:: Wild Places Blog ::

Had to pass on details of this position - i spent Spring 2008 as the bander-in charge at Innis Point Bird Observatory and enjoyed every minute. The birds are great, both for watching and ringing and the BO directors and volunteers are a  great bunch of people.
“VOLUNTEER BANDING ASSISTANT–Innis Point Bird Observatory, near Ottawa, [...]

25th September 2009

Apart from the “morning rush” of sparrows things were pretty quiet. A sharpie got caught in net 7 - i think he was after the Slate-coloured Junco in there but ended up well tangled around his feet before he could do any damage.
Lots of Geese on the move and Blue Jays are moving [...]

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-breasted Nuthatch - another ringing tick!

Well, we ended Spring banding as we began – wearing rubber boots! (thats wellies for you English folk). On the 29th May as I arrived back at the banding shed after letting the volunteers back out an Osprey was sitting on the platform outside with another flying round [...]

Blackpoll Warbler
Wind and rain meant net closures and another 3 days site closure due to military activity, making for a disappointing weekly banding total of 74 birds.
A Purple Martin was sighted here for the first time this Spring on the 24th May. It was, unfortunately, chased away by the Tree Swallows but we live in [...]

Maria and Rachael, dedicated volunteers!
Steve (of lucky rabbit fame) and Maria
Female Black-throated Blue Warbler
Wood Thrush
Flocks of Blue Jays were seen frequently overhead and on the 15th May we caught and banded 5 in the nets at swamp. All were second year birds. We reached the halfway point of SMMP on the 16th May and were [...]

Gorgeous male Chestnut-sided Warbler
On Sunday 11th May as the sun rose over the river we enjoyed the fabulous sight and sound of 6,000 Canada Geese migrating overhead. As that day was Mother’s Day two of the volunteers bought homemade treats with them – Blueberry Muffins from Louise and cookies from Soo – much appreciated by [...]

Pine Warbler
The first day back it was disappointing to only be able to open the nets for half an hour before the rain started.
Throughout the week a good variety of species were banded with more warbler species being both observed and banded – Palm, Myrtle, Black-and-white, Black-throated Green, Yellow and Nashville Warblers, plus Northern Waterthrush [...]

Headed back into the park for the morning - no luck with the Evening Grosbeak at the visitor centre feeding station.
A cool morning and windier than yesterday keeping the birds down in the trees and bushes.
Headed slowly back to Ottawa. Called for lunch and coffee at Tims and managed to negotiate my way back to [...]

A very frosty start to the day but the sky was blue and the sun shining. A quick breakfastof turkey roll, cereal bar and a milky coffee - couldn’t figure out the microwave - it was all in French, so heated up the milk for my coffee on the pizza setting!
Headed off for the East [...]

My hire car (a Kia)
Awoke earlyish and uploaded day two onto blog. Had breakfast and booked a hire car online. Packed. The car rental company (Enterprise) came and picked me up from Celias.
I’d decided to head to Algonquin Provincial Park. Only got a little bit, but not seriously, lost getting onto Highway 417 – took [...]