Harley and I banded today at Tilley Bottoms during a very nice morning, the humidity didn't kick up until lunchtime today. We ended up with 21 birds, right on par with the past two visits to this site, which have yielded 20 and 22 birds. The waterthrush we caught today was apparently a new species for this site (it is not listed on the breeding status list from past years). Saw another Three-toed Box Turtle at the banding site this morning, it seems like they are just everywhere in this part of the state.
Bunting, Indigo 4
Cardinal, Northern 3
Chat, Yellow-breasted 2
Cowbird, Brown-headed 1
Flycatcher, Acadian 1
Redstart, American 1
Thrush, Wood 1
Vireo, White-eyed 3
Warbler, Blue-winged 1
Warbler, Kentucky 1
Waterthrush, Louisiana 1
Wren, Carolina 1
Yellowthroat, Common 1
Late this afternoon during a jog down to the highway and back I flushed a Wild Turkey from the driveway shoulder; as it was flapping into the forest the thundering wingbeats made it seem like the forest was about to collapse as the bird passed. A Scarlet Tanager was singing downslope from the apartments this evening, and two male Purple Martin's flew overhead around 1730.
With Karen gone until Monday life around the apartment is pretty boring, and very quiet...almost too quiet. Harley is staying here and filling in for her until she gets back, but he's not a big talker, and afternoon life here consists of reading and getting on the internet. I have not really felt like traversing the woodlands too much lately during the head and intense humidity of the afternoon, especially since having got up at 0430 almost every morning.
About Me
- Mike McCloy
- I'm Mike McCloy, a recent graduate from the Natural Resources Conservation and Management program at Western Carolina University who currently works as an Ecologist for an environmental consulting firm in Lawrenceville, Georgia. I have dabbled in seasonal/temporary ornithological field work through the lower 48 states in locations as diverse as Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Missouri, Tennessee, and North Carolina. I was raised in a small town in eastern North Carolina and have been an avid birder and curious naturalist since I was a wee little chap of about five years old. Unsurprisingly, birding is the primary motivation behind most of my travels. However, I am becoming increasingly fascinated with other cultural aspects of international travel as and aim to incorporate more of these experiences into my travels and writings in the future. In addition, I hope to use this blog to inspire other travelers (particularly birders and nature enthusiasts) to pursue their dreams both professionally and along the road as well as provide helpful trips and tricks for traveling on a shoestring budget (as I often seem to do!).
Now that you are starting your third banding period I find it interesting to begin to discern bird species trends among your various sites. For instance, I noticed that with 3 periods completed so far, Northern Cardinals, Yellow-breasted Chats, Indigo Buntings, and White-eyed Vireos consistently dominate your captures in Tilley Bottoms. Of course, there is a bias in that some bird species, although abundant, are not as likely to be caught in mist nets due to their size, habitat preferences, etc.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many books you will have read by the end of the summer. Reading is sure a great way to occupy the evenings. I should emulate you.
Dad