A Giant Leap Northward for a Butterfly
Our study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution this week shows an unusually rapid northward range shift by the Eastern Giant Swallowtail.
Field Guide to March 2021
In early March, snowbanks and frosty mornings remind us it’s still winter–but by month’s end longer days and warmer winds prevail. On March 20, the vernal equinox marks the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Here are some signs of spring to look for in the natural world to tide you over until warmer weather truly arrives.
Loon Rescue in January on Maidstone Lake
On January 28, Eric Hanson received an email about a loon in distress on snow- and ice-covered Maidstone Lake in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Read on for details about this loon rescue, written by VCE volunteers.
Field Guide to February 2021
Even though there’s lots more winter ahead, February heralds hints of spring around the corner. From Star-nosed Moles to returning Red-winged Blackbirds, this month’s field guide to wildlife around you is sure to keep your spirits high, no matter what that sleepy woodchuck predicted.
A (Mammal) Big Year
Pete Kerby-Miller, VCE’s Mountain Ecology Technician, is attempting to photograph every mammal species known to Vermont in 2021. The gauntlet has been thrown down!
2020: an Unforgettable Year for Birding in Norwich
Birders in Norwich pulled out all the stops during 2020, documenting 190 species in a year that is unlikely to ever be rivaled. Yet, the 2021 challenge flag is down with a call for 195 species, 2,500 eBird checklists, and at least 5 new species. Join the Norwich 2021 Bird Quest!
Vermont Birders Rally During 10th Annual eBird County Quest
From the first day of 2020 when eBirders reported an incredible 81 bird species, to the discovery of a Crested Caracara in Woodstock, Vermont birders scoured fields and fens, mountains and meadows, lakes and lawns to find as many bird species as possible during the 10th annual Vermont eBird County Quest. In the process, they also collected invaluable data for science and conservation.
Naturalists Help the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist Build Biodiversity Big Data in 2020
From the first observation of 2020, a Gray Fox still celebrating the New Year at 4:30 AM, to Great Mullein leaves poking out of the snow shared at twilight on the last day of the year, naturalists added nearly 175,000 biodiversity records to our rapidly growing database of life in Vermont. Read on for highlights from an amazing year!
Embracing the Community: It’s time to take the “citizen” out of citizen science
VCE takes another step toward our commitment to making our organization more inclusive and welcoming.
Field Guide to January 2021
Although the days are slowly growing longer, life in the Northeast now finds itself in the coldest depths of winter. January is about survival. Wildlife that doesn’t migrate adapts instead in order to make it to spring. Here’s a few tidbits of natural history happening outdoors this month around you.
Craig Provost: A Birding Quest for the Ages
In June 2020, lifelong birder Craig Provost achieved an extraordinary milestone that precious few Vermont birders will ever realize, becoming just the second person in history to document 150 species in all of Vermont’s 14 counties, each within a single calendar year!
Big Biodiversity Data Now at Your Fingertips
The Vermont Center for Ecostudies launched an ambitious online project that allows anyone to explore vast amounts of data on biodiversity across the Green Mountain State. Now released as a…
