Nothing like the Caribbean Cinnamon! A BITH update after a week in La Canela

We had 75° F (24° C) average temperatures this past week, and believe it or not it hasn’t rained (for long) in over 3 weeks! The usually wet and muddy soils of Loma La Canela are parched and hard. We aren’t complaining. This site is a notoriously hard place to work, but recently it has been rather nice. We finished our point counts there this week, and got out just in time for an intense thunderstorm!

The remaining native forest of Loma La Canela again proved to be great habitat for wintering Bicknell’s Thrush. We detected BITH’s at 16 out of 30 points in the Loma La Canela area, which is 3 more points than we had detected them at before. Overall, we have detected BITH’s at 26 out of our 101 point count stations which span a variety of forest types and elevations.

This week at La Canela we had more close encounters with introduced mammals: the mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) and rats (Rattus sp.). Mongooses and rats are present in both Loma Quita Espuela and Loma Guaconejo. Rats are by our estimations very abundant here. We have had many not so fun encounters with rats over the course of our stay. Rats are also known predators of adult wintering Bicknell´s Thrush. We have seen a couple of mongooses, usually moving deftly around on the forest floor. Mongooses were introduced to the Dominican Republic in an attempt to control rat populations, but now they are established in the wild and are another possible predator to songbirds island wide.

We would also like to report on a few notable bird sightings we have had over the past few weeks. We saw a female Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) in completely yellow plumage at Loma La Canela just this past week. Just a few weeks back, we saw a Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica) in a cacao plantation at Loma Guaconejo, just 200m above sea level. That species is usually found in Pine forests (which are usually found at or above 700m), so a sighting in a cacao plantation is very unusual. We also saw a male Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) in Loma Guaconejo. This species is an uncommon but regular visitor to the island. There are only about a dozen records of its presence, so this sighting stands out among the rest.

Stay tuned for more, as we have another exciting week of work ahead! We will continue to explore the fascinating biological diversity in the Dominican Republic, and bring back more pictures and stories to share. If anyone has any questions for us or just wants to share something, we'd like to hear from you!

-Juan Klavins & Pat Johnson

University of Colorado study shows natural antioxidants give top barn swallows a leg on competitors

A new University of Colorado at Boulder study indicates North American barn swallows outperform their peers in reproduction -- the "currency" of evolutionary change -- by maintaining a positive balance of antioxidants commonly sold in health food stores.

The study is the first to track concentrations of carotenoids, which are naturally occurring plant pigments, in a wild bird or animal species over the course of the grueling breeding season. Carotenoids can offer the benefits associated with over-the-counter nutritional supplements that protect cells from free radical damage, said CU-Boulder Assistant Professor Rebecca Safran.

Since American barn swallows migrate thousands of miles to their breeding grounds annually and immediately commence courtship, nesting and reproductive activities, many lose significant amounts of weight and become physiologically compromised during the intense spring activities, said Safran, lead study author. But the new study indicates some individuals can bear such costs better than others, she said.

While other studies have looked at carotenoid levels in captive birds at a single point in time, the new study is the first to monitor carotenoids within wild individuals as they feed, mate, nest, and rear young, said Safran of CU-Boulder's ecology and evolutionary biology department. "Our results indicate the concentrations of these molecules are highly variable within individuals over time," she said. "The season-long balance, rather than a sample at a single point in time, indicates which birds are the top performers as parents and mates."

A paper on the subject appears in the Feb. 25 issue of PLoS One, a journal of the Public Library of Science. Co-authors on the study included Arizona State University Associate Professor Kevin McGraw, CU-Boulder doctoral students Matthew Wilkins and Joanna Hubbard and project volunteer Julie Marling.

"By monitoring wild populations of barn swallows during the breeding season, we determined how individual birds managed their own health while enduring the costs of parental care," said Safran. "Individuals who maintain a positive balance in their nutritional status through the breeding and nesting season are those with the greatest reproductive performance and tend to be darker in color and larger in body mass."

