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]
From Field to Frame Artist Reception
RTPI is pleased to welcome the artwork of Michael DiGiorgio in a new exhibition beginning November 6, 2015. From Field to Frame will feature original bird paintings by the artist. DiGiorgio has a connection to RTPI, not only because he knew Roger Tory Peterson, but also because of his contributions to the Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America. Under the direction of Lisa White, Executive Editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, he was responsible for the digital enhancements of the art as well as the layout of the plates digitally. There...
read moreNeon Glow
These leaves have a neon glow! Taken before the rain and wind of the last couple of days eliminated a lot of our fall foliage until 2016, the trees have been hauntingly beautiful as we approach Halloween. What a fiery feel to the landscape. Please remember that if you can leave the leaves where they fall it is better in all regards. It will save you time, possibly money and perhaps a sore back. It will help the environment locally and globally, saving unnecessary pollution (leaf blowers to trucks hauling them away) and making your yard look...
read moreYellow Autumn
Even on the gray and cloudy days of late October there can still be plenty of bright yellow light reflected throughout our landscape. The brilliant golden hues reverberate through our forests as one last hurrah before the beginning of winter grabs at our region. Will we be retaining some of this implied warmth thanks to El Niño? It may be a record-shattering season for the Pacific Ocean which could mean we see above-average temperatures. This can actually spell more snow than usual if the Great Lakes remain open and if the jet stream steers...
read moreRuby-crowned Kinglet
This friendly little Ruby-crowned Kinglet finally let me see why they are so named after I spent so much of the fall seeing “incorrectly” labeled birds. Thanks, man! You can usually see the crown exposed when a bird is agitated or singing, dealing with a potentially dangerous situation or engaged in courtship or territoriality. In this case I was simply lucky to be in a good position with an extra-tame individual. These autumn gems are still passing through as we enter the final week of October. Enjoy some birding before we get to...
read moreAutumn Leaves
There have been a lot of bright pink autumn leaves to go along with the lemon yellow painted on the trees during this fall foliage season. The past week has yielded some gorgeous October weather. If you look a little closer you may end up seeing something other than a leaf flying off in the breeze – that is a Yellow-rumped Warbler flitting between the trees, one of millions on the move right now. Migration started strong again last night behind another cold front, and it should continue through the weekend. Good birding, and good...
read moreDickcissel (Spiza americana)
The highlight of my Sunday birding was this Dickcissel (Spiza americana). My friend, and terrific birder, Tom Murray and I had crippling views of this bird after we spotted it simultaneously among so very many sparrow migrants. It hid on us for about 20 minutes after we first got a quick glance for the initial identification, eventually granting prolonged looks. Persistence pays off! Patience (and sometimes a lot of silence instead of pishing) often helps when you want to a better look a specific individual. This bird of the prairies and...
read moreHawk Walk
Last Saturday the Aspetuck Land Trust held its second fall “hawk walk” of the season at the Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area in Easton/Weston, Connecticut. I tagged along to help find some birds and talk about the wonderful land, wearing my hat for both RTPI and as a member of the Aspetuck Land Trust Land Management Committee. I also happen to love the property and, along with RTPI President Twan Leenders, helped initiate and create a conservation and management plan for the site several years ago. In the below photos you can...
read moreTina’s Last Day – Carry on Roger Tory Peterson Institute!
I’m retiring. October 17th is my last day of employment with Roger Tory Peterson Institute. It’s been a great run – from interactions with visitors, (Remember the Birds of Prey exhibit when I greeted visitors with the “Raptor Rap”) to creating exhibit interpretation for student groups including “Why Wolves Do Not Make Good Pets” for the Wolf exhibit and finally getting the word out about Roger Tory Peterson and his revolutionary identification system through the For the Birds program presented in libraries and schools. I’ll keep an...
read moreHappy Retirement Tina!
We just want to take a moment to congratulate Tina Scherman, our educator, on her retirement! This week will be her last at RTPI and we wish her the very best as she ventures on to the next season of life. She will be missed, but plans to join us from time to time out in the field as we continue to carry out various conservation and educational outreach projects. If you stop in to RTPI this week, be sure to say hi to Tina and give her your best wishes!
read more2015 Annual Report
What a great way to characterize our work at RTPI! Not only are we celebrating the 60th anniversary of the publication of Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher’s book Wild America but we are sharing the excitement and wonder of their explorations every day and everywhere. Please see the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History’s 2015 Annual Report below or open the original high resolution PDF version by clicking here. As the sole official steward of Roger Tory Peterson’s wondrous legacy RTPI connects people with...
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