Thursday, 11 February 2016

Kerns public winter finch banding

My very first memory of feedback from an assignment from University was my  wrongful use of the word irregardless . Apparently it is regardless.  I have had the fortune since my retirement to spend lots of time  banding  snow buntings and colour banding redpolls with the kerns public grade 5 and 6 students. The kerns kids have inspired me and they have embraced   our efforts to band . Clearly kids would rather help band birds then be in their classroom but the kids at kerns  can do both and be part of citizen science. We have been part of a  colour banding project from the Canadian wildlife service in Ottawa to put colour bands on redpolls and  grosbeaks to see they movements of winter finches. Birds seen at the feeders at kerns public and at feeders in the area will help researchers learn more about the movements of winter finches. The fact that this can be happening at the grade 5 and 6  level fills me with optimism and hope for the future.  Not to mention there is something special about these kids from kerns  who have been part of snow bunting  banding for the last  four years.  now that we are banding redpolls and the  grade 5 and 6 kids are starting to take birds out of nets makes this a very special place indeed .  The best part for me is that  the research that grade 5 and 6 kids can help out with is  referred to as citizen science  and they realize that  they are part of real science  something that is being used by scientists across north America.  Not too shabby for kids in grade 5 and 6.  I would challenge the real science happening at kerns with what is happening at the high school and with any other  public school in the province . Bird is the word!

all the reasons why this blog will not work

First of all I have  three confessions  to make. Number 1 is that I really think this blog will work if I wasn't  so lazy and  was so technologically challenged.
#2 If rick ludkin can do it I can do it . Rick is the  inspiration behind  the  Canadian snow bunting  research project so if he can handle the tech I should be able to but I  apparently cannot.
#3 If  Joanne was not here beside me to figure  it all out it will not happen... so  she is not so far away so it just might happen.
Reason number 4  we only have 1 follower  so thanks john Carhart but maybe we will have 2 in a  short spell.

 So here  is the rub I just happened to be heading to the marsh to put seed out for  our family day  event and I heard something about a blog that the executive director  for the Ottawa  humane society  put out and he had an amazing reaction. inspired by his time on the radio and  the positive discussion that came worth his blog made me   think just maybe  someone beside john might  be interested in what we have to say. So it is with optimism that I forge ahead and say whatever  bounces between my ears . please let me know if I should stop and please keep in mind   the perfect title for all of this should be the lazy blogger  as there is so much  to comment about banding at the marsh  and kerns public but I just cannot seem to keep up. Hopefully there will be another blog top foillow.