Apart from the elimination of trees that comes from development, acid rain, and global warming, the greatest immediate threats to the forest products industry (fuel, lumbering, and maple sugar production, etc.) come from invasive insects: specifically the Emerald Ash Borer, Asian Longhorn Beetle, and the Wooly Adelgid. The adelgid is already in Vermont. The Asian Longhorn Beetle is 50 miles away in Worcester, MA, where it devastated 65 square miles, and the Emerald Ash Borer is 30 miles away from the Vermont border in Quebec, Canada. All are on the move, and global warming is diminishing the cold’s lethal effect on them. Therefore residents and visitors are urged NOT to transport any diseased wood and NOT to move any firewood more than 50 miles. Instead, buy local firewood. These insects could have a devastating effect on Vermont and other New England forests.

The target of the Emerald Ash Borer is obvious, and combined ash species make ash the tenth most common tree in Vermont. This powerful, tiny insect killed more than 40 million trees in Michigan because it heads straight to the cambium layer of the trees…the business layer. You can see its serpentine munching meanderings, which quickly girdle the tree, under the bark. Not so obvious to the eye as the much larger Asian Longhorn Beetle, the borer has a distinctive dark green color. Also distinctive are its exit holes, which look like a capital D, about 1/8” wide, lying on its back. The Asian Longhorn Beetle, on the other hand, prefers maples, although it will attack birches, elms, horsechestnuts, willows and, occasionally, ashes, Euro-pean mountain ash, London plane tree, mimosa, and poplars. The only good points about this enemy are that it is big and distinctive, and it works more slowly than the Ash Borer because it burrows into the heartwood of the trees and not the more important cambium layer. The larva is huge. The shiny beetle’s exterior looks like black patent leather with clear white spots even on its antennae. Its larval exit holes are round and about _ inch in diameter. When found, the adult beetle should be put in a jar and frozen. Then call toll free 866-702-9938. The infested trees will need to be removed, chipped, and burned swiftly.

The Wooly Adelgid was noticed in Vermont in 2007. It infects hemlocks, which are Vermont’s seventh most common tree. Hemlocks help with deer cover in winter, provide bank stabilization and prevent sedimentation of waterways, aid water quality by filtering pollutants and nutrients, and help fish populations by shading and cooling streams. Emissible oil spray in the early spring helps smother the insects and doesn’t hurt the plants. Serious cases of infestation might require insecticides, but whole forests are impossible to control, so early detection is essential. Some scientists believe the insect is spread by birds, as well as by wind and transportation of infected wood items, and are suggesting that any birdfeeders or birdhouses be positioned at least 100’ away from any hemlock trees, especially those that are already infected.

Citizen scientists and interested individuals are being trained and urged to be on the lookout for these insects. Report sightings to the Vermont Forest Biology Laboratory at 802-241-3609. For more information visit www.emeraldashborer.info, www.aphis.usda.gov, www.saveourhemlocks.org, www.anr.state.vt.us.

To see a series of humorous videos about a most serious pest, visit www.dontmovefirewood.org and especially “The Emerson Family Goes Camping.” You also can pick up ID cards and free informative fliers on these dangerous insects at the Museum.

Starting from the time their friend Ed Ruck found the owl in their Vermont woods, Jay and Valerie Jackman of Plymouth worked determinedly to have the magnificent bird professionally mounted and displayed in a fitting cabinet that would provide a stunning new diorama that would be unveiled at the Museum’s Birthday Party.

Under the Museum’s permit, Jay had Wilderness Taxidermy of Chester begin mounting the owl with wings outspread. Jay then secured the artistry of master painter Richard Emery of Weathersfield, who had painted diorama backgrounds before for Jay, and stunning wormy butternut for the cabinet from Thomas Peck of Andover. Wood in hand, Jay began constructing the case, planing and gouging the wood by hand to form the cabinet and cornice. While the owl was being prepared and drying, Richard began painting the background and making rocks and other items to form the foreground. Meanwhile Jay was coordinating other contributors: Valerie Jackman for help with staining and foreground supplies; Paul Putnam of Chester for help with delivery; Acrylic Design of North Springfield for a donation of the “glass” front; and Jeffrey Rubin of Plymouth for financial support. Upon hearing about the project, Kevin O’Donnell of Chester gave a donation toward the Museum’s taxidermy expense.

