October 16, 2013 School visit - excitement plus!

At yesterday's regularly scheduled banding session Crystal reminded me that we we going to have a school visiting Possum Long today (Thanks Crystal, Sorry Linda!)  I had said I would talk about bird banding.  Last night Nancy Price suggested we put up nets and if we got birds it would be a great experience for the students.   Having done this at my former job, I have wanted to do this since the station opened but this was our first opportunity and Nancy's encouragement and willingness to monitor the nets made it happen.  Nancy was a pro at extracting birds today and the warblers kept both of us really busy.  If we had not had birds to share we had planned a hands-on task of banding "birds legs" (sticks) with "color bands" (slit pieces of drinking straws).  Most students got to do both.  It is always great to see people experience birds and bird banding up close.

I'd like to thank the students and parents of the Sonshine Christian School for their visit, enthusiasm, and total cooperation.  It was my honor to share this project with you.

We banded a total of  14 birds today; 12 of them were warblers (second highest count of warblers in a day):  6 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 4 Ovenbirds, 1 Common Yellowthroat and a first-for-the-station Magnolia Warbler.  I was very pleased to have the Magnolia show up in time to show the students.  It is only the second Magnolia Warbler we have seen on the property and the first one I have ever banded.

Magnolia Warbler

Photo by Nancy Price

Magnolia Warbler

Photo by Nancy Price

The small white dot on the almost middle feather (R2) indicated that this was a hatch year bird (born this year).  

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by Nancy Price 

The other two birds were banded after the school group left and were a Blue Jay and a Swainson's Thrush.

Swainson's Thrush

Photo by Nancy Price

Swainson's Thrush

Photo by Nancy Price

The row of light dots near the bend (wrist) of the wing indicated that this was also a hatch-year bird.

Also of great excitement was almost catching a Pileated Woodpecker.  It hit the net and we (cautiously) had hands on it but it managed to escape out of the end of the net.  We will order a band big enough for this woodpecker in case we ever catch one again.

Attempting to take the Pileated Woodpecker out of the net

Photo by Crystal Conway

Pileated Woodpecker after escape

Photo by Crystal Conway

Next scheduled banding is October 22 at 7 am.

October 15, 2013 - Early rain but worth the wait

Early morning rain held us up for a brief time but not long after opening we had three birds in one net and one in another.  We banded a total of 9 birds and had 1 recapture.

It is actually the recapture that was quite exciting.  It was a White-eyed Vireo we banded on February 5.  There is no proof that it left Possum Long to nest however it might have done just that and then returned to  the property once more.  Interestingly there were no White-eyed Vireo sightings on the property during the 25 sessions between February 12 to September 19.

White-eyed Vireo

Photo by Bill Eaton

Today we banded 4 Gray Catbirds, 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, 1 Northern Cardinal, 1 Blue Jay, and 2 Ovenbirds.

Gray Catbird

Three Photos by Bill Eaton

I've wondered just how many Gray Catbird pictures can be taken and still show a new aspect of that species.  Bill has managed to capture some different poses.  The last pictures shows the pink interior of a Gray Catbird born this season (hatch-year).

Black-throated Blue Warbler - female - checking fat under breast feathers

Photo by Bill Eaton

Northern Cardinal - hatch year - note dark patches in bill

Photo by Nancy Price

Northern Cardinal with arrow indicating new feather growing in

Photo by Jane Wiewora

I am forever grateful to the people who make this research project happen especially the recent hard work of Nancy Price, Jane Wiewora, Crystal Conway, Bill Eaton, and Linda Wishney.  It takes talents of all kinds to make this work.  Thank you for donating your time and efforts.

Next scheduled banding October 22, 2013 with nets going up at 7:00 am.

October 10, 2013 "Emergency" banding day sets new record

Well, Tuesday left us disappointed so when the weather changed, we hoped that there would be birds moving.  We called an "emergency" banding session.  (The emergency part comes from some fun we had on Tuesday - Jane was tickled when I suggested an emergency banding session instead of "unscheduled" or "impromptu" banding later in the week).  It turned out to be a record setting day with 18 newly banded birds (8 species) and one recapture.  The recapture was a Gray Catbird originally banded at the end of August (which was an early return time).

We started with Ovenbirds and Gray Catbirds - I think we may be very glad that catbirds are back.  They make good teaching birds.  Not too bite-y and big enough to practice holding.

Ovenbird

Gray Catbird - hard to take pictures of your own hand!

Then the fun began, we had a very good variety of birds:

Common Yellowthroat

The color underneath threw me for awhile.  Common Yellowthroats in the western US aren't as colorful underneath.

Black-and-white Warbler

Jane was present for this next bird.  It was a new species for me to band.  By noting the hook on the bill you may guess it is a vireo.  The eye isn't as red as it will be.  This indicated a hatch-year bird.  The photograph actually shows a bit more red than was present in reality.  This one did bite and I could feel the hook but it did not pierce.

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Photo by Nancy Price

Jane had to leave and we had some thoughts of  deciding when we should close but the birds kept coming.    Our next bird was also a new species for me to band and new for the property list.  Though it looks female in appearance there are indications that this is a hatch-year male.  The newest coverts on the wing are black, there are tiny red feathers starting to appear on the chest.  One nice thing about a bird in hand is that you can see things that are not always apparent on a bird in a tree.  I love the color of the underwing.  This one bit hard!

