VCE Paper Confirms Scarcity of Bicknell’s Thrush on Puerto Rico
A recent peer-reviewed paper by VCE confirms that Bicknell’s Thrush is a rare and local but regular winter resident in mid-high elevation forest of Puerto Rico. VCE’s findings also highlight the strategic importance of continuing to focus habitat conservation efforts on Hispaniola, which supports the lion’s share of this globally vulnerable species in winter.
VCE Breaks New Ground (Literally) in Cuba
VCE’s 2019 field expedition to Cuba’s remote Bayamesa mountain range pioneered new ground, endured a few hardships, uncovered small numbers of overwintering Bicknell’s Thrush, and yielded comparisons with legendary Swedish botanical explorer Erik Ekman a century earlier.
From Snowbanks to Cloud Forests: Chris Rimmer is Cuba Bound
VCE’s Chris Rimmer is bound for eastern Cuba. He’ll trade a foot-plus of new snow and subzero temperatures for humid cloud forests and Cuban Trogons.
Mansfield Wrap: Molt, Migration, and a Crowd-Pleasing Owl
VCE’s final 2018 summer banding session on Mt. Mansfield featured a much-anticipated tiny owl, songbirds in heavy flight feather molt, and thoughts about the impending fall migration that will take Bicknell’s Thrush (and VCE biologists) back to Cuba.
Mansfield Update: Hatch-years Predominate
VCE’s penultimate summer banding session featured relatively few birds, some very warm and humid weather, a preponderance of youthful banders, and several family members.
Mansfield Update: the Ridgeline Quiets, Planets Shine
VCE’s mid-July banding session on Mt. Mansfield featured diminished bird song, but a surprise Tennessee Warbler and spectacular planetary viewing.
Weathering Whitcomb for Mountain Birdwatch
Tara Rodkey, VCE’s 2018 Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern, shares her reflections on a particular Mountain Birdwatch site on a mid-summer’s day (and night).
Mansfield Update: Kids (Avian and Human) Steal the Show
VCE’s sixth banding session of 2018 on the Mt. Mansfield ridgeline featured several free-flying juvenile birds in our nets and some enthusiastically engaged youth in our work .
A Plethora of PUFIs on Mansfield
VCE’s fifth weekly banding session of 2018 on Mt. Mansfield featured a plethora of Purple Finches, a bounty of Bicknell’s Thrushes, and a chance to mentor our three eager bird banding apprentices.
Field Update: Mansfield Yields Avian Surprises
Philadelphia Vireo, Least Flycatcher, juvenile White-winged Crossbill — VCE’s third 2018 field session on Mt. Mansfield produced several notable surprises among our 61 mist net captures. The addition of our Board of Directors provided energy, enthusiasm, and learning for all.
