The Most Remarkable Bird Wasn’t the One in Yellow
Three plain birds in gray told a much larger story
by Samantha Bean
Amid sixty-one gray catbirds in one morning last Sunday, a female scarlet tanager, with her large beak, dark eyes, and muted gold plumage, seemed like the obvious standout. Or maybe the juvenile brown thrasher. Or perhaps the ovenbird with a small orange lightning bolt for a crown. But as it turns out, the banding data that the technicians collect over the years tells a bigger picture, and the standout birds were more like old friends that came back. (As did one of our volunteer techs!)
As nests begin to empty around Fiddler’s Creek Preserve and young birds abound, three catbirds brought to the station carried something unexpected: tiny metal bands placed on their right leg three years ago. In a morning filled with gray feathers and constant activity, those three returning birds became the ones worth paying closest attention to.
Originally banded in 2023, these birds are still coming back to Fiddler’s Creek in 2026. One in particular, band #289163992, was originally banded on 8/15/2023 as an ASY, or “after second year”. Meaning it could be as old as 6 now! The gray catbird that was banded on 7/15/23, #289163898, was an HY, or “hatch year” bird. While the final catbird was an AHY, or “after hatch year”, banded on 6//17/2023 with the band #289163821.
We were also able to capture this beautiful comparison of a hatch-year brown thrasher versus the bright eye color maturation that develops in its second year.
It was a very busy morning with plenty of birds, banding 87 in total across 13 species. We saw a variety of local residents, along with short- and long-distance migrants. The locals included a few American goldfinches (both new and recaptured), a small handful of American robins and Northern cardinals, a song sparrow, and one very gorgeous cedar waxwing.
Among the migratory species, we saw 61 gray catbirds, 1 brown thrasher, 1 scarlet tanager, 1 ovenbird, 5 prairie warblers, and 4 common yellowthroats. Lastly, and worth noting, we only had one field sparrow. Typically, those birds were very common visitors to the station. But as we talked about last week…as the habitat changes, so do the birds.
Interestingly, scarlet tanagers nest high in trees. So as Fiddler’s Creek Preserve continues to mature, it is possible that we will be seeing more of this species nesting here in the summer! Maybe one day, the most remarkable recaptures we will have will be the fiery scarlet tanagers!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 6/14
- New to the Station: NA
- Total Birds Captured: 87
- Total Species Captured: 13
