By Jackie Sandberg
The Observatory, originally founded in 2001 by Dr. Mara McDonald (1947-2016), is an all-volunteer bird banding operation that monitors bird populations in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The Observatory is a permitted research project approved through the UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Banding offers a wonderful opportunity for people to see birds up close, learn about their migration and nesting patterns, and understand how natural areas enhance their biological success. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome to attend banding operations on select Saturday mornings from sunrise to ~11:00 am between the months of April and October each year (weather and schedules permitting, preferably opening our nets by dawn). Volunteers are taught species identification, mist-netting procedures, handling techniques, and basic banding procedures.
General Statistics:
- 15 total banding days
- 324 total number of birds banded
- 13:50 total net hours calculated = (#birds banded / [(#nets open * #hours open) *100)]
- Most productive mist net: “Net I” with 144 total birds caught
- Oldest recapture: 5/14/2022, Gray Catbird, Net – M2, Originally banded – 8/11/2018
UW Wildlife Ecology Students learning how to put up a mist net – photo by Jackie Sandberg (10/2/22)
Volunteer, Yishai, teaching students how to extract birds – photo by Kyle Hulbert (10/2/22)
Palm Warbler – photo by Kyle Hulbert (10/2/22)
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Photo by Kyle Hulbert (10/2/22)
