Friday the 13th Brings Good Luck on Puerto Rico
Nearly a month into VCE’s Bicknell’s Thrush field surveys on Puerto Rico, our quarry has finally revealed itself.
Counting Vermont’s Crows
Vermont has two species of crows, and one is very scarce and tricky to identify with certainty.
‘Nature’s Medicine Cabinet’ Helps Bumble Bees Reduce Disease Load
Researchers studying the interaction between plants, pollinators and parasites report that in recent experiments, bees infected with a common intestinal parasite had reduced parasite levels in their guts after seven days if the bees also consumed natural toxins present in plant nectar.
iNaturalist Vermont January Photo-observation of the Month
Congratulations to iNaturalist Vermont user “rebelgirl73” for winning the January photo-observation of the month. Her image of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) staring at us in a snow covered field won by…
A Field Guide to February
On February 5, wildlife and the rest of us here in New England crossed a threshold – arbitrary yet not insignificant: 10 hours of daylight. You can sense it when you head out in the morning: Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals and European Starlings are among birds breaking out into song. Even though we’ve got lots more winter, we’ve also got change. So here’s a Field Guide to February.
Angels Trump Bicknell’s
Four days of scrambling up and down wet forested slopes on Puerto Rico. Nasal, piercing calls of Bicknell’s Thrush emanating from my small, handheld speaker. Ears on high alert for at least a muted response. Many miles logged from the western mountains of Maricao to the eastern ridges of Carite State Forest. No Bicknell’s Thrush, not yet anyway, but… angels appeared.
Outdoor Radio: Exploring the Trees On Vermont’s Highest Peak
When you’re on a ski lift or hiking up one of Vermont’s mountains see if you can spot the different forest types while you climb up the mountainside. Outdoor Radio hosts Sara Zahendra and Kent McFarland recently rode the gondola at Stowe Mountain Resort to check out the trees on Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield. Join them on their trip and learn about mountain trees.
Off to the Races with Vermont eBird
Just about everyone who enters their bird data on Vermont eBird, a project of the Vermont Atlas of Life, is no doubt aware that some species can be identified in the field to recognizable races, Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted flickers or Eastern and Western Palm warblers are well-known examples. Although some species can be easily separated into races (but by no means all of them! Some are quite tricky.), many observers do not record their birds down to race when possible. But we really should when we can. Here’s why…
Among the Machetes
The world’s largest machete collection and Bicknell’s Thrush might seem to share little in common. However, the evening of January 18 saw VCE kick off our project to survey Bicknell’s Thrush across Puerto Rico, amidst the planet’s reputedly greatest assemblage of these age-old cutting tools.
Finding New Vermont Birding Hotspots Near You
Discover the best places for birding nearby or around the world using the Vermont eBird hotspot explorer. You can explore Vermont eBird hotspots in a map-based tool designed to provide quick access to all the information you need. Thanks to suggestions from Vermont eBirders, we have recently added numerous Vermont eBird hotspots for the main ridge and high peaks of the Green Mountains from Mt. Mansfield to Middlebury Gap.
Vermont Common Loons: The Limits of Success?
One of Vermont’s greatest wildlife conservation triumphs is the return of the Common Loon. From a mere seven pairs three decades ago, Vermont’s loon population has steadily climbed to 84 pairs in 2014. But in recent years, something unusual has been happening among Vermont loons.
Champions Crowned for 4th Annual Vermont County eBird Quest
From the predawn hoot of a Great Horned Owl on January 1st to a Hoary Redpoll at a feeder during the waning days of 2014, hundreds of Vermont birders scoured fields and fens, mountains and meadows, lakes and lawns to discover as many species as possible during a single calendar year. The 4th annual Vermont County eBird Quest pitted county versus county, birder against birder — all engaged in a friendly rivalry for top birding honors.
