Bird Banding at GVSU

This past Friday, June 12^th, proved to be an exciting day for us. Though the weather was calling for showers and thunderstorms throughout most of the day, we succeeded in being able to attend a very special event at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). Bird banding. For those unfamiliar with banding, it’s a method that ornithologists and field biologists utilize to track valuable information of songbirds, shorebirds and raptor species from all over the world. Each bird’s band is encoded with a unique number-letter combination and carefully secured around the bird’s leg. When scientists retrieve these birds, they can search the band number in a shared database and learn the bird’s origin (if the bird was banded as a chick), its age, its physical condition when banded, and approximately how many miles it has traveled. Banding has helped scientists track both individual birds and entire flocks; the famous Red Knot B95 (nicknamed “Moonbird”) is estimated to have flown over 239,000 miles between his migration routes between Tierra Del Fuego and the Arctic – a greater distance than the Earth to the Moon! Click here for more information on “Moonbird.”

At GVSU, Dr. Michael Lombardo has been banding Tree Swallows and Bluebirds for over 20 years. A professor of Ornithology and Biology at the University, he bands birds in order to study their reproductive patterns, behaviors, and breeding successes each summer. We met him on a dirt road off the side of a field that boasted an impressive number of bird houses – 100 of them, to be exact. Each pole contained a large pizza pan above which the bird house sat. These pans had a single hole drilled through the middle that the pole ran through, which Dr. Lombardo explained has proven extremely successful in preventing predators such as raccoons, opossums, and feral cats from snatching mother birds and their precious nestlings from the boxes. So that we could see how nestlings were banded, he gently lifted three of the boxes and tenderly extracted a handful of tiny, developing “not-quite-birds.” A few that he showed us were not more than a few days old; their feathers had only barely begun developing and their purple eyelids were still tightly closed. Others, however, were beginning to look more like birds with their feathers filling in and their eyes bright and curious. Dr. Lombardo banded several of the Tree Swallow nestlings after allowing our kids to get close looks at them. Their excitement drew them forward in a tight circle around Dr. Lombardo as they looked on at the tiny, fragile creatures in front of them. Talk about a neat experience!

From left to right: Bradley, Tommy, and Mari look on as Dr. Lombardo shows them a tiny Tree Swallow nestling.

Tree swallows grow rapidly and typically leave the nest when they're 18 or 19 days old.T his one was 12 days old. 

Mari curiously inspects three Tree Swallow eggs that Dr. Lombardo pulled from one of the nest boxes.  

Our adventure concluded with Dr. Lombardo demonstrating how to band an adult bird. Different from banding nestlings, banding adult birds requires the taking of a variety of measurements that are important in helping scientists identify birds as well as uncover specific information about them. After extracting the adult Tree Sparrows from their paper bag prisons, he carefully took beak, wing, tail, and weight measurements before checking each adult bird for lice and mites. He explained to our group how mites chew through birds’ feathers while our kids looked on at the tiny holes that could be seen on the wing feather at hand. Upon being released with a new “bird bracelet” around its leg, each bird would flutter off in the direction of its nest box with only the tiniest bit of visible irritation.

Inspecting the tail feathers for mites. 

Dr. Lombardo holds up an adult Tree Swallow for the group to admire before releasing it back to its eager nestlings! 

We’re very thankful for the unique opportunity to observe Dr. Lombardo and his student assistants this past Friday. With the closest formal banding station being located in Kalamazoo, we’re couldn’t be pleased with our partnership with someone so close to home. We truly couldn’t have asked for more – favorable weather conditions, amazing looks at Tree Swallows (not to mention several Great Blue Herons, a Green Heron, Red-wing Blackbirds, Mourning Doves and two families of Mallard Ducks) and a fun and educational time for all!          

