Warblers continue

With the cloud cover and drizzle sticking around overnight and all the next day, many of the passerine birds that were here on Friday remained in the area. These small birds migrate at night and if conditions aren’t right (clear skies and favorable winds) they won’t continue their southbound journeys until more suitable conditions prevail. They may, however, move slowly south as they feed from tree to tree or from woodlot to woodlot. So with that in mind, Ranger KristinĀ andRead more

Golden-crowned Kinglet and more

I saw the first Golden-crowned Kinglet of the season on October 9 while it was foraging in a Mimosa Tree. There were several of the frenetic little birds working over the branches and leaves of the non-native silk trees on the back side of the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Trail. The birds spent quite a bit of time gleaning insects from these trees. On the 13th of the month there were plenty of other migrants around, mostly butter buttsRead more

Early Nesters, Arrivals, Delayed Departures

It was a busy time for birds. Besides the Red-shouldered Hawks snatching frogs out of the Wetlands, Carolina Chickadees feeding their young in a nest in a Loblolly Pine between Catch the Wind and Explore the Wild, and the Red-bellied Woodpeckers sitting on eggs in another loblolly in front of the Lemur House, many new seasonal arrivals and migrants have been observed. After a seven-month absence, a Green Heron was back on station on 28 April. As if it hadRead more