Since 2015 Bird Migration Research Station has been cooperating with the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM). Main aims of the cooperation include: recording biometric measurements of Nearctic passerine migrants in Mexico to compare them with Palearctic counterparts; studies on coccidia parasites of birds and their relationship with ecology of migrants; training in field methods of bird ringing; establishing national bird ringing centre in Mexico. Coordinators of the project are: dr Jarosław Nowakowski (BMRS) and dr Mariusz Janczur (UAEM).
In 2015 and 2017 Mexican students: Michele Garcia Conejo (2015) and Alan Daniel Mendoza Mendoza with Bernardo Lugo Garcia (2017) visited Operation Baltic field stations, where they collected samples of bird feaces and were trained in our field work methods. In 2017 dr Nowakowski ran a week-long course: „Modern birds ringing – the theory and practice” in field station of UAEM in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, which was followed by bird ringing at Nevado de Toluca. Right now dr Nowakowski is on the second expedition to Mexico, ringing birds and training people in Los Tuxtlas.
We present some photos from the 2017 expedition below.
Field training in Los Tuxtlas by dr Jarosław Nowakowski (fourth left)
Setting up mist-nets in a rainforest, with dr Jarosław Nowakowski (third left) and dr Mariusz Janczur (with a straw hat)
Little Hermit Phaethornis longuemareus
Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina
Monarch butterflies wintering in a fir forest in Mexico
Bernardo (left) and Alan by a beaver lodge in Poland