Day 9
Across from the Walmart where we parked in Whitehorse is a great birding spot. While we were scoping it out, we ran into a local birder who gave us the scoop on a bird banding event at McIntyre Marsh the following morning. We happily woke early to attend. The biologists set up mist nets to catch birds as they fly. We went with them to watch as they retrieved the birds one by one and put them into little bags.
A yellow-rumped warbler caught in the net.
We took them back to the banding station where they assessed the birds. They chart information on each bird such as species, sex, age (if they could tell), wing length, and amount of fat. Finally they put a numbered band around the bird's leg. The information collected is shared with other organizations in the US and Canada to track populations and migration of these birds.
Checking the wing of a Wilson's Warbler.
They check the fat layer by blowing on the feathers near the neck. That's where the lighter colored fat is easiest to see. After migration, they are very thin, but once they stay in one area for awhile, they build up the fat layer again for their next migration.
She taught us the photographer's hold...
...and the bander's hold.
Then they let us hold and release them!
For a bird lover, holding a wild bird was such an amazing experience!
Even Asher and Journey were able to do it.
I love that our home made it into the background of this photo.
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