Bird Banding at Point au Sable: May 6, 2010 by Erin Gnass

Luckily, Dr. Bob Howe took the UWGB Ornithology class to Point au Sable again to set up the bird banding station for the last class field trip. With spring migration moving along, we captured seven individual birds, of five different species:  three Ovenbirds, one White-throated Sparrow, one Northern Cardinal, one Yellow-rumped Warbler, and one Sharp-shinned Hawk. Therefore, the class was able to gain a new perspective on identifying bird species by seeing them up close. In addition to those species, numerous others foraged and traveled through the area, including Cape May Warblers, Black-and-white Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Pine Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, Blue-headed Vireos, Red-tailed Hawks, House Wrens, Great Crested Flycatchers, Forster’s Terns, and many more.

Thanks to Kari Hagenow, I am able to share a few photographs taken of the birds caught at the banding station:

Our first catch of the day, an Ovenbird, happily being held by Kari Hagenow
Our second catch of the day, a White-throated Sparrow, being banded by Dr. Bob Howe
Male Yellow-rumped Warbler
Female Northern Cardinal
A juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk! Notice the bright yellow eyes and brown patterning in its plumage.
The Sharp-shinned Hawk, displayed in front of the UWGB Ornithology class