I think it a bad idea to net at all when temperatures are low enough that
birds approach torpor while being processed. One of the main problems is
that cold hands suck heat from small passerines. If the occasional bird
begins to shut down, one can hold it by the tarsometatarsi (the classic
hold) and cause it to flutter a bit; that usually gets things moving
again, and the bird can be released safely. Birds that show closing eyes
and much reduced vigor I drop down inside my T shirt; invariably they
recover and seek freedom. But if I had a single bird that required that
treatment, I would furl my nets and wait until the temperature rose to
continue netting.

Steven G. Herman
The Evergreen State College
Olympia WA 98505
(360) 866-6000, ext.6063
943-5751 (home)
hermans at elwha.evergreen.edu

On Tue, 13 May 1997, Julie Fukuda wrote:

>
> Any banders out there?
>
> I am trying to help Ginny Rosenberg, bander at the Oak Island MAPS station
> (Sauvie Island, near Portland, Oregon), figure out how to keep captured
> birds warm during processing. We were worried about stressing out some of
> the birds last year on cold mornings (particularly when the birds didn't
> look too well on releasing), and we'd like to hear if other people have
> ideas about how to solve this problem. We band from late May through
> August, and so mostly the weather is fine, but those first few hours can be
> pretty chilly on some mornings. Has anyone used tents? Or warming lamps?
> I know that the Ridgefield station has a building for their winter sparrow
> banding. Unfortunately, there are no structures at our station.
>
> Please write/copy me directly if you have ideas. Thanks.
>
> Julie
>
> ----------------
> Julie Fukuda
> tamarack at q7.com
>