Folks,
I am thinking that I will not open the saw-whet banding station this fall for several reasons.
Since Mamie has a chronic respiratory condition that puts her in an even higher Covid-19 risk category than our ages alone would indicate, we have been trying to keep as low a profile as possible. We could probably keep socially-distanced at the station but driving to and from the station, etc. adds some possible risk.
I am also not as comfortable as I used to be being at the station and climbing the hill alone. My equilibrium is not what it once was and I do have the heart coronary valves stents plus an aortic valve heart murmur to consider as well. Driving at night is also something I no longer enjoy as much as I used to.
So despite the fact that the migration numbers look good at stations north of us, I am thinking that I will not open this year. I have talked with some of you about your ability to help this year and I appreciate your offers to help. If you can think of some thing or somebody to offset these problems, please let me know. It would be nice to keep the project running but I don’t think that I can head it up this year.
Clair Mellinger
Good morning! I don’t know if this will help at all, but I can offer myself to help some! I live very close to Highland, and have done a few things with the banding station in the past. If I can help in any way, please let me know!
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Bekah,
Thanks for your interest in the banding station and your offer to help. Right now things seem to be going well and I don’t feel like I need to do more recruiting. I will keep your name on my list. Thanks again.
Clair Mellinger
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My family and I live in Albemarle County, and we don’t have any experience, but we are very willing volunteers! I wrote a children’s book about a Saw-whet named Copernicus (it is finable on Amazon). email address is tgrifgreen17@gmail.com
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