Limosa Harlequin Toad (Atelopus limosus) & RTPI in New Scientist
In the 60 years that the illustrious journal New Scientist has been around they’ve never run a photo-led feature. I’m very proud and honored that they decided to break with that tradition with a story on our work with endangered frogs in Panama. Our research on a population of the exceedingly rare Limosa Harlequin Toad (Atelopus limosus) in Cocobolo Nature Reserve in Panama will hopefully give us more information on why these frogs are seemingly doing alright while its surrounding populations are going extinct. And with some luck, that information can help direct conservation...
Read MoreMonk Parakeet
Are we sure Monk Parakeets aren’t native? They certainly look right at home sometimes…and they often make me think of the extinct Carolina Parakeet that we never had the opportunity to see outside of a drawer in the RTPI archives. We as naturalists and conservationists must be working hard every single day so that our currently threatened species do not end up solely as parts of museum collections. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreRusty Blackbird Blitz – Go, Connecticut!
The Rusties are coming! Rusty Blackbirds are moving northward from their southeastern U.S. wintering grounds, and they are headed towards Connecticut, so get ready to go out and start searching! The Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz officially opens in Connecticut now, and we encourage all birders to participate. Many of you have already done so, and some Rusty Blackbirds have been here despite the historically cold conditions. For others who may enjoy more spring birding soon helping out is easy – bird as you normally do and search especially carefully for Rusty Blackbirds, and...
Read MoreRusty Blackbird
The Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz is coming up soon as March is only a couple weeks away! Please help us find and record all the Rusty Blackbirds you can from March through June wherever you are in North America, entering them into eBird to help scientists and conservationists rushing to save the species that is secretly vanishing from our world. Do not let them become but a shadow like the Passenger Pigeon or Labrador Duck before them. See more here in this previous post. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreTrumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator)
Here in Chautauqua County we are accustomed to seeing Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) throughout the migratory and wintering seasons. If you are very lucky you may someday be able to pick out a Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) in similar habitats. The Trumpeter Swan, the largest of North America’s waterfowl, was nearly extinct in the early 20th century. Thankfully hunting for feathers for the quill pen market, among others, has ended and their numbers have rebounded. This is also due to hard work by the conservation community in North America. It can be very difficult to separate a...
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