Bird Banding & Migration Monitoring at CHRS (click here)

Station Scientist, Dr. Stéphane Menu, carefully removes a bird from on to the CHRS's 15 mist nets.
Sometimes, several birds need to be removed from a single mist net.

An old-timer successfully removing a badly tangled passerine from a mist net at CHRS.
2010 Nicaraguan intern, Luis Valerio, removing a bird from a mist net at the CHRS.
A tiny nocturnal Saw-whet Owl is removed from a mist net at the CHRS.
Returning from a "net round" with enough bagged birds to keep them busy for a while.
Some Spring days, the life of a migration monitors seems pretty rough!
Station Scientist and volunteers entering the CHRS's new (fall 2009) banding lab.
A new banding lab was erected on the CHRS site in August 2009.
A size "0" band goes on a Red-breasted Nuthatch's leg for future identification.
All biometric data (weight, size, etc.) is recorded and forwarded to the Canadian Wildlife Service.
Determining a bird's age often depends on the shape and condition of its flight feathers.
Examining a bird's flight feathers for molt limits (patterns) that can assist with determining a bird's age.
Measuring a bird's wing.
In Dendroica warblers like this Magnolia Warbler, the amount of white on the retrices (tail feathers) helps with aging of the bird.
Timely and efficient processing of captured birds requires more than one person's effort.
This female American Redstarts retrices (tail feathers) are very worn and ready to molt to replace them.
Checking for fat levels on a Blackburnian Warbler's chest.
The brood patch shows prominently on this female Red-winged Blackbird.
Saw-whet Owls are very docile while they are being handled by banders.
Each bird, like this Blackburnian Warbler, are carefully weighed before being released.
A long-distance migrant, like this "Dendroica" warbler can weigh as little as 8 grams!
Only the volunteer is smiling as she prepares to release a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Bat monitoring by the MNR started in the fall of 2010, including checking for the presence of deadly (for the bats) "white nose" syndrome.
Volunteers check for Red-necked Grebes on Dyer's Bay; one of BPBO's migration monitoring programs.
Scoping for Red-necked Grebes just after ice-out can be cold work.

1 Comment on “Bird Banding & Migration Monitoring at CHRS (click here)

  1. Please, I would like to ask for permision to use a photo of the female Red-winged Blackbird. with a brood patch.
    It is for a non-profit book on histology of birds a team of University of La Plata, Argentina are currently writing for our students.
    Thank you very much!
    Norma González