Posts by Jason Hill (he/him) 
The Unique Impact of Solar Farms on Grassland Birds
Clear-eyed conversations about where solar development occurs, how impacts are mitigated, and what success looks like for wildlife are essential if we hope to meet our energy goals without losing species that are already in decline.
State of the Mountain Birds Northeast 2024
The State of the Mountain Birds, Northeast 2024 report has landed with a thud on our proverbial desks.
The Rising Seas and Stakes for Coastal New England Wildlife
Many conversations about sea level rise in New England center the disastrous effects it will have on coastal infrastructure and economies. But damage to fragile coastal ecosystems and the species that rely on them may be unmeasurable and irrecoverable. A recent study reveals new predictions about Saltmarsh Sparrows’ fate under moderate sea level rise scenarios.
Maximizing the Value of Your eBird Checklists from the Mountains
There are several easy steps you can take to complete bird checklists that are helpful to scientists when you’re in the mountains.
The Road (that Used to Be) Less Traveled: Off-trail Hiking, The Catskills and Montane Birds
Historically, bushwhackers had to be highly skilled at backcountry orienteering to summit trailless peaks. In the age of the internet however, the hurdles to bushwhacking are considerably lower, and there are many websites with accessible step-by-step route instructions for anyone with a smartphone to use. This is all too obvious in the nearby Catskill Mountains.
Powerlines and pollinators: undervalued and underappreciated
Just as hayfields are essential habitat for grassland birds like Bobolinks, consensus is building that the scrubby open habitat maintained under utility rights-of-way (ROW) plays an important role in the conservation of a diverse suite of wildlife. We’re looking to connect with landowners in north-central Vermont with ROWs on their property about conducting weekly surveys for pollinators this summer.
Unwavering Commitment to Mountain Birds: Jason Crooks Receives VCE’s Inaugural Community Scientist of the Year Award
Although MBW participation fell to its lowest level since we started keeping track in 2001, one observer still managed to safely and compliantly survey three routes.
Host a Motus Tower On Your Property and Help Track Tagged Wildlife
If you own property in Vermont or New Hampshire, you have an incredible opportunity this winter to benefit wildlife populations and make a real contribution to conservation science by hosting a Motus tower.
Updated for 2020: State of the Mountain Birds Report
The 2020 State of the Mountains Bird Report has landed… on the web. With this evolving report, we try to answer one seemingly simple question: What is the state of the mountain birds of the northeastern United States? Read on to find out.
Of Birds and Buckets: Nocturnal Flight Call Recordings Shine A Light on Migration Timing
Most of our knowledge regarding the migration timing of songbirds comes from birding observations made during the day, even though much of the actual migration occurs at night. Is this a problem? As it turns out, it might be.
Fir Mast and Winter Weather Drives Survival in a Montane Forest Bird Species
Recently published VCE paper describes unexpected findings in the quest to understand how environmental processes shape the population dynamics of Bicknell’s Thrush throughout their annual cycle.
New VCE Study Reveals Surprising Upland Sandpiper Migration Patterns
VCE’s recent paper describes surprising new information about migratory patterns of Upland Sandpipers.
