More Blackpoll Warblers

Back to Lake Lancaster to look for Blackpoll Warblers. They were still there! Still in good numbers. Males were feeding all over the place like they were yesterday.



Today they were a lot more in view which pleased me to no end.



A real surprise was a Swanson's Thrush that popped up as I watched the warblers. I don't usually see then around this time of year.



It hooped around from oak to oak for a few minutes before disappearing.



Another nice surprise was a late juvenile male American Redstart. Really late in the season for them to be heading back North.



Across the lake, the Great Blue Heron rookery was very active with large juveniles still begging for food from the adults.



A male Blackpoll Warbler cruised through the Cypress branches snatching insects.



I finally found a female Blackpoll Warbler in the oaks by the road gobbling down a spider she had just grabbed.



Nice to have a big group of migrants moving North this late in the year before the heat finally sets in.

New York City Audubon Calling...

A couple weeks ago I got an email that was a bit surprising. Seems that the New York City Audubon wanted to use one of my photos from the banding site for their upcoming issue of The Urban Audubon New York City. It would have to be given for free but I would get a credit and they agreed to send me a copy of the newsletter when it went to print. Just one of those out-of-the-blue things. Guess they were searching the internet for a matching photo to go along with this article and I had a shot that fit the bill.

The photo was taken during late September of this year and you can find my original post here and the one they wanted was the American Redstart three shots down from the top.

I figured the next newsletter was their Winter edition and I figured that might mean that is would be out sometime in early 2014. So I was surprised to get some mail today and find the new edition in my hands. Here is the beginning of the article with my photo.



The article discusses new methods they are testing at the Bronx Zoo in New York to reduce window collisions by birds. To make sure the birds do not hit any windows they are testing they set mist nets and band any birds captured. One they caught was a female American Redstart. My shot fit the story perfectly, except for the fact that the bird shown was banded over a 1,000 miles away (by car) from the Bronx Zoo! Can't miss my wedding ring no matter where it is. My wife has great taste.

It was nice to be able to help out Audubon, especially in another state. Who'd have thunk? The Internet makes interesting connections.

You can visit the website for the New York City Audubon here where you can read all about their local activities and make a donation if you would like. You should be able to view the entire newsletter in the archives when it is loaded online at their Our Publications page. I am not sure when it goes up so check back later.

Called To Mead Garden

I was just minding my business doing chores and some grocery shopping when Marcus called me to say there were more birds showing up at Mead Botanical Garden than there had been in a quite a while. I had a feeling but decided I would stay close to home. Oh, all right.

By the time I arrived most of the activity had abated. There were only a couple of warblers by the creek. As I stepped out into the open to scan the oaks a noisy Red-shouldered Hawk zoomed in and circled us before moving off into the distance.



I decided to check out some other areas and as I rounded a corner I spied a shadowy bird feeding in the grasses. A female Painted Bunting was eyeing me nervously so I had to stop and could only get a dark image but it was good enough for an ID.



Down by the big Cypress, the activity was picking up. Problem is that most birds here stay in the understory which keeps them in near darkness. My camera has a barely functional flash so I usually have to wait on the outer edges and hope for something to fly out there. Luckily, a male American Redstart did me a favor. Only very briefly.



Our main attention was on a female Yellow Warbler. She was almost always buried in leaves or on the far side of the trees so we had to wait it out for quite some time before even getting the slightest full glimpse of her.



As we waited, that male American Redstart continued to bounce from branch to branch and I managed one more shot.

It reminded me of the first time I ever saw a Redstart. I was standing on the front walk trying to get shots of birds at the feeder many years ago. As I watched the Titmice and Cardinals a male Redstart dropped from the trees and landed on a branch mere feet in front of my face. I was so awestruck that all I could do was stare and say aloud, "American Redstart...". The camera was in my hands at the ready but I only watched in wonder. Seconds later it was gone. It would be a couple more years before I ever got a shot of one.



I needed to head home to do more chores so I went out on the boardwalk for one look when a couple of Common Yellowthroats bolted into view. This young male stopped in front of me to preen and allowed several shots before vanishing into the brush.



Still love these birds and we have been banding a lot of them at Lake Lotus the past few weeks. Just another walk in the park but it is getting busier.

Latest LaCosta Wetlands Sightings

Back to check out LaCosta with fingers crossed. Has to be something out there. Right? Well, a little. Just across the first bridge I spotted a Prairie Warbler bouncing from branch to branch.



While I was trying to get a good angle on the Prairie Warbler I noticed another warbler deeper in the shadows. A male American Redstart was moving faster, but lower than the Prairie Warbler, after bugs.



That was the end of the migrants, though. The rest of the trek around the place was filled with local birds as usual. Still, it is always fun to see juvenile Northern Mockingbirds hanging around in the shrubs.



Back in the parking lot I was greeted by an adult Northern Mockingbird singing loudly on the wires.



Nearby, a Loggerhead Shrike flew in to scan the area for its next meal.



A little excitement. I could stand a little more.

Great-crested Flycatchers Brighten the Morning

I stopped by Mead Garden to see if I could chat with a couple of birders that usually hang out there and see if any migrants were in yet. Of course, this turned out to be the first time the birders weren't there. Plus, I heard no birds. Only the whirring of insects all over the place.

I began my walk and made it almost all the way to the cement bridge when I heard a loud chip call above me. A lone American Redstart was foraging through the oak branches. At least I got one migrant for the morning.



I continued down the trail and found a Blue-ringed Dancer near the wooden bridge. Man, that thing needs some work.



