Movements of vagrant passerines during fall migration in southern Nova Scotia
M.Sc. Biology, Acadia University
Taylor Lab Supervised by Dr. Phil Taylor Birds occasionally end up 'off-course' on their migrations, and are termed vagrants. Various theories attempt to explain the mechanisms behind vagrancy, with most focusing on faulty navigational systems (misorientation), farther-than-normal post-breeding explorations (dispersal) or interfering weather patterns (drift). Due to its geographic placement and convergent winds, Nova Scotia attracts a large number of vagrant birds; as such it is an excellent location in which to study them. My study examines the theories of drift and misorientation in regards to their ability to explain long-distance vagrancy, along with broad-scale movements of vagrant songbirds once they have departed a stopover site. Questions I seek to answer regard reorientation abilities of vagrant songbirds and mechanisms behind long-distance west to east vagrancy. I am answering these questions using an automated radio telemetry network and flight simulation models in R. Conferences
D. Bell, P.D. Taylor. Reorientation of vagrant songbirds from southwestern Nova Scotia during fall migration. Canadian Migration Monitoring Network Meeting. Victoria, BC. Aug 2018.
D. Bell, P.D. Taylor. Reorientation of vagrant songbirds from southwestern Nova Scotia during fall migration. Acadia Student Research & Innovation Conference, Wolfville, NS, March 2018. D. Bell, P.D. Taylor. Reorientation of vagrant songbirds from southwestern Nova Scotia during fall migration. Northeast Region Migration Monitoring Network Meeting. Winter Harbor, ME. May 2017. D. Bell, S. Mackenzie. Motus Operandi – Towers, Tags & Data: Tips and Troubleshooting. Northeast Region Migration Monitoring Network Meeting. Winter Harbor, ME. Apr 2016. |
Publications
- Holden, B. and D. Bell. 2016. Carolina Chickadee: Second record for Ontario and Canada. Ontario Birds 34(1):2-13.
- Bell, D. 2014. Hammond's and Dusky Flycatchers in Nova Scotia, Fall 2014. Nova Scotia Birds 57(1):xx.
- Bell, D. 2014. Western Wood-Pewee in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Birds 57(1):xx.
- Bell, D. 2013. First documentation of California Gull in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Birds 56(1):60.
- Bell, D. 2013. Nova Scotia's first Hammond's Flycatcher. Nova Scotia Birds 56(1):60-61.
- Bell, D. 2013. Nova Scotia's first Western Warbling Vireo confirmed in-hand. Nova Scotia Birds 56(1):61-62.
- Bell, D. 2013. One Swallow does a summer (or two) make. Winging It 25(1):1-5.
- Bell, D. "Birding". Come On Over: Northeastern Ontario A-Z. Sudbury: Latitude 46, 2010. pp xxx
Awards
- 2017 Robie Tufts scholarship in Biology
- 2016 Acadia University Graduate awards
- 2009 University of Guelph Entrance award