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50th Annual MBO Christmas Bird Count Results
To celebrate the 50th consecutive year (1974 – 2023) of the Plymouth Christmas Bird Count (CBC), we bundled up on December 27th and covered the woods, fields, shorelines, beaches, rivers, ponds, suburbs, and town within the standard 15-mile-wide circle based on Plymouth. We also restored the in-person evening count at Manomet Headquarters (Manomet Bird Observatory) for those who chose to attend. Temperatures ranged from 37°– 50° F with no precipitation, a complete cloud cover all day, essentially no wind, and there had been no snow to date. Owling coverage was good and we could hear every chip and chirp all day; all water was open. The final total of 110 species in 72 party hours was 6 species above the...
Tricky Shorebird ID Tips
The Black-bellied Plover (BBPL) and American Golden-Plover (AMGP) can be tricky to distinguish. Here are some pointers to help out! In all plumages, check out the bill - thinner, shorter, and more delicate for AMGP, chunkier for BBPL. In flight look for black wingpits and white rump on BBPL. (photo below) Breeding Plumage -Extensive white on head, neck, and sides of the breast for BBPL. AMGP have a black cap. -Black undertail on AMGP. In molting adults, the black underneath will be spotty and confusing. If the spotting continues through to the undertail, it’s a AMGP. -Adult AMGP has gold spangled upperparts but be wary of bright BBPL in juvenile plumage. Non-Breeding Plumage -In all plumages, AMGP will often look...
Manomet’s First Massachusetts Shorebird Blitz
One, two, three…go and count those shorebirds! That race-like tenor of excitement buzzed through many of us as we launched the Manomet’s first annual Massachusetts Shorebird Blitz. The blitz, organized by Manomet’s Cape Cod Shorebird Biologist Liana DiNunzio, Conservation Biologist Alan Kneidel, and North America ISS Coordinator Lisa Schibley, took place this past August 5-14 as a coordinated effort to survey key shorebird stopover sites throughout coastal Massachusetts during peak southbound migration.
Manomet Travel
Traveling with Manomet is a unique experience, providing once-in-a-lifetime trips to some of the most critical sites for shorebirds and habitat conservation in the Western Hemisphere. You will travel alongside Manomet scientists, staff and local experts and explore some of the world's most amazing and rarest shorebirds and other wildlife, seeing firsthand the impact Manomet is making. Manomet has partnered with Wildside Nature Tours, a well-known, ethical, and environmentally conscious company to bring you the best experience for each trip. UPCOMING TRIPS: More trips are currently in the planning phase. Check back soon. To learn more, contact Justin Barrett at jbarrett@manomet.org or 508-224 6521. Photo credits: Magellanic Plovers by Brad Winn, American Golden-Plover by Shiloh Schulte, and Red...
Arctic research team faces unprecedented conditions while monitoring shorebirds
Manomet scientists and collaborators are pressing through rough camp conditions to complete key research objectives. By Stephen Brown There is a famous saying based on the Thomas Wolfe novel of the same title: “you can’t go home again.” And if you do try, things will be very different than when you were there before. This year, we went back to the arctic, which feels like “home” to many of Manomet’s field biologists, and true to form things were very different! The arctic is immense, so studying anything at the landscape scale is a huge undertaking. In 2000, we helped develop the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM). In 2002, we launched our first team expedition with U.S. Fish...
In Uruguay’s Laguna de Castillos, a new study shows grassland management strategies that benefit ranchers and shorebirds
By Joaquín Aldabe, Nicolas Marchand, and Santiago Medina Grasslands represent approximately 50 percent of the Earth's surface and provide fundamental ecosystem services for the maintenance of life on the planet. It is estimated that some 500 million people depend directly on grasslands for agriculture and their way of life. The United Nations General Assembly agrees: on March 15, 2022, in recognition of the importance that grasslands have for humanity and wildlife, and the increasing threats facing grasslands, it declared that 2026 will be the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Shorebirds and many other species also depend on these habitats for survival. Recent studies on ranchlands within the system of coastal lagoons in eastern Uruguay have confirmed the importance of...
In Massachusetts, weather grounds thousands of migrating birds
By Emily Renaud Around April 12, Massachusetts birders were surprised to find thousands of migrating birds grounded by a perfect mix of treacherous weather conditions; the waylaid migrants were seen crowding lawns, parks, and even busy roadsides. With spring migration officially in full swing, large flocks of first-wave migrants are already speeding through New England to far-northern breeding grounds. But last week's southwest winds helped push an influx of migrating birds toward coastal Massachusetts, where bouts of precipitation and fog quickly complicated their flight plans. Migration fallout, as it's known among birders, occurs when migrating birds are forced to pause their travels (often in areas they wouldn't normally stop at) because of unfavorable weather conditions. It was “one of the...
Whimbrels in the Arctic
Shiloh Schulte, Manomet’s senior shorebird scientist, recently spent four weeks in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, continuing several studies delayed by COVID-19. Working closely with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Shiloh deployed GPS tracking tags on Whimbrel, American Golden-Plovers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and other species as part of an ongoing study of local movement patterns and long-distance migration pathways and stopover sites. In addition to the tracking work, Shiloh collaborated to develop methods for remote monitoring of shorebird nests and mentored new USFWS technicians and volunteers. Shiloh recently shared his experiences on Alaska's Katakturuk River tagging Whimbrels to study local movement patterns and long-distance migration pathways and stopover sites. I have been lying flat in the sedge, hiding behind a...
Working Lands and Seas
Balancing conservation with production across flyways and resilient habitats High-quality habitat conditions for wildlife can exist alongside resource-based industries such as agriculture, fisheries, and salt production. Using our experience developed over several decades, we are expanding our efforts to secure greater conservation impacts. We will continue to design and then help implement better management practices for the benefit of nature, wildlife, involved businesses, and human communities.
Returning to Alaska
Many North American shorebird species are declining at alarming rates, but we do not know why. Through our Arctic field research, we are hoping to increase our understanding of the status of shorebird populations and to learn what is causing their declines. Manomet has conducted shorebird research in the arctic every field season since 2001, except for 2020 due to the pandemic. This summer, senior shorebird scientist Shiloh Schulte will return to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to continue several studies delayed by COVID-19 in 2020. Shiloh will work closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to deploy GPS tracking tags on Whimbrel, American Golden-Plovers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and other species as part of an ongoing study of local movement...