June 8, 2025

For the second official session of MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) this morning at the banding station for Wild Bird Research Group, Inc. the morning started out pretty fresh with a recaptured gray catbird, band number 2891-638825 was originally banded at the station on June 17, 2023. 

Interestingly, while the humidity that mingled with the morning dew, there was a cool damp to the air that was stationary thanks to the windless motion of the dawn hours. But while the mosquitos were vicious, the trees were still. Such stillness was not the case for the cacophony of cedar waxwings flying about in their usual grouping. They are serious party goers. It honestly felt like the birds are always on a block party patrol. Practically a half dozen came through the station, one more striking than the next. Poppin off as only a bird this fancy is capable of. Their bold eyes exaggerated in a wing-tip kohl eyeshadow most makeup artists aim to mimic. Pair that with that coiffed mohawk making for quite the stellar picture of passerine perfection. If there was a bird version of the prom…they were going.

One of these waxwings stood out even more with its traditional red waxy primary wing tips PLUS yellow tips on their secondaries. A very uncommon unique characteristic. (Yellow tips on the tail are common however.)

While called “waxwing” the color is actually astaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment acquired from what these birds consume on the regular: fruit. But having both yellow tips and red tips on the wing is not seen in many waxwings.

A steady variety of birds continued to flow in. A brown thrasher, a red-winged blackbird con huevo, a number of fiery red cardinals and a few small flycatchers and warblers, including a sharply keen white-eyed vireo. Additionally a few common yellowthroats some field sparrows and one very boldly colored American robin.

The wind kicked up a notch as the morning ticked along and amid the chorus of American goldfinches overhead and the hum of bees, a bird bluer than the Pacific was brought in looking nearly perfect in his blue suit.

A male indigo bunting had quite the admiring crowd and growing number of smartphones around him. His feathers hit every shade of blue from steel gray to deep blue. Complete with one leucistic feather to seal the deal. 

The cedar waxwings were pretty special in their own right…but honestly if the after party is more fun than the main event…it was because he was here. An indigo bunting always makes the 4:15 am alarm all the worthwhile.