Another Bird-of-the-Decade?

Today was fairly slow but steady all morning and we had a lot of visitors stop by throughout the proceedings. By the end of the day we had a chance to band a bird we haven't banded since 2006. More on that later, of course.

Our first bird of the day was a young female Northern Cardinal most likely born on property this year.



Gray Catbirds are back in full swing and mewing up and down the river.



Painted Buntings are definitely back, too, and we caught another adult male.



No one can resist taking as many photos as possible of Painted Buntings. Our new visitors got to release many of our banded birds.



Common Yellowthroats are still moving through in good numbers.



One of our other young visitors learns how to release a bird, after a family photo.



It is great to have the whole range of Common Yellowthroats so that we can point out the differences between the females (above) and the adult males.



Connie is always scanning the nets to bring birds back to the table.



We were just wondering where the House Wrens were when she brought one in!



Everyone is fixated on the banding process.



We typically begin catching Northern Waterthrush in August. Since the storms ruined most of our early banding season it was nice to have one in October.



See this dude? That look? This Carolina Wren was born here this Spring. Since then, it has been banded and recaptured 3 more times. Thus, the look of dejection. "Not again..."



A new male Northern Cardinal joined us along the way.



It is always a joy to get an American Redstart, especially the adult males.



The perfect color scheme leading toward Halloween.



We bring out all of our bird guides every weekend so there is always something to do between birds at the table.



Ovenbirds are still creeping through the underbrush and will stay with us through the Winter.



Then the second Bird-of-the-Decade in two weeks. We knew when we saw Chris thrusting both arms in the air down the lane that something special was coming back. It was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.



Like we said at the beginning of this post, it has been 11 years since we have banded a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and that was at Wekiwa Springs. Checking on past records, we always seem to have caught them in October.



Too bad there wasn't anyone there to witness our special guest...



We wrapped up with another Common Yellowthroat and closed up in time to beat the rain.



Christine found this little Green-tree-frog as we gathered nets. It was actually right next to Net 1 where it was resting on the pole when we set nets in the dark, hours earlier.



Yet another exciting day in the woods. What might next Sunday bring?
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Next (planned) Banding Day: Sunday, October 22nd.
All nets will be opened by 7:00 A.M.