International Experts Convene for Bicknell’s Thrush
Twenty-one stakeholders of the International Bicknell’s Thrush Conservation Group convened recently in Woodstock, VT to launch a revision of the 2010 conservation action plan for this globally rare and vulnerable migratory songbird.
October iNaturalist Vermont Photo-observation of the Month
Congratulations to Roy Pilcher for winning the October 2015 iNaturalist Vermont photo-observation of the month contest. His image of a Hudsonian Godwit, was the most popular photo-observation as measured by clicked ‘favs’.
Where the Bobolink Meets the Booby
The Galapagos islands. Fodder for Darwin’s theory of natural selection, home to sea lions and iguanas so “tame” you can nearly shake hands, and the dream destination for wildlife-watchers who seek its famous specialized finches and the Blue-footed Booby. Add to the list: Bobolink.
Warming waters contributed to the collapse of New England’s cod fishery
Even painful cuts to the fishery have failed to slow this rapid decline, surprising both fishers and fisheries managers. Now a report published this week in the journal Science links the cod collapse directly to rapid warming of ocean waters.
New Hampshire’s New 10-year Wildlife Action Plan Shows Gains and Challenges
Dozens of scientists and more than 1,000 concerned citizens contributed to the updated New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan, a 10-year blueprint for conserving nongame wildlife throughout the state.
The Vermont – Santa Barbara Birding Challenge
Vermont and Santa Barbara County are squaring off in a friendly competition to find the highest number of species in 2015. With only two months to go, the race is close, with 264 species in VT, 261 in California. Vermonters birders are invited to make a pledge for eBird in this winner-take-all contest. The real goal is to get everyone out birding and reporting to Vermont eBird!
Watch Plight of the Grassland Birds
From the fields of New England and Canada to the vast plains of Montana to the deserts of Mexico, grassland…
Outdoor Radio: The Phenology Of Fall
We all learned the basics of how and why leaves change color in the fall. But on this edition of Outdoor Radio, we take a deeper look at the chemistry of fall foliage and take leaf peeping to a whole new level.
A Field Guide to October
October is a month of change. The leaves slip from green to gold. Then, suddenly, they all seem to drift to the ground. “Stick season” arrives. So here’s your field guide to moments that you might not otherwise notice during these few weeks that feature yellow-brown hills beneath a deep blue sky.
A Lost Loon’s Saga Ends Well on the Maine Coast
From a roadside in Vermont to oceanside in Maine, completes her “trilogy” of blog posts about the wayward Common Loon she discovered in August.
A tentative first step towards saving Sierra de Bahoruco
Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, in the southwest corner of the Dominican Republic, is arguably one of the world’s most…
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept Announces Strategic Plan to Conserve Wildlife
MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has released a draft Wildlife Action Plan that lays out the…
Sex, Drugs and Bees: plant chemistry and pollinators
Many plants rely on flower visits by pollinators such as bees in order to reproduce. When bees consume nectar and…
Long Live the Queen!
Each year in the bumble bee kingdom, only a queen will carry the colony’s torch through winter to produce the next generation. Everyone else – workers, drones, and the old queen – dies with the onset of fall frost.
September iNaturalist Vermont Photo-observation of the Month
Congratulations to Susan Elliott for winning the contest with her image of an Autumn Meadowhawk.
eButterfly Visits the White House
This week eButterfly co-director and VCE research associate Katy Prudic is at the White House in Washington, D.C. where she was invited to a small White House conference called Open Science and Innovation: Of the People, By the People, For the People.
Outdoor Radio: In Search of the Endangered Timber Rattlesnake
This month on Outdoor Radio biologists Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra head to western Vermont in search of the endangered Eastern Timber Rattlesnake.
Bicknell’s and Blues Highlight VCE Wrap-up Mansfield Visit
VCE’s 2015 wrap-up visit to our long-term Mt. Mansfield study site featured a strong showing by Bicknell’s Thrushes and Black-throated Blue Warblers.
Common Loons and Peregrine Falcons Post Record Breeding Season in Vermont
Ten years after they were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list, two of Vermont’s most cherished bird species continued to expand their populations in 2015. Loons and peregrine falcons both nested in record numbers this summer.
Plight of the Grassland Birds
From the fields of New England and Canada to the vast plains of Montana to the deserts of Mexico, grassland birds are losing their habitats at an alarming rate. VCE is co-hosting a special pre-screening of this documentary on Thursday, September 24th at 7 pm in the Moore Psychology Building at Dartmouth College, Room B023.
Unsolved (Murder?) Mysteries on the Canadian Border: The case of two loon disappearances
Summer is often the time people head to the beach or hammock to read stories that take them away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. And this summer, even loons were part of the mystery stories.
August iNaturalist Vermont Photo-observation of the Month
Congratulations to Roy Pilcher for winning the August 2015 iNaturalist Vermont photo-observation of the month contest.
A Wayward Loon’s Rescue: Update No. 1
The rescued Common Loon chick — nick-named “Little Guy” — is making progress at a rehab center in Maine.
From Roadside to Rescue: A Tale of Determination and a Lost Loon
A chance encounter on a Vermont roadside — and the uplifting story of an errant Common Loon chick.
Vermont eBird Update
A lot of exciting developments have happened recently with Vermont eBird and we wanted to share those with you, as well as express our gratitude and appreciation for all that you Vermont eBirders have helped bring to life.
Historic Spring Bird Sightings Digitized at Record Pace
Just over 3 months ago we announced an exciting new web site that allowed us to connect with volunteers virtually to help us enter thousands of historic bird records that only existed on paper. Volunteers have digitized thousands of pages of spring bird records. We’re 90% done. The final push is on!
VCE Embraces Open Science
A mostly quiet revolution is taking place in science. Only fragments of the debate have surfaced in the popular media, and even many scientists appear largely unaware of the impending sea change.
Composting and Bears: Adjusting to Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law
Bears may be attracted to human food sources, so a few steps must be taken to reduce problems between bears and people.
Rainbows and Slug Sex
Double rainbows and slug copulation constitute our light, summertime blog viewing this week. We’re not claiming the two are related (but we’re not ruling it out, either).
An Historic Collaboration for Birds on Hispaniola
An historic collaboration between Haiti and the Dominican Republic promises to build a better future for bird conservation on Hispaniola.
