We’re sorry, this field trip is cancelled due to weather. We will set up a time in the spring to visit the banding station!
Fall migration is a spectacular phenomenon, and bird banders see first hand the diversity and beauty of species moving through an area in fall. Join us for a short road trip to Rockton, IL (map here, just south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border) to observe the researchers at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory as they safely retrieve birds from their mist nets, weigh, measure, and band the birds before releasing them back to their migratory paths.
The group leaving from Madison will meet at Dutch Mill Park and Ride (map) at 6:45 AM on Sunday, October 29, to carpool and caravan to Sand Bluff. If you’d like to go but don’t want to meet in Madison first, we can all meet at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory at 7:45AM to begin observing banding at 8:00AM.
We will observe banding for 1-1.5 hours. Following that, there will be time for hiking around the Colored Sands preserve (304 acres of interesting habitats) if there is interest and the weather is pleasant.
This field trip requires a $5 or more donation to the Sand Bluff Bird Observatory. Participants will be asked to bring that donation along with them to the site.
FIELD TRIP LEADER: Brenna Marsicek (bmarsicek@madisonaudubon.org, 608-255-2473)
RAIN DATE: None, if the weather is poor, the trip is cancelled (and we’ll try again in spring!)
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES:
Minimal walking required, wheelchair accessible
Trail grade and number or type of trail impediments are ok for those with difficulty walking or wearing children in packs
Restrooms are available on site
APPROXIMATE DISTANCE WALKED:
RSVP INFORMATION: Cancelled
Cover photo: A bird bander holds a bird to band it, surrounded by bird banding supplies. Photo by Arlene Koziol