As a result, the Museum — at very little cost — was able to obtain a superb owl in a most beautiful display case to add to the Museum’s comprehensive owl collection displayed on the first floor. The Museum thanks all involved. Because of their talents and generosity, they performed a near miracle in a matter of weeks, and now all future Museum visitors will enjoy the same surprise!

Announcements & Items of Interest

Nature Museum is Twenty!

The Museum’s 20th Birthday party on May 23 was a wonderful gift to the community — a true jubilation with balloons, bubbles, and a gigantic leaping logo cake with ice cream. Around 250 guests, many of whom were first–time visitors to both Grafton and the Museum — came out on a glorious day to participate in a variety of fun, free activities at the Museum and around the town. The Chapel was packed for Troy Wunderle’s Big Top Bubble Blast with adults and children fascinated by the engaging circus performer, his amazing bubbles, and the obvious joy of young participants from the audience.

Later in the afternoon The Junkman, aka Donald Knack, gave everyone a new appreciation for found objects and their extended value in music. He then filled the White Church stage with percussionists of all ages who made music on recycled detergent bottles, hub caps, pots, window shutters, and other “junk” as they rhythmically sang about saving water and recycling. In between events, families picnicked on the Museum’s lawn, enjoyed games in the garden, and toured the collections.

Museum Board and staff thank all the many volunteers and businesses who gave their time and energy to help make the party such a stupendous success.

First Vermont Fairy Houses Tour At The Nature Museum at Grafton

Saturday, September 26, 11-4
Sunday, September 27, 1-4

• Get ready for the first Fairy Houses Tour in Vermont with Tracy Kane!
• Get inspired with books from our 2009 Reading List!
• Start collecting your own natural materials to help build a house.
• Take the tour and see houses and villages made by many different individuals, groups, and businesses.
• Meet Tracy Kane, get her autograph, and learn more about these special places.
• Then make your own house to display at the Museum Village.

Enjoy this fun for all ages!

View from the Board

As we celebrate the Museum’s 20th birthday we look back at the visionary people whose strong determination and clear direction brought about the creation of our organization. We owe a debt of gratitude to our founders Don Clark and Sue Hadden. From the beginning Don and Sue’s focus was to foster scientific wonder, beauty, and delight in New England’s earth, sea, and skies. This tireless dynamic duo used Don’s extensive personal collections as the foundation for the Museum’s displays and opened the original Museum above the Grafton Town Hall in 1989. Under the guidance of Don and Sue, and with the help of a committed board, the Museum began offering educational programs. So successful were their offerings that within ten years the Museum had already outgrown its home.

Once again hard work and clear purpose paid off as the visionary Board took a leap of faith and initiated a successful capital campaign to purchase the Grafton Grange as the Museum’s new residence. After extensive remodeling the Nature Museum opened in 1999 in its present location on Townshend Road. Over the last decade the Museum’s collections and educational programs have continually expanded. In 2008 we presented over 400 programs in 40 towns and touched the lives of almost 10,000 participants. This is a history of which we can be very proud. It is also good to remind ourselves that our beloved little Museum began with two dedicated individuals coming together with a passion for a common purpose. We certainly have cause for gratitude and for celebration, and celebrate we didl!

• By Bonnie Caruthers

Moths are often maligned as the pesky flyers around the porch light or, worse, closet and pantry marauders. True, most moths do fly at night or hide themselves away in dark places. However, our focus here is on a different group of moths altogether. Unlike butterflies and other moths, these moths won’t flit from flower to flower because they do not eat — at least not in their short adult life. These interesting flyers have no mouthparts as adults and are all about reproduction.

What are these creatures of the night that have a wingspan the breadth of a man’s hand, with colors and markings that rival those of many butterflies? What are these neighbors of the night that demand no nourishment, no sustenance? They are wild silk moths!

If you have been fortunate enough to see one or more of these lovely insects, it is not a sight you will soon forget. Due to their large size, some can be confused with our indigenous small brown bat. The most common natives to New England are the luna, polyphemus, promethea, io and cecropia moths. They are all of the family Saturniidae, which includes the largest in the world, the Atlas moth, hailing from Asia with a wingspan of up to one foot! The cecropia is the largest moth in North America — sometimes attaining a wingspan exceeding six inches. It is also well known in its larval, or caterpillar, stage due to its enormous size and colorful knobs (or tubercles) that adorn its blue-green body.

