McNary Wildlife Refuge-Bird Count

We spent Saturday the 13th at the McNary National Wildlife Refuge for the Great American Bird Count.  The Refuge is just in Burbank, Washington just east of the Richland/Pasco. 

There were a few activities in the Environmental Education Center for kids. 
Teddy made a bird feeder from an old milk jug and got a coloring book.

Docents and volunteers were banding and counting song birds for the count.  They had a net set up about the size of a volleyball net to catch the birds.  After the birds were banded, weighed and logged in they were released.  Both Jose and Ruthy got to release white crowned sparrows. 

That day the Refuge had about a zillion Canadian Geese on the water.
We also saw mallards, coots, canvas backs, northern shovelers, gulls and tundra swans.  On the shore in the reeds we saw red-winged blackbirds, white- crowned sparrows and heard lots of others that we could not identify.

The weather was beautiful and we had a great time.