Safran and her team, which included dozens of CU-Boulder students and volunteers from the community, trapped scores of barn swallows with mist nets in rural sites around Boulder County, measuring and weighing them and taking blood and feather samples before releasing them back into the wild. Each bird was sampled between two and four times over the breeding season. The blood analysis tests took place in McGraw's Arizona State University lab.

The three carotenoids measured in the study -- leutin, zeaxanthin and beta cryptozanthin -- all are antioxidants that are sold in health food stores around the world. The swallows obtain carotenoids from insects that feed on plants rich in the nutrients.

Since the barn swallow reproductive season lasts about four months, it makes sense that individuals should be able to signal their abilities as parents and mates over time, rather than at the beginning of the season when pair formation takes place, she said. "The swallows that maintained high levels of carotenoids throughout the summer got more reproductive attempts and produced more offspring," Safran said.

Many of the high-quality barn swallow pairs, which weighed more than their peers during the breeding season, produced two clutches of eggs rather than one, producing a greater number of young that fledged, she said.

"Nutritional status is a 24-hour game, because many nutrients don't carry over beyond the next day," she said. The "top" barn swallows appear to be very efficient at foraging and dealing with the costs of reproductive success on a day-by-day basis, which includes guarding the nest and feeding the young, both of which are physiologically taxing activities, Safran said.

"Our findings in this study contradict the prevailing scientific views regarding the immense physiological costs of reproduction in birds," Safran said. "While evolutionary theory says individuals that pay the greatest cost in parental care do so at the expense of self-preservation, we found some individuals are good at doing it all -- maintaining their own nutritional status while bearing the costs of reproduction."

The researchers also found that barn swallows carrying more carotenoids had deeper red breasts – a sign of healthy, robust individuals – and that those individuals darker in color had greater circulating levels of carotenoids at the start of the breeding season. Previous studies by Safran and her colleagues suggest females are more attracted to males with deep red breasts and that they "cheat" less on their male partners than other females. The breast coloring appears to be an indication of status, performance, testosterone and nutrition, she said.

The study was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and CU-Boulder's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and the Biosciences Undergraduate Research Skills and Training. Both CU-Boulder programs offer undergraduates hourly wages or stipends to work with faculty members on innovative research projects.

"One of the most exciting things that I do in my job is train students both in the field and in the lab," said Safran. "Because this work requires many hands, it would be impossible to do these kinds of studies without them."

A 2008 study by Safran and her colleagues showed the testosterone of male North American barn swallows skyrocketed early in the breeding season when their breast colors were artificially enhanced to the deep red most attractive to females. The birds likely had more testosterone racing through their bodies because of amorous interactions with the opposite sex and more run-ins with competing males.

New Haitian school under strain as earthquake victims find refuge in Key Biodiversity Area

Since 2007, BirdLife has been working with the Société Audubon Haïti (SAH) to develop sustainable livelihood strategies for the communities in the southern buffer zone of the Macaya National Park, building on the results of socio-economic use and impact studies. Severe poverty in these remote communities has resulted in the unsustainable use of the region's natural resources.

The Massif de la Hotte is a mountainous area in south-westernmost Haiti. The region's forest has been reduced to a patchwork of remnants, but it remains one of the most important places in the world for the conservation of globally threatened plants and animals – 42 globally threatened species occur there, including 13 Critically Endangered (mostly amphibian) species that are endemic to these mountains. The Macaya National Park – within the Massif de la Hotte Key Biodiversity Area – is home to one of the few known breeding colonies of the Endangered Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata (the focus of recent studies by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies), and a diverse range of other globally threatened and restricted-range birds.

Formon is the main locality in the southern buffer zone of the park. Its school – the only school within a six hour walk – ran out of funding and was closed in 2000. This left the majority of the community's children, particularly girls, without the benefit of a formal education. The few families that could afford it sent their boys to school in another town.

Recognising that a basic education for children is a key component of a prosperous and sustainable future, SAH worked with locally-based NGO Fondation Macaya and the local community to renovate the Formon School, furnish it and staff it with eight teachers. The kids of Formon went back to school in October 2009, and currently 214 children from over 150 families attend class.

