It’s been a busy 5 days! Crispy and snow….perfect Snow Bunting banding conditions. I mean, why else would one get up in the dark when it’s as cold as -28 C outside and look forward to heading out into it? Four days were spent banding at the York Airport and four at the Irish Line Farm (and on some of these days there were banders at both sites):
January 29th – Airport: banded 30 Snow Buntings, 2 Horned Larks
January 30th – Irish Line: banded 75 Snow Buntings
January 31st – Airport: banded 45 Snow Buntings, 5 Horned Larks
– Irish Line: banded 59 Snow Buntings
February 1st – Airport: banded 44 Snow Buntings, 10 Horned Larks
-Irish Line: banded 45 Snow Buntings
February 2nd – Airport: banded 32 Snow Buntings, 6 Horned Larks
– Irish Line: banded 56 Snow Buntings
These numbers push our totals for this Winter Season to 1,063 Snow Buntings and 145 Horned Larks…and we’ve just gotten into February which is usually our busiest bunting banding month. Let’s just hope these conditions hold – and don’t pay any attention to folks pining for warmth and sunshine and sandy beaches with warm ocean waves running up the shore.
While the numbers are important, perhaps it’s just as important how we can inspire and involve others in the joy of gathering those numbers. Just below is a description by Sarah Sharpe of the involvement of two enterprising grade 10 students:
Two high-school students, Emma and Norika first had their taste of bird banding this past fall when they joined me in Lowville for Saw-whet Owl banding. However, they expressed their interest in seeing and learning about songbird banding as well. I suggested they could join in on the Snow Bunting banding this winter, and so they made the journey from Toronto this weekend. On the drive from Hamilton, we spotted a Wild Turkey that flew in front of our car in a full glide, what a strange sight in the pre-dawn light! This was a lifer for the two girls. We stopped at the airport site where we banded a few buntings and a single Horned Lark (both lifers for the two of them) and then headed over to Irish Line. There we banded 45 Snow Buntings and recaptured 25, with the girls banding and processing many of them! Much was learned and much fun was had on a beautiful sunny winter morning! Sarah
There’s nothing like a bird in the hand to inspire interest. Here are some pictures of “firsts” for some possible future banders/bunting aficianados:
Rick