Tangled Anhinga

So, a friend of mine, Marcus, calls me and is really concerned about an Anhinga that had some type of material wrapped around its bill and could not feed. Wondering if I could do anything about. Maybe we could catch it somehow and since I have nets for catching birds...

However, the mist nets I used to capture small birds at the banding site do not fare well against larger birds, such as Anhinga. Larger birds have a track record of ripping straight through them. That won't work. I decided to at least head down to Mead Garden and check the situation for myself. The first bird I actually saw was a Great Blue Heron hanging out in the creek.



I found Marcus and he told me the bird was just being harassed by a young hawk. It flew over to another perch not far from us so I observed and took a bunch of photos. It spent a lot of time rubbing the bill along the side of the tree trunk in attempts to free itself.



Not long afterwards, it decided a nap would be a good idea and we wandered around a little. It was way too high to even consider capture.



Another friend of Marcus showed up with a blanket. Soon, the Anhinga flew up the stream and we tracked it down. Marcus did have a net and he brought it down and we spent the 30 minutes trying to nab the darter as it swam up and down the waterway. I managed to get to net to touch it but it was too fast and eventually made it back to the pond and flew up into another tree. We gave up as to not stress the bird any further.

When I got home I looked at my photos and found some encouraging shots. The yarn was working its way loose some. I could see the gap it had created so it was getting close to being rid of it. Unless it was stuck on its tongue somehow.



Otherwise, this male in breeding plumage, seemed pretty healthy. It could fly and swim, and did not look thin. It could open its bill some and might be able to grab onto some smaller food and definitely could get water.



Told Marcus to keep an eye on it and let me know about it during the week in case I could make it back out to attempt to catch it again.

UPDATE: On the 19th, Marcus called to say a rehab person was able to capture the bird and remove the yarn. Problem solved!

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Four days into the New Year and I had yet to take a single photo. Decided to change that and ran over to Mead Garden to see if anything was interesting there. I was hoping to get the Red-headed Woodpecker in my sights but it was not to be today. There were the usual suspects around but my favorite shot of the morning was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.



A birding friend of mine calls them "Blue-gray Time Wasters" since they are so common and usually draw our attention thinking something less common is there but I find them quite charming little birds. They are also a challenge to photograph since they move so fast while feeding. I will take a shot like this anytime.

2014 photos are officially underway!

Returning to Mead Botanical Garden

I got a chance to return to Mead Botanical Garden after a long absence due to job searching. I really wanted to try for a shot of the Red-headed Woodpeckers now that the skies had cleared and the winds died down a little.

I began my usual path through the park passing the newly planted Camillias but found nothing. Not much was in sight or calling until I neared the cement bridge where a call caught my attention. It was a male Black-and-White Warbler. It was feeding in the branches overhead so close that I could barely get it in the camera's zoom range but I repositioned myself and waited for a better shot and was finally rewarded.



Marcus and Larry arrived soon afterwards and we wandered a bit. Larry and I decided to go out on the old section of boardwalk to see if we could locate the Red-headed Woodpecker out in the wetlands which had not been seen for a while. We first found 6 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Six!) chasing one another and chasing off warblers. Eventually, I spotted the woodpecker on one of the snags.



It hung out on this tree for a while near the top and finally moved lower and entered what appeared to be a nest hole. Perhaps it was always hiding there causing it not to be seen. Now we know where to look.

Now to get the other bird on the other side of the park for a closer shot when I can.

Fresh Air and a New Woodpecker at Mead

Some birders are retired and have free time to go on long trips on a whim to see birds any day. Some live near great birding spots that only require a short jaunt to see fun sightings nearly any day. Some of us have Life to deal with. Like me. Kids to run back and forth to school, chores, shopping, and job searching. Leaves precious little time to bird. Sigh.

So, after two weeks of not getting out to do any 'real' birding, I decided the reports from Mead warranted a day to get some fresh air and snag some shots today. Especially since I had to miss the Philadelphia Vireo last week and there are new Woodpeckers reported and photographed out at one of my favorite local hotspots. I had gathered all of my State requested job searches for the week and decided to take a walk.