"Some parents in Formon are telling us that their children are refusing to take agricultural produce to the market as they don’t want to miss attending school! Re-establishing the Formon School has had a huge, positive impact and is a real source of pride for this remote community" —Jean Vilmond Hilaire, Société Audubon Haïti

"Some parents in Formon are telling us that their children are refusing to take agricultural produce to the market as they don't want to miss attending school! Re-establishing the Formon School has had a huge, positive impact and is a real source of pride for this remote community", said Jean Vilmond Hilaire, Executive Director of Société Audubon Haïti.

This project is part of a broader integrated conservation and development program being implemented by BirdLife in collaboration with Nature Canada (BirdLife co-Partner) and with funding from the Aage V Jensen Charity Foundation, USFWS-Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, Naomi Lupka Trust and the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency. As a result of this broad approach, 80% of parents who cultivated land within the adjacent forest are reported to have abandoned their activities since the school in Formon was reopened. The tell-tale signs of smoke from charcoal production and forest clearance for planting new crops have not been seen since July, and a notable recovery in natural vegetation is visible around Formon and nearby Durand.

Six weeks on from one of the most devastating earthquakes the world has ever known, people are fleeing the chaos and destruction in and around Port-au-Prince to find refuge in rural areas away from the epicentre. The 12 January 2010 earthquake had no immediate material impact within the Massif de la Hotte. However, the aftermath is starting to be felt with people arriving in the remote communities around the Macaya National Park. The Formon School committee has already received more than 20 requests for displaced children to be integrated into just four grade classes that are already full and for which teaching and class materials are in limited supply. The fear is that this influx of people could reverse or set back the advances being made in Formon. BirdLife is now working with SAH, Nature Canada and others to find ways to expand the capacity of the school to accommodate earthquake victims, and also – importantly – to prevent any negative impacts the refugees may have on the critical biodiversity of this unique area.

Source: BirdLife International - http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2010/02/haiti_school.html

Update on Bicknell's Thrush Study

Things continue to go well on the Bicknell's Thrush (BITH) study in the Dominican Republic. We have conducted 180 20-minute point count surveys for Bicknell’s Thrush and 9 other avian species in and around 2 scientific reserves, Loma Quita Espuela and Loma Guaconejo. Among our most interesting findings thus far is the possible absence of Bicknell’s Thrush on the upper slopes of Loma Quita Espuela (942 m), one of the highest peaks in the northern mountains. At this site we intensively surveyed over 30 acres of various forest types (from 700m to 940m) for over 7 hours (and that does not include the time we weren´t conducting point counts). We detected Hispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster), Antillean Euphonia (Euphonia musica), Rufous Throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis), and many other species that inhabit intact forests of higher elevations, but to our surprise we did not find one Bicknell’s Thrush, a species known to winter in areas as high as 2,000 m. One potential explanation for the possible absence of BITH in the area we surveyed is that there were large dense patches of Manacla Palm (Prestoea montana). This species of palm is native of the Caribbean islands (Greater and Lesser Antilles), and is frequently found on steep slopes, with damp to wet soils, at elevations above 700 m that receive over 2,000 mm of precipitation a year. Perhaps, this high-elevation palm forest doesn’t provide enough cover for the secretive ground-dwelling thrush; perhaps broadleaf forests provide fruits or insects that palm forests do not; perhaps it is too wet or exposed for the Bicknell’s in this cloud forests; perhaps its’ a combination of things, both biotic and abiotic; perhaps there were BITH there and we just did not detect them. It's all possible.

Following Chris’s departure, we and Hodali Almonte (VCE colleague and biology student at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Dominigo) returned to the higher grounds of Reserva Cientifica Loma Guaconejo to continue target-netting for Bicknell’s Thrush. In a week’s time we captured and attached geolocators to 9 thrushes. We were fortunate to have the assistance and company of two Guacanejo park guards Ramón and José Luis during our mist-netting efforts; both of whom were a great help. We hope to put geolocators on at least 3 more BITH at Guacanejo, which would bring our total to 15. In the next few weeks we will be doing many more point counts and then helping out in the upcoming workshop in avian field techniques in the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park. More to come.

