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All Abuzz in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego

November in southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego is a buzzing blend of breeding and nonbreeding shorebirds. For South American shorebirds like Least Seedsnipe (Thinocorus rumicivorus), Rufous-chested Dotterel (Charadrius modestus), and Magellanic Oystercatcher (Haematopus leucopodus), the breeding season is in full swing. Birds are looking sharp in peak breeding plumage and there is an abundance of territorial behavior. Least Seedsnipe sing and perform flight displays in attempts to court a mate, or they sit atop fence posts to keep a watchful eye. Male Rufous-chested Dotterels aggressively chase each other in and out of disputed territories. Magellanic Oystercatchers elaborately distract us away from nearby nests with tail-flagging displays (Miller and Baker 1980). And Magellanic Plover (Pluvianellus socialis), the small, gray, dove-like...

How eating sea bass and crab can help Maine lobstermen

By learning about New England's diverse ecosystem and by eating the fish and shellfish that are adapting to our warming waters, you can help keep the Gulf of Maine and New England’s fishing communities thriving in the face of change. In the Portland Press Herald, Marissa McMahan shares about Manomet’s research into one of those ‘upcoming’ species, black sea bass.

The Mammals of Manomet

By Alan Kneidel Winter is often thought of as the dormant season—leaves wither, birds fly south, and amphibians sink into their winter hibernation. While this is certainly true in the Northeast, there is still no shortage of animal activity in the winter months, as long as you know where, and how, to look. This winter, we at Manomet took it upon ourselves to explore the winter wildlife at our headquarters property in Plymouth. What was our strategy? Let cameras do the work for us. Off and on throughout the winter, we strategically placed motion-activated trail cameras throughout the property. We chose locations that appeared to be logical wildlife thoroughfares, whether an easily accessible spot to fresh water or an unobstructed path through...

Caribbean Conservationists Excited to Conserve Shorebirds After Training Workshop in Puerto Rico

“I honestly finally feel like I can tackle shorebirds, with some level of comfort and confidence. I am so excited to get back out and practice!” Natalya Lawrence, a program officer at the Environmental Awareness Group in Antigua, had just returned from an International Training Workshop on Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and Their Habitats. She was excited by her rich experience at the workshop, which was hosted by BirdsCaribbean and Manomet in partnership with local NGO Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña (SOPI). The workshop took place at the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico, February 11 – 15, 2019. The lessons, developed by BirdsCaribbean and Manomet’s Habitats for Shorebirds Project, help local leaders protect shorebirds in the Caribbean. Shorebirds, including sandpipers, plovers,...

Adapting to the warming Gulf of Maine

Fishing in the Gulf of Maine generates nearly $4 billion each year and provides as many as 100,000 jobs. This economy is threatened if we don’t understand how to adapt to the changes in species brought on by the warming Gulf of Maine. Manomet fisheries scientists Marissa McMahon, Anne Hayden, and Ethel Wilkerson will represent Manomet at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, Maine, from February 28 through March 2. This annual event is the largest gathering of fishermen, scientists, and policymakers in New England and a great place to showcase our work to sustain fish and fishing livelihoods in a changing Gulf of Maine. Marissa, Anne and Ethel will share information on Manomet’s clam farm work, black sea bass research, and...

A Planet of Hope: How Manomet and its for-profit partners are creating a sustainable 21st century

Meet the unexpected and unsung heroes creating a world where we can all thrive For 50 years, Manomet has been working to build a more sustainable world—for birds, for people, and for our planet. We believe that the for-profit sector is the key to this more sustainable world. It’s big, it moves fast, and it’s filled with people and organizations who are committed to solving the sustainability challenges facing us today. Join us on Thursday, September 26 to spend an evening with our insightful for-profit partners, like Cabot Creamery, Hannaford Supermarkets, Lyme Timber, the Massachusetts Food Association, UBS, and more, enjoying delicious sustainable food and drinks. We are proud to announce our guest speakers for the evening: Jimmy Bullock, Senior...

Getting green crabs on the plate: Meet Chef Ali Waks Adams

Manomet’s work with invasive green crabs in the Gulf of Maine aims to create a value-added product that would provide a new source of economic opportunity for fishers and coastal communities. Our focus has been primarily on ways to use the green crabs for food, modeling our work on the soft-shell crab fisheries in Venice, Italy. To achieve our goals, we need talented chefs who can take these tiny little crabs and transform them into appealing food that consumers love. That’s where our partner  Chef Ali Waks Adams, Coast Bar + Bistro, located in The Daniel Hotel, in Brunswick, Maine, comes in! Chef Ali has been working with Manomet’s Senior Fisheries Scientist Marissa McMahan for nearly two years to find...

Examining opportunities to create shorebird habitat on ranchlands

This article was co-written by Rob Clay, Director, WHSRN; Laura Chamberlin, Assistant Director for North America, WHSRN; and Monica Iglecia, Assistant Director of Shorebird Habitat. Shorebirds are, by definition, birds of shorelines. Although many shorebirds breed in grasslands and similar habitats (e.g. the Arctic tundra), a select group of species is dependent on grassland habitats during the nonbreeding season. Grassland habitats are one of the most threatened habitat types in the Americas because of conversion to crops (especially corn and soy), but also overgrazing and too frequent fires, along with invasive non-native plants (e.g. African grasses). “Grass pipers,” as these shorebirds are affectionately called by many shorebird lovers, include some of the most threatened shorebird species, from the most-likely extinct...

What we’re thankful for

The holiday season is an important time of the year to stop and appreciate the people around us and the experiences that we've shared. Our staff at Manomet has so much to be thankful for as we look ahead to 2019 and our 50th anniversary. We are especially appreciative of all the supporters, partners, and volunteers who make our work possible. Read on to hear from Manomet's amazing staff about what they are thankful for this year. “I’m thankful for the idea of Manomet. It’s the idea that our children and grandchildren will see birds migrate, will harvest wild fish from the sea, and will look up at night and ponder their relation to the stars in the sky. I’m...

A way of life and a path forward: fisheries here and abroad

I recently represented Manomet and the Downeast Fisheries Partnership at an international fisheries meeting in Thailand. It was an unparalleled opportunity to share our experience developing sustainable fisheries here in the Gulf of Maine and to learn from fishermen, scientists, policymakers, and managers from all over the world. The focus of the meeting was on small-scale fisheries, characterized by smaller vessels working closer to shore. Much of the fishing activity in the Gulf of Maine falls in this category. Globally, small-scale fisheries generate about 50% of the catch from wild fisheries and support 90% of fisheries-based employment. In the developing world, small-scale fisheries are the main source of animal protein for millions of people. In the Gulf of Maine, they...