Have you ever imagined holding a songbird in your hand, looking into its eyes, stroking its feathers?  Scientists who study birds by netting them and outfitting them with identification bands do it all the time.  At Hogback, Marlboro resident and ornithologist Eric Slayton has been running a bird banding research study since 2020.  During the spring and fall migrations, Eric invites the public to visit his research site on the slopes of Hogback and help with the work of netting and banding the birds.  You don't need to have any prior experience.  You can visit just once, or sign up to help throughout the season. 

 

For the spring this year, Eric will be banding in the month of May for 14 days depending on the flight. He will be there  on both weekends and weekdays, from 10:00 am.  If you'd like to help, look at the calendar of banding days here, and contact Eric directly to sign up.  It's important to sign up in advance, because only five people can join Eric on any given day.  Contact him at eric.slayton@me.com.

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​Read Eric's reports on previous banding seasons by clicking on the links.