LoJack for Birds

Not really in a bad sense though :). I discovered on a visit to the Parker River NWR in Newburyport, MA a little station nestled inside the refuge that does bird banding. I don't think that is the technical term, but in a nutshell they capture the birds in these little nets called "mist nets" because they are hard to see even with the naked eye. They are then taken back to the station where they are identified by species and sex, weighed, there age is determined and then they are given a unique number attached to an extremely tiny band around their leg. After all the information is taken down they are released back.

I was a little concerned about the little band being put on that the bird's leg would be accidentally broken, but the workers at the station are extremely gentle and watching them interact with the birds it is obvious that this isnt their first rodeo.

I called it bird LoJack all the bird banding information is collected by the USGS or United States Geological Survey. So if that bird is ever captured at another refuge or anywhere for that matter the group can contact the USGS and find out where the bird has been and where it was originally banded. This allows for people to track the migratory pattern of birds and to also find out what kind of birds are residing in their area.

I will be adding more photos shortly

Green Acres

I keep hearing that dun-dun....dun-dun-dun....dun....dun... tune in my head that's probably not the best representation but use the Heading and deduce. I have always liked nature but I have lived in downtown Atlanta for 5 years now and I was not a hop skip and a jump away from nature now I living in the middle of it. Its an excellent experience and I think it will be a benefit in terms of letting people from the city know what is out here. There are some great things to see. Yesterday we took a tour of the Merrimac River in Massachusetts and it was extremely peaceful and serene...and COLD, but worth it. We went to a Seafood Restaurant right off of the water and that was the BEST clam chowder I have ever had, although it was my first time trying it as well. Seafood up here is great I can say in Atlanta I was not the seafood connoseiur but here I am a little more daring. This is defintely an experience everyone should at least try, but I will say that I definitely won't be setting up camp here for the long haul.

I Don't Like PETA

I am a realist, I care deeply about the environment and I take steps to not only conserve but improve natural conditions for all living creatures. What bothers me about PETA is that its such an extremist group. I like animals and I believe that they should be treated humanely, but there are SOME in that group that regard animals higher than other humans. My thought is that the first priority should be to treat humans humanely.

I think improving the human condition should be the core goal. I am infuriated when I see people who completely dedicate themselves to crimes against animals and they are completely ambivalent to human crimes that are being commited everyday.

PETA has to remember that humans are animals as well and if we are going to treat animals ethically we should follow Darwin's theory and start with those most like us...for those who missed that...other humans.

SCA Adventures

This summer I am working with the Student Conservation Association. Its a group that get students involved in nature conservation early. My site is in Eastern Neck, Maryland. The Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge is about 20 miles from the nearest town, but its seclusion allows for plants and animals to thrive. On any given day many people come to see the ospreys, bald eagles, deer, butterflies, and various other wildlife abundant on the refuge.
My job will be to map and study an invasive plant species on the island. Invasive plants species are detrimental to the environment because they hinder the growth of natural growing plants that are a food source for the animals in the area. Controlling the growth of invasive plants is a necessary in order to create a thriving environment for native species.
I will talk more about what an invasive plant is and why controlling it is a necessity in later posts.