And we’re about to GO! Thursday, April 1st marks the beginning of our 15th Spring Banding Season. We’re going to try to band every day through to the end of May (unless, of course, it’s raining). We have an exciting array of guest banders lined up to help out: Audrey Heagy from Bird Studies Canada, David Brewer author and world-traveling bander, and Cindy Cartwright whose vast experience includes instructing people how to band hummingbirds (hopefully she will give us ideas on how to attract more of them…). And of course there will be the regulars: Loretta and….me…and new bander Nancy Furber and Jeff MacLeod is even expecting to put in a guest appearance in early May. And as if this wasn’t enough(!), we will likely have students from a variety of programs and courses at various times. So it should be a GREAT season from the personnel perspective alone. We may even get some birds…..

If you have been thinking about coming out to see what it’s all about or to help out, we open the nets early (about half an hour before sunrise) and keep them open for 6 hours or so (usually until around noon). The best chance to see interesting birds is early (the first couple of hours) but you just never know……However, the earlier you arrive the more likely your are to see birds. (Plus you get the pleasure of a magnificent sunrise.)

With all this early warm weather there has been a fairly steady stream of migrants going through – from a wayward (sleeping) Long-tailed Duck floating down the river to an Eastern Phoebe hanging about the front of the Mansion to a couple of Tree Swallows checking out the nesting boxes. The next few days promise to be warm and sunny. Who knows what will show up!?

Rick