I am in my eleventh season of spending intimate time with these extraordinary creatures. I am there as they emerge from their wintered-over cocoons. I place my female moths out to attract wild males for mating, collect a handful of the hundreds of eggs each will produce, and raise the tiny caterpillars right from the egg. They feed for 5-8 weeks all summer — mostly on a selection of trees and shrubs in various habitats — as they grow to two to over four inches, are smooth to spiny, or are decorated with what seems like bells and whistles! I then watch in awe as they magically spin their silken robes for a long winter slumber once again. Of the 100-300 eggs these creatures can deposit, barely 2% will make it to the adult moth. They struggle with both natural and human-induced causes of decline. As caterpillars, they are prey to parasitoid wasps and flies and can succumb to a variety of diseases — bacterial, fungal and viral. Some are meals for birds, and in their pupal stage they are often found in fall, winter or spring by hungry mammals. Habitat degradation and pesticides also take a toll.

Nature’s checks and balances have somehow managed to keep plenty of these winged wonders among us. But there is now a new and serious threat. It is a tachnid fly, which was introduced in the early 1900s to control gypsy moths. The fly now attacks hundreds of hosts in three different insect orders — including Lepidoptera. Our native Saturniid caterpillars' size and feeding habits make them ideal marks for this multi- generational fly, which inserts its larvae directly into its host. Research is being done, but alas, few have adequate funding and resources.

There is not much we can do about the natural and non- native impacts, but individually each of us can take action to help these insects’ overall survival through their stages.

• Bonnie J. Caruthers is a naturalist, freelance nature photographer, and writer living in Walpole, NH. She frequently speaks on Backyard Pollina- tor Conservation, Wild Silk Moths and Native & Invasive Plants. For some up-close moth encounters, visit her photo exhibit at Strand Style Studio, upstairs at 55 Village Square in Bellows Falls, VT, through September. Or come to her program at the Museum on Friday, July 10 at 10:00 AM.

How You Can Help Gentle Giants ~ Tips from Bonnie Caruthers

• While some moths winter over as eggs on stems, the luna, polyphemus and io moths spin their cocoons that range from tight and hard to papery and then fall to the ground. These may end up in the compost pile or garbage when you rake and toss. If you can resist having a spotless yard, you may have more night flyers the following summer. Also you may not be destroying the overwintering chrysalises of butterfly pollinators, such as spicebush swallowtails.

• Some moths burrow into the ground and remain as "naked" pupae all winter. If you unearth one while digging, gently replace it.

• Avoid the urge to seek and destroy every crawly that nibbles on a leaf! Often the bigger it is, the more it may seem creepy; yet it may just be one of our Gentle Giants.

• Minimize or stop your use of pesticides.

Polyphemus moth. Copyright © Bonnie J. Caruthers

Cecropia Caterpillar. Copyright © Bonnie J. Caruthers

• By Rick Enser

…It’s easy to ignore the myriad organisms on which we depend. Most are small, unnoticeable creatures that we label as pests. But as we support local farmers and seek to sustain ourselves from our own gardens, we must remember that our endeavors would not be possible without pollinators…

Pollination is the essential reproductive strategy of the world’s more than 240,000 flowering plants – at least three-quarters rely on an animal to conduct the necessary transfer of pollen. The best-known pollinator is the honey bee (Apis melifera), which effectively pollinates more than 100 commercially-grown crops in North America….But the honey bee is not alone, and is not even native to this continent. For the millennia prior to the bee’s introduction, pollination was performed by a multitude of native insects, including solitary bees, wasps, flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, and thrips, as well as birds and a few mammals.

Honey bees were first introduced to North America at the Virginia colony in the early 1600s. Beekeeping moved slowly north, arriving in Vermont around 1720. At first, bees were kept in makeshift hives and allowed to gather and hoard their honey supply. In the fall, keepers would kill the bees with a sulfur gas and destroy the hive to collect the honey, hoping they would find wild swarms and restock in the spring.

In 1862, modern apiculture was born when L.L. Langstroth developed the movable-frame, top-bar hive. By permitting access to the hive’s interior, honey could be collected without destroying the occupants. Beekeeping flourished, and by 1900 Vermont and Maine led New England in honey production.

In 1947, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated there were 5.9 million colonies in the United States, but by 2005 that number had dropped to 2.4 million. Much of the decline has been attributed to the Varroa mite, a tiny parasite that lays its eggs in comb cells so its young can feed on the developing bee larvae. An infected hive will fail within one or two years.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) gained media coverage in 2006, when some large beekeeping operations in the U.S. reported losses as high as 80% of their hives. Many causes have been suggested for CCD, including…genetically-modified crops, malnutrition, and use of synthetic pesticides….Experts are now saying that CCD is more likely caused by a combination of factors that stress and weaken a colony to the point of collapse. Among these stressors are malnutrition, long-distance transport of hives, Varroa mites, viral infections, other diseases (such as American Foul Brood), and the use of chemicals to control these pathogens.

