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:  October 2-7, 2011

Every other day was a good day this week.  Seems a few migrants are finally making it down to Tomoka State Park.  Bulow Creek has not been so lucky.  The only day we were able to band at Bulow brought only one bird, a female Red-bellied Woodpecker.  The rest of the week I banded down at Tomoka with a bit better luck.

On Sunday we had 19 birds.  On Thursday I had 13 captures.  I finished the week with 6 birds.  There was quite a mix of birds through the entire week of 14 species making up a total of 41 including 2 recaptures.  At one point 4 Tufted Titmice hit the net at one time with friends and family squeaking above in the trees.  When they were all released there continued to be quite a bit of communication among them all.  I would have loved knowing what they were saying and can only imagine!  I have included one photo showing the inside of one of the  titmouse juvenile's mouth.  One of the ways to separate juveniles from adults is the pink/gray coloring on the roof of the mouth.  It was clear in person but may not be so obvious in the photo. 

There are always in hand clues to aging birds that are not apparent in the field.  For Black-throated Blue Warblers that includes greening to the edges of the back feathers for juveniles of both males and females.  After hatch year birds of this species do not have this greening. 

Red-eyed Vireos continue to be numerous high up in the trees but at last one was captured on Friday, the last previous one captured Sept 19.  We caught 2 White-eyed Vireos on Sunday, the first for the season.  Also caught our first of season Gray Catbirds on Oct 2.  What I didn't catch, and would have given anything to, were 4 Wood Thrushes that showed up together behind the shed at the Admin building.  I hadn't seen a Wood Thrush in Florida since I last banded one in 2005. 

The winds have been extremely high and a lot of rain is the way for this weekend.  It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the banding over this next week. 

Totals for the season thus far (starting later than last year due to heat)  19 species with 88 new birds and 4 recaptures

BIRDS FOR OCTOBER 2-7, 2011

 
SPECIES NEW RECAPTURE

White-eyed Vireo

 2  

Worm-eating Warbler

 1  

Swainson'sThrush

 1  

Carolina Wren

 1 2

Gray Catbird

 3  

Northern Cardinal

 1  

American Redstart

 2  
Common Yellowthroat 7  
Black-throated Blue Warbler 12  
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1  
Ovenbird 2  
Tufted Titmouse 4  
Red-eyed Vireo 1  
Downy Woodpecker 1  
TOTAL 39 2

Click the link to see banding statistics for Fall 2011
 
Second of 2 White-eyed Vireos on same day Adult male Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart male First of fall Gray Catbird adults
Second Swainson's Thrush of Fall Worm-eating Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker female Adult Tufted Titmouse
Aging Titmouse using inside of mouth - note pink (hard to see vs. black further back in mouth Hatch year male Common Yellowthroat
Ovenbird hatch year, little rust color on crown Family that hunts together gets caught together:  Tufted Titmice
Typical green seen on back of hatch year Black-throated Blue Warbler Male adult Downy Woodpecker
 
Hatch year Red-eyed Vireo with pink inside mouth  
   

 

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