Don't forget the check out Chris Rimmer’s post for more on the background, methods, and context for the study: http://vtecostudies.blogspot.com/2010/02/bicknells-thrush-update-from-hispaniola.html.

-Juan Klavins & Pat Johnson

Photo: Pat Johnson with geolocated BITH, Ramón, Hodali Almonte, Juan Klavins

FOCUS ON SCIENCE: Geographic Variation in Common Yellowthroat Mate Selection

Male animals of many species possess one or more visible features (“ornaments”) that give signals to other individuals of their kind. Commonly, they have several ornaments, possibly because these are subjected to different selective mechanisms. Female choice of a mate may be based on one ornament, while competition between males may be based on another, particularly when some ornaments may be better than others in indicating male quality. In choosing mates, females are thought to be guided by the most detectable and honest male ornament.

Among multicolored birds, female choice often appears to focus on carotenoid-based (red, yellow, orange) ornaments, whereas male-male competition relies more on melanin-based (black, brown) ornaments. Since birds can synthesize melanin pigments, but must derive carotenoid pigments from their food, the latter are thought to be a more reliable indicator of a male’s foraging ability, hence his quality.

Dunn and his colleagues used controlled aviary experiments to study the role of male ornaments in male-male competition and female choice in the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas). In this wood-warbler, males have a black (melanin-based) facial mask and a yellow (carotenoid-based) bib; females lack the mask and have a smaller, more subdued bib. The researchers’ initial studies in Wisconsin indicated that males with larger masks were dominant over those with smaller masks and were preferred by females in mate choice experiments. They also found that males with larger masks were more likely to gain social and extra mates, and that fertile females were more likely to visit neighboring males with larger masks than their own social mate.

The researchers replicated the experiments in New York after field studies indicated that these birds differed from those in Wisconsin in their pattern of reliance on male ornamentation. New York females were found to prefer males with larger yellow bibs, whereas Wisconsin females preferred males with larger masks. In competition between males, yellowthroats with larger masks were more likely to be dominant in both New York and Wisconsin. The New York results thus supported the idea that carotenoid-based ornaments are more likely to be selected by female choice and melanin-based ornaments are more likely to be selected by competition between males.

Differences between geographic populations with regard to female preferences for male ornaments, as found in these yellowthroats, have also been found in certain fish, lizards, and other birds. These differences may be related to the availability of food (especially sources of carotenoids) or to changes in the value of certain ornaments as signals of male quality for females. For the yellowthroats, the difference between the Wisconsin and New York females could reflect a variety of environmental factors (habitat, carotenoid and parasite abundance) that affect the costs and benefits of choosing males with particular ornaments in each location.

Peter Stettenheim – Peter is a retired ornithologist with particular interests in the functional anatomy and evolution of birds. He lives in Plainfield, NH.

DUNN, PETER O., LINDA A. WHITTINGHAM, COREY R. FREEMAN-GALLANT, AND JONATHAN DECOSTE. 2008. Geographic variation in the function of ornaments in the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas). J. Avian Biol. 39: 66-72.

Permafrost line recedes 130 km over 50 years

The southern limit of permanently frozen ground, or permafrost, is now 130 kilometers further north than it was 50 years ago in the James Bay region, according to two researchers from the Department of Biology at Université Laval. In a recent issue of the scientific journal Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Serge Payette and Simon Thibault suggest that, if the trend continues, permafrost in the region will completely disappear in the near future.

The researchers measured the retreat of the permafrost border by observing hummocks known as "palsas," which form naturally over ice contained in the soil of northern peat bogs. Conditions in these mounds are conducive to the development of distinct vegetation—lichen, shrubs, and black spruce—that make them easy to spot in the field.

In an initial survey in 2004, the researchers examined seven bogs located between the 51st and 53rd parallels. They noted at that time that only two of the bogs contained palsas, whereas aerial photos taken in 1957 showed palsas present in all of the bogs. A second assessment in 2005 revealed that the number of palsas present in these two bogs had decreased over the course of one year by 86% and 90% respectively.

