Fresh off their cross-Canada research trip, Madison and Natalie discussed Motus Audio migration monitoring with CBC Windsor Morning today. Listen to their birdy chat here: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social @lincolnsavi.bsky.social

With help Pelee Island Bird Observatory's Emma and Vincent, I launched a new Motus Audio recorder on Pelee Island! And we changed batteries and SD cards in two long-running recorders. Motus Audio is getting ready for the next wave of migration! @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

A perfect summer day for a quick field research expedition to Pelee Island. In collaboration with the Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO), I changed batteries on our Motus Audio units and talked bird ecology and conservation with the amazing PIBO staff.

Today we had a visit from lab alum Dr. Zach Gayk. We talked about his big idea of the Migration Similarity Hypothesis (that birds with similar flight calls have similar migratory journeys) and his efforts to build a migration station in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Great to see you @zachgayk.bsky.social!

🦋 PhD position! 🦋 Join a newly funded research partnership working to conserve endangered butterflies in Canada. Details can be found below. @onehealthuofg.bsky.social @uofguelph.bsky.social

As part of her dissertation research on vocal mimicry in tropical birds, Nelsy Niño has just banded her 100th Grey Seedeater. A congratulatory rainbow appeared in the Colombian sky. 🌈🐦🇨🇴🇨🇦 Keep up the great field research Nelsy and Jessica! @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @animbehsociety.bsky.social

Bird-Tracking Tech: It was great to have Natalie and Madison present the Motus Audio project to my students during the Advanced Ornithology field course at #UQAR in Rimouski. Thanks to @dmennill.bsky.social at the U. of Windsor for leading Motus Audio across Canada (more at urls.fr/5H8YsS) 🧪🌿🌎🦉🔊

The heartbreak of an ornithologist playing Spelling Bee…

"Listening to the night sky: UWindsor team deploys Canada-wide acoustic bird migration network" Check out this Motus Audio article in our campus newspaper about our cross-Canada migration network: www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-06... @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

What is it like to work on a small island with 5000 American Herring Gulls? It is a lot like this:

Nelsy is leading a research expedition in Medina, Colombia to study vocal mimicry in seedeaters. With her assistant Jessica, she’s cutting net lanes, banding birds, recording songs, & conducting playback. Amazing work @nelsyninor.bsky.social! 🇨🇴🇨🇦 @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @animbehsociety.bsky.social

"Island roost: How Margaret Atwood and her family helped turn Pelee Island into a migratory bird research hub" An essay with great photos and videos by Ivan Semeniuk is now online on the Globe and Mail: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/scien... @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @peleeislandbird.bsky.social

Pick up this morning's Globe and Mail! There's a centre spread by Ivan Semeniuk about Pelee Island Bird Observatory, the importance of Pelee Island for migratory birds, and the generous support of Margaret Atwood and her family for bird research. @theglobeandmail.com @peleeislandbird.bsky.social

"How do urban parks create opportunities for learning and connection to nature?" Congratulations to Michelle Bondy who's presenting her dissertation research at the 2026 STLHE Annual Conference in Hamilton this week. @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

The American Herring Gulls of Kent Island, New Brunswick. #GullOfTheDay

For our new study of acoustic communication in Leach's Storm-petrels, Laurianne and I deployed Song Meters at the entrances of birds nests to sample their vocal behaviour during incubation. A collaboration with Ingrid Pollet @ingridpollet.bsky.social, Patty Jones, and an A+ group of colleagues.

The warblers of Kent Island, New Brunswick.

I completed my annual bioacoustic survey of the forest birds of Kent Island, with a little help from some friends. We collect these long-term data to study changes in breeding bird populations at Bowdoin Scientific Station. @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @wildlifeacoustics.com @ryannorrissci.bsky.social

The Savannah Sparrows of Kent Island.

Motus Audio Day 56: Moncton, NB. Mission complete — our 100th Motus Audio recorder! Madison and Natalie deployed our 100th device in Moncton, hitting our target for 2026. A major milestone! 🇨🇦🎤🕊️💯 Explore our Canada-wide network: motus-audio.web.app @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 55: Magnetic Hill, NB. Our 99th Motus Audio launch! 9️⃣9️⃣ Thank you to the kind staff at Magnetic Hill Zoo, where Natalie and Madison launched a battery-powered Motus Audio recorder. Our Canada-wide network: motus-audio.web.app @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

This month I'm testing out the newest Wildlife Acoustics recorders: the Song Meter SM5 and the Song Meter Micro 2. I'm going to compare to our trusty Song Meter Minis, recording birds at the Bowdoin Scientific Station in the Bay of Fundy. Stay tuned for comparisons. @wildlifeacoustics.com

Motus Audio Day 54: Cookville, NB. Our 98th Motus Audio launch! Natalie and Madison set up a recorder on a Motus tower at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute. Our cross-Canada migration monitoring network is nearly complete: motus-audio.web.app @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

Fog day at the Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island. #PreyForFog

Motus Audio Day 53: Summerville, PEI. Motus Audio at Green Gables! Now recording in all 10 provinces, Natalie and Madison launched more recorders in Prince Edward Island. Thanks to hosts Bob, Bob, Beth & Dave! Motus Audio online: motus-audio.web.app @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 52: Stratford, PEI. A landmark moment: a Motus Audio recorder in every province! Madison and Natalie arrived in PEI, the 10th Canadian province in our coast-to-coast migration network! 🇨🇦 Our Motus Audio webpage: motus-audio.web.app @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

Migratory birds are still moving north through the Bay of Fundy in the first week of June. This week we've seen Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Olive-sided Flycatchers, and Bobolinks (all passing through), and Alder Flycatchers (staying to breed on Kent Island).

