The peak days of spring migration in late April featured continuing strong easterly winds, and the majority of migrating birds were blown to the west of us; coming up through Cape Sable and Southwest Florida. We have heard this story a lot in the last two years.
The winds relaxed towards the end of the month, and we were greeted with thunderstorms over our site in the morning of April 30, delaying net opening by a couple of hours. The rain moved away by 1030, and we started seeing birds in the woods! Ovenbirds were especially abundant, and we were herding them in front of us as we walked the trails. 40 of the 79 birds banded this day were Ovenbirds! Cape May Warblers were also common, although they mostly stayed out of reach in the tops of the fruiting strangler figs. Some American Redstarts and Northern Waterthrush arrived late in the afternoon.
Here is a selection of some of the birds banded in the last week. The interesting variety is somewhat making up for the lack of numbers this spring.
Young male American Redstart with blotches of adult black plumage on face. Unusual for warblers, American Redstart males maintain the immature yellow plumage through their first breeding summer. (Photo by Michelle Davis)
The third Brown Thrasher ever banded at CFBS and the first for spring. They are closely related to the Northern Mockingbird and Gray Catbird, and is one of several very common species across the eastern US that are surprisingly rare in South Florida. (photo by Steffanie Munguia)
Hi there! A Western Palm Warbler putting on some bright color before heading north to breed. (Photo by Steffanie Munguia)
Female Indigo Bunting showing some touches of soft blue and a bicolored bill for breeding season (photo by Miriam Avello)
Male Black-throated Blue Warbler; he is just as bright in fall as in spring unlike many species (Photo by Miriam Avello)
Bicknell’s Thrush, closely related to the Gray-cheeked Thrush and considered a subspecies by some. They are smaller and warmer in tone, as well as having a recognizably different song. (Photo by Miriam Avello)
Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, another infrequent visitor to South Florida. (photo by Miriam Avello)
The Phoebes birding group visited the station on Sunday May 1, and they were able to see a few birds in the hand and learn about the data we collect, although most of the birds from the day before had moved on. All those Ovenbirds left the previous night to continue their journey.
Miriam points out molt limits used to age birds to Phoebes walk participants. (photo by Michelle Davis)
