VCE’s Cuba Expedition a Resounding Success
VCE’s inaugural field trip to Cuba may not have yielded many Bicknell’s Thrush (2, to be exact), but it laid a strong foundation for our future work on this captivating island. We forged a promising partnership with our sister institute BIOECO, made many great friends, learned the ropes of conducting field there, and, yes, managed to see half of Cuba’s 26 endemics.
New VCE Study Reveals Decline in Vermont Forest Birds
VCE’s 25-year study of Vermont’s forest birds, including woodpeckers, warblers and other iconic species, has documented a 14.2 percent overall population decline during the period, raising concerns about birds and forests alike.
Spring 2017 Field Notes
VCE’s biannual Field Notes is out and it is full of amazing photos and fascinating stories. Click on the image in the post and download your copy today!
March 2017 iNaturalist Vermont Photo-Observation of the Month
Congratulations to Louis Megyesi for winning the March 2017 iNaturalist Vermont photo-observation of the month contest. The closeup of a Northern Shrike as it recovered from a window strike was the most popular photo-observation as measured by clicked ‘favs’.
A Field Guide to April 2017
April leaves none of our senses void. The smell of earth, the sound of birds, the sight of wildflowers. Here’s our guide to some of the joys of April.
Cuba Next on VCE’s Horizon
Cuba is on VCE’s horizon, as Chris Rimmer and John Lloyd venture this week to the island’s eastern tip, in search of overwintering Bicknell’s Thrush. Backpacking to cloud forests of Sierra Maestra, where Fidel Castro famously hid out in the 1950s, and then venturing east to the serpentine forests of Humboldt National Park, they expect to find some thrushes, and a good number of Cuba’s 26 endemic birds.
Outdoor Radio: Peering Into A Porcupine Den
VCE biologists Kent McFarland, Sara Zahendra and Steve Faccio ventured into the woods on a blustery day to see a porcupine den that was big enough for a human to fit in – but not someplace you’d want to venture!
A Field Guide to March
March is a month of battles between warm and cold, between winter’s refusal to leave and spring’s insistence on coming. So, heralding the sun’s arrival, here’s a Field Guide to March.
February 2017 iNaturalist Vermont Photo-Observation of the Month
Congratulations to JoAnne Russo for winning the February 2017 iNaturalist Vermont photo-observation of the month contest. Her image of a Red Fox starring the camera down on a winter day was the most popular photo-observation as measured by clicked ‘favs’.
New Publication Available: Guidelines for Managing Bicknell’s Thrush Habitat in the United States
A new resource for planning the management and conservation of Bicknell’s Thrush habitat in the United States is now available at the International Bicknell’s Thrush Conservation Group web site.
Outdoor Radio: The Elusive Lynx
Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra traveled by snowmobile into the wilderness of the Northeast Kingdom with biologists from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department in hopes of spotting a Canada lynx or lynx tracks.
Stand Up for Science!
All of us, scientists and non-scientists alike, who believe in rationality, who believe that science can and should contribute to good decision-making and public policy, need to stand up and make our voices heard.
