It was a fantastic week volunteering for my first time at the VLBO, where I began learning how to assist the Bander In Charge (BIC), Doug Brown, at the Vaseaux Lake Migratory Bird Monitoring Station. Doug is one of the top birders in BC, who possesses an extraordinary wealth of experience & self taught knowledge of birds & banding programs. It was also a true joy working with Professional Wildlife Biologist Matthias Bieber, head banding assistant & volunteer coordinator, who along with other professional birders and biologists, freely shared there knowledge and passion for all things birding. My experience at the station was as humbling as it was enlightening- I have such an incredible amount to learn!

There were so many firsts for me (even though technically, I cant list the captured ones), that I’ll let the following pictures tell the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I also enjoyed the privilege of assisting Doug during the evenings with the Saw-Whet Owl monitoring program, where for the past several nights he worked the nets, and I got to see my first ever little saw-whets! yet another station record set by Doug, where he got his first ever second year Long Eared Owl (LEOW) recapture. I was lucky enough to be there and obtain the stations first LEOW photo. Well done Doug!

The following Saw-Whet Owl Pictures are actually real. No Pokemon or Pixar CGI characters were used in the creation of these photos. When you see one close up for the very first time in someones hand right before your eyes, there is no real way to get past this fact. If these aren’t just the cutest little birds you’ve ever seen- well, I think you get the picture.

           

You can follow the awesome work they are doing at the VLBO here on WordPress.