Leaving Alaska {part 2- Bird Banding and Muncho Lake}

We ended up staying two nights at Teslin Lake Government Campground where we participated in Yukon Bird Observatory's bird banding program.

Jukka, Ted and Sonya run the banding program and encourage the public to come and watch. The mist nets are set up at sunrise in the woods between the campsites and the beach. For six hours, they walk the loop collecting birds that have been caught.

They are put in individual bags and brought to the banding station where information is recorded about each bird before a band is attached and they are released.

After watching for awhile, they let Asher and Journey release a few birds.

Our campsite at Teslin Lake.

Being able to walk from our campsite to the bird banding station was heavenly! I learned so much from Jukka in just two days. They taught me how to scribe for them (record the stats of the birds). I wish we could have stayed for a week. The next time we drive to Alaska, I will certainly try to schedule in more time to help with their banding program.

And look at how gorgeous the beach is here!

The following night we stayed at Strawberry Flats campground at Mucho Lake in British Columbia. We had hoped to stay at Summit Provincial Park but weren't up for the extra drive.

Our campsite is just to the right of this photo along the shore.

The white that is visible behind the kids is our RV. That's how close we camped to the water!

Next we stayed at Buckinghorse Provincial Park then Country Roads RV Park in Grande Prairie. 

After that point we left the Alaska highway to drive south into FIVE of Canada's amazing national parks. 

Next stop: Jasper National Park.

Bird Banding at McIntyre Marsh

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.