The Bird People - November 15, 2004
by Debbie Nelson

     Sandhill Cranes became our alarm clocks as we spent the next couple of days at the Lichtey Center in Cliff, New Mexico. On the drizzly morning of November 15 we had the opportunity to observe these and other birds up close. We met with Carol and Mike Fugagli, excited to participate in bird banding.

     Carol and Mike work for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on a project called MAP. They monitor, measure, and record the different types and ages of birds that fly through the Lichtey Center and make this area their home.

     Identifying and documenting the local bird species is extremely important when working on ecosystem restoration projects, like TNC is participating in. Plant and animal species are great indicators in the status and health of the land. Since birds are the most obvious and continuous inhibitors of the fields and surrounding riparian areas, their presence is essential to signifying whether the habitat is suitable.

     We watched as Carol and Mike measured wing length, calculated fat content, and aged a Meadowlark caught before we arrived. Then it was our turn.

     Nets were set up around the perimeter of one of the restoration fields in order to capture birds. We combined forces and lined ourselves across the field, covering as much land as 20 people could. We slowly walked through the fields flushing out any unsuspecting birds nesting in the grasses, watching as they flew into the "Japanese suicide nets".

     The exercise exceeded our expectations and we ended up with six beautiful birds. Carol and Mike carefully unraveled them and placed them into small cloth bags. We looked like kids in a candy store carrying our new friends back to the measuring table, holding them up to show spectators. Each bird was taken out of its bag, identified, weighed, measured, and banded for record keeping. All of the birds we caught were Savannah Sparrows, a mix of male and females, post yearling, and busting with fat.

     Everyone wore smiles as we walked away from this experience. Seeing the progress of this once ranched land in the eyes of the birds was fulfilling, and setting them free again, heartwarming.