Our Newest Naturalist

My name is Tess Rogers, and I am the newest naturalist here at World Bird Sanctuary!  I started at the beginning of this month, and am having a great time learning all about our wonderful birds.

I am originally from St.Louis, where I’ve lived for most of my life.  As a native St. Louisan I will provide the obligatory high school information--Maplewood Richmond-Heights.  For all of you not from St. Louis, it’s a well known fact that the first question asked when two St. Louis natives meet for the first time is….”what high school did you go to?”

For college I decided to get away from home, broaden my horizons, and apparently never be warm again as I went north to attend the University of Minnesota.  I had a fantastic four years there, during which I went even further away from home to do a semester abroad in Australia.

Myself and an irate Tufted Titmouse, one of the first birds I banded with WBS this summer!

 Upon Graduating this spring I returned home to St. Louis where, through a research fellowship, I started to get involved with the World Bird Sanctuary by working with the fantastic bird banding team. When I was told they might have a job opening coming up in the fall, I jumped at the opportunity to apply.  And here I am!

Thus far I absolutely love my job. There has been quite the learning curve working with raptors, as the most dangerous birds I had handled previously were cardinals.  That being said, getting to meet all the birds and starting to learn their individual personalities has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my days here.  My other favorite part, by far, is getting to tell people all about each bird when they come to visit, especially the kids. When I was little I adored animals, and when kids (and even some adults) come in to the Nature Center full of excitement and a list of facts about their favorite kinds of animals, I immediately feel a kinship with them since I WAS them.  Getting to teach them even more is by far one of the most rewarding experiences I have had while at work.  I know from personal experience I may very well be helping inspire the next batch of conservationists or even naturalists.

The kestrels and I have made fast friends. Though they may just be using me for my access to food if I’m being honest

 So if you see a naturalist down at the Nature Center or at the Visitors Center arguing with a bird about why they should not bite the glove, or seems to be taking longer than usual to tie their leashes to a perch, that just might be me.  I’m still getting the one-handed dexterity thing down.

The next time you visit the World Bird Sanctuary feel free to say hello, and level any questions you may have at me!

Submitted by Tess Rogers, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Spring Migration Blitz Nets Record Numbers

How do they do it?  Millions of tiny songbirds migrate thousands of miles from their wintering grounds in Central and South America to their nesting grounds in North America each spring.  Studies show that they often take longer routes to take advantage of jet-stream patterns to save energy.

Blackburnian Warbler (photo:  Valerie Geile)

This spring brought many, many birds along the Mississippi River flyway to the mist nets at the World Bird Sanctuary (WBS).   A record number of migrating birds were banded at WBS from April 21 through May 12 this year.  Sixty different species were captured, and a total of 853 birds were encountered in all!  Last year’s total was 675 birds which was significantly more than the average of 300 birds per previous season.

Cerulean Warbler (photo: Linda Tossing)

Of the 60 different species banded, there were 23 different warbler species.   The most commonly caught were Tennessee Warblers (183) and Nashville Warblers (120), both numbers up from last year.  Special birds caught in the spring of 2014 include a Cerulean Warbler (the first ever caught at WBS), a Blackburnian Warbler, and a Wilson’s Warbler.

Wilson's Warbler (photo: Laura Bailey)

In a wooded ravine at WBS, banders opened 24 mist nets before sunrise daily for three weeks to see what birds might drop by.  These 10-foot high nets look like a combination of a badminton net and a Roman shade.  Since the nets are hard to see, birds fly into a net and drop into a pocket.  They are then carefully extracted, identified, measured, assessed, banded, and released.

The statistics collected were submitted to a database under the auspices of the Bird Banding Laboratory, part of the United States Geological Survey (USGS).  The USGS issues permits to qualifying banding organizations that place uniquely numbered bands on captured birds.  If a banded bird is recaptured, it is interesting to find out where it has been or how long it has been in our area.  The data accumulated from this study could be useful to monitor population growth or decline for various species, their life spans, migration paths, and survival rates. Changes in habitats for bird species may be reflected in capture numbers as well.  Banding is thus an important tool to further the understanding of bird populations.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (photo: Susan Eatoon)

Why would a bird leave comfortable territory to travel to parts unknown?  There is a greater chance of survival and success in finding food and shelter when there are separate breeding and wintering grounds.  In the spring a different food source becomes available in the new location and there is less competition for nesting sites.  With colder temperatures a return to warmer climes is necessary.  Change in day length, temperature, amount of food available, and genetic predispositions trigger migration.

Bird banders at WBS are dedicated to monitoring bird numbers in the St. Louis area.  They not only band daily during spring migration but they also band weekly throughout the summer and fall.  Northern Saw-whet Owls are captured during special nightly sessions in October.

