January 2009

En Español

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Photography as a conservation tool
By Inés Aramburo
As part of a celebration of National Conservation Week, a group of student photographers from the Autonomous University of Baja California in Ensenada (part of the photography project “Islas del Golfo”) implemented a series of activities with the children of Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California.

The activities began with photography classes for groups of young people, where participants learned about composition, light, color, and cameras, as well as themes such as conservation y how to use photography as a means for generating environmental awareness, sustainable development, and other themes.

After the classroom component the group undertook short field expeditions to some of the characteristics spots in Bahía de los Ángeles, such as the wetlands, the beach, and the lighthouse. he children spent hours with small point-and-shoot digital cameras documenting the landscape and species surrounding their daily lives.

The UABC photographers selected the best photographs of each child, which were printed and mounted for a photography exposition held in the community’s ejido office. In attendance were workshop participants, their families, and other community members. In addition to the mounted photo exposition there was also a large projection screen where a slide show of more of the photographs taken by the children was displayed.

This series of events was unforgettable for not only the children but also for the photographers, who have been visiting the community of Bahía de Los Ángeles and nearby areas for approximately two years. During this time they have amassed a valuable photographic archive. This was an opportunity for this group of artists to give back something to the community of Bahía and share with them what they know best: photography. The project does not end here, however: this trip is only the first of many that the group hopes to undertake in the region where they have been working over the last two years.

The children and young assistants showed great interest in the photography workshop and participated with great energy and creativity and the end result is a beautiful collection of interesting images showing knowledge and sensitivity for the environment. Thirty young people participated in the workshop over the course of three days.

The photography workshop was possible thanks to the collaboration of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Pronatura Noroeste, and La Comisión de Áreas Naturales Protegidas “Islas del Golfo.”­­ Special thanks to the photographers and leaders from UABC: Inés Aramburo, Amaranta Delgado, Francisco Buelna, Julián Orozco, Nathan Velasco and Enrique Fuentes.

To learn more about this project contact Inés Aramburo.

Molt-migrant birds in Arizona, Sonora, and northern Sinaloa: who, where, and when, and what are their habitat requirements?
By Peter Pyle

Several western bird species are now known to undergo “molt-migrations” to the Mexican Monsoon Region of southeastern Arizona and northwestern Mexico, where they stop for six weeks or more from July-September to molt, before resuming migration to their wintering grounds in the Neotropics. But exactly where and when these species undergo molt remains almost completely unknown and, in fact, we don't even fully know what species are involved. Because molting is one of the most energy-demanding events within the annual cycle of adult birds, habitat loss and degradation of molt-migration-stopover areas have the potential to dramatically lower adult survival rates of these species. In the Sonora Joint Venture (SJV) area, high quality riparian, grassland, woodland, desert, or other specialized habitats needed to molt successfully are currently threatened by development, grazing, and other land-use and water-use practices.  

In order to study molt-migrants on the molting grounds, The Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) undertook a two-year study in July-September 2007-2008 (the Molt-Migration-Stopover (MoMS) project) using a combination of area-search surveys and capture data from 14 mist-netting stations in Arizona (7 stations), Sonora (2 stations), and Sinaloa (5 stations). The stations were placed in a suite of habitats found within the Sonoran Joint Venture Arid Borderlands Region. Preliminary results from the project follow:

