Saturday, January 17, 2015

Woodlands Conservancy netting visit

Today I paid a visit to the netting operation at the Woodlands Conservancy in Belle Chase.  This is an open invite, and happens two weekends per month- one at the Woodlands trail area, and another at a second nearby site also in the English Turn area.  It is a nice spot to spend a morning, surrounded by woods and thickets, without any reminders that you are in an urban area.  There were about eight or so volunteers, led by bander Don Norman, checking eleven nets.

There was a steady stream of birds to look at in the hand, including various Cardinals, a Gray Catbird, and an Eastern Phoebe.  The latter had been netted two months earlier, and was recaptured today.  I had to leave at 9:30 or so, and they probably caught more after I left.

The woods also featured a vocal Pileated Woodpecker heard repeatedly in the distance, and a singing White-eyed Vireo. As I was driving out, a one year old Bald Eagle (mottled brown and white) circled near the road.

Peter

No comments:

Post a Comment