Helicopter flyovers between the 51st and 55th parallels also revealed that the palsas are in an advanced state of deterioration over the entire James Bay area.

While climate change is the most probable explanation for this phenomenon, the lack of long term climatic data for the area makes it impossible for the researchers to officially confirm this. Professor Payette notes, however, that the average annual temperature of the northern sites he has studied for over 20 years has increased by 2 degrees Celsius. "If this trend keeps up, what is left of the palsas in the James Bay bogs will disappear altogether in the near future, and it is likely that the permafrost will suffer the same fate," concludes the researcher affiliated to the Centre d'études nordiques.

Photo Caption: Pictured are lichen and shrub–covered palsas surrounded by a pond resulting from melting permafrost in a bog near the village of Radisson, Canada. Credit: Serge Payette

Chubby Birds Get There Faster

Small migratory birds, like the garden warbler, must make stopovers on their journeys to their breeding grounds. When they have crossed extensive ecological barriers, such as deserts or oceans, they must land to replenish their fat reserves. A researcher from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen and a team of Italian colleagues measured the duration of the stopovers made by garden warblers on an island off the Italian coast. There they observed that fat birds usually move on the night of their arrival, while thin birds interrupt their journey for an average of almost two days (Biology Letters, February 17, 2010).

While pockets of flab accumulated over the winter months may be a source of frustration for some, it can be a cause of joy for others: "Fat garden warblers can make shorter stops to replenish their fat reserves on the taxing annual journey to their breeding grounds," reports Wolfgang Goymann of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen. The research results have shown that the duration of a bird's stopover is not only influenced by environmental factors, such as wind and weather conditions, or a genetically-programmed internal urge: subcutaneous fat stores are the main factor behind the varying durations of the stopovers made during avian migration.

The researchers fitted ten fat birds and ten lean birds that landed on the Italian island of Ventotene in the morning on route to the north with temporary adhesive radio transmitters. They then monitored, at regular intervals, whether the signal emitted by the transmitters could still be heard on the island. Nine out of the ten fat birds flew on the same night; the lean birds, however, remained on the island for an average duration of 40 hours before resuming their journey. "We assume that the majority of the birds arrived on the island the morning we caught them," says Wolfgang Goymann. "However, even if this were not the case, our data clearly revealed that fat garden warblers only waited until nightfall on the same day to move on. As opposed to this, the lean birds had to wait until they had accumulated sufficient fat reserves for the next leg of their journey." The data demonstrates the importance of ecologically-intact resting grounds: The birds can only replenish their energy reserves quickly and move on to their breeding grounds swiftly and unfailingly if they can rest in areas with sufficient supplies of insects, nectar and pollen. Those that arrive early at the breeding ground can secure the best nesting sites.

Two Upcoming Programs on the Common Loon

1)The Natural (and Unnatural) History of the Common Loon in Vermont. Rutland Free Library, 7 pm Monday February 22. Eric Hanson, Vermont Center for Ecostudies biologist and Vermont Loon Recovery Project Coordinator, will present a slide show program on the biology and conservation status of loons in Vermont. Presented by Rutland County Audubon.

2) The Darkside of the Loon (50 minute documentary). Montpelier Unitarian Church, 7 pm Friday March 5. As part of the North Branch Nature Center Naturalist Journies series, this new film by Wolcott resident, Gail Osherenko, explores the wintering life of loons in North Carolina and California. Ms. Osherenko follows the work of two biologists and a veterinarian exploring wintering areas, conservation threats, and what has been learned through a capture and banding program. Vermont Loon Biologist, Eric Hanson, will host the showing. For more information go to http://www.northbranchnaturecenter.org/naturalistjourneys.html

New conservation cycling jerseys!

Bike much? Conservation cycling jerseys are out! Terry Precision Cycling has created another nice design with a bird migration theme. A percentage of the proceeds support VCE research. They're beautiful, they're durable, they raise awareness, and when you buy one you will be supporting conservation of migratory birds. Tell all your biking buddies.