1. Ten species of known-molt migrants were captured at the banding stations on their molting grounds (Ash-throated Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Lucy's Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Painted Bunting, Lark Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, and Bullock's Oriole) and another two species of known molt-migrants were recorded in area searches (Western Kingbird and Lark Bunting). Analysis of banding data will allow us to assess location and phenology of active molt in these species, and analysis of both banding and area-search data, as compared with those of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project and the USGS Vegetation Characterization Program will allow us to determine habitat associations for molt-migrants during stopover.
2. Our banding data indicate seven additional species (Yellow-green Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Varied Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Green-tailed Towhee, and Chipping Sparrow) that may also undergo molt migration, at least for some members of the breeding populations. In combination with IBP's MAPS program, we will be investigating what proportion of these species' populations may be undergoing molt-migrations and from what regions of breeding ranges they may be originating. Yellow-green Vireo was previously supposed to molt in South America, and it is possible that this species (and others such as Tropical Kingbird, Nutting's and Dusky-capped flycatchers, and Streak-backed Orioles) may be migrating north or northwest (rather than south) to the Monsoon Region to molt.
3. There appeared to be significant differences in molting strategies between 2007, a drier monsoon year, and 2008, a wetter monsoon year: many more adults were captured at the banding stations in the wetter years but a significantly lower proportion were in molt. Separation of these data into "wet stations" (with perennial water flow) and "dry stations" (with ephemeral or no water flow) indicated that the majority of the difference in adults captured was occurring at the dry stations whereas the majority of the difference in the molting proportions was occurring at the wet stations. Thus, in dry years molt migrants need to concentrate in perennial wet habitats to molt whereas in wet years both adults and molting birds are more widely distributed through all habitats.
4. We recaptured only one molt migrant between years, an adult female Lazuli Bunting captured at Hereford, AZ, in July 2007 and August 2008, in full molt each time. This indicates very little if any site fidelity for molt migrants: for eight species with adequate data this fidelity rate was significantly lower than that found for the same species at MAPS stations on the breeding grounds and MoSI stations. However, could this be due to the dry season followed by a wet season? Might fidelity increase in two consecutive dry seasons or a wet season followed by a dry season?

Our MoMS data overall thus far suggest that molt-migration may be a fluid process, with birds making individual choices each year as to where to molt, depending on such factors as climate on both the breeding and the molting grounds, and success and duration of the breeding season. Individuals of some species that do not normally molt on the breeding grounds might choose to undergo a molt migration in certain circumstances. Those that typically do undergo molt migration may, in turn, choose where to molt, both geographically and in terms of habitat selection, depending on the strength of the Mexican monsoon. Clearly, we have a lot more work to do to understand the dynamics of molt migration in western landbirds.

We thank Stephanie Jones of USFWS Region 6 and the Sonora Joint Venture for supporting our MoMS project.

2009 Park Flight international internships in U.S. National Parks
The Park Flight Migratory Bird Program works to protect migratory birds that share their habitat between national parks and protected areas in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean through bird monitoring, education and outreach programs, and opportunities for technical assistance and cooperation. Working through the NPS International Volunteers in Parks Program, biologists and educators from other Western Hemisphere countries assist with Park Flight efforts in U.S. national parks. These international internships give the opportunity for an exchange of knowledge and experience including science, culture and language.

For 2009, the Park Flight international internships will be open to qualified candidates from all countries in Latin America (Mexico, Central America and South America) and the Caribbean. The internships will begin from April to August 2009 and will last from two to six months. Applicants must have experience with bird banding (the majority of positions) or other bird monitoring techniques, experience with education and outreach related to birds or other conservation topics, and at least an intermediate level of English (reading, writing, understanding and speaking). Applicants must be able to understand safety and radio communications and give presentations in English. Many positions will require a valid driver license from the intern’s home country. Some training is provided, and interns are asked to give presentations about bird conservation in their countries. Candidates must be able to apply the skills gained in the U.S. to bird conservation efforts in national parks and protected areas or Important Bird Areas in their home countries. Interns will receive US $750.00/month for food and miscellaneous expenses and the program will cover the expenses of airfare, housing, and the required J -1 visa. Potential applicants must be in their home country the 3 months prior to the internship for visa reasons. Park Flight will make all the necessary arrangements. Top candidates will be able to review specific park position descriptions and will be required to have phone interviews in English.

Interested and qualified candidates should send a CV (Spanish is acceptable; include two
professional references), with a cover letter in English, by January 31, 2009, to the program coordinator, Carol Beidleman.

SJV-Pronatura Neotrop Act project underway
In July 2008 the Sonoran Joint Venture and Pronatura Noroeste, A.C. were awarded a Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grant. The overall goals of the Northwest Mexico Bird Tourism Project is to protect Neotropical migratory birds and their habitats by combining on-the-ground habitat restoration and protection efforts with developing local ecotourism projects at three sites in northwestern Mexico.

