The Winter Finch Forecast with Tyler Hoar – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series

North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont

This presentation dives into the art and science of the Winter Finch Forecast. Tyler will provide an overview of each winter finch species, their current movements, and where we'll expect them to show up in the Northeast this season. From crossbills to grosbeaks and siskins to redpolls, the nomadic movements of winter finches depends on the interplay of weather, cone production, insect distributions, logging regimes, and more. This talk will also share a brief history of the Winter Finch Forecast, how it’s compiled and goals going forward.

Willow: A Beaver’s Tale with Patti Smith – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series

North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont

Follow the life of Willow, the remarkable matriarch of a beaver colony on a wild brook in southeastern Vermont.  Naturalist Patti Smith has spent over a decade with Willow's clan, documenting their trials and triumphs.  During this presentation she will share the stories, pictures and videos that celebrate this beaver and the world she created. Along the way, meet Terrible Jack, a lonely moose, and other wildlife drawn to the habitat created by the beavers.

The Real Dirt on Truffles with Rowan Jacobsen – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series

North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont

Truffles are the world’s most mysterious and expensive food, but they are also an essential part of the forest ecosystem, linking trees and animals in a web of relationship that extends from the forest floor to the human communities around the world that depend on truffles for their livelihoods and celebrate them in their culinary traditions. Join award-winning writer Rowan Jacobsen on this deep dive into the world of truffles, from Italy and Istria to the wilds of the Northeast.