I have a pair of dippers that have been banded, and I am fairly certain who put the bands on them. That person should step up and tell why, truthfully to this listserv. He reads these posts. The reason I am starting this is because these birds are in trouble and it proves my point why banding needs to be controlled or curtailed. I wanted to stay away from this subject because of the attacks I got before, but now I would welcome such attacks. I now have clear proof of the damage banding does and the thoughtlessness and carelessness bird banders have.

Read my birdletter and view the gallery I have posted, to understand what I have seen. You will see the damage and torture banding causes. I understand more about the dipper behavior than most everyone, and these two adults have a fear in them that is not natural.

http://e-picturebookdesigners.com/birdletter/birdwalk85.html

I don't know what the ethics are for removing bands from birds, but if there is someone out there that is qualified to band birds, and can look past my disdain for the sport of bird banding, would help me have these bands removed, without putting new ones back on them, I would appreciate it. These two dippers will die from the bands on their legs, it is only a matter of time. The dippers are raising a second brood and they should be fledging any day now.

The gallery also has several other birds; like Caspian Terns catching all the salmon coming out of the Dungeness, a GB Heron being harassed by a gull, and the dipper parents painfully feeding their nestlings.

Thank you.

Don Wallace
Sequim
don at e-picturebookdesigners.com