March 3, 2017
I received a fellowship from University of Delaware for a full year of funding to finish my dissertation on food webs in residential areas! Planning to finish by Fall/Winter 2017 and will be soon applying for postdoctoral fellowships.
I received a fellowship from University of Delaware for a full year of funding to finish my dissertation on food webs in residential areas! Planning to finish by Fall/Winter 2017 and will be soon applying for postdoctoral fellowships.
January 6, 2016
I'm hiring again for the 4th season of the Nestwatch Food Web project!
(2) FIELD TECHNICIANS at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Location: Washington D.C./MD/VA.
Duration: 3-4 months.
Job Type: Seasonal.
Application Deadline: 1 April 2016.
I'm hiring again for the 4th season of the Nestwatch Food Web project!
(2) FIELD TECHNICIANS at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Location: Washington D.C./MD/VA.
Duration: 3-4 months.
Job Type: Seasonal.
Application Deadline: 1 April 2016.

October 18, 2015
Lots of news!
First, I passed my candidacy exams! After four grueling days of writing, 75 pages of answers, and 3 hours of tough ecological questions from my committee, I am officially a PhD candidate. I finish my last class this semester and will have about 1-2 more years of writing and analyses before I'm done.
Second, I recently finished TA-ing the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Professional education course at SI-George Mason Front Royal Campus. The course is titled: Species Monitoring and Conservation: Migratory Birds, and it's 2 weeks of fun, education, and hands-on activities focused on how to effectively monitor birds and analyse data. You can see some of the great pictures from the course this year by visiting the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation Facebook Page. The highlight of the class? Meeting 18 wonderful students (of course) but also this hatch-year female Connecticut warbler!!! Only the second one I've ever captured.
Lastly, a busy fall of meetings. I gave a talk for the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting titled: "Tri-trophic effects of non-native vegetation on insect prey and bird behavior". I got a lot of great feedback from other trophic and urban folks and my talk is also a finalist for the Urban Ecology Sections's Ehrenfeld Award. Wish me luck. Tomorrow I'm headed off to Winnipeg, Manitoba to be a panelist on a discussion about Bird-Invertebrate Interactions. Totally up my alley and looking forward to the conversation.
Lots of news!
First, I passed my candidacy exams! After four grueling days of writing, 75 pages of answers, and 3 hours of tough ecological questions from my committee, I am officially a PhD candidate. I finish my last class this semester and will have about 1-2 more years of writing and analyses before I'm done.
Second, I recently finished TA-ing the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Professional education course at SI-George Mason Front Royal Campus. The course is titled: Species Monitoring and Conservation: Migratory Birds, and it's 2 weeks of fun, education, and hands-on activities focused on how to effectively monitor birds and analyse data. You can see some of the great pictures from the course this year by visiting the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation Facebook Page. The highlight of the class? Meeting 18 wonderful students (of course) but also this hatch-year female Connecticut warbler!!! Only the second one I've ever captured.
Lastly, a busy fall of meetings. I gave a talk for the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting titled: "Tri-trophic effects of non-native vegetation on insect prey and bird behavior". I got a lot of great feedback from other trophic and urban folks and my talk is also a finalist for the Urban Ecology Sections's Ehrenfeld Award. Wish me luck. Tomorrow I'm headed off to Winnipeg, Manitoba to be a panelist on a discussion about Bird-Invertebrate Interactions. Totally up my alley and looking forward to the conversation.

July 22, 2015
Just came back from the AFO/WOS/SCO meeting in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, CA where I presented the paper "Behavioral Responses of Carolina Chickadees to Non-native Vegetation.
I even won a best presentation award from the Association of Field Ornithologists! Woot!
Just came back from the AFO/WOS/SCO meeting in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, CA where I presented the paper "Behavioral Responses of Carolina Chickadees to Non-native Vegetation.
I even won a best presentation award from the Association of Field Ornithologists! Woot!

