The three Harrisburg chicks were banded at 1 p.m. today. From the site:
5/27/2010 :: Banding Results
This year, for the first time, all of the nestlings are males. The banding team placed colored tape on the nestlings for the purpose of keeping track of them when they fledge. The largest of them, at 690 grams, is sporting white tape; the smallest, at 550 grams, blue and the middle sized nestling, at 590 grams, has red tape. Watch and rescue teams are now forming in anticipation of the first flight these young birds will make. They should begin fledging in about two weeks.
It is the policy in Pennsylvania not to name the chicks (or the parents). The concern is that naming the birds might cause some people to think of them as pets. It is simply a different approach, and I totally respect their point of view.
The resident pair are referred to, very informally, as Mom and Lil Dad when they are mentioned on discussion boards.
Personally, I do like to see birds named, not because I would ever remotely consider them in any way as pets, but simply because it makes it easier to communicate about them. And if both birds are unbanded, it is awkward to indicate which is which - it is so much easier to say, for instance, "Mariah" or "Kaver".
