Posts by Chris Rimmer 
VCE Spirits Remain High: COVID Update for May
VCE staff may not be physically together, but our spirits remain high as we continue working hard on behalf of wildlife and eagerly anticipate our approaching field season.
Checking in: April Update on VCE’s COVID-19 Response
VCE’s Executive Director Chris Rimmer checks in with a COVID-19 operational update.
Narrowing Down the Whereabouts of Bicknell’s Thrush in Cuba
VCE’s 2020 field trip to eastern Cuba yielded many avian treasures, but no new Bicknell’s Thrush records. After four years, it is clear that the species specializes on cloud forests in Cuba, and that conservation efforts must continue to focus on core Hispaniolan winter habitats.
VCE Colleague Yolanda León Receives Prestigious Conservation Award
Longtime VCE conservation partner and Advisory Council member Yolanda León recently made us all proud by receiving the prestigious 2019 Partners in Flight Individual Leadership Award.
A Serendipitous Orchard Oriole Extravaganza
A casual dusk bird walk during a layover in Panama City provided Chris Rimmer with an unforgettable birding experience, as he intercepted an unprecedented concentration of Orchard Orioles heading to a communal nighttime roost.
2019 Norwich Bird Quest Racks up 177 Species
Birders rose to the challenge in 2019, as the inaugural Norwich Bird Quest eclipsed its goal of 175 species found within town borders in a single year. Over 1,300 eBird checklists by 17 birders generated an impressive total of 177 species, with numerous surprises. The 2020 Quest is now underway, with even more ambitious goals!
A Lifetime of Birding Passion and Service: Sue Wetmore Receives VCE’s 2019 Julie Nicholson Citizen Scientist Award
For her more than four decades as a citizen scientist, naturalist-teacher, and conservation advocate, the staff and board of VCE are proud to present Sue with the 2019 Julie Nicholson Citizen Scientist Award.
Team Pipit’s Extraordinary Birding Feat: 150 species in all 14 Vermont Counties
Fred (Pat) Pratt of Team Pipit completed an extraordinary birding feat on November 25, notching his 150th species of 2019 in Bennington County, with a pair of Northern Shovelers. This discovery earned Pat the 14th Star Award, as the first birder ever to record 150 species in all 14 Vermont counties during a single calendar year. Congratulations to Team Pipit for a truly inspiring accomplishment!
Mercury in the Mountains: VCE Research Yields More Questions than Answers
VCE’s recently published paper from our long-term research on mercury accumulation in montane forest birds describes unexpected results.
VCE’s Wrap-up Mansfield Visit Fuels Optimism
VCE’s wrap-up Mansfield banding session rekindled spirits and refueled optimism amidst recent sobering news about avian population declines. After a summer of relative scarcity on our ridgeline study site, we captured 82 birds. We now wish safe passage for the many migrants we all share and cherish.
Mansfield Update: Avian Infiltrators from Northern Hardwoods
VCE’s final 2019 summer banding session on Mt. Mansfield was notable for the predominance of non-local birds and the absence of local breeders banded earlier in the season. Black-throated Blue Warblers stole the show.
VCE’s Mansfield Season Winding Down
Shorter days, a near absence of bird song, molting adults, and the appearance of post-breeding wanderers last week signaled seasonal changes underway on Mt. Mansfield, and the winding down of VCE’s 2019 banding season there.