If you are interested in observing or helping with the capture and banding process, public demonstrations are conducted every first and third Thursday of June, July, and August near the wildlife hospital at WBS.  The World Bird Sanctuary is located off the Highway 44 North Outer Road, accessed at the intersection of Highways 44 and 141 near Valley Park.

For more information click here. 

Submitted by Mary Elise Okenfuss

             

Good Egg to Good Eggs

At World Bird Sanctuary’s annual staff/volunteer appreciation Christmas party last December, several people were honored with awards for outstanding achievements.  WBS senior staff presenting awards for staff of the year, volunteer of the year, and junior volunteer of the year.

WBS Director Jeff Meshach presenting the Good Egg Award to the Banding Team

Many years ago Walt Crawford, founding director of WBS, thought up a very unique award based on that world famous, mother of all foods, that if we didn’t have it, there wouldn’t be any birds; the egg.  What better egg to pick to put on an award plaque than the largest egg in the world; the Ostrich egg.  In the WBS realm this biggest of eggs symbolizes quite large achievements.  At the party I had the privilege of presenting our Good Egg award to our own bird banding team.

Linda Tossing, volunteer extraordinaire and the head of the banding team, started volunteering with WBS 16 years ago.  In 2001 Linda started helping a past WBS staff member with mist netting and banding songbirds.

Mist nets are extremely fine-fibered nets, which can’t be seen by most birds.  The nets are set up in places where songbirds are likely to be flying about.  The birds fly into the nets and are removed by the net checkers, banded and then released.  Banding songbirds helps ornithologists gain knowledge on their migration patterns and populations.   Songbird populations are in decline all over North America.  From the humble beginnings of one net and 2 people, Linda took it upon herself to acquire more nets, gather old and new volunteers to help her, all on a shoestring budget.  Last year Linda and her team banded 635 songbirds; a WBS record.

Banding Team members extricating birds from the mist nets

 The banding team starts their day well before dawn, because the saying, “The early bird gets the worm,” is very true.  Birds start their foraging movements literally at the crack of dawn, then their movements lessen as the morning progresses.  Having the nets and net checkers ready early gives them much better chances of catching birds. 

Team member Valerie Giele works carefully to retrieve a bird from the nets

To top the early thing off, the team does what’s called a banding blitz, where they band every morning for 3 weeks at the end of April and the beginning of May.  This timeframe is the best time to catch especially migrating Warblers, passing through eastern Missouri on their way to northern forests for nesting.  Everyone of those days the team gathers on WBS property at 4am, since it’s light enough by 5 to start catching birds.  I’m a morning person, but even I would get tired after a few days of that! 

Team member Colleen Crank banding a Nuthatch

As the summer wears on the team bands once every 2 weeks, and takes part in a program called Monitoring Avian Productivity Survey (MAPS).  The measurements and other information gathered from each bird trapped are sent to a national database, and helps researchers keep track of breeding songbirds in the U.S.

Birds' weights are recorded 

 At the other end of the “keeping odd hours” spectrum, in the autumn of 2012 the banding team started mist netting Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus).  Saw-whet Owls are a small species, just 5 inches tall from foot to head (come out and see our resident Saw-whet Owl, Aspen, on display at our nature center). 

Naturalist Cathy Spahn holds one of the Saw-whet Owls banded during this special session

Northern Saw-whet Owls nest in northern forests, but not too much is known about their southern migration routes or where they stay for the winter.  These little owls only move after dark, so the banding team starts their activities at about 6pm and ends their banding at 10pm.  These dedicated volunteers band every night for 3 weeks straight!  The banding team proved beyond a doubt that Saw-whets pass through WBS property on their way to their wintering grounds.  The team banded 7 Saw-whets during late October and November of 2012 and 14 during the same timeframe in 2013.

Colleen Crank explains to guests what the banding team does

 To top this all off, the banding team does public mist netting demonstrations every other week throughout the summer, to teach our guests all about songbirds and what WBS and other organizations are doing to help save them.  If that’s not a busy schedule, I’m a Chestnut-sided Warbler’s uncle! 

World Bird Sanctuary thanks Linda and the rest of the bird banding team for their tireless efforts in helping save our country’s songbirds.  Please check out our website to find out when the mist netting demonstrations will be, as well as many other WBS special events.

Submitted by Jeff Meshach, World Bird Sanctuary Director

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Friend Program

 Are you a Friend of World Bird Sanctuary? Do you love owls? Are you interested in learning about bird banding? If you said yes to these questions then we have an opportunity for you!

