Two days in the Caribbean

Here we go with the last 48 hours of our banding in the Caribbean .......starting with yesterday at our Tortuga Lodge site.

This tiny Brown-capped Tyrannulet was the surprise of the trip. A species of the canopy, very closely related to the Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet which is not known in our area. 6.9g of Flycatcher and when Sutch was written, the nest of the species had never been found in Costa Rica.....What a bird..

This adult male Chestnut-backed Antbird was a surprise too...

We haven't recorded the species at this site for three years. We were amazed that the bird was also a recapture, a bird we ringed four years ago..!

This is an American Pygmy Kingfisher, a species we can catch at all of our five Tortuguero standard banding sites.

Other wildlife adds to our enjoyment at Tortuga Lodge. Our best site for poisonous  Strawberry Dart Frogs.

This Three-toed Sloth was a treat too....

Disturbed from the ground where the Sloth was relieving himself - as they do. He rapidly climbed up the tree next to our mist net pole.

Very little is passing at sea - a sea with a large swell for this coast as Hurricane Michael is starting have an impact on our weather.

Sanderling are the shorebird of the moment. These were feeding in the crater left by the emergence of Green Turtle hatchlings. Insects everywhere in the newly abandoned nest.

Now for today at our Sea Turtle Conservancy site. An early start for Thrushes produced this likely important recovery of a juvenile Veery with an American ring, 2581 67323

We are hoping  for an update on the original ringing during this week. Our first Gray-cheeked Thrush appeared today too.

This is a good looking male Prothonatory Warbler. One of two recaptures of this species ringed last year or in previous years. Three new Prothons' caught today too.

This Great Crested Flycatcher made an appearance today, as did the first Alder Flycatcher of the Fall. We visit our Cano Palma standard banding site in the morning, hoping for Short-tailed Nighthawks from the boat as we travel through the Cano canal at dawn.....

All photos by Wendy