According to Steve Parise, the VT State Apiculturist, CCD has not yet been reported in Vermont. “The decline of honey bees,” he reports, “has not been as evident here, and the number of beekeepers [about 1,600] and annual production of honey [500,000 pounds] has remained fairly constant the past few years.” This brighter picture speaks to good hive husbandry practiced by many VT beekeepers, most of whom keep fewer than five hives. Also, many have adopted an organic approach that, in Ross Conrad’s view, “reduces stress on the bees, and is why organic beekeepers seem to be faring better during these times of such devastating losses elsewhere.”

Still, Vermont’s beekeepers must remain diligent in protecting themselves from losses caused by Varroa mites...many keepers are breeding their own replacement stock with bees resistant to mite and viral problems…

Although honey bees are faring relatively well in Vermont, there is growing concern about wild pollinators. There are 49 species of bumble bees in the United States (18 in Vermont), and some have become commercially important because they function as “buzz-pollinators” – a bee that literally vibrates pollen grains from the anthers of certain flowers, including cranberry, blueberry, tomato, and cucumber. As an alternative to honey bees (which do not buzz-pollinate), several bumble bees are imported and managed for crop production, most notably greenhouse-cultivated tomatoes. However, imported bumble bees often escape to the wild, where they can potentially infect native populations with pathogens that arise in confined colonies. As a result, several species of native bumble bees have suffered significant declines.

In 2007, the National Academy of Sciences warned that “pollinator decline is one form of global change that has a credible potential to alter the shape and structure of the terrestrial world.” Landowners throughout Vermont can improve habitat for native pollinators by doing three basic things.

First, provide a diversity and abundance of pollen and nectar sources by planting flowers that bloom at different times during the growing season…Native or naturalized plants are best, since they have adapted to local growing conditions and native pollinators have evolved along with them.

Second, provide quality nesting sites. Because many native bees nest in soil, provide patches of bare ground adjacent to crop fields and gardens…. For guidelines for constructing nest boxes (and selecting beneficial plants) see the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation website, www.xerces.org.

Third, cut back or eliminate the use of pesticides. If chemicals are deemed necessary, choose ones that directly target specific weeds or pests, and make sure application methods reduce drift into natural habitats and are used at night, when bees are inactive. The Natural Resource Conservation Service’s website, www.nrcs.usda.gov, offers guidance on how to improve pollinator habitat through such actions as the creation of hedgerows and wildflower meadows.

Homeowners can also learn to tolerate weeds along property edges and allow old fields to repopulate with weeds and wildflowers. Simple measures like these will help perpetuate healthy populations of beneficial insects and ensure that the pollination services they perform in Vermont will continue to enhance our local food production for years to come.

The Museum is seeking donations – perhaps in honor or memory of a special person or event – to fund four items in time for the Museum’s Birthday Party on May 23.

• 3 unique 5’ indoor benches with arms @ $300 each
• 1 mystery specimen now at the taxidermist @ $350

Anyone interested in discovering more about the items or funding them should call Lillian Willis at the Museum.

New Mountain Lion Sighting at the Museum:“Catamount”

Many people don’t realize that the Museum regularly adds or rotates special exhibits that relate to the seasons or special topics of interest.  We also have an amazing number of specimens, mounts, and information in our archives that we use for school and public programs and that may be put out upon advance request.  While we have many supplies, we would also like to augment our resources to further inform, delight, and inspire our visitors.  We know that some members have, or know of others who have, appropriate exhibits that are display ready and that the collectors may be eager to share their interest by loaning them temporarily to the museum.  While exhibit space is limited, we would like to feature a different loaned exhibit each month or two and publicize them so people have additional reasons to visit the Museum on a regular basis.

Here are some special topics on which we seek small exhibits that are already mounted or framed for display.   Please note that some displays more appropriately may include more of specimens or pictures.

