Bicknell’s Thrush and the Endangered Species Act
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has chosen not to add Bicknell’s Thrush to the list of endangered species. The decision not to list Bicknell’s Thrush must not be interpreted as a sign that our job as conservationists and scientists is done. On the contrary, it reinforces the importance of the collaborative, science-based conservation work of VCE.
New VCE Study Reveals Population Health of Mountain Songbirds
A 16-year study by VCE of mountain forest songbirds across New York and New England, including thrushes, warblers and other iconic species, has documented their population changes.
New Study Reveals Population Estimate and Abundance Map for Rare Bicknell’s Thrush in the U.S.
New research by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) has revealed that Bicknell’s Thrush likely have one of the smallest population sizes – about 71,000 adult birds – of any migratory songbird within the contiguous U.S.
Memories of a Summer Bird Banding on Mt. Mansfield
Nate Launer, VCE’s 2017 Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern, shares his reflections on banding birds at our long-term study site on Mt. Mansfield. After five overnight field trips in July and early August, Nate gained proficiency in handling and banding small songbirds like Bicknell’s Thrush and Blackpoll Warbler.
Humans and Songbirds Meet Up on Mt. Mansfield
VCE’s 11-12 July field trip to Mt. Mansfield featured favorable weather and plentiful mist net captures. Banding highlights included the season’s first Winter Wren (it’s astounding how tiny these birds are, given the volume of their song!) and Magnolia Warbler, and free-flying juveniles of 3 species. The human element of this trip was especially rewarding, with a 10 year-old and his grandfather, our two summer interns, and several other enthusiastic visitors.
A Mountain Birdwatch Adventure in the White Mountains
Kirsti Carr, VCE’s UVM Intern, and Nate Launer, VCE’s Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern, recently surveyed two Mountain Birdwatch routes in the White Mountains. Read about their adventures.
A Mountain Birdwatch Adventure on Styles Peak
Styles Peak is a little-known mountain that is dwarfed by its more popular neighbor, Peru Peak. Yet hiking this survey route was quite pleasant and awarded me with its own unique experiences that make it just as worthy.
VCE’s 26th Year on Mt. Mansfield Off to a Wet Start
VCE’s 26th consecutive field season on Mt. Mansfield has been so far hampered by wet weather, but neither the birds or our resolve to monitor them have been affected. Our second visit of the young season yielded many mist net captures of birds banded in previous years, underscoring the value of this long-term demographic study.
VCE Teams Up with Lawson’s Finest on Bit o’ Balsam Beer
Join us at Mad River Glen on June 17 for a celebration to launch Bit o’ Balsam American IPA, LFL’s brand new beer featuring wild-crafted Balsam Fir tips harvested at high elevations in the Green Mountains with proceeds going to Bicknell’s Thrush conservation.
Bicknell’s Thrush: a bird of the mountaintops…and beyond?
Bicknell’s Thrush is an icon of our high mountain forests. But is that the only place we can find them? Scientists from VCE will take a broader look for Bicknell’s Thrush this summer, looking in some unusual and perhaps unexpected places.
Saving a Rare Songbird – Hemispheric Conservation Action Plan for Bicknell’s Thrush Updated
The revised Conservation Action Plan for Bicknell’s Thrush provides the updated consensus of the International Bicknell’s Thrush Conservation Group (IBTCG), an alliance of scientists, conservationists, and governments, about the primary threats facing Bicknell’s Thrush and the actions that may help mitigate those threats across the hemisphere.
Monitoring Spring Phenology on Mount Mansfield
With deep snowpack on Mt. Mansfield remaining, yesterday we installed equipment that will monitor bird activity and the arrival of spring in the fir forest on the Mt. Mansfield ridgeline. Learn more about our phenology study…
