Saturday, May 30, 2015

Bird Band Identification

 
I let a hundred thoughts go through my head and now that I'm  nearing the end of a half day trip, I cannot remember what they were.

The Sneak

Of more importance is the wrens have begun to set up housekeeping, the cattails finally tall enough for them to build their double fist size nests, weavings of long dry strands of marsh stuff. 

wren nest - center of photo
I spotted my first nest just as I entered the first widening of the river and just as a mature bald eagle took off and headed away down river.  But, it is especially on the return, with some heat to the day, that I notice the numbers of wrens.  It seems that I am being passed on from wren to wren as I paddle, as the robotic chirp of one fades behind me a new one begins calling ahead.

Bird Identification - I had some trouble figuring this one out, until I noticed something on the right leg.

Bird band!

 Last summer, I talked with a University team that was catching and counting birds on the marsh.  This is possibly one of the seaside sparrows they were particularly interested in.  This bird requires salt marsh habitat for its survival.


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