By Emily Brodsky Just about when the leaf peepers begin flocking to the roadways to observe Vermont’s spectacular autumn foliage, an equally-enthusiastic set of nature lovers is trekking up the peaks to watch a different seasonal event: the fall migration of raptors. Also known as “birds of prey,” this majestic group includes the eagles, falcons,… Continue reading The Fall Migration of Raptors
By Leah Mital-Skiff I don't want to make any controversial statements about whether it is easier to be male or female, but it is tempting in this case. When times are good on the forest floor, Jack turns into Jackie and when the going gets rough, Jackie turns back into Jack. We could say that Jackie… Continue reading Jack-in-the-pulpit: The Forest Floor’s Hermaphrodite
by Sophie Mazowita A dozen eyeballs, dangling from their sockets, stared up at me on my last walk through the woods. I was strolling through the forest on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, seeking out plants for a botany project, when I came across the startling sight. The small eyes stood out from ten yards away,… Continue reading Doll’s Eyes
by Doug Morin I opened my backdoor and stepped into the yard to a flash of red and buzz of wings – a hummingbird. Maybe the last of his kind I will see this year, he perched on a small branch, tilted his head to either side, then flew off down the road. Here in… Continue reading Why do birds fly south for winter?
by Becky Cushing Frog legs, rabbit, octopus, sea lamprey: Tastes just like chicken. But a mushroom? That might take some convincing. Purple toadstools dot moist ground. Tiny aliens emerge from rotting wood. A stalk shoots from leaf litter on the forest floor. Like Alice's Wonderland, the damp woods in and around Burlington are splattered with… Continue reading Chicken of the Woods
fnepalumni.com 