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Posted by steve siegel on 08:59:28 01/29/06
Saturday I attended a "Sparrow Roundup" at Kissimmee Prairie State Park. The purpose of the roundup is to capture and band grassland birds, especially the Florida subspecies of Grasshopper Sparrow for the Park's ongoing research (with UF). Some of the Grasshopper Sparrows were fitted with little transmitters, giving them an extra "tail". As one of about 30 volunteers, I was able to help, acting as a "beater" as a dragged rope flushed the birds to the mistnets.
After the birds are captured, there is plenty of time to watch and learn about banding, and to see the birds close-up. The banders are most eager to show what they do,let you see the birds, and pose them for photos. We were able to photograph from mere inches both the Florida and migratory Grasshopper sparrows, Savannah Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Bachman's Sparrow, and Henslow's (4) Sparrow, as well as Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler, Meadowlark and a Sedge Wren. I was amazed to see how green a Henslow's Sparrow's head is. We didn't get LeConte's, but it's a possibility.
There is one more round-up this year, at the end of February. For information contact Marianne Korosy at mkorosy@mail.ucf.edu.
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