The IPBO is situated on the Ottawa River, on DND property, and may be visited by special arrangement.  MFNC was lucky to have been on site today because all of the mist nets were in operation and several volunteers were there banding. We were able to go along with staff to the nets where the birds were gently and carefully removed, placed in special bags and carried to the banding building.  Once inside, the birds were identified (as to species, sex and age), checked for the amount of body fat, weighed, measured and banded.  In these expert hands the whole procedure lasts only a few minutes.  After banding, the birds are taken outside and released.  This stage gave us a good opportunity to see them up close.  One of the highlights today was seeing a Lincoln’s Sparrow in the hand. In total 20 different species were banded, among them, many of our beautiful wood warblers.

Along with all of the birds was something of interest to the geologists.  Near the station, at the river’s edge, were many very large stromatolites.