Mountain Bird Watch

[Puck]

This program has been running for many years now. They are looking for volunteers to hike up to a mountain region and observe Bicknell's Thrush and other species. It is an early morning but you get to see the mountain forest come alive. They provid great training material.

http://www.vtecostudies.org/MBW/

Here are the available peaks
New York--Adirondacks

Bear Den
Debar*
Round
Weston


New York--Catskills

Kaaterskill High Peak


Vermont

Blue Ridge
Bromley*
Buchanan*
Burnt Rock
Cape Lookoff*
Deerlick
Dorset
Haystack North
Lockwood
North Jay
Peru
Romance
Seneca
Westridge


New Hampshire

Cabot
Castle*
Crescent
Eastman
Kearsarge North
Osceola
Percy
Rollins*
Wolf*

Maine

Big Spencer*
North Traveler*

 

[Early Bird]

I've participated in this for several years. It's a fun, rewarding endeavor. The Bicknell's song is lovely. You don't need to know a lot about birding to do it.

 

[Tobit]

Puck, what does the asterisk mean next to some of these peaks?

 

[Barkingcat]

Puck, what does the asterisk mean next to some of these peaks?

According to the website for the Mountain Bird Watch, the asterisked peaks are "high priority sites that have been surveyed regularly since 2000"...

 

[Jason Berard]

Just giving this a bump. The time frame for the survey is between June 1 and June 21, so if you're going to hike one of the peaks listed in Pucks initial post during that time anyway...why not engage in a little citizen science!

 

[vegematic]

I'm looking forward to my survey on West Royce. It's really a wonderful and personally rewarding program.
-vegematic

 

[RickB.]

Just giving this a bump. The time frame for the survey is between June 1 and June 21, so if you're going to hike one of the peaks listed in Pucks initial post during that time anyway...why not engage in a little citizen science!

You just have to hike it in the dark .
We've got Starr King/Waumbek; can't wait!

 

[Jason Berard]

I signed up for Wolf. Looking forward to this. It should be fun!

 

[Jazzbo]

Thanks for heads up on this.

Thanks Puck for sharing this MBW site. The MBW has superb training audio which I downloaded to my PC. If you like this sort of thing, audio has recordings and excellent commentary sure to add new dimension to your wanderings in the high montane forest. I wish I'd listened to it prior to yesterday's hike to Vose Spur. I'm sure I heard one of the three species Bicknell Thrust, Winter Wren , or Ruby-crowned Kinglet as we approached summit cannister. Good reason to carry an ipod on the trail and a portable player on the trail. Maybe you can attract the little critters!

I may not have volunteered for this this year, but very likely I will in future years.

 

[Jason Berard]

Thanks for posting this, Puck! I had a great time surveying on Wolf. We were serenaded by BITH as we set up camp at 9PM, and heard several at the survey points the next morning. I'm hooked, and will do this again next year, and maybe even pick up another peak

 

[Fisher Cat]

Puck, any tidbits you can share when you went out to Nancy Pond? Come on, whet our appetites!

 

[Puck]

Puck, any tidbits you can share when you went out to Nancy Pond? Come on, whet our appetites!

I surveyed Nancy last week. I had one Bicknel's thrush between points 4 and 5. (5 being the near the outflow of Norcross pond). There were a few Swainsons Thrushes. I did have a good handful of yellow bellied flycatchers, some black ducks, a black backed woodpecker drumming on the east slope of Nancy. I had most of the usual suspects of winter wrens, yellow rumped warblers, juncos and white throated sparrows and some pine warblers. I have noticed that the ruby crowned kinglets are very loud an prominet this year.

It was a great trip I woke up at 4:00 am to the lovely sound of a winter wren ,the twittering, tinkeling tintinnamualtion. so lovely (although some people describe the song as a loose fan belt)

Mt Martha was a bust Thrush wise. I need to go back for the playback.

 

[Jason Berard]

It was a great trip I woke up at 4:00 am to the lovely sound of a winter wren ,the twittering, tinkeling tintinnamualtion. so lovely (although some people describe the song as a loose fan belt)

Puck, I take it back after hearing the song in the wild!

I enjoyed their song very much!

 

[RickB.]

I got scheduled out by last week's weather , but Sarah (and husband, Michael) conducted the survey Wednesday morning, 6-17-09, on Starr King and here is what she wrote:

"As we summitted Starr King at 9:30ish last night, we were welcomed by two very loud songs that were without a doubt from 2 BITH (ed: Bicknell's).

Didn't hear any at all during the survey, though we heard all of the other 4 species.

Michael had to head down to work. I soloed over to Middle Weeks. On my return, at the exact spot we'd decided was #4, I heard a BITH!!!!!! I was thrilled, as you can imagine."

It's really a good program.

 

[vegematic]

West Royce success!

The Bicknell's thrushes on West Royce apparently only like to sound off briefly and only when it is just barely light out. I heard one sing continuously last night for the 4-minute period from 8:43-8:47 followed by a couple of calls, and then two more songs at 8:59. Then I heard two calls this morning as I was getting dressed in my tent at 4:24. There were none to be heard during my five survey stations. If I hadn't camped there I would not have gotten the observation.

I hiked up from the height of land in Evans Notch just for a change of pace. I think I'll stick to the Burnt Mill Brook trail from now on. Is the East Royce surveyor on here? I saw they had signed the trail register on the 12th and wonder if they had success.
-vegematic

 

[Puck]

I will complete the survey for Ammo Ravine this weekend. I also need to do playbacks on Mt Martha. I just hope the weather gives me a window.