Updated June 19th, 2009
What is the average air-speed velocity of an unladen
swallow?
Contact Us: auburnbirdbander@aol.com
More of the The Amazing Adventures of Larry and Mark
Volume 13 Art of the Inuit part 1 - The Inuksuk
Volume 14 Art of the Inuit part 2 (Click here for the earlier volumes)
The story behind the Auburn Bird Banding Research Station
Mark and Helen Blazis admire a rare Lawrence's Warbler
Under the tutelage of dedicated teachers, Mark and Helen Blazis, the students of Auburn, Massachusetts have been given a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with many species of migrating song birds. Mr. Blazis, a recently retired Science Teacher at the Auburn Middle School, is a former National Science Teacher of the Year. Students from the Auburn schools assist Mr. and Mrs. Blazis, and several other volunteers, who have included Dr. Richard Weagle, Keith, Kim, and Garrett MacAdams, Dr. Larry, Marcy and Sarah Reich, Gary and Jill Hetel, Jim, Pauline, Brian and David Sheridan, the late Tom Donaldson, Stephanie Donaldson, Lois Kolofsky, Stephen and Audrey Vincent, Mattie VandenBoom, the Sharkey sisters, Joan and Mary, Justin and Ken Dion, and Joe Bourget in banding over 2,000 birds a year. The children are taught to respect, identify, and process birds. The processing of these birds include weighing, measuring the wing chord, and placing a sequentially numbered metal band around the captive bird's leg. The bands are supplied by the United States Geological Survey to Master Banders across North America. Mr. Blazis, one of only approximately 500 Master Banders in the United States, Outdoorsman and Naturalist, frequently refers to the captive neo-tropical birds as "jungle jewels." Truly this is no exaggeration. The many different species of birds including warblers, wrens, towhees, flycatchers, sparrows, and kinglets, shine in the morning sun, much to the delight of all the volunteers. Occasionally a rare find, such as the Lawrence's Warbler, sends everyone scrambling for their cameras. The banding station consists of picnic tables set up on the porch of the Sportsman's Club and mist nets set up on the grounds of the Auburn Sportsman's Club. The Club graciously and generously allows these volunteers to use their facilities and grounds in support of the team's research. This banding station is unique in this country, being on the Sportsman's Club land, it is a free, open-classroom for the students of the entire community, as well as for environmentalists. This is what sets the Auburn Bird Banding Program apart from every other program: sportsmen and environmentalists, working together for the benefit of kids, schools, town, wildlife, and ultimately the preservation of open space.
If you have any drawings or photos you would like to be considered for the Photo of the Week, please give them to Myrt or e-mail them to her at cmorin@allegromicro.com or submit them to auburnbirdbander@aol.com
by Mattie VandenBoom
The answer to the 30 year old question "What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" is: Flight speeds of birds are difficult to measure and verify, Estimates for maximum speed of swallows is probably 40 to 50 mph. (Terres. Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds)
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Contact Us: auburnbirdbander@aol.com
