2 at one location and recaptured 1 at the other.  High winds were a problem so we are glad we caught what we did.  We also banded a Northern Cardinal with a broken beak.  Other than the beak problem, the bird appeared to be fine and healthy.  It is managing!  We also had two House Sparrows.

Painted Bunting - male

Northern Cardinal with broken beak

On February 19, we banded at Possum Long and made up a little for the recent low number of buntings banded. We banded 3 Painted Buntings and a Downy Woodpecker.  We also recaptured an Ovenbird and a Northern Cardinal.

Painted Bunting

Downy Woodpecker

One fun non-bird observation was our resident Gopher Tortoise chomping on the grass in one of our lanes where we put up our net!  Always fun to see a Gopher Tortoise!

Gopher Tortoise

On February 20, we went to a new site where 5 buntings had been reported.  This site is close to another one and we are hoping to see if there are any visitations back and forth.  We banded 3 greens (a female and 2 young birds) and almost caught the one reported male.  Now the hosts at this site can observe their feeder to see if they may actually have more unbanded birds or if they see banded birds from the nearby site.  We will likely return here.

Our regularly occurring session at Possum Long brought us visitors.  We had a home school group visit to learn about bird banding.   We were able to show them some of the birds we caught today.  We banded a new Northern Parula and Gray Catbird.

Northern Parula

Photo by Linda Wishney

We also had a few recaptures.  One was a Yellow-rumped Warbler that was originally banded on December 1, 2015.  At that time we determined it was an adult male.  That means the bird is at least 3 years old and possibly older.  The other recaptured birds were recently banded but had remained on the property.  

Next regularly scheduled banding at Possum Long will be on Tuesday, February 28.  Nets go up at 6:45.