First week of Spring Banding
It’s hard to believe that this spring marks my 25th, and Nova’s 22nd year of banding owls at Whitefish Point. Although owl banding at the Point started in 1966, it did not occur in March until we moved the start date from April 1 to March 14 in 2007. To say results in March have varied from year-to-year would be an understatement. One year over 300 owls were banded in March, including 93 on the first night of the season. Another year, just two were banded in March during a painfully slow start to the season. However, we’ve learned over the years that a slow start does not necessarily result in a slow season.
We’re definitely off to a slow start this spring. To date, we’ve only banded one barred and one saw-whet. We could try to put a positive spin on it, but it is simply a slow, boring start to the season. The weather has been pretty rough, including that big blizzard. For now we are just plugging along, while admittedly grumbling a bit, as we wait for the weather conditions to improve and for the owls begin moving north. Luckily we have some positive news below about our other project.
Grant received for Long-eared Owl Transmitter project
We recently received a grant of $4000 from the Paradise Area Community Foundation! This grant is specifically to fund the first satellite transmitter and other equipment needed for the Long-eared Owl project we are starting this spring. This is a great start to this project and we are excited to yet again have local community involvement with the owl banding research. You can learn more about the Long-eared Owl project here and we will be providing more updates in late April.
Double your donation until March 31
Our matching campaign continues through the end of March. Up to $5000 will be matched during this time, so if you would like to help support us, this is a great time to do it! We are about a quarter of the way there so far. Any help is appreciated and goes directly to fund our research and education programs. Thank you! www.friendsofwp.org/donate
Visit the Owl Banding
Dates for this spring continue to fill up quickly. You can register by clicking the image below, or following this link. Freighter’s View on the bay is also offering a birders special in April of $50/night plus fees. Those cabins are only about 7 miles from the owl banding, so it is a great deal for someone wanting to experience Paradise in early spring. April is generally our peak month for owls.
