Fall 2013: Wetlands Through Waterfowl

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

As the days continue to get shorter and colder, the Tantramar Wetlands Centre has finished its fall banding program and is preparing for winter. Every year, our wonderful Wethead volunteers and various visitors have the chance to participate in our educational waterfowl banding program.

Take a look at these photos to learn about the process, see pictures of ducks, and see how students experience wetlands through waterfowl.

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Wethead student volunteers learn how to identify ducks before putting their knowledge into practice in the marsh.

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Wetheads prepare to take canoes to the duck traps to bait the ducks with cracked corn.

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Each morning, students canoe out to the duck traps in the marsh. If ducks have been trapped, they retrieve the ducks and bring them to shore for banding. Then, students help bait the traps with cracked corn to attract more ducks.

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Canoes full of students and ducks return to shore. The ducks will be banded before being released back into the marsh.

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Wetheads gather on the banding platform to identify and band ducks.

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Male Mallard duck (easily identified by it’s emerald green head).

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When banding ducks, it’s necessary to identify the species. The two white bands on either side of the purple-blue patch (the speculum) indicate that this is a Mallard.

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The absence of the white bands on either side of the purple-blue speculum indicates that this is an American Black Duck.

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Our long-time volunteer, Nev, demonstrates how to put a band on a duck’s leg.

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Our Fall Co-op student, Katelynn, holding a Mallard while he waits to be banded.

Wethead student volunteer learning how to hold the duck before releasing it back into the wild.

Wethead student volunteer learning how to hold the duck before releasing it back into the wild.

Student volunteer prepares to release a Mallard.

Student volunteer prepares to release a Mallard.

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Visiting student successfully releases a duck back into the marsh.

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Wethead releasing a duck outside the Tantramar Wetland Centre.

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A visitor releases a banded duck on our final day of banding for 2013.

You can view more pictures in our Photo Gallery or on Flickr.

A Look Back at the Past Year: Fall 2012

Tuesday, July 9th, 2013

Every year, Nev Garrity, one of our very dedicated volunteers, helps lead many of our activities, including the Fall Banding Program, with the assistance of our enthusiastic high school student Wetheads (volunteers).

In the fall, Wetheads set-up and bait the traps, then return in their canoes to retrieve the ducks. The ducks are immediately identified (by species, age and sex), banded and released back into the marsh. 

 

Wetheads in the canoe, heading out to collect ducks from the trap.

Wetheads in the canoe, heading out to collect ducks from the trap.

 

Collecting the ducks from the trap can be tricky!

Collecting the ducks from the trap can be tricky!

 

Nev instructing Wetheads on how to identify ducks by looking at their wings.

Nev instructing Wetheads on how to identify ducks by looking at their wings.

 

Putting a band on the ducks leg helps us track their migration patterns.

Putting a band on the ducks leg helps track their migration patterns.

 

Identifying the ducks. Do you know what this is?

Identifying the ducks. Do you know what this is?

 

 

Student from a visiting class holding a duck, getting ready to release it back into the marsh.

Student from a visiting class holding a duck, getting ready to release it back into the marsh.

 

You can view more pictures in our Photo Gallery or on Flickr.