John Dillard has retired after six years as volunteer director of the songbird banding operation (and many previous years as bander and banding assistant). The good news is that John retires leaving many improvements to the banding operation--improvements invisible to most, but critical to those of us who continue. John will continue as a bander and a member of the station's Steering Committee.The other good news is that Don Schwab has taken over as director. Don first came to Kiptopeke in the 1960's as a college student. He has banded at the station since 1982 and also regularly runs a spring banding study in the Dismal Swamp. In his real life, Don is a non-game biologist with Virginia's Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Don was recently recognized by his peers in the Virginia Chapter of the Wildlife Society as 1996 Professional of the Year.
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