The Ripple Effect: Wakeboats Pose Risks to Loon Nests
For many, current rules on wakeboats, which create ocean sized waves for wakeboarding, may not go far enough to ease concerns about safe recreation and impacts on aquatic environments. Loons and their nests may especially be at risk.
Vermont State Butterfly Proposed for Threatened Species Listing
For many Vermonters, Monarchs are a much-anticipated sign that summer is truly here. However, experts have long been growing concerned over declines in migratory Monarch populations. In December 2024, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officially proposed to list the species as Threatened.
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
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
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.
My Summer in Species: Illustrated
This summer, I worked with VCE as an interdisciplinary intern. By being able to dip my toes into a little bit of everything, I got to learn first-hand that there are so many ways to be a scientist, and so many wonderful subjects to study.
Field Guide to July 2024
The dawn bird chorus now fades from northern woodlands as the hills erupt in the sparkle and drama of summer insects. Dragonflies dart through fields and along pond edges. Moths and butterflies in all shapes and hues flit across the sun-washed landscape. In July, Vermont’s hills and valleys pulse with the rhythm of wildlife antics. Here’s a guide to some of the splendor.
Field Guide to June 2024
Here in Vermont, we dream of June during the darkest days of January. Verdant wooded hillsides glowing brightly under a robin egg sky. Warm afternoon breezes roll through the valleys as we lounge by the clear waters of a cold river. Choruses of birds wake us each morning. The smell of freshly cut grass wafts through the window. Enjoy this guide to some of the month’s delights as the dream of June comes true.
VCE Internship Supports the Future of Ecology
As an organization that strives to “unite people and science for conservation,” we recognize that to become stronger and more resilient, we must create a culture that embraces diversity and fosters inclusivity. With that goal in mind, VCE launched our Future Ecologists internship in 2022.
Field Guide to September 2023
It can happen almost anywhere. On a cool, foggy morning, when fall warblers drop from their nocturnal migratory flights into your backyard. Or on a hilltop when the Broad-winged Hawks circling above and Monarchs gliding southward convince you that summer is indeed coming to a close. Here is your field guide to some life on the move in September.
Field Guide to August 2023
The dog days of summer are here, hot and sultry. The Romans referred to this time of year as the days of the dog star, when Sirius appears in the sky just before the sun and marks the hottest days of summer. Read all about August’s natural wonders in this month’s field guide.
Field Guide to July 2023
The avian breeding season is winding down. Even a few southbound shorebirds will trickle through the region this month on their “fall” migration. But as the dawn bird chorus fades from northern woodlands, fields and wetlands erupt in the sparkle and drama of summer insects. Here’s a short guide to some of the other glitter now on the wing.
