I will never be able to capture what volunteers do for the marsh or how what seems very routine for them makes such a big difference for us at the marsh. Doug got in touch with us a while back when he heard we had some signs to put up at the marsh.
He donated the lumber and his time to come out to the marsh. For those who know me i hardly know which end of the hammer to use and it would have taken me two days to put up the signs and they would have be blown over with the wind we had Sunday. So thanks so much Doug and Allee for enduring the bugs and allowing visitors to find the marsh with ease now .
The story of the signs should be told as well. One night we had a couple that came out to see owl banding at the marsh and in the dark they could not find the entrance to the marsh. After wasting a fair bit of time trying to find us they arrived just in time to see and hold some sawwhet owls.
That visit was followed up with a phone call the next day with an offer to purchase the marsh signs that have a reflective quality that will light up at night when car lights hit them making it all the easier for folks to find the marsh. The only condition was that the donation needed to be anonymous. So thanks so much to the couple who have made it all the easier for people to find us so they can see fine work that so many volunteers are doing to continue with our essential work for bird conservation at the Hilliardton Marsh.
I cannot leave a blog thanking volunteers without thanking Chris Sukha for all he did for us this spring not only did he run the banding site but he also entered all of the banding data. Last year the marsh was in a position where we could pay him but this year he did it all as a volunteer. So thanks so much Chris we really appreciate all you do for us.
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| Chris with the stations second ever piliated woodpecker |
Chris will be missing the fall migration as he has taken the bander in charge position at Mackenzie bird observatory in northern British Columbia. It is a paid position and Chris will be making around $12,000 dollars for his effort. He tells me they have the wonderful pleasure of enjoying a second hatch of black flies in August which makes the job all that more enticing. Good luck Chris,hopefully we can save some boreal and long eared owls for you to band when you return after thanksgiving .
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| Bander in charge Chris Sukha with a northern water thrush |
I appreciate all of the other volunteers at the marsh and if you are reading this wondering how you can help out at the marsh please visit our website www.thehilliardtonmarsh.com and you can get involved . There are always projects big and small that we need help with. There is a role for you at the marsh regardless of age or skill level so get in touch and join the fun . The hired marsh crew begins July 4th and fall migration begins August 1st which at the time of writing this blog is a mere 50 sleeps away!!!
Bird is the word!!!!
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