Tweetie Birds;

Banded 2,164 birds of 33 species last year. Nothing out of the ordinary
other than banding 623 House Finch and 32 American Goldfinch while
cooperating with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology as part of its
nationwide study of the incidence and spread west of Avian Pox and Avian
Conjunctivitis. Of my birds, only 2 House Finches were affected with
these diseases - one with pox and the other with conjunctivitis.
Undoubtedly others have recorded this disease in this state at their
feeders.

Fair numbers of the following were also banded: 123 Mourning Dove, 168
Pine Siskin, 242 Red-winged Blackbird, 74 Brewer's Blackbird, 249
White-crowned Sparrow (Pugetensis), 173 Golden-crowned Sparrow, 207
Dark-Eyed (Oregon) Junco, 91 Song Sparrow, 21 Fox Sparrow, 70 Savannah
Sparrow and 31 Spotted Towhee. Just baited ground traps were used this
year.

The 2,164 birds added to others banded from 1986-2000 total 22,377 birds
of 95 species banded in Washington. Added
to others banded elsewhere (Oregon, Montana, California, Alaska, Canada
and the Central and Western Pacific Islands) from 1952-1973 comes 90,377
birds of 305 species. From Hummingbirds to Buntings to Pelicans to
Sandhill Cranes to Eagles to Frigatebirds to Tropicbirds to Hawaiian
endangered species and so forth. .

Some of the recoveries were published in WASHINGTON BIRDS and other
publications, but recovery reports still come in from the Bird Banding
Laboratory. In the latest issue of NORTH AMERICAN BIRD BANDER were
reports of Black-Footed Albatross I banded in the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands. A L-U (chick of unknown sex) banded on Southeast Island, Pearl
and Hermes Reef, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, 22 March
1967 was captured and released on 15 February 1998. 31 years old. The
other was an AHY-U (adult of unknown sex) banded on Eastern Island,
Midway Atoll on 8 February 1964 was captured and released on Southeast
Island, Pearl and Hermes Reef, on 18 February 1998. Bird was at least 35
years old!

Why do I keep banding at my age, 82 ? Keeps me from chasing cars. That
is, parked cars.

Gene Kridler
Old Broken Down Wildlife Biologist.
Squim, WA.