Bird Banding!!!

OVERVIEW

In High School, one of my teachers used to lead bird banding trips quite often, and he invited me to bring a small group of people to go bird banding with him at his property in the Middle Peninsula of VA… So let’s go bird banding!!

This trip requires an early wake up, as we will be leaving at 5:30AM to be able to get to the banding site around 8. From there, we will set up the nets and band until the flow of birds slows down. Afterwards, because the drive is so far, we will birdwatch at some local parks near the banding site. Once everyone is tired, we will head back to grounds, most likely getting back around 8:30PM.

This is an intense trip. While it won’t be physically strenuous, it will be a long day. Banding can get frustrating if the flow of birds isn’t super strong, and birdwatching in the afternoon can be boring because of the lack of birds at times. Because of this, I would recommend this trip for only people who are interested in birds / birdwatching. I will hold more beginner friendly trips as the year goes on, so keep your eyes out for those.

Because this is an all-day trip, we will need meals. The banding site and park for after banding are extremely secluded, and there is nowhere to eat near them. Please pack a lunch to eat when you get hungry in the middle of the day. I would also recommend eating breakfast before the trip. If we decide we are hungry on the drive home, we can stop along the way for some food. I am not able to provide food for people on the trip, so this will be your responsibility.

For the trip, I would recommend:
– Going to the gear room to grab some binoculars
– Downloading the free Merlin app + Virginia bird pack to aid with identification
– Wearing long pants and socks to avoid any insect bites
– Bringing a bottle of water
– Thinking about meals ahead of time
– Eating breakfast beforehand
– Packing a lunch
– Bringing money for a food stop on the way back

Finally, I can’t drive, so I will need drivers for this trip. Drivers will get priority off the waitlist. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, feel free to send me an email (fxj3bz@virginia.edu) or a text (7038178162).