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Photo by Nancy Price

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Photo by Nancy Price

Black-throated Blue Warbler - female

Blue Jay

Nancy Price was almost certain she saw a cuckoo on the property and that would have been a new property species.  In reality we will count Yellow-billed Cuckoo as Nancy also found a wing of one (likely a left over from a Cooper's Hawk meal).  The rusty color was stand out.

wing of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo

It was an amazing day.  

Next scheduled banding is October 15, nets to go up at 7 am.

October 8, 2013

Although we saw Northern Parula and Yellow-throated Warbler today and the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were still around, we did not band any birds today.

It looks like migration may be winding down unless weather changes or some winter birds start arriving.

We will continue our regular Tuesday sessions for a bit longer and we will watch the weather and bird radar.

Next scheduled banding will be October 15 with nets up at 7 am.  Please contact me if you wish to be included if there are any "emergency" banding sessions.

October 1, 2013

Some catch up to start with today.  Volunteer Bill Eaton has joined our effort.  I have added three of his photographs to the previous post.  Welcome and thank you Bill.

We have had a series of net problems including a squirrel, a foot (mine - whoops), and a mango.  Just how many banders can say their net was torn by falling fruit?  I could smell the mango as I mended the two large and two small holes.

Torn - partially mended

Repaired

The goal is to join squares until no more than a double space is left.  Each knot is triple tied.  The finished job should be fairly flat (no puckers).  This is a tedious process and 3 nets were out of commission.  Now just one more to fix......

We banded on September 30 but the whole property was fairly quiet.  We banded a Northern Mockingbird and an Ovenbird.

Today look was also a bit slow but the good news is there were more migrants on the property.  They did not make it to the nets.  We saw Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula, Great Crested Flycatcher, and several Red-eyed Vireos.  We banded one Northern Cardinal.  We also recaptured an Ovenbird that was originally banded on September 23.  It had no fat a week ago and we saw a trace today.  It really needs to fatten up to continue its journey or maybe it will spend the winter with us.

Ovenbird

Photo by Bill Eaton

We keep track of all the birds we see during the time we are banding/waiting.  Today we saw a Cooper's Hawk with a dove for its dinner.  Crystal spotted this Downy Woodpecker.  If it had moved its right leg a tiny bit to the right we might have seen if it was one we banded.  It's not the one from last week.  That one was a male.

Downy Woodpecker

Photo by Crystal Conway

Next planned banding session will be October 8.  Nets going up around 7 am.  Hope to see you there.

September 26, 2013

Today will be short and sweet - we are a bit tired.  Migrants are still moving through but today seemed quieter.  We banded two Swainson's Thrushes, a Northern Cardinal, an American Redstart, and a Northern Parula (and no Ovenbirds).  We also recaptured two hatch year Northern Cardinals that were both banded on September 19.

We were visited by a photographer from the Palm Beach Post who was taking pictures of the property to supplement an article featuring the new tours that Audubon of Martin County will be doing at Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area.  Not sure how the banding photos will work into that story if they do.

Swainson's Thrush

Photo by Nancy Price

You can see the buffy eyering on this species that was not present on yesterday's Gray-cheeked Thrush.  The wing measurements and features are also different.

Northern Parula - applying the band

Photo by Bill Eaton

Northern Parula

Photo by Jane Wiewora

Northern Parula

Photo by Bill Eaton

Today was the first day this fall that we saw Northern Parulas on the property - glad we were able to band one.  It was our second Northern Parula to be banded.  Welcome to Bill Eaton who we hope will be taking more photographs!

Northern Cardinal - recapture

Photo by Bill Eaton

Tomorrow is a day off for the birds and for us.  Next scheduled banding is Tuesday, October 1.  Nets up at 7 am.  We will likely do an unscheduled banding on Monday September 30.

September 25, 2013

Today we (the two Nancys) couldn't resist trying for more migrants.  It was fairly noisy this morning. Numbers were definitely down but diversity was still fairly high.  One new bird for the property, one new county bird for Nancy Price (Yellow-throated Vireo which we did not catch), and one new banded species for me.

We banded a total of 4 birds today, the now expected Ovenbird and American Redstart, a Gray-cheeked Thrush, and a Scarlet Tanager.  Nancy Price spotted the tanager in the strangler fig when we listened to jays and other birds mobbing this new visitor.

Barred Owl

Photo by Nancy Price

Barred Owl

Photo by Nancy Price

It was fun to see all the attention the birds paid to this owl.  Tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatchers kept buzzing around it.

Prior to the owl we banded a Gray-cheeked Thrush.  Its wing and feather measurements (and bill color) assured us that it was not another Bicknell's Thrush!

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Photos by Nancy Price

The female Scarlet Tanager was caught in a net in the butterfly garden.  We think it may have gone to the bird bath for a drink.    I love the up close photo as you can see the strange bill notch that tanagers have.  The bird was not going to stay still for pictures until it bit me.  Luckily it is nowhere near as painful as a cardinal

Scarlet Tanager

Photos by Nancy Price

We will set up again tomorrow at 7:30 am but may not stay too long if we are not getting birds in the nets.  Hope to see you there.