Category Archives: Natural History

Winter Botany: Marcescent Leaf Mysteries

Posted on December 3, 2018 by

If you happen to be wandering through Squam Swamp or Squam Farm as autumn gives way to winter, you may notice that while most of the trees have already shed their foliage, oaks (Quercus spp.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia) … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Forests, Natural History, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Shorebirds- Migration in Motion

Posted on August 18, 2017 by

by Elizabeth C. Buck It may seem like August has just arrived, and there is still plenty of summertime to be enjoyed by all, but our shorebirds are already thinking about fall migration. Nantucket is home to many nesting shorebirds … Continue reading →

Posted in Field Season, Nantucket Wildlife, Natural History, Public Use Management, Shorebirds | Leave a comment

What’s Ailing Nantucket’s Black Oaks?

Posted on August 4, 2017 by

By Kelly A. Omand If you spend a lot of time looking upwards in the forests of Nantucket, you may have observed something sinister occurring in the canopy of our black oak (Quercus velutina) trees. When first noticed several years … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Field Season, Forests, Native Plants, Natural History, Research by Collaborators, Trees | Leave a comment

Celebrating Local Color: Native Wildflowers at Work!

Posted on June 30, 2016 by

A recent NCF “Mornings for Members” walk at Windswept Bog (free to members of NCF with signup)  highlighted some of our most beautiful native wildflowers. Natives are plants that arrived in a region without human help and in most cases … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Habitat Management, Nantucket Biodiversity Initiative, Native Plants, Natural History, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Botany Detectives: Exploring the Nantucket Flora in the Off-Season

Posted on January 5, 2016 by

Since arriving on Nantucket in January of 2008, I’ve found that the colder months offer some of the best opportunities to check out new places and get the lay of the land. With the summer tangle of scrub oak, grape and other greenery magically … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Native Plants, Natural History, Trees, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Winter Natural History Mysteries

Posted on December 20, 2013 by

Now that it’s officially cold and blustery outside, it’s tempting to stay indoors all the time and wait until spring to visit your favorite nature areas and beaches. But there’s always something to see on the trails, shores, and ponds around Nantucket. … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History, Nature Books, Nature Journaling, Winter | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment