One of the 53 buff-breasted sandpipers that Tara captured and deployed tracking devices on during migration through the Texas Coastal Plain
Kevin Kraai (right, Waterfowl Program Leader, Texas Parks and Wildlife) Georgi (center) and Matti (left) attaching a device to a female northern pintail captured in the Panhandle of Texas
Spring 2020
We had a busy late-winter through spring with multiple studies requiring capturing birds. Although the COVID pandemic had an effect on our spring plans, we were able to remain active in the field with captures and deployment of tracking devices on northern pintails and Black-bellied Plovers, captures of Black-bellied Whistling-ducks for a brood parasitism study, surveys of shorebirds in the Laguna Madre, and a field trip just before the COVID outbreak up through the mid-continent region of the U.S.
Matti processing a Black-bellied Whistling-duck for a recent brood parasitism study.
Black-bellied whistling-duck banding crew after a big catch
Graduate Waterfowl Ecology and Management class at Rainwater Basins in Nebraska during their field trip through much of mid-continent region. Luckily, the trip occurred just prior to the COVID outbreak.
Bart and Jason conducting shorebird survey in Laguna Madre. Surveys were conducted bi-weekly from late February through May and covered ~165 airboat miles each survey.
Georgi (center) in New Mexico deploying tracking devices on female northern pintails with collaborators Dan Collins (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, left) and Mason Cline (New Mexico Game & Fish Department, right).
September 2019
Northern Pintail Capture in Central California
Bart, Mike Casazza (USGS biologist), Georgi, Cory Overton (USGS biologist), and Sawsan Overton (DVM) after a long night of attaching tracking devices to female northern pintails captured at Sacramento NWR in California.
Caroline Brady (California Waterfowl Association) gives some pointers on banding waterfowl to Georgi.
Pintail capture at Sacramento NWR, California. Georgi placed her first devices out on northern pintails! Personnel from USGS Dixon Field Office, California Waterfowl Association, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife worked together for the capture effort.
Annual Lab Bowling Tournament
“Strike Team 2019” at the annual Waterfowl and Wetland Birds Lab bowling competition
August 2019
Current and past members of the lab attending the North American Duck Symposium in Winnipeg. From left to right are Dr. Vijayan Sundararaj, Dr. Dale James, Georgina Eccles, Matthew Garrick, Jay VonBank, Dr. Bart Ballard, Dr. Ana Krainyk, Derek Ballard, Aidan Flores, Taylor Abshire. Jay VonBank won 3rd place in the Ph.D. poster competition, and Ana Krainyk and Dale James gave plenary talks during the symposium.
We welcome three new students to the lab in August. From left to right are Jason Loghry (M.S. student), Georgina Eccles (Ph.D. student), and Matti Bradshaw (M.S. Student)
June 2019
We are excited to have Dr. Vijayan Sundararaj join our lab as an Assistant Professor of Research. Vijay will oversee a project evaluating the annual mottled duck breeding survey, as well as work with graduate students on various aspects of their research.
May 2019
M.S. student Jason Loghry and undergraduate student Sam Stone enjoy some arctic weather on their summer internship in Alaska. Jason and Sam worked with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on arctic-breeding shorebird research.
April 2019
Jay VonBank was awarded the top Ph.D. student award for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the annual College Awards Banquet. Pictured here with Shad Nelson, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
March 2019
Alyssa Potton joined the team this month as a full time research assistant to help with waterfowl and shorebird research projects.
February 2019 – Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society annual meeting
The Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society is our state wildlife conference with an attendance of over 600 professionals including 9 universities with wildlife programs, state and federal agencies, and NGOs. The Waterfowl and Wetlands Birds Program fared well at this year’s annual meeting as undergraduate student Jason Loghry (working as a research technician in our lab) won second place in the undergraduate poster competition. Jason was mentored by Ph.D. student Jay VonBank on an investigation of wetland use in Mexico by greater white-fronted geese marked with tracking devices. Also, M.S. Student Mikayla House won the coveted Sam Beasom Memorial Scholarship awarded to the outstanding graduate student. Finally, Bart Ballard was presented an Honorary Lifetime Membership Award for his long-time contribution to the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
Mikaya House accepting Sam Beasom Scholarship Award from Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society President, Jena Moon.
Undergraduate student, Jason Loghry standing next to poster at Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
November 2018 – White-fronted goose research in Ireland
Bart traveled to Ireland to continue research on Greenland white-fronted geese. Greenland white-fronted geese nest in western Greenland, stage in Iceland during migration, and winter in Ireland and Scotland. We have been working on a long-term collaborative research project with Dr. Mitch Weegman (University of Missouri), Alyn Walsh (National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ireland), and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (UK) to understand the reasons behind the decline in their population abundance.
Our trap site at Sheskinmore, Ireland
Goose-capturing guru Alyn Walsh (National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ireland) holding a recently captured Greenland white-fronted goose with neck collar tracking device
Irish Biologist, Emer McGee, recording capture data for greater white-fronted geese captured at Sheskinmore, Ireland
Bart and Dr. Mitch Weegman (University of Missouri) with two Greenland white-fronted geese captured at Sheskinmore, Ireland
Capture site at Big Isle, near Letterkenny, Ireland
Contact Information
Bart M. Ballard
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
(361) 593-3954
bart.ballard@tamuk.edu
