August 31, 2007

With summer camp a few weeks behind us, it is time to share some of the natural wonders we have witnessed with our campers:

Black Swallowtail emerging from chrysalis (click here for pictures)
Northern Dusky Salamander guarding eggs
Great Blue Heron flying along the river
Spring and Two-lined Salamanders
American Toad secreting from Paratoid glands
Pitcher Plants, Sundew, and other unique bog flora
...And More!

August 29, 2007

Chip, Sandal, Amelia, and Larry took a field trip to Peecham Bog, and found Common Gartersnakes, Pitcher Plants, Labrador Tea, Cranberry, and more

August 2, 2007

It's been a great year for Peregrine Falcons in Vermont. The Marshfield Mountain pair, which NBNC staff and volunteers monitored successfully fledged one chick. This report is courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation in Vermont.

Preliminary Statistics:
Territorial Pairs: 35 (new record)
Nesting Pairs: 31 (new record)
Successful Pairs: 23 (74%)
Fledglings: 56 (up from 45 last year)

Site by Site Results:
1. Arrowhead Mt (Milton) - failed
2. Bald Mt (W Haven) - 2
3. Barnet Roadcut (Barnet) - 1
4. Belvidere Mt Quarry (Lowell) - 4
5. Benson Ledges (Benson) - 3
6. Bird Mt (Ira) - 3
7. Bolton Notch (Bolton) -4
8. Bone Mt (Bolton) - 1
9. Bristol Cliffs (Bristol) - 2 (min)
10. Brousseau Mt (Averill) - territorial pair
11. Checkerberry Ledge (Bakersfield) - failed
12. Crystal Lake (Barton) - 4
13. Deer Leap (Bristol) - 3
14. Elephant Mt (Bristol) -3
15. Fairlee Palisades (Fairlee) - renest failed
16. Haystack Mt (Pawlet) - failed
17. Hazen*s Notch (Lowell) - 3
18. Highgate Cliffs (Highgate Springs) - 4
19. Jobs Mt (Westmore) - 1
20. Marshfield Mt (Marshfield) - 1
21. Mt Horrid (Rochester) - 1
22. Mt Pisgah (Westmore) - 1
23. Nebraska Notch (Underhill) - renest failed
24. Nichols Ledge (Woodbury) - 3
25. Pond Mt (Wells) - 2 (min)
26. Rattlesnake Pt (Salisbury) - failed
27. Red Rock (Hinesburg) - 3
28. Red Rock Bay (Benson) - territorial pair
29. Sawyer Mt (Fairlee) - 2
30. Skitchewaug Mt (Springfield) - failed
31. Smuggler*s Notch (Cambridge) - 1
32. Snake Mt (Addison) - territorial pair
33. Swanton Quarry (Swanton) - 4
34. Vulture Mt (Stockbridge) - territorial pair
35. Wallace Ledge (Wallace Ledge) - failed

August 2, 2007

It's been a great year for Peregrine Falcons in Vermont. The Marshfield Mountain pair, which NBNC staff and volunteers monitored successfully fledged one chick. This report is courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation in Vermont.

Preliminary Statistics:
Territorial Pairs: 35 (new record)
Nesting Pairs: 31 (new record)
Successful Pairs: 23 (74%)
Fledglings: 56 (up from 45 last year)

Site by Site Results:
1. Arrowhead Mt (Milton) - failed
2. Bald Mt (W Haven) - 2
3. Barnet Roadcut (Barnet) - 1
4. Belvidere Mt Quarry (Lowell) - 4
5. Benson Ledges (Benson) - 3
6. Bird Mt (Ira) - 3
7. Bolton Notch (Bolton) -4
8. Bone Mt (Bolton) - 1
9. Bristol Cliffs (Bristol) - 2 (min)
10. Brousseau Mt (Averill) - territorial pair
11. Checkerberry Ledge (Bakersfield) - failed
12. Crystal Lake (Barton) - 4
13. Deer Leap (Bristol) - 3
14. Elephant Mt (Bristol) -3
15. Fairlee Palisades (Fairlee) - renest failed
16. Haystack Mt (Pawlet) - failed
17. Hazen*s Notch (Lowell) - 3
18. Highgate Cliffs (Highgate Springs) - 4
19. Jobs Mt (Westmore) - 1
20. Marshfield Mt (Marshfield) - 1
21. Mt Horrid (Rochester) - 1
22. Mt Pisgah (Westmore) - 1
23. Nebraska Notch (Underhill) - renest failed
24. Nichols Ledge (Woodbury) - 3
25. Pond Mt (Wells) - 2 (min)
26. Rattlesnake Pt (Salisbury) - failed
27. Red Rock (Hinesburg) - 3
28. Red Rock Bay (Benson) - territorial pair
29. Sawyer Mt (Fairlee) - 2
30. Skitchewaug Mt (Springfield) - failed
31. Smuggler*s Notch (Cambridge) - 1
32. Snake Mt (Addison) - territorial pair
33. Swanton Quarry (Swanton) - 4
34. Vulture Mt (Stockbridge) - territorial pair
35. Wallace Ledge (Wallace Ledge) - failed

July 13, 2007

The rescheduled North Montpelier NABA (North American Butterfly Count) was held today. A great day for butterflies, until the clouds rolled in mid-afternoon. And here are the results of our 8th annual count, which covers a full 15-mile diameter circle:

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail - 2
anglewing species - 2
Cabbage White - 31 Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 1
Clouded Sulphur - 3
Red Admiral - 5
Bog Copper - 30 White Admiral - 6
Striped Hairstreak - 2
Northern Pearly-Eye - 1
Acadian Hairstreak - 1
Eyed Brown - 14
Azure species - 7
Little Wood-Satyr - 1
Great-spangled Fritillary - 3
Monarch - 3
Atlantis Fritillary - 3
European Skipper - 107
greater fritillary species - 2
Long Dash - 4
Northern Crescent - 7
Hobomok Skipper - 3
Baltimore Checkerspot - 189
Dun Skipper - 11
Question Mark - 1 grass skipper species - 2
Eastern Comma - 1 24 species total

July 10 , 2007

Finally a day that feels like summer! The butterflies are happy to see the sun as well. Butterflies flying around the fields and gardens at the nature include both Baltimore and Harris' Checkerspots, European Skipper and Monarch. And yesterday kids during summer camp discovered a recently emerged Copper Underwing (moth) in one of their terrariums.

June 20, 2007

A NBNC-sponsored hike this morning up to Sterling Pond from Smuggler's Notch yielded some interesting birds, including both Bicknell's and Swainson's Thrush, Canada, Magnolia and Blackpoll Warbler. The weather was quite blustery and most birds were keeping a low profile!