Representatives from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife came to Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) on Wednesday to band the newer generations of geese that have hatched on campus. Bird banding is a technique for studying, identifying, and tracking individual birds.
“Approximately 50 Canadian geese were safely corralled in a shady area near the larger of two lakes on OCTC’s campus,” according to a release from OCTC. “From New Hartford Road, you could see 20 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife representatives herding the geese. Once corralled, the younger geese were separated from the flock to determine whether they were large enough to be banded. Those too small for bands were put in a separate enclosure and later released with the first adult female that was successfully banded.”
Many of the geese tagged were considered “local” because they were born and raised in the area. OCTC’s Nature Committee, Maintenance & Operations department, administration, staff, faculty, and students “take pride in the wildlife fostered on campus and work together to ensure they are protected,” the release says.
On the opposite side of OCTC’s campus is the Virginia Miles Nature Center, which is home to the second, smaller lake on campus. At the center of the lake is a nesting island which provides habitats for various animals and birds. In 2018, the National Wildlife Federation recognized the nature center as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. The 18-acre nature center is home to many species of wildlife throughout the year and serves as a stopover for migratory birds. The college uses the center for service-learning projects, and area school children visit the site frequently for field trips.