I arrived at Mead Botanical Gardens as Marcus, a fellow birder, was getting out to refill the hummingbird feeder and he pointed out a female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the tree above his van that he says has been there for a while. She was busy making holes in the tree for later meal chances. Despite their name, Sapsuckers don't suck sap. They make holes in bark to allow the sap to ooze out and attract insects that they then eat.



Once we got the feeder filled I wanted to head straight over to the spot where a Red-headed Woodpecker has been taking up residence and storing acorns after drilling out a hole in a nearby dead stump. We looked around a while before the bird began chirping and lead us to discover it up in the pines.



As we were watching this bird a Cooper's Hawk swooped in and landed a few feet away. This caused the Red-headed Woodpecker to hide until the hawk headed off into the neighborhood trees. It still took 20 minutes before the woodpecker felt secure enough to head out to forage. It landed on another snag far overhead.



Red-headed Woodpeckers breed up at Wekiwa Springs and were only recorded as fly-overs here at Mead. This is the first time they have been recorded staying for any length of time. I was hoping for a closer shot but with any luck they will hang around and I can get a closer shot. The fact that they are storing acorns is a good sign that they may be expanding their range, at least for now. It would be a welcome addition to the gardens.



I was wanting to add my first season sighting of Yellow-rumped Warblers to my list and we found them down by the creek. The lighting was horrible, however, so I got no pictures of them today. They quickly dispersed and were soon replaced by Carolina Wrens emerging from the wetlands.



Another bird we found along the creek was an Eastern Phoebe. As we followed its calls a Red-shouldered Hawk glided out of the shadows and landed on a fence on a property across from the gardens.



I mentioned a Cooper's Hawk before and they are still prowling the area in silence. As I was about to leave for the morning, I spotted another near the butterfly garden but it would only pause for a few seconds before being spooked by us as we walked by.



Being Halloween, spooking would seem to be the task at hand. At least I got some treats on my one day out for now.

Cloudy with a Chance of Bird Sightings

Figures. My one day to head out to Mead Botanical Gardens this week and it turns out to be the one cloudy day. Bird numbers were down and lighting was horrible. Oh, well. I couldn't even find the Barred Owl at its usual perch so I could only settle for a photo of a Blue Dasher Dragonfly out at that spot. Thanks to friend Paul Hueber for the confirming ID.



Down by the cement bridge I could only stand and chat with a Tricolored Heron for a couple of minutes.



At times, the area behind the clubhouse along the creek is productive for many warblers. It was quiet there, too, until a Western Palm Warbler dropped out of the trees. Means Winter is closing in. Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers are typically the last species of warblers to reach Florida and stay until Spring.



Nearby, the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are busy at the butterfly garden near the pond and back in the main butterfly garden.



I was on the way out and went past the new amphitheater when I saw a couple of warblers racing from tree to tree. Again, bad light was the norm today and I had to really process this shot to confirm it was a Pine Warbler that I was trying to keep up with all along.



I probably won't have a ton of birding time for a bit as I need to buckle down on job transitions but I will still get to be out on Sunday for banding at Lake Lotus.

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.

Yawn. So quiet...

Are those migrants ever going to arrive or did they just stick to the coasts this year? So quiet out at Mead that even one of the resident Barred Owls could barely stay awake this morning.



A little swarm of activity over by the creek only revealed Tufted Titmice taking a bath in the dew on the Elderberry bushes.



The only bright spot was finding a Chestnut-sided Warbler way up in the trees.



If I didn't have things to do I might just take a nap. Going to be bird banding at Lake Lotus all weekend so maybe things will get more lively.

Death After the Rain

A little dramatic? Yes. Yet true. First...

I started out around the azaleas to look for thrushes. There were many of them but they move so fast and often so high that it is difficult to get shots. In fact, the only bird that would come out to the edge of the branches were the Northern Cardinals.



By the time I wandered over to Warbler Corner I was actually surprised that it started to rain. I am usually on top of that sort of thing. I was a long way from shelter. I stuffed my camera under my shirt and began the hike back to the amphitheater.

While the rain ebbed and flowed in waves, I continued to scan for birds. Soon, I noticed movement down the path. I guessed what it was before it made itself visible. An Ovenbird was foraging in the rain and it came a little toward me before vanishing back into the bushes.



