Photos From the Field: Little Brown Bats in Hibernia Mine

Data Collected for White-nose Syndrome Research

By: Stephanie Feigin, Wildlife Ecologist 

This week, Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Wildlife Ecologist Stephanie Feigin went into Hibernia Mine with New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife Endangered Species and Nongame Program (ENSP) Biologist MacKenzie Hall and John Gumbs with BATS Research Center. The group collected data for important research studies on the fungus responsible for White-nose Syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) and White-nose Syndrome itself. The data will be used in a UC Santa Cruz University study led by Dr. Winifred Frick, as well as a Rutgers University study led by 2014 Women & Wildlife Education Award Winner Dr. Brooke Maslo.

Hibernia Mine (c) Stephanie Feigin
Hibernia Mine (c) Stephanie Feigin
Hibernia Mine Entrence (c) Stephanie Feigin
Hibernia Mine Entrance (c) Stephanie Feigin
Hibernia Mine Entrance from Inside Cave (c) Stephanie Feigin
Hibernia Mine Entrance from Inside Cave (c) Stephanie Feigin
Stalagmites in Hibernia Mine (c) Stephanie Feigin
Stalagmites in Hibernia Mine (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bats (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bats (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown being swabbed for study (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown being swabbed for study (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin
ENSP Biologist MacKenzie Hall with Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bats (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bats (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bat shows significant signs of White Nose Syndrome on wings and nose (c) Stephanie Feigin
Little Brown Bat shows significant signs of White Nose Syndrome on wings and nose (c) Stephanie Feigin
CWF Wildlife Ecologist Stephanie Feigin holding Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin
CWF Wildlife Ecologist Stephanie Feigin holding Little Brown Bat (c) Stephanie Feigin

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Stephanie Feigin is a Wildlife Ecologist for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

 

Edwin B. Forsythe NWR Osprey Banding

Three nestlings produced at the Osprey Cam nest are banded for future tracking!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

In the late afternoon of June 24, 2014, I kicked off the 2014 Osprey Nesting Surveys by banding the three nestings at the Osprey Cam nest. I was joined by Ann Marie Mason Morrison, with Friends of Forsythe NWR, our founding partner with the Osprey Cam, and two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interns, Jessie and Kirsten who helped bring out all the equipment needed to the nest (two 20′ ladders).

This is one of the most difficult nests to reach in all of New Jersey! It either takes a boat (at high tide) or two 20′ ladders (at low tide) to cross a 15′ wide ditch on the coastal salt marsh. Anyone who has crossed the ditch can attest to how difficult it is. Now you can watch and see what when into banding these three nestlings. A portion of the video was cut when I was attempting to repair the sound at the camera equipment box. At the same time the nest was cleaned of harmful plastic debris that the birds used as nesting material. A total of 3 balloons and a plastic bag were removed from the nest. The three young were banded with USGS bird bands (1088-04358,59 & 60) for future tracking. Check out a photo that I got of “the runt.” Enjoy!