Thanks to Nick Alioto and Josiah Gritter, our spring hawk banders, for giving such an educational interview! (fb)

Please read this article for news that could negatively affect MSRW's long standing owl banding program, as well as our newer raptor banding program! 😱🦉🦅🦆 And please consider attending the virtual rally to support the U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area that is responsible for many of the programs that serve millions of birders, hunters, anglers, gardeners, biologists, ecologists, and wildlife enthusiasts around the country–and importantly, the wildlife we treasure. From Scott Weidensaul: "As some of you may be aware, there are reports that the federal Bird Banding Lab (BBL), which runs the entire U.S. bird banding program, has been slated by DOGE for elimination as soon as this week, along with the rest of the vital Ecosystems Mission Area at USGS. The consequences of such a move on birds and bird conservation would be incalculable. The BBL is the only source for bands and the federal permits that allow us to do the work we do; the loss of the banding lab would mean, frankly, an end to nearly 30 years of Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) research...." (fb)