Fall migration is underway! Some species are already well on their way and others are preparing for their epic journey. What are seven signs that birds are preparing to migrate south? Check out our latest Instagram Reel to learn how to identify migratory preparations and participate in a guessing game to identify some migratory species.
Welcome to the New Digital Media Coordinator
Speaking of our social media, we’re happy to introduce our new Digital Media Coordinator, Tyler Wenzel. Tyler is a native of Pennsylvania who has lived in Costa Rica since 2011. He has extensive experience in the education field and brings this expertise to his passion for ornithology. He has collaborated with Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology on their course on hummingbirds and is the author of Birds of the World articles for several species of Costa Rican endemic hummingbirds. He has also contributed images or text to several books including authoring the foreword to The Endemic Birds of Costa Rica.
Tyler independently makes educational content on TikTok (in Spanish) @WenzelWildlife that has been viewed by millions of people throughout Latin America and shares his photography on Instagram @TylerWenzelPhotography and his website.
Fiddler’s Creek Songbird Finale
We’ve wrapped up this year’s songbird research at Fiddlers Creek. We’re still entering the data to get you a better picture of the changes this year. Stay tuned for updates! The ongoing habitat changes at our research site in Fiddlers Creek Preserve highlight a dynamic ecological transition. What was once a landscape dominated by agriculture has gradually evolved into expansive grasslands, providing essential habitat for species adapted to open environments. However, as these grasslands transition into shrubland, the composition of the bird population is shifting. Species that thrive in more open, grassy areas decline as shrubs encroach, while birds that prefer denser, shrubby habitats, such as Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Northern Cardinal, and American Robin, are becoming more prevalent. This shift underscores the importance of continuous monitoring to understand the implications of habitat regeneration on local biodiversity and to guide future conservation efforts.
FoHVOS Kestrels
We’re not the only ones who’ve had a successful year. Our partners at FoHVOS saw a record number (81!) of banded nestling American Kestrels this year! We’ll be sharing more news about our collaborations with FoHVOS soon, but in the meantime check out their exciting update on their Kestrel nesting box program. And for those of you in the Hopewell Valley area, find out how you can help provide nesting space for American Kestrels.