• Dragonflies and damselflies
• Spiders, fleas, and other insects
• Wasps and bees, their food, homes, habitats
• Flowers that are good, and not good, for honey
• Wool or other fabric dyed from native flowers or berries identified by pictures and names
• Herbarium collections of ferns; local herbs, shrubs, trees
• Caterpillars, what they eat, cocoons, and resultant butterflies
• Different breeds of sheep, cows, chickens, pigs and their special value
• Historical photos:  area landscapes then/now
• Amphibians
• Bird feathers
• Heirloom apples
• Mushrooms and fungi
• Berries edible, and poisonous
• Gems
• Arrowheads and rocks/they come from
• Invasive plants
• Artistic works interpret nature

If you have another idea or source of an exhibit you would like to see mounted, please contact the Museum.  We’d love to hear from you!

Summer's Here!

Members can visit the Museum and see new monthly exhibits at no cost and can choose from many free or discounted programs throughout the year, in addition to other benefits, such as receiving advance notice of programs, camps, and special events. For more program information, make sure to check the Events section of the Newsletter, or call 802-843-2111. Summer camps are filling up fast, so register quickly!

New Museum Director

On January 19, 2009, Lillian Willis of Chester, VT, and Ridgefield, CT, became The Nature Museum’s new Executive Director. She has extensive experience in communications, environmental education, volunteer recruitment, and nonprofit management. She is a past Program and Volunteer Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy’s 1756-acre Devil’s Den Preserve, Director of Communications and Marketing for a Connecticut Girl Scout Council, and Copy Editor for The Viking Press.

Her extensive volunteer work includes positions as a founding member and president of three nonprofits: the Six Town River Board, which trained adults to teach river ecology to fourth graders in six towns in Fairfield County; the Discovery Center, a nature center without walls; and the Norwalk River Watershed Association (NRWA). Accomplishments for NRWA included establishing an interconnecting trail system within towns in the watershed and securing and managing an EPA grant for a project that created a model septic system ordinance for the state of Connecticut, as well as other publications for the general public that educate citizens and businesses on ways to responsibly manage their properties to improve water quality and protect natural resources. She served for many years on the Ridgefield Conservation Commission/Flood & Erosion Control Board and then was elected to the Planning & Zoning Commission/Inland Wetlands Board. A Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor, she has been the advisor on over 25 Eagle Scout projects – all have been concerned with trail or bridge projects on open-space parcels.

Lillian has received numerous awards for her environmental work – principally for habitat restoration, public education, and creation of the very first public Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Day held in Connecticut. An avid gardener, she has received awards from the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut and the Garden Club of America for her conservation and historic preservation efforts, as well as the Catherine Beattie Award for horticultural excellence. Her most recent honor was the first Weir Farm Palette Award from the National Park Service at the Weir Farm National Historic Site for her programming partnership with NPS, work on the adjoining NRWA trail system, and workday efforts to remove invasive plants. She also is the co-author of a cookbook and The River Book.

Lillian is “well aware of the challenges and opportunities facing nonprofits in today’s economic climate, but this small museum is incredibly imaginative and forward thinking, and bursting with potential. Its accomplishments at the Grafton location, at the Bellows Falls Fish Ladder facility, and through the 400 school, library, and public programs the Museum mounted last year to service 40 communities in Vermont and New Hampshire are very impressive. I look forward to introducing more people to the Museum’s excellent programs, enhancing its facility, engaging more volunteers and members, and expanding the Museum’s influence as a regional environmental resource.”

Museum President Laurie Danforth said, “The entire Board is delighted to have Lillian on board. With her environmental knowledge, boundless energy, infectious enthusiasm, and can-do attitude, we know that the Museum is in good hands.”

View from the Board

As we celebrate the Museum’s 20th birthday we look back at the visionary people whose strong determination and clear direction brought about the creation of our organization. We owe a debt of gratitude to our founders Don Clark and Sue Hadden. From the beginning Don and Sue’s focus was to foster scientific wonder, beauty, and delight in New England’s earth, sea, and skies. This tireless dynamic duo used Don’s extensive personal collections as the foundation for the Museum’s displays and opened the original Museum above the Grafton Town Hall in 1989. Under the guidance of Don and Sue, and with the help of a committed board, the Museum began offering educational programs. So successful were their offerings that within ten years the Museum had already outgrown its home.

Once again hard work and clear purpose paid off as the visionary Board took a leap of faith and initiated a successful capital campaign to purchase the Grafton Grange as the Museum’s new residence. After extensive remodeling the Nature Museum opened in 1999 in its present location on Townshend Road. Over the last decade the Museum’s collections and educational programs have continually expanded. In 2008 we presented over 400 programs in 40 towns and touched the lives of almost 10,000 participants. This is a history of which we can be very proud. It is also good to remind ourselves that our beloved little Museum began with two dedicated individuals coming together with a passion for a common purpose. We certainly have cause for gratitude and for celebration, and celebrate we didl!