Junior Audubon April Fundraiser

Junior Audubon wants to give a special THANK YOU! to Tom Leggett for coming up with and organizing a special fundraiser for our club this past April at the Old Country Buffet on 28th St. that raised $166.80  in total funds which we will use for future programs and scholarships for those who can't afford the membership fee. We would also like to thank each and every one of you who bought tickets and participated in eating a lot at the breakfast buffet to help raise money for a great program that is part of the Grand Rapids Audubon Club to spur on and plant new interests of birds, habitats, and the environment in the upcoming generation. So THANKS EVERYONE!!!!

Helping Our Exotic Feathered Friends

When improperly cared for, parrots can suffer physical and emotional repercussions. This extremely talkative Yellow-naped Amazon parrot was unable to walk because of a fusion that occurred in its legs when it was kept in too small of a cage and not provided with the proper sized perches. She sure made us laugh, though, with her impressive sounds and vocabulary!   

This past Saturday, September 20th, Junior Audubon had the unique opportunity to visit Michigan's premier parrot sanctuary, Feathered Friends of Michigan (FFM). Feathered Friends is located just outside of Lansing in the small, quiet city of Milan and has been actively trying to educate folks on the responsibilities of caring for exotic parrots since 2008. Marie Crowley, the founder and current Executive Director of Feathered Friends, was delighted to speak to our group about a variety of topics that included the geographic origins of her parrots, how people trap them, why people want them in their homes, and what people oftentimes don't know about taking care of exotic parrots. She was an amazing guide and is an incredibly knowledgeable individual when it comes to parrots and their behaviors. Click here to view PBS's incredible documentary titled "Parrot Confidential," a bird's eye view into the complicated and often tragic life of parrots in captivity. Marie is featured along with her work with Feathered Friends!

Stepping down into Marie's sanctuary (which is inside of her home), we were greeted excitedly by the loud calls of a variety of parrots; Blue and Gold Macaws, Sun Conures, and many other smaller parrots that many of us had never seen before. They paced anxiously about in their large cages and were only calmed after 10 or so minutes of adjusting to us being in their territory. As Marie began telling us their stories, it became very obvious that these birds were never meant for life in captivity. Their vocals, which oftentimes irritate their owners because of their incredible decibel level, are meant to carry across miles of territory. The decibel levels of one single cockatoo are equivalent to that of a 747 passenger jet taking off. It's impossible to contain that level of noise in the small enclosures that we provide. Not only their vocals, but the intimate bonds that these birds have the abilities to form with one another (in the wild) are also a reason as to why they don't make suitable pets in our homes. When we purchase a single bird, that bird imprints on us and can undergo emotional devastation when something happens to us. We could see evidence of emotional damage on some of Marie's birds by observing their missing feathers, which were self-plucked due to stress, or by noticing that some wore special collars to prevent them from extracting their feathers and causing themselves pain. One such distressed bird was Fagan. Click here to read about Fagan's tragic past and inspiring recovery.

Lorenzo B. making friends with our Australian buddy after the toy-making workshop.

Our toy-making workshop! We got to put together strings of wood, beads, foam and other knick knacks for parrots to chew on and entertain themselves - so cool! 

Mother Deb and daughter Lucy enjoying the company of our docile feathered friend.

We ended our visit with a toy-making workshop that delighted our kids and promised Marie's parrots some new chewing material. We had a blast! Marie explained that it's important for parrots to have a diverse amount of materials to chew on so that they don't get bored and become tempted to pluck their feathers. She even allowed her Bourke's Parakeet to fly around and land on our kids' shoulders and heads - what a treat!

We're so thankful for all of the work that Marie does for Michigan's abused and neglected parrots and thank her immensely for the time that she spent with us. Click here to find out more about Feathered Friends and how you can make a donation to their work.    

Prairie Wolf Park and the Importance of Native Plants

On Saturday, August 16th, we invited River City Wild Ones (RCWO) President Mike Bruggink to show us around Prairie Wolf Park and talk to us about the important roles that native plants play in ecosystems. This beautiful native plant haven is located in Byron Center boasts habitats such as a remnant farm (apple orchard!), prairies in multiple stages and a deciduous woodland. It's the perfect place to see butterflies (such as the Tiger Swallowtail, which we saw!), Yellow Warblers, Bobolinks, and especially our Bird of the Month, the American Goldfinch!

During our engaging tour, we learned that Butternut trees leave "monkey faces" or leaf scars that resemble a monkey face when the leaf is torn from the branch. We learned that lots of different species of birds and butterflies depend on native flowers such as the Black Eyed Susan. Mr. Bruggink was kind enough to give each of our kids bags to pick and place Black-eyed Susan seeds into so that they could plant some at home. YES! They were so content sitting in the field and earnestly picking flower seeds - we actually had to call them back several times so that Mike could show us a few more neat things about the park before leaving!

Something else neat that we learned had to do with Wood Ducks. Did you know that Wood Ducks nest in tree cavities and not on the ground like most other species of ducks? I know, it's pretty surprising! Mr. Bruggink showed us some nest boxes that were put up off of the ground for Wood Ducks, with one of them containing some abandoned eggs that we got to touch and pass around.

It was a great day and we're extremely thankful for Mr. Bruggink showing us around the park and introducing us to the work that River City Wild Ones is doing. If you or someone you know is looking to consult someone on native landscaping, please contact Mike at mike@fenview-design.com.

   

Exploring Pickerel Lake!

Club members eagerly scout the tops of lily pads trying to find a couple of VERY camouflaged frogs!  

Pausing to pose on a fallen tree after learning that it was the result of a beaver. How cool! 

What's not to love about a beautiful summer day where you can not only enjoy the warm, inviting sunshine, but also explore a lake that's tucked away from the invasive sounds of the city? We had such a day during our most recent program outing at Pickerel Lake on Saturday, July 19th. Weather conditions were perfect and the sounds of the lake and surrounding forest abounded; frogs peeping atop lily pads, dragonfly wings humming as they glided lazily past our faces, Red-wing Blackbirds sounding their alarm calls as we crept past their nesting sites along the shores of the lake. We had a blast just being in the presence of nature that day as we encircled the lake on one of its beautiful walking trails. 

We only have a couple of more months left for Junior Audubon programming for the year (we break during the winter months until March of the following year), but it's not too late to register your child for these last few programs! Please visit the Grand Rapids Audubon Club's website here for information on our last few program events of the year. Our mission is to encourage an enthusiasm for the natural world in both youth and their parents while promoting team building and fun. Check us out on our facebook page and consider joining Junior Audubon today! 

    

Peregrines, Tree Swallows, Banding, Oh My!

June has indeed been a fun month for Junior Audubon! Instead of having our single program for the month, we decided that the opportunity to have two was just TOO good (heh, heh) to pass up. So we didn't! Last Friday (June 20th) we were so incredibly excited to have received the opportunity to witness one of Grand Valley State University's Biology Professors, Michael Lombardo, band Tree Swallows and other birds found on property owned by the university and used by Dr. Lombardo and his research team. So awesome! He walked us through the banding process and allowed us extremely close looks at the measurements that he took of the birds' beaks, wings, tails, etc. We even got to follow him and his research team to the nest boxes on site to see them extract birds to band. Dr. Lombardo and his team extracted one female Tree Swallow and one female Bluebird to band, as well as a couple of Tree Swallow nestlings. Club members and their parents walked away that day having learned about the significance of bird banding and how the process is conducted. This is especially awesome because there aren't many places where birds are banded in Michigan. The closest station to us is Kalamazoo, which would be a bit of a hike for our crew to make for a program. So yes, we were VERY thankful to Dr. Lombardo and his team for having allowed us to come out to GVSU for the morning and observe his station! 