Last fall World Bird Sanctuary joined Project Owlnet.  Project Owlnet  is  an organization that works to monitor owl population trends by mist netting and by banding migrating owls, especially Northern Saw-whet Owls.  The results are compiled and used to determine when and where these migrant owls are moving. 

Aspen - WBS's resident Saw-whet Owl

For the first time in the history of our site World Bird Sanctuary trapped and banded Northern Saw-whet Owls in 2012.  In fact over the course of the owl banding program the team trapped, banded and released a total of seven Northern Saw-whet Owls.  Our team is going to be at it again this year and would like to invite World Bird Sanctuary Friends to join them and learn more about this important program.

 

To experience the trapping and banding of wild Northern Saw-whet owls you must be a Friend of WBS.  Not a Friend? It is easy to join us in our mission.  Just click on this link to join!  http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/index.php/

Details about the Northern Saw Whet Owl Friend program:

Friends must pre-register for this fun program by calling 636-225-4390 ext: 106.

Limited space is available on the following Thursdays:

October 24

October 31

November 7

November 14

November 21

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Age: 10 and up

Due to space constraints this event is limited to one Friend and a guest of their choice.

Please feel free to bring your camera but be aware for the owls’ safety flash photography is not allowed.

Due to the nature of owl migration there is no guarantee that you will see a wild Northern Saw-whet Owl.

This program is weather dependent and may be cancelled due to inclement weather.  Every effort will be made to reschedule.

Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. This program will be indoors as well as outdoors.

For the safety of the owls no flashlights please, World Bird Sanctuary representatives will provide any necessary lighting.

Bagging More Birds At WBS

For 2013, a record number of migrating birds were banded at the World Bird Sanctuary from April 21 through May 14.  Fifty-eight different species were captured, and 675 birds were encountered in all.   This was up from an average of 300 in recent years.

This Tennessee Warbler is one of the more commonly caught birds.  Photo by team member Colleen Crank

The most commonly caught were Tennessee Warblers (117), Nashville Warblers (106), and White-Throated Sparrows (101).  

 Brewster's Warbler photographed by Banding Team member Valerie Geile

Special birds caught the spring of 2013 include Brewster’s, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Myrtle, and Chestnut-sided Warblers. 

Kentucky Warbler photographed by WBS Banding Team member Linda Tossing

WBS Banders set up 23 difficult to see mist nets in a wooded ravine to catch the birds.  After being identified, measured, assessed, and banded the birds were released.  The statistics collected were submitted to a database under the auspices of the federal Bird Banding Laboratory, which is part of the United States Geological Survey.  The USGS issues permits to qualifying banding organizations that place uniquely numbered bands on captured birds.

Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak photographed by Linda Tossing

The number on its band indicated that one Nashville Warbler captured this year at the World Bird Sanctuary was previously banded last fall in New York State.  Generally birds follow one of four migration routes from their wintering grounds in South and Central America to their nesting territories in the northern United States and Canada.  The birds fly over the east coast, up the Mississippi, across the plains, or along the west coast.  At times weather conditions may cause birds to detour from their normal route.

Western Palm Warbler photographed by Becky Welter

 The data accumulated from this study is useful to monitor population growth or decline, life spans, migration paths, and survival rates.  Analysis of banding data can also play a major role in monitoring the status of species of concern and threatened or endangered species.  Changes in habitats for bird species may be reflected in capture numbers. Banding is thus an important tool to further the understanding of bird populations.   

Birds have been banded for centuries. The first record of a banded bird being recaptured was when one of Henry IV's banded Peregrine Falcons was lost in France about 1595. It showed up 24 hours later in Malta, about 1350 miles away, averaging 56 miles an hour!  Duke Ferdinand placed a band on a Grey Heron in 1669.  This bird was recovered by his grandson in 1728, indicating the heron lived at least 60 years. 

The first records of banding in North America are those of John James Audubon, the famous American naturalist and painter. In 1803 he tied silver cords to the legs of Eastern Phoebes near Philadelphia.  When they returned to the area the following year he was able to identify two of the of the previous year’s nestlings.

Yellow-breasted Chat photographed by Becky Welter

Bird banders at the World Bird Sanctuary are dedicated to monitoring bird numbers in the St. Louis area.  They not only band daily during spring migration, but they also band weekly throughout the summer and fall.  Saw Whet Owls are captured during special nightly sessions in October. 

If you are interested in observing the capture and banding process, public demonstrations are conducted every first and third Thursday of June, July, and August near the hospital at the World Bird Sanctuary, located off the intersection of highways 44 and 141, near Valley Park, MO.  For more information visit worldbirdsanctuary.org.

Submitted by Mary Elise Sampson, World Bird Sanctuary Bird Banding Team Member