Presque Isle State Park is a bird-lover’s paradise year-round, but never more so than during the spring and fall migration, which last about six and eight weeks, respectively. More than 350 species of bird have been confirmed at PISP in the last 50 years.
Last Friday, my daughter and I finally got the chance to stop by a Bird Banding Station at Presque Isle State Park and get a fascinating, up-close look at the work that the Erie Bird Observatory, with help from the PA DCNR and Presque Isle Audubon Society, do during spring (and fall) migration in banding and recording the birds that pass through (or live at) the park.
Public education and outreach is an integral part of Erie Bird Observatory’s mission statement and that’s evident in their landbird monitoring efforts at PISP where the general public is invited and encouraged to stop by the station at Fry’s Landing and learn more about birds.
If/when you see a sign posted (this weekend is your last chance this spring – details below), pull over and take a half hour or so to check it out! You’ll be greeted by a volunteer educator who will explain the process and narrate the work that the bander is doing when they return from the net with a handful of individually bagged birds (Don’t worry, they are safe and soon set free).
What will you see? You will get to see what bird emerges from bag after bag and will be able to watch an experienced Erie Bird Observatory volunteer band the bird (if needed), measure its wings, check it over, and record information about the bird before opening their hand to release it back to the wild.
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Sometimes, if it’s not a nesting female, they will bring the bird around so everyone can get a closer look at it, which is a unique opportunity. How often do you get to observe a live bird for more than a few seconds as it flies by or eats at your feeder?!
PISP Banding History
From the Erie Bird Observatory website:
“Bird banding has long been used as a tool to monitor landbird migration at Presque Isle State Park. Our data set begins with a Wood Thrush banded on May 20th, 1960, by the Leberman family.
Long-term data sets such as ours from Presque Isle help researchers develop a better understanding of overall trends such as: species arrival and departure dates, changes in annual species abundance (increase vs. decline), differences between spring and fall numbers, etc. It can also help with determining the significance of the local habitat as a stopover site for migratory birds. Birds make excellent indicator species; they have so much to tell us about the ever-changing world that we live in, we just need to know how to ‘listen.’”
Last Weekend for Spring Migration Banding
This weekend — May 30-June 2 — is your last chance to watch the group band birds at Fry’s Landing at PISP, between Beach 11 and the boat launch (see map) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. Note that bird banding is completely weather dependent. Dates and times are subject to last minute changes and cancellation. Be sure to the organization’s Facebook page before you drive all the way out!
Banding done? Go on a bird walk!
If you miss out on spring banding, you still have plenty of opportunities to learn more about birds in the Erie area. Erie Bird Observatory offers regular (and frequent) bird walks. See a list of upcoming events here. They also offer a wealth of birding information on their website.
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