FOS Least Flycatcher and Yellow-breasted Chat

 CAPTAIN SAMS

It was another cool morning with a few migrants flying over as we opened nets. We ended the morning with 27 new birds and 5 recaptures of 10 different species. We captured 7 species of warbler, including another two Prothonotary Warblers. It has been a good fall for Prothonotary Warblers with 10 captured so far. We also banded a first-of-the-season Least Flycatcher, which is the smallest flycatcher species that migrates through our area and has a characteristic white eye ring that is typically shaped like a tear drop. 

Least Flycatcher (hatch year, unknown sex)

-Michael

LITTLE BEAR

While things are still a little slow, overall we had a pretty good day at Little Bear. The winds have died down a little bit and we were able to open all of the nets for the first time this week. We caught a total of 26 birds, with 14 newly banded and 12 recaptures including a first of the season Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Yellow-breasted Chat. These are two species that are known for their spunky attitudes, so we were delighted to see them in our nets today. We also ended up catching almost as many recaptures as new birds today. Our migrating warblers are hanging around, foraging and fattening up while waiting for the right weather to continue their journey south. 

Hatch year female Yellow-breasted Chat

Aside from a nice day of banding, we enjoyed a few other wildlife encounters today. Camille came across a Timber Rattlesnake while checking a couple of our nets in the dunes. It was all of our first time seeing one, so we rushed over to observe it (from a safe distance away). Camille also had a flock of Ibis fly right overhead, and not too far away from a net! We've had a couple of close encounters with a night heron bouncing out of net 27, so our fingers are crossed that we end up catching one soon.

-Liz  

Timber Rattlesnake

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Traill's Flycatcher	1	-	-	-
Least Flycatcher	1	-	-	-
White-eyed Vireo	-	1	1	-
Carolina Chickadee	-	-	-	1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	-	-	1	-
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	3
Eastern Towhee	-	-	-	1
Yellow-breasted Chat	-	-	1	-
Ovenbird	1	-	-	-
Northern Waterthrush	3	1	1	2
Black-and-white Warbler	1	-	-	-
Prothonotary Warbler	2	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	5	-	4	-
Hooded Warbler	-	1	-	-
American Redstart	6	-	-	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	2	-
Prairie Warbler	3	-	1	-
Wilson's Warbler	-	-	-	1
Northern Cardinal	-	1	1	2
Painted Bunting	4	1	2	2

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	27	14	41
# of Recaptures	5	12	17
# of Species	13	13	20
Effort (net-hours)	155.3	128.8	284.1
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	20.6	20.2	20.4
# of Nets	32	28	60

2025 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	355	193	548
# of Recaptures	84	77	161
# of Species	31	28	39
Effort (net-hours)	2534.8	1241.5	3776.4
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	17.3	21.7	18.8
# of Days	18	11

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Michael Gamble (CS)

Liz Held (LB)

Arden Schneider (CS)

Camille Beckwith (LB)

Jeremiah Sullivan (LB)

Note:  All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab.