This Week at Hilton Pond

Bill Hilton Jr.
Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
York , South Carolina 29745 USA

Hummingbird Banding In Costa Rica: The “Lucky Sevens” In 2007 (8-14 February 2007)

Our "This Week at Hilton Pond' installment for 8-14 February 2007 includes lots of info about our annual hummingbird banding expedition to Costa Rica, as well as a ton of photos of tropical wonders we were privileged to observe. Of particular interest is the capture of a male ruby-throated hummingbird that yielded information we believe is new to science. To read about this special bird and the others we banded in Guanacaste Province, visit the current photo essay at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070208.html . And please note we're already taking names for citizen science participation in NEXT winter's expedition!

Since we were at Hilton Pond for part of the week, we also include lists of birds banded and recaptured at York--including an ancient male northern cardinal.

Figure 1. The male Canivet's emerald, one of more than 50 hummingbird species in Costa Rica, is far more colorful than its mate, which slightly resembles a female ruby-throated hummingbird. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

Yellow-Bellied Sap-Lapper (15-28 February 2007)

We've always been fascinated by yellow-bellied sap-lappers and managed to trap one "This Week at Hilton Pond," allowing us to examine closely--and photograph--this migrant bird's interesting adaptations from tail to tongue-tip. (You may never have heard of a “sap-lapper,” but we think the name is more appropriate than the one it usually goes by.) For a photo essay about this winter visitor to the Carolinas and elsewhere, please visit the photo essay for 15-28 February 2007 at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070215.html.

This week's installment is a "double-issue" that covers two weeks and allows us to get caught up after our Costa Rica trip. Thus, the banding totals cover a 14-day period when we caught lots of birds and had some interesting recaptures--all of which are listed following the photo essay.

Figure 2. The male yellow-bellied sapsucker (above) has a red crown and throat, while the female's throat is white. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

Studying Southern Flying Squirrels (1-7 March 2007)

Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History has always been available for students, scientists, and educators to conduct research or nature observations. This week a grad student from Wake Forest University came down to take a look at southern flying squirrels, Glaucomys volans, nesting in bluebird boxes. To view our current photo essay about what the grad student found, please visit the 1-7 March 2007 installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond" at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070301.html .

As always we include a tally of all birds banded--and there were lots of them--plus a list of interesting recaptures. There's also a photo of what Hilton Pond looked like after torrential rains on 1 March.

Figure 3. Southern flying squirrels (above) are cavity nesters that suffer in many locales from the lack of dead standing trees and snags and are forced to take refuge in artificial cavities such as bluebird nest boxes. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

Window Strike: A Study in Back And White (8-14 March 2007)

Hearing a loud thump on our office window "This Week at Hilton Pond," we assumed it was from a bird striking the glass. However, when we went out to investigate we found nothing--at least not until the next day. For a photo essay about what we eventually discovered, please visit our installment for 8-14 March 2007 at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070308.html .

As always we include a tally of birds banded during the week, plus a diverse list of recaptures. There are also several miscellaneous nature notes and a word about some winter Rufous hummingbirds still hanging around.

Figure 4. A ghost-like image of a bird with wings outstretched was evidence of avian impact against a window at Hilton Pond Center . Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

Signs Of Spring 2007 (15-21 March 2007)

Spring arrived officially on 21 March, but the whole week preceding was filled with activity at Hilton Pond Center , from native wildflowers to small mammals to insects to reptiles to birds and even a human visitor from the frozen north. For a photo essay about what was happening in our natural world, please see "This Week at Hilton Pond" for the week of 15-21 March 2007 at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek070315.html .

As always we include a tally of all birds banded or recaptured, plus a slew of shorter phenology notes. There are also links to some recent newspaper and magazine articles about Hilton Pond.

Figure 5. Trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica , is a native flowering vine that provides nectar for early arriving ruby-throated hummingbirds in the southeastern U.S. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

To help support the education, research, and conservation work of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History, please see http://www.hiltonpond.org/FundingMain.html . Editor.