Sunday, 05 August 2007

• Currently Reading The Original Adventures #1 (Hank the Cowdog) By John R. Erickson see related

  A Day for the Birds

  Yesterday morning at 6:00 a.m., my friend Kristi, her two children Andrew and Kaity as well as Mikaela and I met a group of bird experts from the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory and the National Audubon Society at our local Wildlife Management Area.  The naturalists were there to band birds and take an inventory of migratory song birds.  B.R., who is one of the leaders of the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory (and a regionally renowned orinthologist), is an acquaintance of mine and had invited us to come and observe and if all went well, to participate.  It was our first time banding any type of wildlife, so needless to say, we were pretty excited.  Here are just a few pics:

   

  

  A Tufted Titmouse trapped in the nets

   

  

  Mikaela carrying the bird to the banding station

   

  

  Various birds waiting to be processed

   

  

  The Tufted Titmouse being banded and then subsequently examined, measured and weighed before being released.

   

  

  Mikaela getting ready to release a hooded warbler

   

  Here are some of the other birds that were captured, banded and then released:

   

  

  A male Indigo Bunting

   

  

  An immature White Eyed Virio

   

  

  A Wood Thrush

   

  

  A Male Cardinal

   

  

  A Scarlet Tanniger

   

  

  An Arcadian Flycatcher

   

  

  A Yellow Breasted Chat

   

  What an absolutely wonderful learning experience we had!  Kristi and I received an invitation from B.R., to join them at Kiptopeke State Park later this Fall.  Kiptopeke is on the far Eastern Shore of Virginia and is a birders paradise.  Reportedly, it's not uncommon to band 700+ birds in a single day.  In fact, during the fall, they have three full-time staff members who are capturing and banding hawks as well as migratory song birds.  Kristi and I decided that we would try to take them up on the invite.  After all, one of the beauties of homeschooling is that we can take our kids camping there during the week for several days in Sept or Oct (when we'll have the place to ourselves).  We're already looking forward to it, as is Connor who missed out on birding yesterday in order to go fishing with his Dad instead.

   

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