June 28th - Kensington Chick Banding Day!
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 Let's start with showing the personnel who banded the chicks, on their way out to the Wildwing Lake nest at Kensington Metro Park. Seated in the boat from left to right are: Dr. Ann Duncan, Chief Veterinarian, Detroit Zoo, Jim Pulling, Wildlife Assistant, Michigan DNR, and Tom Schneider, Curator of Birds, Detroit Zoo.
On board the boat are Ann's medical bag, banding supplies, and the ladder which is used to climb up to the top of the nest to retrieve and return the chicks.
This nest is very viewable from the shore with either binoculars or a spotting scope. There is even a place marked on the path that circles this lake showing the best viewing spot.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 As the boat approaches the nest platform, mother bird is into the air, looking at the intruders, and scolding them for being too near her chicks. She flies around the nest for the duration of the banding operation. While this is going on, C09 flies in from a successful morning hunt with a nice fish for the chicks. He too flies around scolding the intruders, all the time carrying his fish. Only after the banding crew leaves does he bring the fish to the nest.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 Arriving at the nest platform, the first order of business is to tie off the boat to the platform uprights for stability.The chicks are face down, and flat in the nest, a position they assume when danger is present!
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 With the boat secured, the ladder comes out and is hung from the upper support crossbar of the platform's upright pipes.
An alternative is to use a longer ladder, letting it rest on the bottom of the lake or river. That method will be used for the Dawson Road nest. The downside is that it sometimes is quite difficult to pull the ladder back out of the gooey marl bottom after standing on it multiple times.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 The first chick is retrieved from the nest.
Usually, holding the chick by the legs is the least traumatic method for the bird and the safest for the handler.
Tom is adding a measure of safety and stability by holding the bottom of the ladder against the lower crossbar. A big C-clamp for that task might be a worthwhile addition.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 The chick is handed down to Ann, reducing the chance of injury if Jim were to climb down with it.Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 With Jim holding the chick, Ann begins performing the first of many tests she has planned. Here she is drawing a blood sample from the chick's leg, to allow DNA analysis for both sex and lineage.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 As Ann is working on this chick, C09 makes several passes overhead, displaying his recently caught fish, and chiding the intruders below. Notice that he is carrying the fish head first to minimize aerodynamic drag. This is typical.He eventually takes the fish to the nest for his mate and the chicks.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 Here Ann is inspecting the chick for lice and other possible parasites. If found, the chick is properly medicated.
Additional tests and observations confirm the overall physical well-being of the bird.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 With stethescope at the ready, heart and lung functions are evaluated.
As Ann performs her tests, Tom takes copious notes of the results.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 While Ann holds the chick and Jim the leg with its newly fitted, silver colored, US Fish and Wildlife (USFWL) band, Tom squeezes the band's flange closed with a pair of pliers.Leg size determines whether a chick is initially sexed as a male or female. Females are larger in size, and therefore, have larger diameter legs. Using an undersized leg band could cause significant leg problems for the osprey as it grows to its adult size.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 With the USFWL band in place, Jim affixes a black plastic year band to the opposite leg.An acetone based glue is used to weld the band surfaces together to make it permanent.
If you spot an osprey with a black leg band two to three years from now, it could well be a chick from Kensington!
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 Once all of the necessary tasks are completed, which takes about 15 minutes, the chick is ready to go back into the nest. Here Tom is handing the chick to Jim for its short trip up the ladder .Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 Chick #1 is back in the nest.It seems to be saying to Jim, "'Ya big meanie, why don't you pick on someone your own size!"
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 Jim then retrieves the second chick.It undergoes the same protocol as the first and too is banded as a female, due to its large leg diameter.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 With both chicks processed, it is time to stow the ladder, motor back to shore, and let the parents return to the nest to check on their young and feed them.Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 When the boat has gotten about 70 yards away, mother osprey returns to her nest.She has been off the nest about 35 minutes, making this banding effort one of the most efficient and fast we have observed over the years.
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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 A few moments later, C09 comes flying in with the fish he caught earlier still grasped in his talons. The chicks get up and become quite active. They are probably waiting for mother osprey to start feeding them the fish that C09 has been carrying around.The banding crew moves their operation over to the Dawson Road nest on the Huron River and successfully bands the 3 chicks there without incident. Those chicks are also banded as females, due to their large leg sizes.
In summary, it has been a very successful and educational morning!
Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.
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