The many stages of a Shaggy Mane's life. From Left to Right: © Kyle Jones, © Susan Elliot, © iNatUser1794233, and © Nikolay Volik
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A Field Guide to November
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As leaves continue to fall and the first flakes begin to fly, the oncoming cold weather seems to bring nature to a standstill. On the contrary, there remains a lot to be discovered in Vermont during this transitional period! Careful observers can witness the tail end of migration as waterfowl and hawks continue their journey south, a few hardy species of butterflies and moths remain to further brighten sunny days, and avian visitors from even further north will begin to raid feeders across New England. Learn more in our
Field Guide to November
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An Upland Sandpiper displaying on top of a utility pole at Fort Riley, Kansas. / © Jason Hill
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New VCE Study Reveals Surprising Upland Sandpiper Migration Patterns
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Five to seven days of nonstop flight across an ocean, between continents. This mind-bending feat of endurance is undertaken twice each year by Upland Sandpipers (
Bartramia longicauda
) migrating between North and South America. For those of us who gear up for a two-hour car ride (complete with map and weather reports, coffee, snacks, and a queue of podcasts), a 20,000 km (~12,500 mile) annual journey seems almost impossible to comprehend. Especially when you consider that sandpipers are carrying nothing but the feathers on their backs.
Biologists have long known that Upland Sandpipers migrate between breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada to their wintering grounds in the Pampas ecoregion of Uruguay and Argentina, but via which course and exactly when they traveled remained a mystery… until now. VCE’s recent paper in the Open Access journal
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
unveils surprising new information about the species’ migratory patterns.
Read all about our findings on the VCE Blog!
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Suds & Science is Back on Tap in November!
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What better way to spend a chilly November evening than discussing a fascinating natural history topic with an expert in your favorite cozy tavern?
November 5, 2019: 7-8 PM
Bird in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season
Come early (6:30 pm) and meet other fans of science
Ever find yourself wondering (as you trundle to your bird feeders in sub-zero temperatures and often knee-deep snow), how in the world our resident birds survive each passing winter? Wonder no more! Come to VCE's Suds & Science event for answers to your burning questions about birds in winter.
Roger Pasquier
, an associate in the Department of Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History, will discuss his new book,
Birds in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season
(Princeton University Press, 2019). Roger's book is the first devoted to the ecology and behavior of birds during the season when every individual's focus is on survival.
We'll have a display copy of Roger's book on hand, and you can pick up a flyer to receive a 30% discount on Roger's book when ordered directly from
Princeton University Press
.
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Kevin prepares to band a feisty Eastern Meadowlark in Shelburne, VT. / © Noah Perlut
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Introducing VCE's New Vernal Pool Monitoring Program AND Grassland Ambassador Coordinator!
Kevin Tolan—Maine native, University of Vermont alumnus, and ECO Americorps member—has stepped into the split position of Vernal Pool Monitoring Project Coordinator and Grassland Bird Landowner Outreach Technician. An avid birder with a passion for conservation, Kevin will grow the community of landowners and volunteers who work with VCE to protect these unique and threatened ecosystems.
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Roy Pilcher, VCE's first Julie Nicholson Citizen Scientist awardee, birding the West Rutland Marsh.
A Reason to Give
"Conservation begins with documentation. As a citizen scientist, I have eyes to see, ears to hear, a camera to retain an image, and a recorder to capture birdsong. These observations are but dots on a map or numbers on a spreadsheet. Scientists connect the dots and make meaningful deductions from these observations. Here in Vermont, some of these scientists are the amazing field biologists of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. That is just one reason why I support VCE, and I hope you will too. VCE’s 2020 annual appeal is just around the corner. Won't you join me in
supporting their important work
?"
-- Roy Pilcher
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Bronzed Tiger Beetle (Cincindela repanda) / © K.P. McFarland
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Outdoor Radio: Hunting for Tiny but Ferocious Tiger Beetles
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In this episode of Outdoor Radio, Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra join Mark Ferguson of the
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
on the banks of the Winooski river searching the sand for tiger beetles and their larval holes.
Discover the life cycle of these remarkable insects and why they love and need sunshine. Learn how their larvae hunt from beneath the sand and how adults can move faster than their own eyes can see. As Kent says, "This is so much better than sci-fi. You can't make this stuff up!"
Listen to the show and see more photos on VCE's Outdoor Radio blog
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VCE and
Vermont Public Radio
unite the sounds and science of nature in our monthly feature aired on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6:20 PM, and again on Thursday at 7:50 AM. Frogs and ferns, finches and fish - anything is fair game for co-hosts Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra. Join us to explore and uncover some of the mysteries of our natural world.
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Photo-observation of the Month
Barred Owl Feeding on an Eastern Garter Snake
by Kyle Tansley
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Barred Owl feeding on a Eastern Garter Snake. / © Kyle Tansley
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Visit the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist,
where you can vote for the winner this month by clicking 'fav' on your favorite photo-observation. Make sure you get outdoors and record the biodiversity around you, then submit your discoveries - and you could be a winner!
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The Vermont Center for Ecostudies promotes wildlife conservation across the Americas using the combined strength of scientific research and citizen engagement.
Find us online at:
vtecostudies.org
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