Take me to the jersey

VCE Loon Biologist Eric Hanson Interviewed on the Radio on Sunday, Feb. 14th

If you’re by a radio or a computer on Sunday night, you can listen to VCE loon biologist Eric Hanson, along with Larry Clarfeld from the North Branch Nature Center interviewed on the radio station The Point. Lynne Goodson will be interviewing them about loons, the documentary ‘Dark Side of the Loon’ and other things going on with VCE and NBNC on her show Viewpoint at 7pm on Sunday.

Burlington: 104.7/93.3 | Plattsburgh: 104.7 | Montpelier: 104.7/100.3 | White River Jct.: 103.1/107.7 | St. J & Littleton: 95.7 | St. Albans: 98.1

Bicknell's Thrush Update from Hispaniola

Any Bicknell's Thrush researcher (a BITHnologist in ornithological parlance) knows full well how grudgingly the species reveals its ecological and natural history secrets. That is especially true in winter, when the birds tend to inhabit remote and difficult-to-access mountaintop forests, skulk in dense understory thickets, and scarcely reveal their presence, vocalizing only for very short periods at dawn and dusk. VCE's mantra of "brute force biology" has served us well in studying Bicknell's Thrush (BITH) over the years.

We're at it again on Hispaniola this winter. First, our experienced field biologists Pat Johnson and Juan Klavins are spearheading an ambitious VCE study in the Dominican Republic's Cordillera Septentrional, a region that appears especially important for overwintering females. Undaunted by rain (this is one of the island's wettest areas) and logistics, they have established 100 points in forested sites within and outside of two scientific reserves. At each point they are conducting 3 standardized counts for BITH and 9 other species, plus collecting habitat data. The overall goal is to understand exactly what habitat conditions the species prefers, so that we can provide specific guidance to recover forests in this highly impacted region. Halfway through their 3-month field marathon, Pat and Juan are holding up remarkably well and amassing an invaluable store of data. Preliminary results suggest that BITH occupy a fairly narrow range of elevations (~350-600 m) in the Septentrional and favor forests where "denser is better".

Second, we are taking our geolocator study south. Having attached 40 of these light-gathering devices to BITH in the Catskills and on Mt. Mansfield last summer, in hopes of documenting migratory routes and connectivity, we now intend to study those phenomena in reverse. We just concluded a weeklong field trip in the DR to launch that effort, with plans to return in March. Chris and Ben Rimmer spent several days with 3 Dominican colleagues at VCE's long-term study site in Sierra de Bahoruco at 1800 m elevation. As always, BITH proved challenging to lure into mist nets, but we managed to capture and attach geolocators to 5 birds. We also scouted the territory locations of another dozen and will be able to target those for capture as part of our annual monitoring effort in March. In the Septentrional's Loma Guaconejo Reserve at 4-500 m elevation, an evening and morning session yielded 3 mist-netted birds that now carry geolocators. Pat and Juan hope to attach another 12 in the weeks ahead.

Stay tuned for future updates. It will be fascinating to learn about the species' migratory patterns, which are among the least well-known of any long-distance migrant songbird.

Photos: Juan Klavins with La Selle Thrush (left), Pat Johnson with Western Chat-Tanager (right), February 2008. These two montane forest specialists are among the most rare and endangered of Hispaniola's 31 endemic bird species.

NEW HAMPSHIRE CELEBRATES 30TH ANNUAL MID-WINTER BALD EAGLE COUNT

Wildlife watchers participating in the New Hampshire portion of the 2010 National Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey located a record-high total of 75 bald eagles during a two-week count period in January. The statewide effort was coordinated by New Hampshire Audubon in collaboration with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program.

"This year’s count marked the 30th consecutive year that New Hampshire Audubon has coordinated the count," said Chris Martin, a Senior Biologist in N.H. Audubon’s Conservation Department. "When we started back in January of 1981, the state’s wintering bald eagle population was at the lowest of lows." In 1982, count participants located just two bald eagles statewide.

