by Dave Muska, NBNC Teacher/Naturalist Editor’s Note: Dave will be leading an Introductory Wildlife Tracking workshop this Sunday, Feb. 10. Just four spots remain; learn more and register here! It’s nearly 0° F in the early morning light. Alongside the edge of the dirt road, between the tall plowed banks of snow and last night’s…
Read MoreBy Zac Cota, AmeriCorps Member Teacher-Naturalist Each winter Mass Audubon holds the Superbowl of Birding, a 12-hour birding competition along the seacoast. Our largest youth team yet comprised 10 youth, ranging in age from 8 to 18, who honed their skills and shared their passion with other young birders from around the region. After spending…
Read MoreBy Zac Cota, AmeriCorps Teacher-Naturalist Article from the winter edition of our “Field Marks” newsletter A constant “toot”echoes across North Branch’s star-lit field: the call of the Northern Saw-whet Owl. This one’s not an actual owl, but an audio lure used to attract these robin-sized predators. Throughout October and November, our bird-banding station is reconfigured…
Read MoreWith sunny skies and warm temperatures, Saturday’s weather was a perfect day for the 58th annual Plainfield Christmas Bird Count. Forty-six volunteers from Plainfield, Barre, Montpelier, East Montpelier, Plainfield, Calais, Marshfield, Orange, and Middlesex totaled up a staggering 4,117 birds over the course of the day. This total, more than 300 birds greater than last…
Read MoreBy Mary Zentara, Forest Preschool Director & Co-Teacher Article from the winter edition of our “Field Marks” newsletter When you take a walk at North Branch Nature Center, you’re bound to hear bird calls and the burble of our namesake river. But just as importantly, your ears will also be delighted by murmurs of…
Read MoreAt a BioBlitz, conservation meets community, and nature takes center stage. We invited Dr. Steven Shepard of the Natural Curiosity Podcast to NBNC back in July, and we are delighted to feature his podcast episode about our Montpelier BioBlitz. Grab a cup of coffee, and listen to NBNC staff explaining the importance of nature alongside…
Read MoreBy Amy Butler * This post was written on October 28 for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Blog On a cold and blustery October morning in northern Vermont, 15 public preschool children tumble about their indoor classroom space getting ready for a morning in the forest. Winter coats, neck warmers, snow pants, mittens…
Read MoreBy Zac Cota It was the soggy sort of autumn day that we adults sometimes call “gloomy,” but the first graders at Union Elementary were completely undeterred. After studying the work of Andy Goldsworthy, famous for his ephemeral nature art, we set out to make some art of our own. Arriving in the woods, pairs…
Read MoreLast weekend a group of young naturalists traveled with NBNC naturalists Zac Cota and Sean Beckett to the Northeast Kingdom to explore Vermont’s boreal zone. We spent time birding, catching dragonflies, discovering carnivorous bog plants, and banding Northern Saw-whet Owls. Thank you to the Vermont River Conservancy for letting us stay at their beautiful new cabin in…
Read MoreNorth Branch Nature Center has a rich history of leading world-class expeditions to the planet’s wildest destinations. In 2019, join NBNC on life-changing adventures to Ecuador,Costa Rica, and Yellowstone. Whether it’s macaws in the rainforest or grizzlies in the mountains, witness nature’s most enchanting faces and places with NBNC. “The best part? Seeing the magnificent…
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