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May 15, 2009

Banding a blip for birds

John Cross

From a bird’s point of view, Merrill Frydendall may have ruined their perfect day.

Flitting from tree to tree, minding their own business when “whap,” all of a sudden their flight comes to a tangled pause in a gossamer net that seemingly arrives out of nowhere.

The retired Minnesota State University ornithology professor set up several mist nets to capture birds for a banding demonstration as part of an event at the Elk’s Nature Center in Rasmussen Woods on Thursday.

Trailed by youngsters and adults, Frydendall patrolled the four nets strung across likely bird habitat, periodically extracting the disgruntled, somewhat disheveled birds for banding.

After banding them and recording vital statistics such as beak, wing and tail lengths, participants got a chance to release the birds.

Sporting a bit of new aluminum leg jewelry, their numbers now recorded for posterity, and admittedly with a few ruffled feathers, the birds quickly melted back into the woods, seemingly none the worse for the wear.



Frydendall will be conducting another bird banding demonstration from 7 a.m. to noon on May 23 at Minneopa State Park.

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