November 2016 iNaturalist Vermont Photo-observation of the Month
Congratulations to Ron Payne for winning the November 2016 iNaturalist Vermont photo-observation of the month contest. His image of an American Beaver’s incredible woodworking skills was the most popular photo-observation as measured by clicked ‘favs’.
Spiders in Winter
Spiders are “poikilothermic,” meaning their body temperatures vary significantly, more or less tracking that of their environment. The chief challenge of winter for spiders in the temperate zone, then, is dealing with the cold.
Outdoor Radio: Deer and Data
Biologists Sara Zahendra and Kent McFarland visited a deer reporting station in Barre during Youth Hunting Weekend. They talked with biologist John Buck of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife…
Two Mountain Birdwatchers Receive the 2016 Julie Nicholson Citizen Scientist Award
This year’s citizen science awardees, Mike Zimmerman and Steve Chorvas, have climbed peak after peak, year after year, helping to conserve montane birds.
Kent McFarland Receives 2016 Sally Laughlin Award
At VCE’s annual holiday celebration on December 6, our very own Kent McFarland received the first-ever Sally Laughlin Award for the Conservation of Endangered and Threatened Species. ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz presented the award, and Sally Laughlin – who inspired it – was there to share the special moment.
A Red-throated Loon Drops in for Thanksgiving
Last night, this exquisite bird was found in the middle of the road along Route 15 in Walden Vermont
Vermont Butterfliers Tally Big Numbers in 2016
Naturalists love a challenge. For years, birders have ardently (sometimes obsessively) racked up species via county or state lists, year lists, and Big Days. Recently, that trend has encompassed butterflies….
A Learning Experience
Amber Wolf (left) was our inaugural Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern. Her enthusiastic spirit embodied Alex’s deep-rooted interests and abiding respect for the natural world.
Measuring the Loss of a Thrush’s Forest
Scientists at VCE are using a world database of forest change to examine conditions of the forests on Hispaniola that provide habitat for Bicknell’s Thrush, and the results are alarming. Nearly 240 square miles of potential habitat has been lost between 2000 and 2014.
VCE Tracks Upland Sandpiper Across 10 Countries During Fall Migration
The results of our grassland bird research partnership with the Department of Defense Legacy Program have been eye-opening. This past summer we outfitted 15 Upland Sandpipers with satellite tags at…
Field Guide to November 2016
We call November “Stick Season” here in New England, when the woods are gray and cold and the leaves have mostly fallen. But it’s anything but lifeless. Bird migration continues. The year’s last butterflies flutter on a stray warm day. Learn more about November life in this edition of our monthly Field Guide.
Volunteer Spotlight: Allon Wildgust—Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
Sometimes volunteers do more than what is expected of them for a given project. Allon Wildgust is a case in point. Since 2010, Allon has been surveying our Forest Bird…
