Slow Start to the Fall Banding Season

Last Sunday we had a total of 13 birds captured with cardinAls being the most numerous (3 new/1 recapture).  Lots of other resident birds with Carolina wrens, brown thrashers and a blue jay in the mix.  Many of he birds were young hatch years (born this summer).  We don’t catch many blue jays since the habitat isn’t right for them (too swampy).  They prefer more upland oak hammock habitats.

We did have to migrant birds.  These included an Ovenbird and a Veery.  The Veery is probably my favorite species of thrush with its cinnamon colored back and muted spotting on the upper breast. It had a fat score of 4 which means it was probably going to continue its migration south to South America in the next day or two.  Hopefully, they are the harbingers for many more migrants to come (starting tomorrow)!

Volunteer Wendy releasing a friendly Carilina Wren.

Veery getting a quick weight.

Veery head shot

Notice the lack if distinct spots on the breast.

Ovenbird head shot

Fall Migration is Underway!

This afternoon during a break in the rains I saw a female American Redstart and a male Black & White Warbler in my back yard.  I got so excited that I donned my rain jacket, swimsuit, Keen sandals and grabbed my binoculars and headed to Hammock Park.  I was very curious to see what was hopping at the park.  Unfortunately, I found mostly hungry mosquitoes but I did see 2 more Black & White warblers and 3 Red-Eyed Vireos.  Of course, there was a lot of water on the trails so I am guessed at least the start of our fall banding will be pretty wet!

Enjoy sleeping in on Sunday mornings!  Only 6 more weeks until we start our fall banding:)

Female American Redstart free to go.

Special Warbler intensive reading program.

Study up on confusing fall warblers!  What is this dull plumaged female warbler?