Caring for Baby Barbet and Red-banded Snake

It rained all day today, so no volunteers or assistants were on observation stations today. Thus, I stayed mainly in the office today looking up literatures - about how to safely remove fledglings from their cavity nests and about ways to age birds based on physical appearances. If anyone has any idea about these two questions, please let me know. Thank you!

Below is the injured fledgling that I mentioned yesterday. Turns out it had a broken wing, an injured spine and eye, and fairly weak feet. The best case scenario is that it will heal soon and we can release back in the garden in a few months. If not, then we might have to take care for it its entire lifetime (which may be 3 or 4 years, nobody studied this before).

Colorful facial feathers. Almost like a painting palate.

Such a small bird. Last year was caring for bats, this year - barbets!

Besides staying indoors all day, we headed out to the garden once to test ways to capture fledglings from their nests. We tried climbing in front of the cavity hole (with a ladder) and baiting it with bread worms and with meshed papayas. Sadly, neither methos works. We will be trying a neck noose tomorrow, if weather permits.

Besides feeding the barbet with fruits, bird feeds, bread worms, and some winged ants (that we caught while at the garden), I also had a fun time playing with a Red-banded Snake (Dinodon rufozonatum) caught by another security guard inside the garden.

It is not a poisonous snake and is distinguished by its mixed thin red stripes and thick dark stripes all along its body. What a beauty! We will be releasing it in a more mountaineous area this weekend.

This is a photo of the rainy city that I took when I was about to leave work. Just like Autumn and Winter in Vancouver (a.k.a. Rain-cover). Sigh - should I wish for rain or no rain tomorrow?
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