I got to help out banding birds and attempting to collect their tracks this morning. The biologists were nice enough to let me ink up the little birds’ feet and let them hop around in a box with a paper-lined floor. We had some success but not the clarity of what I’m looking for. We need to use stickier ink and textured paper. Once we work out a good system we’ll be able to collect a really nice database of tracks. The next banding isn’t for a few months so we have time to practice.
orange-crowned warbler
house sparrow tracks
bushtit
Anna's hummingbird from one angle...
...and from a slightly different angle
deciphering hummingbird traits with tail feathers
banding
Natural Skills 