![24th BirdsCaribbean International Conference: Conversations and Celebrations](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IMG_4786-e1723558499536-280x200.jpg)
24th BirdsCaribbean International Conference: Conversations and Celebrations
Last month, two VCE scientists and our Executive Director Emeritus spent over a week in the Dominican Republic for the 24th BirdsCaribbean International conference. While there, they packed their schedules, sharing ideas with colleagues, listening to fascinating discussions, leading workshops, and—in Chris Rimmer’s case—giving a keynote and receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
![Mansfield's Ridgeline Lures VCE Back for Season #32](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/KST-NRS-MVB-at-Amherst-net-1Jun23-MSargent-280x200.jpeg)
Mansfield’s Ridgeline Lures VCE Back for Season #32
One could argue that after 31 years of studying Mt. Mansfield’s ridgeline breeding birds, the time has come to seek new horizons. Well, sorry, that’s just not the VCE way. We launched season #32 on May 31, taking advantage of unseasonably summerlike weather to capture a total of 58 birds.
![Field Report: Playing “Tag” with Bicknell’s Thrush in the Dominican Republic](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Pueblo-Viejo-1.18.23-280x200.jpeg)
Field Report: Playing “Tag” with Bicknell’s Thrush in the Dominican Republic
A VCE team recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to tag overwintering Bicknell’s Thrushes in the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, with colleagues from Grupo Jaragua. Executive Director Susan Hindinger recounts the experience, which was her first trip to the Dominican Republic and Director-emeritus Chris Rimmer’s 50th+/-.
![Tags Keep Coming on Mansfield, and from Quebec](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Master-BITH-GPS-track-map-17Jun22-280x200.png)
Tags Keep Coming on Mansfield, and from Quebec
VCE’s ground-breaking study of GPS-tagged Bicknell’s Thrush yielded more exciting results on 14-15 June, with the recovery of an additional 5 backpacks from Mt. Mansfield, and the addition of 3 tags retrieved in Quebec.
![Narrowing Down the Whereabouts of Bicknell's Thrush in Cuba](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pluvisilva-Alan-280x200.jpg)
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](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Yoli-Charco-Azul-Feb14-edited-390x379@2x-280x200.jpg)
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.
![Chocolate: It's for the Birds](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cacao-Pod-Zorzal-280x200.png)
Chocolate: It’s for the Birds
Help us spread the word about an exciting initiative to conserve Bicknell’s Thrush wintering habitat. And eat more cacao. It’s good for you and the birds!
![VCE Paper Confirms Scarcity of Bicknell's Thrush on Puerto Rico](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/PR-Team-2016-e1559671911488-280x200.jpg)
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](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Bayamesa-camp-1-e1551298335988-280x200.jpg)
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](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CCR-Cuba-bound-thumbnail-280x200.jpg)
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.