The one that didn't get away

So here is the story. A few days ago, while checking the nets, we had a small flock of House Finches fly into our brush pile. While watching the flock, they busted out of the brush pile, with one bird flying into one of the nets. Of course watching nets is like watching a pot of water to boil, the bird hit the net and bounced out and flew off with the rest of the flock. Just seems to be that kind of season here this year. Well, as luck would have it, we got a second chance. On the 5th Nov., we finally caught our first House Finch of the season. This time, we were not watching the net! ;-) I know, most of you are pretty use to seeing House Finches at your feeders, and yes, they are fairly common here, but here at the banding station, they are not a species we catch many of. Since 1963, only 24 have been banded here before this season. Ironically, 16 of them have come since 1995. So for the last 10 years, we have been averaging one a season here. So this bird might be all we get this fall.

We can tell this is a House Finch by it's large slightly down curved bill and the lack of a large white supercilium (stripe over the eye).