January 10, 2015
Time to find a new crop of great technicians for the 2015 field season!
(3-4) FIELD TECHNICIANS at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Location: Washington D.C./MD/VA.
Duration: 3-3.5 months.
Job Type: Seasonal.
Application Deadline: 15 March 2014.
Click the link for more info.
Time to find a new crop of great technicians for the 2015 field season!
(3-4) FIELD TECHNICIANS at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Location: Washington D.C./MD/VA.
Duration: 3-3.5 months.
Job Type: Seasonal.
Application Deadline: 15 March 2014.
Click the link for more info.

May 30, 2014
Blogs, blogs, blogs! The Nestwatch Food Web crew will be posting interesting observations from the field on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Website.
First one here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/blog/?id=370
Second one: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/blog/?id=371
Blogs, blogs, blogs! The Nestwatch Food Web crew will be posting interesting observations from the field on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Website.
First one here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/blog/?id=370
Second one: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/blog/?id=371

February 18, 2014
I've added a page about a side-project I'm working on which examines how well different tree species produce arthropod food resources for migratory birds in Nicaraguan agro-forestry systems. Find out more here.
I've added a page about a side-project I'm working on which examines how well different tree species produce arthropod food resources for migratory birds in Nicaraguan agro-forestry systems. Find out more here.

February 3, 2014
On February 19, 2014, I'll be giving a talk to the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) on the amazing Rusty Blackbird, and the nationwide 'blitz' this spring migration to count numbers of this mysteriously declining migratory bird. Talks start at 7pm at Ashland Nature Center, 3511 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707
On February 19, 2014, I'll be giving a talk to the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) on the amazing Rusty Blackbird, and the nationwide 'blitz' this spring migration to count numbers of this mysteriously declining migratory bird. Talks start at 7pm at Ashland Nature Center, 3511 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707

January 29, 2014
I recently received a grant from the North American Bluebird Society to conduct a supplementation experiment within the Food Web Project framework! Thank you for your generosity NABS!
I also received a honorary student membership to the American Ornithological Society. I'm very excited to be a part of this professional society and future meetings. Thanks!
I recently received a grant from the North American Bluebird Society to conduct a supplementation experiment within the Food Web Project framework! Thank you for your generosity NABS!
I also received a honorary student membership to the American Ornithological Society. I'm very excited to be a part of this professional society and future meetings. Thanks!


December 10, 2013
Article highlighting my PhD research on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Website
"Study to Highlight the Impact of Non-native Vegetation on Chickadees"
Article highlighting my PhD research on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Website
"Study to Highlight the Impact of Non-native Vegetation on Chickadees"

December 4, 2013
On March 6, 2014, I will be giving a talk at the Fair Hill Nature Center entitled "Landscaping for Backyard Wildlife: Does Tree species matter?"
Description:
Although flowers provide important nectar sources for butterflies, a larger portion of their life cycle is spent as an herbivorous caterpillar. Caterpillar larvae are also an important food resource for backyard wildlife, particularly breeding birds feeding young nestlings. Many caterpillars are specialist feeders, meaning that they only feed on a small group of plants, therefore some trees may be better producers of food than others. Desiree will share some of her research on Carolina chickadee foraging preferences as well as talk about which species serve as food plants for caterpillars of butterflies and moths.
On March 6, 2014, I will be giving a talk at the Fair Hill Nature Center entitled "Landscaping for Backyard Wildlife: Does Tree species matter?"
Description:
Although flowers provide important nectar sources for butterflies, a larger portion of their life cycle is spent as an herbivorous caterpillar. Caterpillar larvae are also an important food resource for backyard wildlife, particularly breeding birds feeding young nestlings. Many caterpillars are specialist feeders, meaning that they only feed on a small group of plants, therefore some trees may be better producers of food than others. Desiree will share some of her research on Carolina chickadee foraging preferences as well as talk about which species serve as food plants for caterpillars of butterflies and moths.