BBBO's primary research program involves studying birds during breaks between migratory flights -- this research is known as stopover ecology. Our main study site is located in near-shore terrestrial habitats along the south shore of Lake Ontario.  BBBO staff operate the Kaiser-Manitou Beach banding station, located just west of Rochester, New York, during spring and fall migration annually.    Research is conducted from mid-April until early June each spring and from early-September until mid-October each fall. The banding station is operated daily from sunrise until early afternoon, weather permitting.  Birds are captured in mist nets located in old-field and secondary growth habitat types. Net locations are held constant from year to year, and we maintain the habitat in an early successional stage.