My
interest in Bird
Banding began in 1987 during my second year of undergrad at a central Ohio
college when introduced by Dr. Nelson
Moore as a field trip opportunity for a biology course.
During
and after my college days, I spent most of my free weekends traveling to banding
stations around Ohio to absorb as much information and get as much practice as I
could. Eventually I was ready to apply for a sub-permit to band birds in 1995.
This was under
the mentorship of Dave Skinner.
In
1998 I attained my Master Banding Permit which allowed me to train
others to
become banders along with other benefits and privileges.
I
was offered the opportunity to begin a bird banding research station at Gilmore
Ponds Interpretive
Preserve in Fairfield, OH by Mike Busam - then Chairperson of the
Conservancy. Spring
Migration banding was the proposed project.
2007 marked the 10th year of the project which now includes M.A.P.S.
research and Fall migration banding research.
The
bird banding data collected at Gilmore Ponds was instrumental in helping
Gilmore Ponds earn the status of Important Bird Area by Audubon
Ohio.
With
6 sub-permitees, over 10,000 birds have been banded since I started in
1995. Compared to other, more active banders, this is a very small number
of birds. Nonetheless, the data is just as important and useful.
Most
recently, I obtained a permit to band Hummingbirds under the tutelege of Bob
Sargent. This requires special
training and there are only 5 licensed Hummingbird banders in Ohio and
Indiana combined! There are only about 200 hummingbird banders in the U.S.
compared to over 1000 passerine banders.
Banding
research projects I am currently involved with include the
following:
-
Passerine Migration
-
M.A.P.S.
-
Bluebird Nestling Study
-
Kestrel Nestling Study
-
Screech Owl Nestling Study
-
Purple Martin Study
-
Winter Feeder Avian Ecology Study
-
Hummingbird Studies
Finally,
I need to thank the following who mentored and taught me so much in
the early
days of my experiences with banding (I still learn from them) ...
all of whom I
now consider good friends:
Nelson
Moore, Mark & Julie
Shieldcastle, Dave Skinner...
and
all the long-time members of OBBA (Ohio
Bird Banders Association) that have inspired me at meetings and
banding events over the past 20 years -- all of whom have become lifelong
friends: Tom Bartlett,
Tom Kashmer, Dick Tuttle and Bob Thobaben, among others.
Thanks,
guys!!! Hard to believe it's been 20 years!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My
mission statement is that of the Ohio Bird Banding Association. It is simple and adaptable to my own research. It states:
