Written by Rachel Garwin A week ago, I joined my friend Teage (a Field Naturalist alum) and a group of his UVM students on an “owl prowl,” Teage’s own euphonic term for a night hike. We gathered at the edge of Centennial Woods, where gauzy tufts of white pines and bare hardwood twigs strained the [...]
Archive for November, 2011
The Leonids Meteor Shower: A Pre-Turkey Feast for the Eyes
Posted in Uncategorized on November 16, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Written by Emily Brodsky The alarm went off at 3 AM. I lay on the cabin floor, my breath visible in the cold night air. The fire, which had been blazing at bedtime, by now had dampened to a few glowing embers. Imagining the dazzling show that awaited me outside, I resisted the temptation to [...]
Land Tenure and Perennial Agriculture
Posted in Uncategorized on November 10, 2011 | 1 Comment »
by Connor Stedman It’s harvest time in New England. Farmer’s markets are filled with apples, winter squash, root vegetables, and the final weeks of greens before the hard killing frosts arrive. For people who enjoy local food, it’s worth thinking about the needs and challenges of farmers while enjoying the bounty of the season. There’s [...]
Will You Need a Warmer Hat This Winter?
Posted in Discoveries, Seasons, tagged Burlington, Carly, Charles Corran, Isabella tiger moth, myths, old wives' tales, Pyrrhartia isabella, woolly bears on November 9, 2011 | Comments Off
by Carly Brown A few weeks ago I tied my laces, donned my hat, and set off for a long run down Spear Street, from Burlington to Charlotte and back again. Partway through my run I saw it crossing the road without any signs of hurry, proudly displaying its black and rusty fur: the woolly [...]
Curious Chipmunks
Posted in Wildlife, tagged chipmunks, Nancy, Sciuridae on November 8, 2011 | 1 Comment »
by Nancy Olmstead A month ago I was walking in the woods and it seemed like I couldn’t go more than a few feet without disturbing another chipmunk. The little brown stripe-y streaks were running all over the place, stopping to chirp and chatter at me as I passed. Don’t worry, buddy, I don’t want [...]
Natural Destinations: Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area
Posted in Migrations, Natural Destinations, tagged birds, Cathy, Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area, snow geese on November 7, 2011 | 1 Comment »
by Cathy Bell (originally posted on vtdigger.org) Every autumn, thousands of snow geese take a break from their 5,000 mile southbound migration to rest and feed at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison, Vermont. Journeying from their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra to their winter range in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, the [...]
Young Scientists Plot for Smart Urban Forestry
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Burlington, Forests, Intervale, Liz, UVM on November 2, 2011 | Comments Off
by Liz Brownlee “Wait until you see the accuracy of our plot,” calls the lab team. The four undergraduates burst with pride, oblivious to the prickling raspberries and thick brush that edge the Intervale forest. They stop me midstride. As their lab teacher, I’m fully equipped with aerial maps, GPS, first aid kit, phone, and [...]