Bird Banding Demo at Fairfield's Pine Creek Open Space, Tues. Oct. 22

On Tuesday, October 22nd, at 9am, join Master bird bander Judy Richardson and her team at Fairfield's Pine Creek Open Space as they take bird banding on the road! They usually band at Connecticut Audubon Society's Birdcraft Sanctuary, but they wanted to see if they could catch some different migratory birds closer to the Sound. You won't want to miss this opportunity to see resident and migratory birds up close, as birds are caught in mist nets and banded for the purpose of research.

Participants will meet at Pine Creek Open Space at the gated entrance on Old Dam Road. If it is raining, banding will not take place and will be postponed to Tuesday October 29.

Birds are captured using a fine net (known as a mist net). Birds that fly into the net are gently removed and a permanent aluminum or other light-weight band is placed around the bird's leg. Birds are then measured, weighed, sexed and aged before they are released back into the wild, unharmed. If the bird is recovered, either dead or alive, at a future time, the information is recorded and the data is sent to the original bander and the Bird Banding Laboratory.

Bird banding is an integral aid to the study of wild birds, their migration, behavior, social structure, life-span, survival rate, reproductive success and population growth. From the data collected, scientists can also determine where specific birds migrate to breed, where they spend the winter, whether species populations are rising or falling, and other details of their lives.

Connecticut Audubon Society's has operated a Bird Banding Station at the Birdcraft Sanctuary since the seventies. Volunteers, licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have documented more that 18,000 birds at this location

The fee is $7. Call the Connecticut Audubon Society for reservations at 203-259-6305 ext. 109.