So today I made my first solo trip out onto the station on my ATV. The goal was to get to 3 territories, and check up on the birds who were supposed to be there. See first of all if they were there, where they were flying in from, and if they had anyone else with them. The first territory was being held by an older female breeder, who is/ was (we don't know at this point) unpaired, and one of her daughters. So I arrived, got off the ATV, checked my census sheet to see the band combo on the birds I would be looking for, and then began to whistle... and pssh... loudly. Nobody showed up. I walked all around, and hung out for a good 20 to 30 minutes. Which is a long time, considering usually when you call the birds show up on about 20 to 30 seconds. So I moved on to the next territory. I had barely gotten off the ATV and whistled when 3 birds swooped in from a pasture abutting the station land. BC-OU, the breeding female, CB-OU, her almost 4 year old daughter, and I-FCL, her younger son. I fed them some peanuts to keep them interested long enough to make sure I had the bands right. It will take a little more practice before I can be sure of the colors quickly. Then while they were there I made good on my promise of Florida Scrub Jay pictures...
Before that trip out this afternoon I spent a while watching a Northern Parula hop around in a huge tree in our front yard. He was joined by a Yellow Throated Warbler for a bit. Then I spotted a HUGE Gopher Tortoise amlbing across our backyard, headed for a nice patch of grass, where he proceeded to graze. Travis, who has had herp experience said he was probably 40 years old. He even had a notch in his shell, made by a hole punch. Someone has some data on him/ her somewhere.
Tomorrow I head out for my first day of nest searching alone!
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