Who or what is Dozer you may ask? If you had asked me that question a week ago, I would have had no clue, but today I can confidently say, I do!
While teaching one of my Introduction to Bird Photography masterclasses at the recent Morro Bay Bird Festival, one of the participants pointed out a long-billed curlew on Morro Strand with banding on its legs. I quickly took a few photos and suggested others do as well with the possibility of finding out more as far as where the bird came from, as well as potentially contributing to citizen science by assisting those that would have originally banded the bird.
When I got back home to Monterey, I started going through the photos I had taken with one in particular standing out. It clearly showed a band on each of the bird's legs, but also a small transmitter pointing up from its back. So this bird was also fitted with a tracking device of some sort! How cool is that!
Well now I really had to find out the story and decided to contact the Morro Coast Audubon Society to see if they knew anything or anyone that could help with finding out more. I sent two photos including the one with the visible transmitter.
I quickly received a phone call from Marcella Munson, VP of the society who was excited and thrilled that Dozer had been spotted, since he has become a bit of a legend in Morro Bay.
Dozer was banded and fitted with a satellite transmitter in May 2020 by the Intermountain Bird Observatory at his breeding grounds in Indian Valley in the West Central Mountains of Idaho, as part of a study called the "Curlew Project".
Long-billed curlews, like many other species are in decline due to habitat loss in their nesting grounds. Breeding populations throughout southwestern Idaho have sustained dramatic losses with declines reaching roughly 98% over the course of 40 short years.
This drastic decline prompted researchers at Boise State University’s Intermountain Bird Observatory (IBO) to track these birds with the help of satellite transmitters. This important research has not only helped piece together their migratory connectivity or “pathways”, but has also uncovered that breeding curlews on the public lands throughout southwest Idaho have been heavily impacted by illegal shooting. Curlew conservation education has become the mission of Heather Hayes, the IBO’s Community Science Coordinator and research biologist for the “Curlew Crew.”
Here is an in-depth story about Dozer from the university, as well as fascinating satellite transmitter maps showing his amazing journey!
