Bartletts Band 50,000th Bird at Springville Marsh

Tom and Eric holding birds 50,000 and 50,001

Tom holds his 50,000th bird banded at Springville March

An Eastern screech-owl marks 43 years of bird banding at the marsh. Tom Bartlett banded his 50,000th bird at Springville Marsh on Saturday, Oct. 10, at approximately 7:30 a.m., reaching the milestone with an Eastern screech-owl with gray to chocolate-brown plumage.

The next bird provided a colorful follow-up: His 50,001st was another Eastern screech-owl, this one a red morph.

Alongside Bartlett on this journey has been his wife, Paula. The milestone celebrates her years of support and shared dedication, as well as the contributions of longtime volunteers who help sustain the banding effort.

Those gathered marked the achievement with a celebration borrowed from the sidelines of a football field. In a nod to the traditional Gatorade shower for a winning coach, they poured birdseed over Bartlett.

The milestone represents 43 years of bird banding at Springville Marsh, an average of approximately 1,163 birds annually.

Bartlett’s bird banding history began well before his work at the marsh. He banded his first bird, a red-tailed hawk, in 1971, when he was 20 years old. The 50,000-bird milestone applies specifically to his work at Springville Marsh. Since banding his first bird in 1971, Bartlett has banded more than 120,000 birds representing over 250 species.

Longtime volunteer Eric Mullholand joined Bartlett for a photograph featuring the two owls.

Bird banding involves placing a small, uniquely numbered band on a bird’s leg before releasing it. When a banded bird is encountered again, researchers can connect the observations to learn more about its movements, longevity and use of habitat.

Sustaining that work at one location for more than four decades creates a record that can help researchers understand patterns over time. Each bird contributes to a better understanding of the wildlife that uses the marsh.

Bartlett, a 2026 Ohio Department of Natural Resources Hall of Fame inductee, has devoted decades to studying birds and sharing his knowledge. Saturday’s gathering recognized that commitment and the family and volunteers who have been part of the journey.

Watch the video!