Kids, adults learn the importance of tracking

and studying birds during annual festival

Jane Smith

RICHARD SAYER/Meadville Tribune Alan Chess releases a duck after a banding demonstration at the Pymatuning Learning Center in Linesville on Saturday. The event was part of the annual Waterfowl Festival.

LINESVILLE — Eleven-year-old Sarah Kois was wearing a white T-shirt with a picture of ducks and the phrase “The Duck Stops Here, Ducks Unlimited,” inscribed on it.

Beside her sat Andrew Herman, 4½, wearing a green T-shirt with “I’m a mean green fishing machine” as its logo.

Both were appropriate dress for the day Saturday as they were among an audience of close to 100 people — both young and old — learning the art of duck banding at the annual Pymatuning Waterfowl Festival.

Kois and her father had made a three hour and 45 minute trip from Rochester, N.Y., to attend.

Little Andrew was there from nearby Jamestown.

As the Pennsylvania Fish Commission workers and volunteers held various ducks out for the youngsters to touch, Sarah did so without hesitation. Andrew at first was a little more apprehensive, but gradually put his hand out and slowly, but so gently, rubbed the neck of the duck as the volunteer held it close.

He perhaps enjoys fishing better than ducks, noting he likes to fish for “blue gill.”

For Sarah, the trip was to see the ducks and all the other things that go with the festival. “I really like wildlife. I think it is really cool,” she said, noting in a “few years I can go hunting with my dad. I’m looking forward to hunting,” she continued. At the same time, she said she likes to cook and thinks the two activities will blend well.

Does she have any favorite recipes using fowl? “No, I like to make cakes,” grinned the pre-teen.

The two sat quietly as the officials explained the process and the reasons for putting a band on each bird before releasing it to the waters and skies of the area.

The band includes numbers and other information on it — similar to that of a Social Security number for a person. “That number stays with the bird for life,” said Kevin Jacobs of the PGC. When the bird is killed or found somewhere, the game commission asks the person to call an 800-telephone number and say where the bird was located.

This allows game commission members to track vital information in planning its wildlife management. It not only tracks where the bird was found, it shows survival rates of various breeds, migration and wintering habitats and provides estimates of how many waterfowl were harvested.

More than 70,000 wild waterfowl representing 11 species have been banded and released at Pymatuning since 1962. They are part of a continent-wide waterfowl management program which sees more than 300,000 waterfowl banded every year.

Mallards banded at Pymatuning have been recovered in 51 states or provinces in North America. Wood ducks banded there have been recovered in 26 different states and provinces. Canada geese banded there have been recovered in 20 different states and provinces.

After hearing all the technical information, including which size band goes on which bird and the reasons for each one, it was time to let the birds fly free.

Bands have been placed on the birds in advance as a time-savings measure. Information for each band has to be recorded.

Officials told children to be careful how they handle the bird so they don’t get hurt by the “very sharp claws.”

As part of the festival, children are permitted to hold the ducks in their hands and then to release them.

It was time for Andrew to take his turn. With the help of his dad, he put his little hands out to take the bird. “Will you hold him?” he asked his dad with a quiver in his voice and an anxious look on his face.

His father takes Andrew’s hand, holds the bird in it and then tells Andrew to “leave it go,” telling him to “throw it up in the air.” Reluctant Andrew leaves go and the duck flies toward the nearby Pymatuning Lake to take flight.

“That was good,” said Andrew’s dad. “It was cool,” agrees Andrew with a wide grin.

For Sarah, it was just as “cool.” She didn’t need her father’s help, but enjoyed watching the duck she was given fly away. She watched it for a few minutes at it made its way down the banks of Pymatuning.

Remembering her love of hunting and cooking, the question was “Would you cook that duck?” Hesitating for a minute as she reflected on the feeling she had in releasing it into nature, she said, “Well, maybe in a few years.”

Her father, Bernie, said they have come to the Pymatuning Waterfowl Festival for several years. Despite the increased cost of gasoline, Bernie said the time and money is worth it. “We were going to come last night,” he said, but decided when it was raining to wait until Saturday. “It’s fun and we enjoy it,” he said, noting they enjoy all types of nature activities.

They were not alone Saturday as thousands of people attended the many activities held throughout the area sponsored by Ducks Unlimited.

Jane Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jsmith@meadvilletribune.com