Jay Watch, 2010, Day 1

Year number 4 for me helping with Jay Watch found me back at Buck Lake. That was the first spot I helped at and the following two years were a bit more inland at Lake Monroe. Some new birds were translocated to Buck Lake this year to save them from a development project further to the south.

I got there before everyone somehow so I wandered around. I was hearing Cardinals, Red-shouldered Hawks, Mourning Doves and Bob Whites calling but the first animal I saw was a small gator hanging out in the canal running from Buck Lake.



Soon afterward the rest of the volunteers arrived so I went back to join them. We gathered to get instructions and then split up to head out to start counting jays. Catching my attention at me feet was a small bee. This fuzzy little guy turns out to be a member of the Bombylius genus. Interesting.



We set out to our first point (spots on the scrub where we are stationed to count jays for 9 minutes each) of the morning. Along the way we spotted our first Scrub Jays. Not our first point but we got out to get some practice identifying leg bands. For instance, through binoculars and camera lenses we can make out the color of this bird are White/Pink - Yellow/Silver.



This Jay was moving about the trees, checking us out and providing great early morning views.



We finally made it to the first point and all got out of the truck, took up posts and watched for Jays that might be brought in by the playing of jay calls. Doug got first tape duty.



The rest of us, including leader Maria Zondervan, surveyed the surrounding vegetation for any responding jays.



Not lucky this time but we had a lot of points to cover today. I always enjoy studying the flora and fauna as we traverse the many, many acres. Right now Bachelor Buttons are blooming everywhere.



One set of points was looking to be disappointingly void of Jays primarily due to the presence of a Red-shouldered Hawk sitting right over where I was set to look next. The hawk was perched high above on a power pole. I looked around anyway. To my surprise, a Scrub Jay DID show up right behind me. This bird was unbanded, to boot.



We did find some other jays out near some of our points but they were at points of one of the other groups. Our last set of points for the day did contain a few Scrub Jays. My new friend was AG-GS (Azure/Green - Green/Silver).



How do I know for sure of that combo? When I can, I get shots of the birds legs to verify the combination we saw through binoculars just to be sure.



4 hours later and we had covered all of our points totaling 7 birds for our group, not counting the several other birds we saw along the way. But where are the juveniles this year? None seen so far. Could that long Winter have lessened breeding success this year? Not clear.

On the way home I had to drive over to Black Point. After all, I was right here anyway. Not a lot of birds out in the increasing heat. Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Mottled Ducks. Then there was a bird I was not sure of.



Looked odd to me for some reason. I later found out why. I had never seen a Willet in alternate plumage. They are usually transformed into a more gray color by the time most birds get here during Fall Migration. Go figure. Migration is on the move.

However, the patches of Blanket Flower prove that Summer is still in command.



Last bird of the day to share: Roseate Spoonbill. Cause they are pretty.



Time to head home, shower, rest up a bit and get back out to count Jays for Day Two.