Explore—Spring 2023
Ushering in Spring with Our President
The return of spring signals longer days, warmer weather, and of course the return of millions of migrating birds including my favorite, the Osprey.
| |
Bird Box 101
The icy remnants of a freezing winter are melting, animals are becoming more active, trees are budding, and birds are nesting. While some birds build nests on tree branches, shrubs, porches, and gutters, others seek or make an enclosure.
| |
Making a Difference Through Farming
For many families across the Commonwealth, a fresh, nutritious meal isn’t always a given. According to a study published by the Greater Boston Food Bank, about 32 percent of adults, or 1.8 million, experienced food insecurity in Massachusetts during 2021, with the highest rates seen for Latinx and Black adults, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and adults with children. To help alleviate food insecurity across the state, two Mass Audubon farms donate thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables to food pantries and organizations each year.
A Deep Dive into Whales and Seabirds
Amid the blue darkness, a massive figure rises from the depths. The jaws of a Humpback Whale emerge from the water, full of fish and plankton scrambling to escape. Various birds circle the 40-ton creature, vigorously pecking at the whale’s leftovers. When the whale dives again, the birds linger, waiting for the next meal to be brought to the surface. From spring to fall, people from around the world visit the coasts of Massachusetts for whale-watching.
In Your Words: Phoebe Klein-Taylor
My journey with Mass Audubon has been powerful and inspiring. It began when I was in preschool at Drumlin Farm in 2011. Then I started camp, and most recently, I became a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) at the age of 14.
By the Numbers: 40 Years of Bird-a-thon
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s a Cooper’s Hawk... add it to the list! For 40 years, Bird-a-thon has brought together birders, nature-lovers, and families for a friendly competition that celebrates Massachusetts wildlife and raises funds to help Mass Audubon’s conservation, nature education, and advocacy work.
Outdoor Almanac
Get the almanacs for January, February, and March >
COMING SOON—almanacs for April, May, and June
Young Explorers: Beaks
A Great Blur Heron wades into the shallow waters of a lake to strike at a fish. A downy Woodpecker drills into a tree to eat the insects inside. A Northern Cardinal shreds a sunflower seed it found on the ground. These birds are all eating, but in different ways. It all depends on their beak!