Chris Rimmer of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies gave a bird banding demonstration Sunday at Campbell Flat in Norwich. It was a great event during a busy Mother’s Day with a Wildflower Hike in the Shumway Forest mid-day. Here is Chris shortly before the start, “unloading” a net.
After being banded, sometimes the birds did not seem to want to leave kind and gentle hands, as this Chipping Sparrow.
And sometimes they took off as soon as possible, as did this Song Sparrow.
Chris banded one of two beautiful Gray Catbirds.
And then the catbird was released.
A short while after two Chipping Sparrows were banded, I managed to get a photo of one wearing its new bracelet.
When I was out photographing the Chipping Sparrow, my wife called me to tell me Chris had a Wilson’s Warbler. I hustled back, remembering how spectacular this tiny bird is. I photographed a beautiful Wilson’s Warbler “in the wild” along the Quinn Trail in the Mink Brook Nature Sanctuary two years ago.
Chris netted a female Yellow-rumped Warbler.
This Yellow-rumped Warbler just did not seem to want to leave a warm hand.
Meanwhile Kathy was birding.
Another Gray Catbird was captured, banded, measured, and released. Here it flies away.
It was a great morning, even if I had to leave early to get to another event.