Last October, I was fortunate enough to get involved with an owl banding project, specifically targeting the Northern Saw-Whet Owl. Even though I had spent several nights waiting for the owls, and not seeing any, my love for owls had me hooked! Finally, on the last net check of one of the night time waits, I was able to see my first one! As the new-comer to the group, I was awarded the opportunity to release her back into the wild. I couldn’t believe my luck as she sat on my arm for several minutes before flying off into the night. Although I’ve only been involved with the one owl, I’m hooked, and can’t wait until next October for banding to begin again!
In the image below, the owls wing is lit using ultra-violet light. The porphyrin on the owls feathers, glows pink, and helps indicate the age of the owl as the amount of porphyrin disappears over time. This bird was aged as a second year owl.
