6-26-09

I just completed a trip to Grand Forks, ND (for more information) to attempt to capture, band and sample the NSTS nelsoni subspecies on its breeding grounds.  It was a successful trip with 24 new NSTS captures!  I found no NC-banded birds there but am hopeful that I will eventually recapture some of the newly banded birds, either during a subsequent trip to ND or during the winter on the NC coast. 

Mist netting proved to be a different process in a landlocked, non-tidal area.  We had to lure birds into the net by placing an iPod playing their specific call right against the net (special thanks and credit to David Lambeth for sharing this method... and his iPod).  This provoked aggressive behavior in some birds and at least mild curiosity in most.  The activity felt more like fishing than mist netting, but it definitely yielded satisfactory results and required a level of patience I have yet not had to exhibit while netting in NC salt marshes. 

The Grand Forks area landscapes were beautiful, and the weather cooperated nicely.   I will be excited to see what these new samples can tell us about potential differences among seasons and populations. 

My next expedition is to James Bay, Ontario near Moosonee.  That adventure begins in a little over three weeks!!  I will report more following that trip.  Until then, take a look at some of the photos from Grand Forks, ND below.

The samples from these birds will be analyzed for mercury content and used to compare to other breeding and wintering populations.  Additionally, being able to capture a breeding specimen and have these birds in the hand will help us in our winter subspecies identification. 

It was an odd feeling to know that we were walking around every day in places that perhaps no human had ever stepped.  We had rain nearly every day, but it rarely interfered much with the field work.  However, we seemed to be constantly wet and unable to dry much before the next shower would come.  We saw dozens of beautiful landscapes in the open fields and sky.  However, we saw relatively few other types of wildlife.  There was one very large beaver in the river.  But there were very few other grassland or marsh birds.  We did see several species of sparrow and a few seagulls.  We were excessively prepared for bears but, thankfully, saw no sign of them.  We did see plenty of insects -- mainly mosquitoes and biting black flies, both of which kept us covered from head to toe in all but our bravest moments. 

It was incredible to be so isolated for a period of time.  We were well prepared and lacked no necessities.  But it was fun to try to set up a way to catch rainwater and to sleep under the open air (in a tent, of course, after killing the hundreds of mosquitoes that made their sneaky way inside with us).  We met many very friendly folks in Ontario on our way up and back, and have nothing but good things to say about the province (aside from the bugs).  Nonetheless it was a great feeling to be back at home and free in the States again (especially after a lengthy, though justifiable, delay at the Border Patrol station for investigation of our bird blood possession).  I got a chance to capture, sample and photograph a population that has not been studied by science on their breeding grounds for over 20 years (and after the ordeal of getting their and actually capturing birds, I can better appreciate the delay).  I am very grateful for that chance and hope that my work can help gain valuable information that can be put to work for the benefit of that population. 

Please enjoy the photos of the “experience” below...