I walked all the way down to Penn. Ave. but there was nothing of interest there. I walked back near the boardwalk in search of any more migrants but only found a Katydid braced against the foliage.



I was looking for a Waterthrush but the entry to the boardwalk was quiet. I figured it would be an uneventful walk to the butterfly garden but something caught my eye. A pair of Great-crested Flycatchers were silently foraging in the understory.



They came out for a few seconds but my first shots were taken by dialing in through branches just to get any focus. That orange-rust is so striking.



Great-crested Flycatchers are amazing to watch. I sat with this pair for 20 minutes before letting them forage without me. If I had time I would have stayed there for another hour. It was fun watching them glean insects from spot to spot and then come closer to me like I wasn't there.



But I had to head home. Sigh. Soon, migrants will be flooding in and the Great-crested Flycatchers will head out. They have raised young here, already. Nice to have a quiet session between us before they are gone.

Lake Lotus Science Incubator Dedication

Seminole County has been running a new thing called the Altamonte Springs Science Incubator since last Fall. Part of that involves taking county school kids on field trips to the water treatment plant and to Lake Lotus and engaging them in scientific experiments in hopes of getting kids to take up science or related avocations as a profession. The park rangers developed teaching modules and the program has been well received and on May 10th they finally had the official dedication which featured local leaders and partners.

I arrived well before the crowds and decided to do a little birding before the speeches began. The newest thing you cannot ignore is the new sign at the parking lot. They threw this thing up in a couple days not long ago.



I headed out to the pier but did not find many birds but I was glad I spotted a Green Heron hunting just before the boardwalks heads back into the trees.



It was fun to watch it stalk and it eventually moved to another spot in front of me for another nice pose.



Under the shade of the cypress and oaks, a Golden-silk Spider sits in wait. Not the best shot of this species I have but it does show off the 'golden' webbing that provides the name.



At the end of the boardwalk I almost stepped on this Eastern Click Beetle.



Back at the sign, the rangers posed with the school kids that arrived to help out later in the morning.



Since the kids were going to be shown what they would be helping with I headed back toward the pier to get in position for some photos. On the way out I found a Southeastern Five-lined Skink. A beautiful little rainbow.



I was hearing a lot of American Redstarts this morning but they were usually high up. I focused on one of the males and, thankfully, he popped out into view for about 4 seconds before disappearing again.



Suddenly, a Tufted Titmouse family flew in. The adults were being harassed by all the kids in tow. One of the adults paused briefly across the river and I got a shot. If you look closely, really closely, you can just make out that this is one of the birds I have banded. Another of our locals with a successful brood is great news.



Out at the lake, Frank showed one set of students what they would be doing when they had to show the guests one of the elements of the Incubator modules.



The middle of the pier had a larger setup where Steve instructed another set of students.



Out of nowhere, a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks flew by and then off into the maple trees along the lake.



I won't show all the different speakers for the event. You wouldn't know any of them anyway. After they spoke, I grabbed my parting gift (a little flip-cube with the partner names on it) and headed toward the parking lot. I was actually pretty surprised to hear Cedar Waxwings still calling from the area of the Cherry Tree over on our banding side. It took me a few minutes but I could finally make a few of them out hiding in the leaves.



Thanks to the rangers for thinking of me and inviting me to this dedication. Glad to be part of the family for the past 5 years and this new funding will offer students a great opportunity. If we can ever swing it, we hope to get a weekday or two to be out at the banding site so they can get that experience, too.

Orlando Warblers

What better way to end a full week of rain by having to head to work on a Saturday. Yay. Clouds were still low and misting but I decided to drive around Lake Lancaster just because. As I slowed to a stop half way around I noticed a bird flying in from across the lake which then landed behind the retaining wall. I stepped out to confirm what I thought it was and was able to spy and juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron that also spied me and took off before I could even think about going back for the camera. It flew off to the far side of the lake.

I walked along the shore for a bit and found myself suddenly surrounded by warblers. Lots of warblers. I ID'd several species before a male Cape May made me curse myself for not having my camera every second. I scurried back and started the walk again. Most of the birds were Blackpoll Warblers.



Dozens of Blackpolls flitted through the branches but, man, how difficult it is to take photos of hungry warblers in tight quarters.



Most of the Blackpolls were male but there were a few females in the mix.



I was able to relocate the Cay May Warbler but it stayed in the shadows. You can still make out that beautiful color, though.



A few Black-throated Warblers, Magnolia Warbler, and American Redstarts were coming into view as the birds covered several trees just above the lake.



Northern Parulas are easy to find once they return here in March but they are still fun to watch and listen to.



A few Common Yellowthroats chased one another through the Cypress trees and rounded out the species count.



Oh, yeah. I have to go to work. Though I could stand here all day.

A Dearth Of Warblers

This Spring has really been slow for warblers in my neck of the woods. Some have been reported at Mead Garden and over on the west coast but very few have been moving through where I usually check. I did find a Blackpoll Warbler at Lake Lancaster first thing in the morning so I swung back around on the way home.

The only things really making a fuss were the Great Blue Herons across the lake on there annual roost trees where many large chicks pester the parents for food.



One adult finally says, "I'm outta here!".



An Osprey glided past as I scanned the trees and shoreline.



Below the heron rookery, a Muscovy Duck tended to her newly hatched ducklings.



Finally, I found a pair of male American Redstarts. They were very fast and hard to get shots of but at least there was something.



But that was it. Hopefully, the Yellow Warblers will arrive soon and I can get some great shots to go along with last years photos.