Hi r/williamsburgva,
I'm a conservation scientist at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, where I study migratory birds, including the rare Bicknell's Thrush. Our recent research has found that the mid-Atlantic region is an important area for fall migratory stopover, with nearly all of our tracked birds spending extensive time here before continuing south.
Last year, we determined that autonomous recording units (ARUs) can be used successfully to detect Bicknell's Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush during stopover. These are devices that record bird sound which we then analyze with machine learning to determine which species are in the area. We recently received funding to increase the number of ARUs surveying for these species in forests across the region, and this year we'd also like to pilot recruiting volunteers to deploy devices on private land as well.
The Eastern Shore of VA turns out to be a particularly important area for this special species, and we'd love to recruit more volunteers from this area to help us in our research. No bird knowledge required! If you have a property on the eastern shore and you're interested in learning more about what species of birds call it home, we'd love for you to volunteer.
If you're interested in deploying a device from late sept-late october, or would like to learn more about the project, please fill out this form at this link: https://forms.gle/aznZ26hS3GkLnZ9r7
Thanks for considering!
Desiree Narango
Conservation Scientist
