Mass Audubon Blogs

Fall is a great time to see a variety of waterfowl as they pass through Massachusetts on their way to their wintering grounds. Brant, Surf and White-winged Scoters, and Red-breasted Mergansers are best viewed along the sea coast, while Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teal, and Ring-necked Ducks are more likely to be found in marshes or on […]

Attend an owl festival, kick off the Halloween celebrations, practice yoga, look for fungi, visit a bog, start nature journaling, and more at a wildlife sanctuary this weekend. Greater Boston Give a hoot for owls at Trailside’s Owl Festival on Saturday and Sunday in Milton. There will be owls, crafts, food trucks, and fun for all […]

A new special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that we need to make large-scale and rapid changes to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C, beyond which the authors say will bring on the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. The warning is clear, but we still have a chance to put […]

Our bird conservation staff spent the past week collecting data at Elm Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, our demonstration site for Foresters for the Birds. Since we’re using this site to show how responsible forest management can enrich bird habitat, we need before-and-after data to compare changes in vegetation and bird diversity. Birds See Forests For The […]

Fair Weather Birders joined me last week to explore field edges near the Nature Center and at Little Farm Pond.  Raptors were on display.  This red-tailed hawk glided in to perch overlooking Indian Brook field.  The brown feathers on the belly form a “band” that is unmistakable for identifying red-tails. Below the bird feeder, white-throated […]

Still no frost, not even a night in the high thirties. This is unusual, as our low lying fields usually get zapped in the last week of September or first week of October. We expected a frost last Friday night, and so worked that afternoon with 20 volunteers from Shire biotech to scour the eggplant […]

This Wednesday seemed like a mix-up with some summer day, as it was so bright and sunny, nearing 85 degrees by the end of our outing.  We went straight to the Parker River National Refuge’s parking lot #7. The idea was to try to see birds around the pile of boulders and cobble called Emerson […]

Fall is here and there is so much to do – we are looking for some new volunteers to join us. Learn more about Moose Hill, our mission, and our programs and events! Visitor Services  For a rewarding opportunity to experience the many aspects of Moose Hill and interact with our visitors and staff, join […]

While it could be argued that turtles, birds, and horseshoe crabs seem to preoccupy most of the sanctuary’s staff and volunteers, a wild organism doesn’t always have to qualify as fascinating fauna to get some attention around here. Among the most enthusiastic advocates of the sanctuary’s flora are volunteer naturalists Jeannette Bragger and Nancy Braun, who are often found […]

Just like that, another summer at Wildwood has come to a close. We wanted to take a look back on the 2018 summer, “By the Numbers”-style: 440—The number of overnight campers ages 9–14. 57—The number of Leaders-in-Training (LIT’s; entering grade 10) and Leaders-in-Action (LIA’s; entering grade 11). 6 —The number of states we visited with “Teen […]