Betsy had flown in from Chicago. Matt was from somewhere else that was distant, and I had driven two hours South from where I was visiting my snowbirding parents. The one Bananaquit in FL, which had been seen for most of the month of January, had not been on it’s favorite Coralbean tree all day. I know, because I had been watching it.
Three in the afternoon rolled around, and the famous South Florida traffic was starting up. I think all three of us were about to give up, when the original finders of the bird, a lovely older couple, happened to check in, and told us that we had been checking the wrong condos during the day. In a last ditch move, we walked around the block to the proper condos. Fire bush was growing along the fence line not too far in. A mockingbird and something smaller moving around, but no Bananaquit. I decided to move farther down the fencerow- where the condos were in much closer, and it felt much more like trespassing. Another firebush, and after just a few seconds, a bright flash of yellow white and black! I waved frantically for the others, and they came running. Betsy and I got another quick look as the bird moved around deep in the bush, but Matt was striking out. We waited, the huge lens of Matts camera pointed at the hedges…. one minute, three, five…. and then the Bananaquit emerged and all but posed… I don’t think Matt’s finger came off of the shutter button. High Fives all around.
Two shirts available, one of the bananaquit on firebush (click here!) and one slightly more social (click here!)