Pronatura recently hired three site coordinators for the project, each of whom will focus on working with community members over the coming year and a half to develop small teams of trained guides at each of the three project sites (Alejandra Calvo Fonseca: Colorado River Delta, Sonora and Baja California; Juan Pablo Galván: Alamos, Sonora; and Daniel Galindo Espinosa: San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur). From 10-15 November 2008 the entire project team met in Alamos, Sonora to implement Phase 1 of this project: a “Train The Trainers” workshop. The goal of the workshop was to train Site Coordinators to teach area residents the skills needed to work as bird guides. The three Site Coordinators, the Program Coordinator, Project Directors from Pronatura and the Sonoran Joint Venture, and a guest from CONABIO attended the workshop. Over the course of the week Workshop participants learned how to facilitate a Bird Guide Workshop at their site for local residents. They also learned about how to provide continued training, skill improvement, and professional development opportunities to Bird Guide Workshop participants after the workshop. Site Coordinators are currently recruiting participants for three Bird Guide Workshops, one to be held at each project site over the course of spring 2009.

To learn more about this project contact Juan Caicedo, Project Coordinator.

Upcoming grant deadlines
We have recently added information about a number of new funding opportunities for those doing work in the SJV region. Please take the time to browse through the complete list of funding opportunities.

• Fund for Wild Nature
  Deadline: 1 February 2009; 1 May 2009; 1 November 2009
  Description: The Fund for Wild Nature provides money for campaigns to save and restore native species and wild ecosystems, including actions to defend wilderness and biological diversity. The fund supports advocacy, litigation, public policy work, development of citizen science, and similar endeavors. The fund does not support basic scientific research, private land acquisition, individual action or study, or conferences, and rarely supports proposals from organizations with annual budgets greater than $250,000. The fund will only support media projects that have a clear strategic value and a concrete plan for dissemination of the final product. The fund gives special attention to ecological issues not currently receiving sufficient public attention and funding. The fund seeks proposals with visionary and yet realistic goals to create tangible change. All proposals must be highly cost effective and be for projects in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.

• Tourism Cares Grant Program
  Deadline: 30 January 2009
  Description: Tourism Cares’ Grant Program distributes charitable grants to worthy tourism-related non-profit organizations worldwide for capital improvements or appropriate.  The 2008 Worldwide Grant Program goals for grantmaking call for a balanced distribution to U.S. and non-U.S. recipients.  Based on merit and availability of funds, grants up to $100,000 will be considered.
• National Forest Foundation Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
  Deadline: 23 January 2009
  Description: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the U.S. Forest Service issued a Stewardship Challenge, calling for all Wilderness Areas in the National Forest System to meet baseline standards by 2014. The NFF, as the official nonprofit partner of the Forest Service, will increase the resources available to meet this challenge by providing matching grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofit partners to implement on-the-ground conservation projects that directly benefit Wilderness Areas within the National Forest System.
• Five Star Restoration Grants
  Deadline: 16 February 2009
  Description: The Five Star Restoration Program brings together students, conservation corps, other youth groups, citizen groups, corporations, landowners and government agencies to provide environmental education and training through projects that restore wetlands and streams. The program provides challenge grants, technical support and opportunities for information exchange to enable community-based restoration projects.
• Musser Fund
  Deadline: 18 February 2009
  Description: Grants are available to promote collaborative process in environmental decision making. The Laura Jane Musser Fund proposes to assist public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects in rural areas to undertake consensus-based activities in environmental stewardship or dispute resolution. State and Federal agencies based in the U.S. are encouraged to apply. Grants maximum is $35,000.

Upcoming meetings and workshops
See complete details about upcoming meetings and workshops.

THE SECOND NATIONAL GATHERING: BIRD CONSERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION: 22-26 February 2008, Jekyll Island, Georgia.

WESTERN HEMISPHERE SHOREBIRD GROUP MEETING: 9-13 March 2009, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Meeting Coordinator: Rick Lanctot; Local Organizers: Xico Vega and Guillermo Fernandez.

SONORAN JOINT VENTURE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING: 14-15 March 2009, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Contact: Carol Beardmore.