Bird Banding - Herricks Cove

After the snow a week ago, and the generally dreary weather which followed, Spring has finally come with mild, sunny weather, and the chance to be outside looking for birds.

I began the day at the annual Herricks Cove Wildlife Festival. The 7am bird walk included bird watching and hawk watching friends that I have scarcely seen since last Fall.

Among the many wildlife booths and displays was the bird banding demonstration by the wildlife biologists from Vermont Center for Ecostudies. With nets up early, and birds busy moving, there were good teaching opportunities on bird biology.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler is carefully removed from the mist net

Yellow-rumped Warbler

It is none the worse for being netted, measured, weighed, and banded ...
 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

... does seem to have a negative opinion about the whole experience.
 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Experienced hands delicately untangle a White-throated Sparrow weighing only a few ounces.
 

White-throated Sparrow

Data is carefully recorded and the numbered band fitted on the leg.
 

White-throated Sparrow

The banding demonstration at Herricks Cove Wildlife Festival gives many people their first upclose and personal look at birds.
 

White-throated Sparrow

Once again, the opinion of the birds is sometimes not as positive as the wonder in a child's eye when seeing the bird, even though the bird has received a piece of jewelry that it can keep for a lifetime. There is no harm to the Gray Catbird, though it is trying to bite the hand that holds it.
 

Gray Catbird

One catbird caught this morning had already been banded, possibly at last year's Wildlife Festival. Such a record helps biologists understand the life of birds.

Good birding!