Date: 9/5/26 5:01 am From: Desiree Narango (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Volunteer opportunity: Help VCE scientists survey for fall thrushes!
Hi CarolinaBirds Listserv,
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 NC 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 side of NC 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
