It’s been a hectic 3 days. The film crew packed up and pulled up last week so now it’s back to teaching school groups. And these 3 days “belonged” to Fern School. On Tuesday it was a large group of Grade 2’s (my gawd but they can be “busy”!). But Wednesday and today were sort of a treat. The school’s two campuses have developed Young Ornithologists groups or clubs. Students that are interested in learning about birds and bird banding come out early (an hour and a half before school starts) to help open nets, take birds to the banding area, and, in some cases, even band the birds (once they have learned how to handle them). So for the past 2 days we’ve had the YO’s from both schools at Ruthven for an intensive workshop on birding and banding. The experience included an overnight stay during which they slept in the coach house – almost like camping……
Just about all school classes that come to Ruthven have at least a few students who are quite interested in what we’re doing and about birds. But it’s a different experience for us to have a whole group that is keen. It’s like preaching to the choir.
The only down side to the whole outing was that we didn’t get any Saw-whet Owls. The weather just didn’t want to co-operate: it was very windy (out of the S) and quite mild. Probably a good thing as everyone was able to get a couple of extra hours sleep – which we needed today. Needless to say, by the end of the workshop we were all tired out.
October 11th; Banded 67:
3 Mourning Doves
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Brown Creeper
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
21 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
4 Hermit Thrushes
3 American Robins
1 Blue-headed Vireo
1 Tennessee Warbler
11 Yellow-rumped Warblers
2 Song Sparrows
4 White-throated Sparrows
1 White-crowned Sparrow
4 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Purple Finch
6 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 47 spp.
October 12th; Banded 42:
4 Northern Saw-whet Owls (banded the night of the 11th-12th)
2 Downy Woodpeckers
1 Brown Creeper
5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Hermit Thrushes
5 American Robins
7 Yellow-rumped Warblers
4 Northern Cardinals
1 Song Sparrow
1 Swamp Sparrow
3 White-throated Sparrows
1 White-crowned Sparrow
1 Rusty Blackbird
1 Purple Finch
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 48 spp.
October 13th; Banded 51:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
17 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Hermit Thrush
2 Cedar Waxwings
13 Yellow-rumped Warblers
1 Field Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
5 White-throated Sparrows
1 White-crowned Sparrow
3 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Purple Finch
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 43 spp.
Photo Gallery:
Rick