July 10, 2010

We banded this morning at Tilley Bottoms, where we ended up with 32 birds of 13 species. Highlights were two molting Second Year American Redstarts, whose body plumage was mottled olive and black, and wings contained two generations of orange and yellow feathers. When closing, we captured another Yellow-billed Cuckoo, who looked ready to pass an egg. Also, around mid-morning, net 8 housed a family of 4 Downy Woodpeckers (3 young and 1 adult). We also captured one more towards the end of the day.

Bunting, Indigo 2
Cardinal, Northern 3
Chat, Yellow-breasted 5
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed 1
Hummingbird, Ruby-throated 2
Ovenbird 1
Phoebe, Eastern 1
Redstart, American 2
Vireo, White-eyed 4
Warbler, Black-and-white 1
Warbler, Kentucky 4
Woodpecker, Downy 5
Wren, Carolina 1


July 9, 2010

Karen and I went out this morning to tag along with a team of herpetologists performing Hellbender surveys along the Big Piney River in Fort Leonard Wood. These humongous salamanders are found in several locations in the area and we are really hoping to see and photograph some before the summer is over. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the site this morning, the water visibility did not measure up to the researcher's minimum protocol requirements. Hopefully we will be able to go out with them again in the next week or two when conditions are better and find some Hellbenders!

The Blackberries are now at their peak around here, we collected a whole tub full of the scrumptious, dark fruit this afternoon!

Had a really filling dinner at Waffle House this evening, in addition to the food we ordered, the waitress brought us a free (and very large) Sausage, Egg and Cheese Sandwich (apparently they screwed up somebody else's order and has this to show for it).