Mrs Macdonald the grade 8 teacher formerly known as miss sparrow brings her class to the marsh

white throated sparrow

It is great when someone with the name sparrow comes to the marsh especially when a wave of white crowned sparrows is still moving through the area.

Immature white crowned sparrow on left  adult white crowned on right

      Yesterday
I had the chance to enjoy a grade 8 class form Newliskeard public at the marsh and they indeed had a chance see us band 34 sparrows. We re-trapped over 50 so it was an amazing sparrow day at the marsh. We had one net we only opened for 5 minutes as it proves to be too successful at capturing birds . here is a picture of the net in question. it is rolled up here so it cannot capture birds. This pile of sticks is a structure i first saw used at tiny marsh. We throw mixed seed and cracked corn under the brush. the brush is supported by a simple frame to allow a frame of safety for the birds to feed protected from predators above. This structure allows us to bring in birds allowing us to get bands on a couple of hundred sparrows a year.
     Thanks to the kids for a great day. many student left with a promise to return and join the ranks of volunteers at the marsh. perhaps we have many future hall of fame extractors and maybe a few future marsh crew personnel to be hired by the marsh when they turn 17.

       The thrill of the day for the class was when NLPS student and marsh volunteer Cody Goddard located a blue jay in one of the nets. Well done Cody! It's nice when Cody can come to the marsh with his class as his classmates get to see his patiently acquired skills at the net and the marsh gains a volunteer that day.  If you are a parent of relative of a grade student that are thinking I know someone who would love to do that then we want to here from you!!!  Check out the contact button on the website to get us volunteer information.

Today's totals

26 white crowned sparrows
8 white throated sparrows
2 blue jays
2 ruby crowned kinglet
1 slate colured junco

please note that you will not find a photo of a student holding a ruby crowned certain species we do not allow inexperienced handlers to hold  and ruby crowns with their tiny legs top that list.

Bird is the word! Murph