The 2026 crew of the Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada. I'm so thankful that our research group can be part of this amazing scientific field team.

"Experimental study of social signalling through delayed plumage maturation in a colony-nesting seabird". A field study with models and sound, our new paper is out now in Animal Behaviour, led by Molly Hill and Liam Taylor: doi.org/10.1016/j.an... @liamtaylor.bsky.social @animbehsociety.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 51: Donkin, NS. At the most easterly point on their cross-Canada trip, Natalie and Madison launched a Motus Audio recorder in Donkin, Cape Breton, with generous hosts Daniel and Libby. Thank you! Also: a puffin-watching boat trip! @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social

Motus Audio in Audubon Magazine! Natalie and Madison recount their adventures driving across Canada in this Q&A in Audubon Magazine: www.audubon.org/magazine/mee... It's like Listers but with a Chrysler Pacifica. Thank you @amcglashen.bsky.social! @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

I had a great time chatting with @dmennill.bsky.social and his students Madison Bygrove and Natalie Emerick, of whom I am not at all envious, thank you very much. www.audubon.org/magazine/mee...

Motus Audio Day 50: Willowdale, NS. 🇨🇦 50 days of cross-Canada bird research! 🇨🇦 🐦 Congratulations Natalie and Madison! 🐦 They launched recorders in Greenwood, Londonderry, and Willowdale. Thanks to our Motus Audio partners and community hosts including @birdscanada.bsky.social's Kris Dobney!

Read about Pelee Island Bird Observatory's new Bird Centre —and the Motus tower and Motus Audio recorder at the Bird Centre — on Margaret Atwood's substack post today: margaretatwood.substack.com/p/the-pelee-... If you subscribe, you can see Margaret's video tour of the Bird Centre! 🦉🦆🦅🦃

Laurianne and I launched our first at-the-burrow recorder to study bioacoustics of Leach's Storm-petrels! Our Song Meter will sample communication at the nest. A collaborative project with I. Pollet, P. Jones, L. Taylor, S. Chapman, M. Haussmann, B. Mauck, and others at Bowdoin Scientific Station.

Motus Audio Day 49: Wolfville, NS. Madison and Natalie deployed 3 new Motus Audio recorders: 2 in Dartmouth and 1 near Wolfville. Thank you to our community science volunteers! Learn about our coast-to-coast migration study: motus-audio.web.app @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Perfect sunrise at Bowdoin Scientific Station, Kent Island, with our Motus Audio microphone catching the last of the year's migratory birds.

Laurianne has joined our Leach's Storm-petrel research team! This summer she is conducting field research on Kent Island. In September she will begin a Master's degree, co-supervised by myself and Dr. Ingrid Pollet. Welcome to our team Laurianne! @ingridpollet.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 48: Peggy's Cove, NS. Natalie and Madison are in Peggy’s Cove! It’s a good day to thank our east coast collaborators — Phil, Lucas, and John — who helped us build Motus Audio and set up four sites in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 47: Port Joli, NS. Madison and Natalie launched our next Motus Audio recorder with a community science volunteer. Thank you Kathy! Then a trip to Lunenberg to see the Bluenose! 🇨🇦⛵ Learn about Motus Audio: motus-audio.web.app @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

"Are the urban birds of a quieter Paris changing their tune?" An article by Allan Woods about our new study of Great Tits, Paris, and traffic noise is out in the Toronto Star: www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?... Here's our original paper in Ornithological Applications: doi.org/10.1093/orni...

By the light of the full moon, recording the dawn chorus of Savannah Sparrows on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada.

Stand-out moment of the week at Bowdoin Scientific Station: when @liamtaylor.bsky.social bakes bagels for Sunday breakfast.

American Oystercatchers are breeding on Kent Island! An unusual bird here, at the northern edge of the species' range. Last spring a small group of oystercatchers flirted with Kent Island. This spring they are breeding. My Honours student Maia, with Sarah and Jeff, found their cryptic nest.

Motus Audio Day 46: Bridgewater, NS. Our newest Motus Audio recorder is recording birds over Treehouse Village Ecohousing in Bridgewater. Thank you to the Treehouse residents for helping us to study the health of migratory bird populations. 🌙🎤🎶🕊️ @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Recording the dawn chorus of Savannah Sparrows at Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada.

Motus Audio Day 45: Digby, NS. After crossing the Bay of Fundy, Natalie and Madison arrived in Nova Scotia and launched Motus Audio recorders in Digby and Clementsvale. Thanks to hosts Heather and Jessie and Thomas! 🧵1/2 @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 44: Fredericton, NB. Madison and Natalie have arrived in New Brunswick! They launched a Motus Audio recorder in Fredericton. Learn how we're studying migration with a cross-Canada microphone network: motus-audio.web.app @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social

Motus Audio Day 43: Rimouski, QC. With our collaborator Dominique Berteaux of U. Quebec Rimouski, we've launched our next Motus Audio recorder! Natalie & Madison had fun sharing details of our bioacoustic project with Dominique's field course. @birdscanada.bsky.social @dominiqueberteaux.bsky.social

Tonight I launched the 2026 After Dinner Science Seminar Series at Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island. I described our collaborative bioacoustic studies of Savannah Sparrows, Leach's Storm-petrels, and migratory flight calls. It's the best seminar room in the Bay of Fundy!