Ursula Valdez, PhD

The past year, I have embarked on a local research project that has also been incorporated in my ecological methods and natural history courses. I have conducted seasonal surveys along restored wetlands of UW Bothell, as well as North Creek Forest (I collaborate with local non-profit Friends of North Creek Forest, and serve as member of their research committee).  

 

My goal is to determine the diversity and composition of local avian communities, to assess the impacts of habitat restoration on bird populations, and to characterize the species interactions that involve birds. In the future, I would also like to capture birds and conduct spatial ecology studies as I did before.  Doing local research has also been a great opportunity to train and initiate undergraduate students into research. So far, we have documented 58 species of birds (residents and migratory), and we are mapping territories of the established species/individuals. For example, in the UW Wetlands area we have mapped 6 territories of Anna’s Hummingbirds that have been maintained along the entire year. Interestingly, I have observed territorial intrusions of Rufous Hummingbirds (a migratory species) during late spring and summer, which brings up another research question that focusses on these two species interactions.  An interesting collaboration for this monitoring project has developed with the participation of a colleague from UWB STEM, in particular with the Geo Database Project, and with his help we have developed a cell phone application that collects bird survey data and feeds it directly into a database. We are currently testing this application, and it seems that it is going to improve greatly the efficiency of field data collection.

 

I have also started an exploration of the impact of restoration efforts on bird populations and, in particular, those by the UW-Restoration Ecology Network (REN). A student and I dedicated several months in 2017 (late Winter, Spring and Summer) to study avian diversity and patterns of activity in three types of REN sites. Preliminary results showed that sites that were restored 6-10 years ago harbor higher diversity of avian species compared to those sites that were restored 3-5 and 0-1 years ago. This is a project that will be continued by another student in the following months, and we hope to extend it to a higher number of sites and years. I am also interested in studying the interactions of local avian species with invasive species in local wetlands. During summer surveys, I observed Annas’ Hummingbirds feeding constantly on the flowers of the invasive Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis). I would like to recruit students interested in addressing the impact of this species on the diet and territory distribution of Anna’s Hummingbirds and how that could be affecting the interaction with native plants.

 

Another research possibility that I would like to pursue with the involvement of students is to look at the role of urban vegetable gardens in the ecology of avian communities. I have been documenting bird diversity in local P-patch community gardens and more recently observing avian activity in the UWB garden. For example, on several occasions I have observed Bushtit flocks feeding on aphids established on kale plants. I am intrigued by the question of what bird species may have a key role in controlling pests in urban gardens. This project would be incorporated in my teaching and would be a great opportunity for students interested in avian ecology research. This project would also be a great opportunity to partner with urban farmers or conservation organizations interested in finding ways to create habitats that attract those beneficial species.

 

Finally, due to my interest in avian populations in urban environments, I have partnered with Dr. Susan Wilson of St. Lawrence University, who is planning a countrywide study to assess the efficiency of a novel cat collar to prevent the killing of birds in urban settings. If funding is awarded this collaboration will be included in my ecological methods class and performed in collaboration with local citizens, Friends of North Creek Forest, and other local partners.