![Birder Broker 2021 Update](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Screen-Shot-2021-11-01-at-10.05.38-AM-280x200.png)
Birder Broker 2021 Update
After a COVID-canceled field season in the summer of 2020, Birder Broker volunteers were eager to get together for their three bird monitoring walks this past June and July. With 100 species documented—including 50+ confirmed or probable breeders—the season was ripe with exciting encounters.
![A New Tool for Exploring Vermont Birding Hotspots](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Screen-Shot-2021-10-01-at-7.58.20-AM-280x200.png)
A New Tool for Exploring Vermont Birding Hotspots
A few years ago on a long family drive, I remember stopping at a small rest area off an Ohio highway and submitting a quick eBird checklist of the House Sparrows and European Starlings around the parking lot and the Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures soaring above the Interstate.
![Leaf it Be — ditch the rake this fall to promote insect populations around your home](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/white-throated-2-280x200.jpg)
Leaf it Be — ditch the rake this fall to promote insect populations around your home
This autumn, consider opting for less intensive yard maintenance practices to foster more biodiversity in your yard this season and beyond. By planting native late-blooming plants, leaving leaves where they fall, and preserving standing rigid vegetation, you will be providing winter homes and food sources for invertebrates, birds, and other winter residents.
![Birds, Bees, and Trees: A Summer Working for VCE](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Eileen-Fitzgerald-sugarbush-e1630677187959-280x200.jpg)
Birds, Bees, and Trees: A Summer Working for VCE
From long days spent in wooded hillsides to early mornings on top of Mt. Mansfield, it was a busy—but exciting—summer for VCE’s 2021 Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern.
![Field Guide to August 2021](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/IMG_4406_2000x1400_acf_cropped-1-280x200.jpg)
Field Guide to August 2021
The dog days of August are here. Insects are buzzing and summer’s bounty is plentiful. But migration is underway alerting us to the coming changes. Read all about them in this Field Guide to August.
![July Updates from the Loon Conservation Team](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/5I5A9345-ad-wing-flap-and-ch-kent-pond-photo-by-paul-holmes-280x200.jpg)
July Updates from the Loon Conservation Team
July is here and Vermont’s lakes and ponds are bustling with loon-related activity, keeping VCE biologists and volunteers quite busy. This month’s loon update shares news of new nesting pairs and opportunities for getting involved.
![Heavy Lifting for the Loons](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/raft-placement-eloise-girard-mollys-fall-res-1-by-eric-hanson_cropped-280x200.jpg)
Heavy Lifting for the Loons
The first loon update is here and with it come tales of great strength. From flipping rafts to hauling signs, the loon conservation team has been hard at work preparing for this year’s nesting pairs.
![Field Guide to June 2021](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Swallowtail-KPM-280x200.jpg)
Field Guide to June 2021
Most of our avian migrants have returned, and the flush of spring ephemeral wildflowers is beginning to fade. However, new life abounds in June! Find out more in this month’s Field Guide.
!["Big Day" Birding](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Nathaniel-birding-WSB-Brian-Quindlen-280x200.png)
“Big Day” Birding
Read the captivating account of a life-changing “Big Day” experience by VCE staff biologist and accomplished birder, Nathaniel Sharp. You can experience a “Big Day” with VCE – join us for Backyard Bird Quest 2021 on May 22nd!
![Vermont Town Birding Challenge](https://vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screen-Shot-2021-04-05-at-2.22.43-PM-280x200.png)
Vermont Town Birding Challenge
Vermont’s 251 towns offer up a vast array of habitats and birdlife. Recently, Vermont birder Bob Heitzman accomplished his goal of birding in each of Vermont’s 251 towns, a monumental achievement! Learn how focusing your birding efforts at the town level can be rewarding in so many different ways.