A total of 83 hardy observers turned out on the official Survey Day (January 9 statewide and January 7 in the Lakes Region) to look for eagles throughout New Hampshire, from the Seacoast to the Connecticut River. Observers this year tallied 61 eagles (37 adult birds, 24 immature birds), exactly matching the record-high 61 birds counted on a single day in January 2009. Another 14 eagles were found during the two-week “count period” that surrounds Survey Day, yielding a grand total of 75 birds seen, the most ever seen for the two week period.

"New Hampshire's increase in wintering and nesting eagles over the last several decades reflects the national trend towards recovery of the species," said Michael Marchand, a Wildlife Biologist with N.H. Fish and Game's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program. "Monitoring wildlife populations through efforts like this helps us evaluate the success of recovery efforts."

The official Mid-winter Survey Day occurs within a more inclusive two-week count period, which this year ran from December 30, 2009 to January 13, 2010. N.H. Audubon keeps records on the number of eagles seen during this two-week interval, combining Survey Day data with any additional individual birds that are distinguishably different and are seen during the week before and after, to get an overall total.

During the 2010 Mid-winter Survey, eagles were observed in New Hampshire five major eagle wintering areas (and a few elsewhere):

* Androscoggin River - Total of 8 bald eagles seen, including 3 individuals (2 adult, 1 immature) seen on Survey Day, plus 5 additional eagles (1 adult, 1 immature, 3 undetermined ages) confirmed during the two-week count period.

* Connecticut River - Total of 11 bald eagles seen (8 adult, 3 immature) seen on Survey Day. (To avoid duplication, Vermont and New Hampshire "partition" the Connecticut River at Wilder Dam, with Vermont credited for all eagles seen upstream and New Hampshire credited for all eagles seen downstream.)

* Great Bay/Coastal - Total of 19 bald eagles seen, including 15 individuals (7 adult, 8 immature) seen on Survey Day, plus 4 additional eagles (1 adult, 3 immature) confirmed during the two-week count period.

* Lakes Region - Total of 12 bald eagles seen, including 11 individuals (7 adult, 4 immature) seen on Survey Day, plus 1 additional eagle (an adult) confirmed during the two-week count period.

* Merrimack River - Total of 22 bald eagles seen, including 21 individuals (13 adult, 8 immature) seen on Survey Day, plus 1 additional eagle (an adult) confirmed during the two-week count period.

* Elsewhere in New Hampshire - Total of 3 bald eagles seen, (3 immature) all seen in the Saco River and Ossipee River watersheds during the two-week count.

N.H. Audubon and N.H. Fish and Game will conduct a similar eagle count at the end of February to better gauge the abundance and distribution of bald eagles in the state near the end of the winter season. The 6th Annual Late Winter Bald Eagle Survey will take place on February 27, 2010 (February 25 in the Lakes Region).

N.H. Audubon monitors bald eagle abundance and distribution throughout the state each year as part of an annual contract with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program.

Volunteer recruitment and training for eagle survey participants occurs each year in November and December, prior to the winter eagle-watching season. If you’d like to get involved in next year’s counts, please contact N.H. Audubon 603-224-9909 to get on a list to be notified in advance of the training dates.

FOCUS ON SCIENCE: How does climate change impact bird distribution?

Scientific evidence indicates that the global climate is changing – the world is getting warmer. This change appears largely due to human activities that have led to increases in the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere.

Climatic change is not a new phenomenon. The earth has always undergone natural climatic changes, principally as a result of major volcanic events, variations in solar output, variations in the earth's orbit around the sun, and even very long-term changes in the earth’s crust. The changes we are seeing now differ from past changes, however. Scientists project that by 2100, the Earth’s temperature could rise by 2.5 to 10.5 degrees Fahrenheit, a much greater increase than in the past. In addition, the projected warming is taking place very rapidly, at a rate without precedent in the recent geological past.

As climatic conditions change, land plants and animals have two options to deal with a changing environment: they can adapt to the new conditions and stay within their old range, or they can shift their geographic distribution. Species that cannot follow either path are likely to go extinct as their ranges shrink. This could lead to a reduction both in biodiversity and of the genetic diversity within many temperate-zone species.

