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GENNEWS

All About Bluebirds w/ cut

B Y J AN H OWARD

Naturalist and author Fred Comstock of Bethlehem, an Audubon licensed bluebird

bander and author, will present a lecture and slide program, "All About

Bluebirds," on Sunday, February 21, from 2 to 3:30 pm, in the new meeting room

of the C.H. Booth Library.

Mr Comstock has monitored eastern bluebirds for almost 20 years - and has

banded over 6,000 birds.

In 1979 when Mr Comstock and his wife, Ruth, moved to Bethlehem, he put out

his first bluebird box. He has had bluebirds in his yard ever since.

Soon after, he became interested in bird banding after reading an article by a

member of the Connecticut Audubon Society in Fairfield.

He learned about bird banding from Carl Trichka, a licensed master bander. Mr

Comstock, a sub-permit bander, began banding in 1982 and operates under the

aegis of master banders.

He is a member of the Connecticut Bluebird Working Group.

Banding a bird, which means putting a small metal band with nine distinctive

numbers on it around a bird's right leg, allows bluebird enthusiasts to study

where the birds live, how far they might fly during the winter and to study

life patterns.

Questions and answers will follow the presentation as well as a book signing

of his book, Bluebirds: The How-To Book , which offers information on how to

monitor bluebird nests. The book and bluebird house kits will be available for

purchase. The program is free.