I love this time of year. After the exuberance of summer and the vibrant colors of fall, I’m thankful for the days growing shorter. The nights longer. Temperatures falling. Silhouettes of bare branches against a leaden sky promising snow. All of nature winding down. Encouraging quiet. Reflection. Introspection. [more]
An Uncommon Experience
It’s amazing how time flies! As promised, I’ve got a bunch to catch you up on from this past winter. About a month ago, I took a drive down to Pennsylvania to join up with a couple of colleagues and friends to adventure into the national forest to check up on some “eagle cams.” It was a cool morning when we jumped into the truck and drove down a number of muddy forest roads to our first destination. As we drove down the road, the tree line dissipated as we neared a clearing. As we crept up to the opening, a sudden...
read moreConnecting with Our Forests
While old man winter seemed to have taken a break this past season, we certainly did not as there was much work to be done! As you likely saw, we spent much of this past winter season getting into the field to survey for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae), an invasive insect threatening our local hemlock trees (Tsuga canandensis) and forests. Throughout the course of our field work and educational outreach programs, we not only had the opportunity to spread the word about this pest in attempts to slow the spread of it into our area, but...
read moreJupiter
Last night I put on my porch light and black light to see if any moths were in the air. They were not, yet – some have been already, though the conditions that night were not great for them and the temperature lately was not helpful. A chilly north wind kept migrant birds to a minimum, and I only heard a couple of call notes going over. I saw Jupiter shining brightly in the clearing sky. While Connecticut’s light pollution and my inexperience of shooting the night sky make it a little less pretty and a little more difficult (not...
read moreRainforest Adventures
Rainforest Adventures Works by Artist Jan Lutz September 9 – November 13, 2016 This fall, RTPI will feature works by artist Jan Lutz of Cambridge Springs, PA. In this unique exhibition, Jan’s rainforest theme will be depicted through original oil paintings of tropical birds, landscapes, and more. Jan is a versatile painter who enjoys painting various subject, although her current focus is landscapes. Her style may be described as tonalism, impressionism, or as a curator recently stated in a review, “philosophical realism”. She has been...
read moreWater Babies Continues
Water Babies An Exhibition by William Burt March 11 – June 5, 2016 For 40 years, photographer William Burt has chased after the birds few people see: first rails, then bitterns, nightjars, and other skulkers – and now these, elusive creatures of a very different kind: the Water Babies. They are the subjects of his new book, and a new exhibition to be featured at RTPI. As in Burt’s earlier exhibitions, Water Babies showcases a selection of the best works featured in the book of the same title. It features 40 museum-quality...
read moreRusty Blackbird Blitz Continues
Citizen scientists – the 2016 Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz is ongoing across North America! Have you been reporting your sightings? I am the statewide Connecticut coordinator for the Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz, running from March through mid-June across the continent and focused in Connecticut from mid-March through April. This effort to save the one of the fastest declining once-common landbirds in North America needs your help. You can see more about the species in the below two-page informational document about...
read morePiping Plover Activity
The Piping Plover nesting season is now off to a slow start in Connecticut as sub-freezing temperatures and snow, sleet and freezing rain have all been seen recently…with more to come! That puts a pause on our operations and the beginning of the breeding activities of our birds. More often than not they have been seen only foraging or sticking close together in small groups. However, we will still need volunteer help for erecting string fencing and signage around these soon to be nesting areas on the following dates at these locations:...
read moreGull Problems
High on the list of things I simply do not have time for in the spring is spending hours picking apart a gull identification problem. Even if I did then I would likely leave the gulls to the pros! With that said, I took a little time to see this bird last week. This individual was discovered at Long Beach in Stratford, Connecticut by Patrick Comins, Audubon Connecticut’s Director of Bird Conservation. He thought it could be a first cycle Thayer’s Gull upon initial discovery as it stood out among the Herring Gulls for several...
read moreBanff Tomorrow!
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Wednesday, April 6, 2016 7:00pm For the 12th year, we’re bringing the spirit of outdoor adventure and mountain culture to Jamestown! This year’s World Tour features the best mountain films this year, showcasing amazing filmmaking talent from the world over to an audience that spans the globe. The 2015/2016 World Tour features a collection of exhilarating and provocative films that explore life in the mountains. They highlight remote cultures, intense expeditions into...
read moreProject Wild America Youth Ambassadors 2016
Hi all! It’s been a while since I last wrote…there has been so much going on! First, let me catch you up a bit on what is coming up for this summer. I’m admittedly sharing things a bit out of order, as I have lots to tell you about our how well our hemlock woolly adelgid surveys went, the wrap up of our snowmobile cell phone tour, another recent publication, winter raptor surveys and a great winter season with some fantastic interns. I’ll be writing about all of these things shortly, so please stay tuned! Spring is upon us now, and we are...
read more
