Tomoka Bird Banding Station

 Tomoka Bird Banding Station, located on a spoil island within Tomoka State Park, has been in operation since October 2004.  Tomoka State Park is located on North Beach Street between the Halifax and Tomoka Rivers in Ormond Beach, Florida.  The days and hours vary but are much more frequent during Fall and Spring migrations.  VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME 

Please Contact Meret Wilson at tomokabbs@gmail.com for days and hours of operation.  Meret is a Federal, State and locally licensed bander.  She is holding a recently banded Northern Cardinal at the right.

See map for directions to Tomoka Bird Banding Station.


Activities:  November 13-18, 2011

This week was fraught with mosquitoes, wind, rain and fewer birds as migration settles down to birds that will overwinter in the park. 

Unbelievably, we caught our third Orange-crowned Warbler equal to the number caught in the past 7 years.  We also caught 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the same week when we caught only one the 2010-11 season last year.  We caught only our 2nd ever Chipping Sparrow but that is not as big of a surprise since they like the area we are presently in.  I woke up some Cedar Waxwings sleeping in the juniper tree next to one of my net placements.  So, hope springs eternal to catch one! 

Joe and Judie and I gave it one more "ole college try" behind the administration building to see if we were missing some warblers and check if the Myrtle Warblers were low enough to catch.  In our 5 hours we managed to get one new catbird and a banded Carolina Wren.  So, I won't be doing much winter banding back there.  It will be a good area when springs comes. 

Tuesday Susan and I got drenched getting nets back down after being open less than an hour.  We managed to catch 3 birds and get them on their way before it got so bad.  Wednesday was a bit better and our best day for this week.  Thursday fell victim to rain and Friday is just too windy.  The way it goes this time of year.

Look closely at the photo of the Gray Catbird band # 2531-42306.  You can see a small ring of light brown in the eye which is slowly turning to the maroon color of an adult.  The feathers show the typical brown seen in hatch year feathers and the inside of the mouth was still white.

There are only 2 more weeks for fall banding, Dec. 2 being the last day.  Even though we started 2 weeks later than last fall due to the heat and bugs, we are on mark to at least match up.  Last fall I banded 286 new birds and to date I have banded 268 birds for this fall.  We have added 2 new species, fewer catbirds and Common Yellowthroats, more of other species. 

Meret Wilson, Lead Bander
Tomoka Basin Banding Station

BIRDS FOR NOVEMBER 13-18, 2011

 
SPECIES NEW RECAPTURE

Myrtle Warbler

 19  

Orange-crowned Warbler

 1  

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 2  

Black and White Warbler

 1  

Gray Catbird

 2  

Chipping Sparrow

 1  
Northern Cardinal 1  
Carolina Wren   1
TOTAL 27 1

Click the link to see banding statistics for Fall 2011
 
Chipping Sparrow
 Chipping Sparrow with eyestripe
Top of head with buffy center stripe of a hatch year Chipping Sparrow V-Shaped tail of Chipping Sparrow
First Yellow-bellied Sapsucker female of the season Yellow belly of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Third Orange-crowned Warbler caught this fall Hatch year Gray Catbird.  Notice the brown in the feathers and a small amount of brown still in the eye as it moves toward more maroon color of an adult
Non-breeding fall adult male Myrtle Warbler with five tail spots Five spots on tail feathers of male Myrtle Warbler
Clapper Rail across from banding station Merlin sitting above banding table
Hatch year Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, sex unknown Very yellow belly of same young sapsucker
Joe working at the banding table Black and Turkey Vultures rising up on the thermals
Just before the rains came This is what the yellow rumps are after--wax myrtle berries
 
Biodegradable package from sinkers that contain lead.  What is the disconnect?  

 

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