Our second program for the month of June took place on Saturday, June 21st, at GVSU's downtown campus in Grand Rapids. We invited local Peregrine expert Elaine Kampmueller to present on her work with the now-famous falcons and show us the nest boxes that are placed atop of the Kent County Courthouse building downtown. She did us one better, however! She not only gave an excellent presentation on the falcons that interested both adults AND kids, but later led the group up to Crescent Park where everyone had the chance to peer through a scope and observe the falcons showing off their aerial acrobatics. It's as if the falcons sensed they were being watched by some of their biggest fans; they were so active! On top of that, the weather was clear and beautiful. What more could we have asked for? A big thanks for Elaine for teaching us about our feathered celebrities as well as for tipping the birds off that we were watching them ; ) 

Dr. Lombardo checking our female Bluebird for ectoparasites such as lice and mites. Those are the two most commonly found on birds such as Bluebirds and Tree Swallows. 

Little Caleb getting a look at the Peregrine Falcons at Crescent Park! 

Dr. Lombardo performing a beak measurement on a female Bluebird as club members watch intently.

Jenna watching anxiously as GVSU undergraduate assistants prepare to extract a female Tree Swallow to band.

Falcon watching atop the city! 

Watching on their own - our kiddos getting some looks for themselves! 

A Cause for Ceruleans

With its sky-blue plumage, distinctive white wingbars and adorably small size, the Cerulean Warbler is a strikingly beautiful bird that stimulates a great deal of satisfaction when you finally get a glimpse of it. These birds prefer to nest and hunt for insects in the canopies of large, deciduous trees and can be difficult to spot even after you hear their buzz-y song. Talk about a neck ache, this bird is the single muse for the popular term that birders use to describe the pain that one's neck experiences after being cranked back for long periods of time looking for it - Warbler Neck. Ask any birder, though, and they'll tell you that straining their neck to see this elusive warbler was worth every second. It's a beautiful bird, and it's in trouble.

The Cerulean Warbler is the fastest declining songbird in North America. Loss of habitat both in the U.S. as well as in the birds' breeding grounds in South America is the primary cause for such steep population plummets. Current estimates count the Cerulean population here in Michigan to be only around 1,000 birds, while the global population only totals around 560,000. This past weekend was a very important one for the Cerulean Warbler because of the annual festival that's put on by Michigan Audubon called Cerulean Warbler Weekend. The hardwood forests of Barry County are some of the last standing habitat for Ceruleans and provide the perfect opportunity for visitors and locals alike to see and learn more about the precarious songbird through tours and presentations.  

One young fan that the Cerulean has on its side is 10 year-old David C. David is a current member of Jr. Audubon and is really, really knowledgeable about birds. Ask him what rare birds he's seen and he'll list off birds like the Whooping Crane, of which there are about 600 in the entire world due to habitat loss and over-hunting. His appreciation of the Cerulean Warbler because and the opportunity to "see rare birds that you don't normally see" drew him to the festival where he and his dad participated on tours to see the Cerulean Warbler (with success!) as well as the near-threatened Henslow's Sparrow and other birds.

One thing that makes David such a fantastic young birder is his appreciation for birds as well as his desire to see them have a fighting chance of survival in a world that doesn't always prioritize habitat conservation. When asked about why it's important to protect the Cerulean Warbler, David confidently responded by saying "There's no reason to not to protect it. It was put on this earth and should have a chance to live." For being only 10 years old, that statement struck us as profound. How many people do we wish would make better choices about how they manage their lawns, properties, businesses and governments if they agreed with David in that animal and bird species should have a fighting chance at living alongside us on this planet? Wow.    

Something that also sets David apart is his affinity for getting up before sunrise. Unlike most kids his age, David uses the word "fun" to describe getting up early when looking for birds is involved. He and his family have at least six bird feeders as well as various houses on their property so as to aid birds in their daily struggles for survival. Such passion and enthusiasm for birds and conservation is REALLY exciting, don't you think? We certainly do. We were so glad to have seen David at Cerulean Warbler Weekend and applaud his appreciation of a bird that really needs our help. It's youth like him that are going to continue conservation efforts to protect our birds and their habitats in the future!

David C. standing proud next to this amazing banner o' birds. So awesome that he came!  

If you're interested in the Cerulean Warbler and want to know what you can do to help protect it, be sure to check out key note speaker Katie Fallon's book "Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird." Click here to purchase it!