Springville, Tenn.–A large crowd of 268 people gathered Saturday to watch the hummingbird banding process at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. Ranger Joan Howe said 70 hummingbirds were banded during the day. Cyndi Routledge of the Southeastern Avian Research conducted the banding along with her crew, Mitz and LoraAnn Bailey, with local volunteers assisting. Visitors could ‘adopt’ a hummingbird and release it again to the wild. Programs and activities were also ongoing at the refuge during the day. In photo, Mitz Bailey holds a hummingbird while a visitor takes a close-up photograph. (Shannon McFarlin photo).