beautiful birdies

FINALLY I got some photos to upload! I brought my camera out in the field today and despite the high winds, caught and banded 5 more GWCAs. Cindy got some good pics of me holding the birds. Aren't they 'purty'!!!

off and soaring

After 1 week, we have successfully banded 26 golden-cheeked warblers!!! We're off to a great start - much better than any of us dreamed possible. I am doing really well picking net lanes and getting the birds in to the net. In fact, I got a 3-in-1 on Thursday (3 males in one net)! Today was super windy (winds in excess of 25 mph in the afternoon) and tomorrow promises to be the same all day, so I might not have much success:( Hope to keep getting good numbers - however, I am now switching from all day banding to 1/2 banding and 1/2 nest searching. Females are everywhere now and will be building like crazy this week.

I have lots of photos on COA cameras, with others taking the pics while I'm holding the bird - hence the lack of pics. However, I got a photo of one today, but I'm having issues uploading it. I'll try again later.

+ 4

I went out today with Jim, who banded Black-capped Vireos in the 80's, and is now volunteering as a permitted bander (married to Lisa the senior biologist). We had a long and tiring, but very productive day. We caught 4 and at the 1st and last net of the day opportunity to catch 2 birds, but neither time were we able to catch the 2nd guy. But 4 for day 1 seems pretty darn good!

catch of the day

I set up a couple nets yesterday at the 1st male I heard in the area. Today started out rainy and crappy and I took a co-worker around the site to familiarize her with the area and scout out others warblers. After a brief lunch break and discovering the water was off in my apartment, I headed back out solo to see what happened. I opened up 1 net at 2:30. I heard the male singing in the distance, and after 10 mins didn't really think he was going to come in. I switched to the 'B' song and pretty soon I heard my male singing a soft 'B' in the neighboring tree. After flying over the net a couple times, he flew in! A quick release and a speedy handling and off he flew with his new pretty jewelry. Hope the ladies like it! I heard him singing in the area many more times as I was taking down the nets, but I never got to look at his new colorful legs - maybe tomorrow.

Here's to much more future success.










Black/Mauve:Blue/Silver is his 'name'

they're backkkk

I've been out scouting every day this week at Emma Long.

Yesterday the first report came in from San Antonio. Today I had 2 singing at Emma Long!

Let the games begin...

Introduction

HOWDY!

This is my first entry on my Golden-cheeked Warbler research. I would love to add all this to my other blog, but Randy doesn't want me clogging it up with my gcwa obsession. So here I'll update folks with the details of field life down here in Austin, Tx.

I have a master banding pemit to band gcwas this spring. I also have 7 cameras to place on nests, as I've done for 4 prior seasons.

See ya soon!