Larry and Cleber joined me under the roof and once the rain let up we headed toward the boardwalk. I was scanning a moving branch but couldn't see the bird. Then Larry mentioned a hawk. It was off to the left of where I was staring. Indeed, a young Cooper's Hawk was behind some branches. It was also holding onto a small bird. Hard to tell from a distance but it was a male Common Yellowthroat.



For some reason the hawk dropped its kill into the water below. It then spent a while looking for it.



Soon, it relocated the warbler and hauled it out of the swampy water and flew off to the boardwalk. We slowly made our way around the walk to get a closer look. It pulled out a good amount of vegetation along with the bird but quickly picked through it to get to breakfast.



We watched for a little while and got some shots before it decided to head off to another location to finish its meal.



Circle of Life. These juvenile Cooper's Hawks are finally getting good at capturing food on their own. I have been watching them miss for weeks now.

Lots of Locals

Stopped by Mead Garden. Again. Still hoping for a lot of bird activity. I actually got! However, they were all local birds.

One of the rules to birding: Follow the sound of the Tufted Titmice. Many other birds tend to hang with them, probably for safety reasons. Titmice are good at spotting danger. One of the reliable species that is in those feeding flocks this time of year is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.



Some folks I know don't like Blue-gray Gnatcatchers simply because they are not the warblers they seek. I think they are a lot of fun to watch and hear.



The Tufted Titmice I mentioned were here in the Southern Elderberry behind the pump house but it seems like they are taking a break. Time to preen.



I just missed the shot of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird that flew in for a quick moment. Up in the dead snag on the edge of the vegetation, a Red-bellied Woodpecker explored for food.



I didn't find anything the the 'Waterthrush Zone' but I spotted a dove slipping quietly into the shrubs behind the bird feeders. Hmmmm. The wings didn't whistle like a Mourning Dove... I waited quietly and soon a White-winged Dove emerged to land on the feeder and size me up. Can't recall seeing them here before.



I will take a morning full of local birds rather than no birds at all.

Common Yellowthroat and Box Turtle

We have to stop coming out to Mead Garden. We keep hoping for something special but we know there is not going to be any real birding fun until the end of the month. Masochists. Optimists.

Today was another example. All I could find were a couple of Common Yellowthroats, both feeding in the same area by the boardwalk.



This juvenile male was doing a fine job plucking bugs out of the air. Common Yellowthroats are becoming the most seen warbler in the gardens but that is typical this time of year.



Marcus and I headed back through the butterfly garden and nearly tripped over the Box Turtle just sitting next to the archway.



At least it was something new. I took a few more shots of the turtle and then continued toward home. Maybe I will try another park tomorrow.

Warblers Now Arriving

There was a nice front sweeping through last night and it finally brought in some new warblers to Mead Garden. I was looking for the Northern Waterthrush when I noticed something else way back in the underbrush. It is hard to see but it is a Worm-eating Warbler. It never would come out from that spot. Must have had plenty of food back there. It was hanging out with an American Redstart and a Common Yellowthroat.



An Ovenbird was trying to hide in the shadows and only allowed me a rear-view before it vanished across the paths.



As we were about to wind things down, several folks found a Black-throated Blue Warbler. Just then, the maintenance crew decided to start mowing, again, and scared off the birds in the tree. I was able to relocate it a few minutes later.



Finally some new species flowing South. Of course, the real fun is still a couple weeks away.

Signs of More Migration

What would we find a Mead Garden today? Well, on my first loop out around the pond I discovered a fairly friendly Anhinga up on one of the snags.



Down at the water's surface, a turtle does a little yoga on a log.



On the other snag, a White Ibis relaxes and preened.



A slow walk around the boardwalk produced the Northern Waterthrush that has been hanging out for a while.



Just as the Waterthrush flew off, a female Common Yellowthroat emerged from the opposite side and hunted around in front of us. This is the first sighting of a Yellowthroat here for the season. Migration continues to pick up.



Back in the butterfly garden we finally heard the flock of Titmice. Not much else was traveling with them today.



I headed back to the van and when we rounded the corner behind the amphitheater the pond-side White Ibis was now perched over the stream. Love those baby blue eyes.



Nice to see a few more warblers this morning. Shouldn't be long before the next wave of migrants arrives.