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 mileybug@aol.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.


Winter 2008-2009 Final Report
 

Winter Banding is finally complete as of February 28.  I actually went out on the last day and caught NOTHING!!!  I did take down all the nets for winter setup so the day wasn't a total loss.
 
The 2008-09 Winter session was a 100% improvement over last winter.  You may or may not recall I banded only 19 birds, 2 species last winter.  This year I banded 29 birds and recaught 6 for a total of 35 birds, 6 species represented:
 
 
SPECIES New Recapture
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1  
Myrtle Warbler  21 2
Carolina Wren  1  
Gray Catbird  3 2
Northern Cardinal    2 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1  
 
I am sure I don't have to tell you how surprised and excited I was to catch the hawk.  And the two recaptured cardinals were banded as hatch year birds in Oct of 2005 and Nov 2006 up in the powerline road area.  So they definitely do wander to establish their own territories for breeding.
 
Since there wasn't much variety in the photos I am not showing you a lot this time.  One sad but most interesting situation I came across was a Myrtle Warbler with severe avian pox of the legs.  It was so bad I could not band it and everything within a "mile" had to be thoroughly cleaned so as not to transfer the virus to another bird.  It has been my personal observation that pox seems to be on the rise.  I have caught 2 birds this 2008-09 season with pox.  I have seen it on birds in my yard and several cases while out birding.

 

The starting changes of a Myrtle Warbler, who in
breeding plumage, has a nice black face with
a lovely yellow crown, often hidden from view.

 This is how one handles a hawk when all alone!!!
Cover the eyes so they, in effect, "go to sleep"
by stopping external stimuli.

The tail of a SSHA is usually squared off whereas
a Cooper's Hawk's tail is usually more curved or
rounded on the end.

 The eyes of a mature Accipiter, which is what the
SSHA is, are blood red.
 

Lethal talons on the Sharp-shined Hawk. And, no that
is not blood on the bag but rather red sewing thread.
Honest!

 The last day was not a total loss with the appearance of
24 American White Pelicans flying directly overhead!
 

 

Avian pox on a Myrtle Warbler

  
 
 

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