From VINS
Recapture Alert! This Northern Saw-whet Owl was encountered by the VINS research team on October 17 at 10 PM. It was quickly discovered that this bird was already banded with band number 1124-47884. Our team recognized the number as one belonging to our friends up at North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. A quick message confirmed that this bird was in fact one of theirs. The bird was originally banded at North Branch on October 11 at 8:40 PM. The bird weighed 92 grams and was recorded as a Second Year Female. By the time it made its way approximately 45 miles south, she weighed 81 grams.
Recaptures like this illustrate the importance of having multiple stations utilizing the standardized protocol of Project Owlnet. Each recapture provides important migration data and helps to better understand this secretive species.
This bird was handled for the purpose of scientific research under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey and in accordance with all state permitting requirements
Owls are so cool. As a dad I’m not often up late enough anymore to hear them, but I sometimes get lucky around 5 or 6am on my way to work.
Several years ago I had found a dead Great Horned in my neighborhood. We had a wind storm the night before and I don’t know whether he died naturally or got whacked by a branch. The only real damage I could see was a single dented eyeball. The ground was too frozen to bury it, so I put it beneath a large mound of leaves and took a single feather from the ground as a keepsake, which has been protuding from a small clay pot on my bookshelf since. It was neat to actually touch my favorite owl, but obviously a bummer that it was dead when it happened.
It is not the most pleasant way to get to do it, but handling samples is the only way I’ve gotten to actually touch owl parts. Though I did get to hold a live screech owl this year, you hardly feel anything due to them being so small and the heavy leather glove. I’ve learned so much by actually getting to touch the bones and feathers though. Reading about them is one thing, but handling them is quite eye opening. Very lucky to get your hands on the feather, but keep in mind it is technically illegal, and the penalty is something that is meant to deter traffickers, so it is pretty severe potentially. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have done the same if given the opportunity, just a heads up if you aren’t aware.
Handling feathers though really taught me about how they can fly so silently. Seeing the anti-turbulance fringed edge, the long length, but low barb density, the give of the barbs themselves. It feels and looks so different than almost any other bird. If you get your hands on any other feathers, even backyard birds, compare the 2 and pick out all the differences and it should be very informative.