Brian Huntley and his colleagues investigated the potential effects of human-induced climatic changes on the distribution of breeding birds in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. These researchers developed computer models that use species distribution and climate data to simulate potential future effects on these birds. These models show that for many avian species, the boundaries of their potential geographical distributions may shift more than 1000 km (621 miles) and their potential future range will be only 50% – 80% of that at present. In southern Europe, these distribution and range shifts are likely to lead to at least an 8% decline in species richness, the number of species breeding in a given area. Of the resident bird species, those with limited ranges and those restricted to particular habitats are likely to suffer the greatest impacts. Migrant species will be severely impacted because climatic change alters both their breeding and wintering areas, as well as critical stopover sites, and also potentially increases the distances they must travel seasonally.

Even under the best circumstances, some degree of further climatic change is inevitable. Even if global warming is limited to the internationally agreed-upon target of 3.6º F, temperatures will still likely be higher than for the past several million years. It is therefore essential that conservation measures consider a dynamic world, rather than a static one. For example, species must not only be protected in their current range, but also wherever their distribution shifts as a result of climate change. In addition, when selecting new locations to protect, we should include sites that offer a diverse range of physical habitats, even if they are not currently home to rare or threatened species. Of course, in addition to protecting habitat for current and future populations of birds, the authors suggest that we must also limit our greenhouse gas emissions by turning to cleaner, more renewable energy sources.

Peter Stettenheim – Peter is a retired ornithologist with particular interests in the functional anatomy and evolution of birds. He lives in Plainfield, NH.

HUNTLEY, BRIAN, YVONNE C. COLLINGHAM, RHYS E. GREEN, GEOFFREY M. HILTON, CARSTEN RAHBEK AND STEPHEN G. WILLIS. 2006. Potential impacts of climatic change upon geographical distributions of birds. Ibis 148: 8-28.

Norwich 2010 Birding Quest Livens up January

With January now on the books, the Norwich 2010 Birding Quest boasts an “official” (according to Vermont eBird) total of 33 species identified within town borders during the month. An intrepid group of 22 birders fanned out in 12 groups across a 15-mile diameter prescribed circle that forms the CBC, most of them starting at daybreak and continuing until darkness. Overall, these hardy birders located 50 species in the two-state count circle and counted 7,695 individuals, both very respectable totals. Highlights included 4 Bald Eagles, 23 Red-tailed Hawks, a Northern Flicker (over Dan and Whit’s!), a Carolina Wren, and a Chipping Sparrow. Of the 50 species identified, 21 were found in Norwich. The additional 12 species have since been added, many of them encountered incidentally.

One group of CBC birders met for the Quest’s inaugural public walk at Dan and Whit’s, hiking from there along Hopson Road, up to Hillside Cemetery, through Pine Tree Road, and back down Hopson. The pace was leisurely and the conversation sometimes more lively than the birding, but the enjoyment factor was high, and some good birds were found, including a Red-tailed Hawk, a Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Common Ravens, and a Brown Creeper. Similar outings are planned on a more-or-less monthly basis throughout the year.

There are plenty of winter species yet to be found, and the lure of early spring migrants in the not-too-distant future. Among possible winter specialties still to seek are any of the winter finches such as Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, and Common Redpolls. These have all been scarce throughout Vermont so far. A Northern Shrike or Snow Bunting is a possibility anytime over the next couple of months, and now is the time to listen for calling Great Horned Owls, which should start nesting this month.

Don’t let those binoculars collect dust at this time of year! Keep careful watch on your feeders, scan crab apples or other trees still holding fruit (Bohemian Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks often frequent these), and search any open water. Avian diversity will increase as the temperatures inch up and the snow begins to melt, but mid-winter is still a great time to find species that will be far to our north during the warmer months. Help us document both the common and rare species that occur within Norwich’s town borders, and join us for upcoming birding walks! Check out our master list through January, and help us add to it in February.

Thanks to Jim Block of Etna, NH for the above photo.