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CONSERVATION IN ACTION
Last month, 58 Junior Rangers and adults helped kick off the year by participating in our fourth annual Christmas Bird Count. These volunteer birders followed experienced ornithologists on 7 routes across the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor, counting and identifying birds. Many groups went along roadways and trails, and one group even went on the ocean in our panga to observe seabirds. In all, they traveled 111 kilometers.
Our volunteers counted 1794 birds from 116 bird species! We were excited to see the blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) and five other species we had not previously recorded in a Christmas Bird Count. The total number of birds we counted is lower than it has been in previous years, likely due to strong winds on the morning of our count. Yet even taking the weather into account, we noticed fewer swallows. This result is consistent with other data indicating that aerial insectivores are declining worldwide.
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Coordinating a bird count is a complex task that is worth the effort. These counts give people a chance to experience nature with experts and to learn about the birds near their communities. They are also a lot of fun for the Junior Rangers. Although the weather was windy this year, the kids were enthusiastic as they were able to identify bird species that were new to them.
Several media outlets covered our Christmas Bird Count. These stories included a spread in El Nuevo Diario and an article on Inside the Forest Service, the US Forest Service's personnel news site. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this year's Christmas Bird Count possible, including our organizational partners and donors on this event, such as the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Loro Parque Fundación, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
The annual count is an international event that began in North America in 1900. It provides valuable data benefiting science and conservation. After this year's event, Paso Pacífico compiled and shared our data with the National Audobon Society. "We are very happy to contribute locally and internationally with this data. These efforts will allow us to raise local awareness and to take care of the birds and their habitats." said Liza González, Country Director.
Photos: Adelayde Rivas
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Adelayde Rivas is an independent journalist and passionate communications professional who has partnered with Paso Pacífico and the US Forest Service International Institute for Tropical Forestry since 2009. She has earned diplomas in communication science, corporate social responsibility and environmental journalism from various universities. Adelayde has worked on-camera, off-camera and behind the camera throughout Nicaragua, including a stint as producer and presenter for a tourism show on a major TV channel.
She strongly supports opportunities for women: in addition to belonging to several women’s professional networks, Adelayde co-founded the Digital Mujer news blog, which aims to help more women harness technology in their businesses. Since 2009, she has owned and run Set Net Comunicaciones, a press and communications office whose mission is to support nonprofits and private companies in communications for environmental and social responsibility.
With her extensive, award-winning media experience, we are grateful to have Adelayde on our team!
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Over four years ago, University of California instructor and Paso Pacífico board member Frank Joyce pitched the idea of joining Audobon’s Christmas Bird Count. We decided to give it a try, and in 2014, Frank enlisted his wife, Katy VanDusen, and their three children, Francis, Richard, and Helen, to help implement the event. With the Joyces leading the way, our 2014 bird count was a big success: dozens of volunteers turned out to survey the birds.
Each successive year, the Joyces have supported the count and participated in person. Under the Joyces' tutelage, the Paso Pacífico team has also grown in experience and confidence to manage the count, which requires extensive logistics planning and follow-up.
We are deeply grateful to the whole family, and to Francis and Richard especially this year, for volunteering their time and giving so generously to Paso Pacífico.
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The news is out: 2018 is the Year of the Bird. This designation honors the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States, a landmark piece of conservation legislation. Much of the funding for Paso Pacífico's yellow-billed cuckoo and southwest willow flycatcher monitoring comes through a descendant act of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
During the Year of the Bird, bird lovers worldwide will also strive to increase awareness about threats birds face and actions we can take to save them. To take action for birds, donate to Paso Pacífico and learn more about ways to protect birds.
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PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE
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Since 1939, the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry has worked to enhance and protect tropical forestry around the world. As a research and technology transfer institute, their work engages in many levels of conservation, from scientific research to educational programs.
Education and communication are a major forte of IITF. Since 2007, they have provided many resources in Nicaragua to help build our capacity, both in forest and bird monitoring and in areas such as ecotourism, communications and conservation education. In particular, they are key partners of our Junior Ranger and migratory bird monitoring programs. Jerry Bauer (above) and Dr. Wayne Arendt have led the training and technical assistance in these two programs.
We are deeply grateful for our ongoing partnership with the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry.
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