• Posts tagged with conservation

    'Tis the Season for Loon Rescues—On Ice!

    ‘Tis the Season for Loon Rescues—On Ice!

    In December, a loon chick was spotted in the open water of Berlin Pond, surrounded by ice. It had likely failed to migrate earlier due to an abundance of food on the 200 acre pond, and now it was trapped.

    VCE’s Champions of Long-term Monitoring Count Up the Benefits to Conservation

    VCE’s Champions of Long-term Monitoring Count Up the Benefits to Conservation

    How does monitoring contribute to conservation? We asked a few of VCE’s leading proponents of regular surveys, and they explained how long-term datasets contribute to every stage of the conservation process.

    2024 Loon Season Summary

    2024 Loon Season Summary

    Well, folks, it’s that time of year. Lakes are freezing over, and the season of loon rescues, raft building, and watchful monitoring has drawn to a close. Here’s a recap of what our team of biologists and more than 350 dedicated volunteers found this year.

    State of the Mountain Birds Northeast 2024

    State of the Mountain Birds Northeast 2024

    The State of the Mountain Birds, Northeast 2024 report has landed with a thud on our proverbial desks.

    Field Guide to October 2024

    Field Guide to October 2024

    The month of October reminds us of the cyclical nature of life. Like spring, autumn is a season of change. The forested hills fade from summer emerald to a watercolor painting of red and gold and brown. Here’s your field guide to some moments that you might not otherwise notice during these few precious weeks that feature colored hills beneath a deep blue sky.

    Field Guide to September 2024

    Field Guide to September 2024

    It can happen almost anywhere. On a cool, foggy morning, for example, when fall warblers drop from their nocturnal, migratory flights into your backyard, and clusters of Common Green Darners congregate on a nearby riverbank. Or along a mudflat some afternoon when you notice a Spotted Sandpiper teetering and then darting after prey. Or on some wooded trail when you spot the first ruby red leaves among late-summer’s faded green. Here is your field guide to life slowing down and on the move in September.

    Weekly Reflections from a Summer at VCE

    Weekly Reflections from a Summer at VCE

    Working with VCE this summer has been immensely rewarding, seeing the animals I love in person and seeing how environmental disturbance affects them in real life. Birds hold a special place in my heart (I have a somewhat unattainable goal of seeing every species in North America before I die), and I’m proud to say I added 42 new birds to my Life List this summer.

    Smith Richardson Wildlife Preserve Visit

    Smith Richardson Wildlife Preserve Visit

    VCE has been busy this summer! In addition to asking cutting-edge ecological questions, we are also helping colleagues tackle their conservation problems. This summer, VCE conservation scientist Dr. Desiree Narango and the rest of the technician team have been helping Connecticut Audubon with a key wildlife preserve in Westport, Connecticut.

    Searching for Butterflies: The West Virginia White

    Searching for Butterflies: The West Virginia White

    As VCE’s Spatial Science Intern, I spent my summer working with community science observations from several platforms, such as eButterfly and iNaturalist, to create a species distribution model for the West Virginia White in the state. This model incorporated bioclimatic variables and host-plant distributions to reveal areas within Vermont that may be suitable for these butterflies today and into the future.

    24th BirdsCaribbean International Conference: Conversations and Celebrations

    24th BirdsCaribbean International Conference: Conversations and Celebrations

    Last month, two VCE scientists and our Executive Director Emeritus spent over a week in the Dominican Republic for the 24th BirdsCaribbean International conference. While there, they packed their schedules, sharing ideas with colleagues, listening to fascinating discussions, leading workshops, and—in Chris Rimmer’s case—giving a keynote and receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.