If you haven’t seen it already, the staff and the board highly recommend this TV series that you can now find on DVD to purchase or to rent. This gorgeous and inspirational 11 part series was more than 5 years in the making. This DVD will amaze viewers with never-before-seen animal behaviors, startling views of locations captured by cameras for the first time, and unprecedented high-definition production techniques. Award-winning actress and conservationist Sigourney Weaver is the series narrator.

Hartness Park is an 85 acre tract of land owned by the Town of Springfield and is located off Woodbury Road. The park is criss-crossed by many old roads which make wonderful walking trails which will take you to varied habitats. Along the top ridge, there is evidence of the 1938 hurricane which destroyed most of the larger trees at that time. There are also picnic areas within the park. Access is available opposite East School on Summer Street, at the intersection of Summer Street and Maple Dell, from a cul-de-sac on Dell Road, and from Woodbury Road.

Have you heard the terms “phantom energy,” “ghost draw,” or “vampire appliances”? These terms refer to the electricity that many appliances and electronic devices use even when they appear to be turned off. Computers, microwaves, coffeemakers, TV’s, and cable boxes, for example, often draw small amounts of energy even when turned off to power digital displays and standby modes. Gadgets that use rechargeable batteries and plug-in adapters are some of the most aggressive “vampires,” because the adapters draw power even when the gadgets themselves aren’t plugged in. Phantom energy use really adds up- and is growing all the time. In the US phantom energy reportedly cost consumers more than 45.8 billion dollars a year, generates more than 87 billion pounds of atmospheric CO2 a year, and accounts for 5-10 percent of household electricity useage. What can you do about phantom energy? • Plug appliances into a power strip and switch it off when finished for the day. • To find out how much energy your appliances “secretly” use, purchase a Kill-a-Watt or similar product. You can also borrow a Kill-a-Watt meter from The Grafton Library or The Nature Museum. This device can calculate consumption for an individual appliance by the hour, day, week, month or year. • For a small investment, purchase a product like the Smart Strip Power Strip or the WattStopper. They “know” when an appliance is being used and disconnect the power when it is not. This is great for bundled electronics like your computer, printer and scanner. • When buying a new appliance, consider energy usage. The Federal Energy Management Program endorses an online dartabase of appliances and phantom energy use: http://oahu.lbl.gov/cgi-bin/search_data.pl. • Finally, perhaps the best advice is to keep it simple. When buying appliances and gadgets, consider if you really need all the extra features, those extra features may come with secret energy needs. The bottom line: By reducing phantom energy use, you’ll lower your electric bill and your carbon emmissions. By Peter Sniffen, Sustainability Fellow at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, ME; from the Fall 2008 Chronicle (www.chewonki.org)

Margo Ghia left the Nature Museum in late August to start her new life as a Kindergarten teacher for the Westminster Center School. The hard work that Margo has put into the Museum for the past 11 years is evident in so many aspects of The Museum that it is hard to picture this place without her. There are countless numbers of things that the staff will miss about having her here with us. As we look back at our time together we know we will miss her abilities as a teacher, her joy in the mysteries of the natural world, her leadership, but most importantly we will miss seeing such a good friend on a daily basis. The staff will miss her steady hand at the helm of the Museum but we are excited for her and her students as she moves into her new career.

-Betsy Bennett Stacey and Lynn Morgan

It is not unusual to attend a gathering here in Vermont and meet people of fascinating interests. The person sitting next to you might be a genetic biologist, a children’s author, a mural painter, a forester, a chef, a computer expert, or a serious birder to name a few. In our lead article Bonnie Hudspeth clearly illustrates the diverse creativity of local Vermonters who are using maple syrup in new ways. This article points out the abundance of imagination with which we are surrounded. We at the Museum are eager to bring together people of diverse talents. Do you have a special area of expertise or knowledge from computers to travel to vegetable gardening to green building to teaching science and beyond that you would share with our wider community? It takes a “village” to keep a non-profit afloat in today’s economy and more and more we are all dependent on our invaluable volunteers. Please consider sharing your expertise or passion by becoming an active participant in your natural resource connection right here at the Nature Museum.

Save the Date: May 28-29, 2010

This September, as sure as the leaves will fall from the trees, raptors from throughout the Northeastern United States and Canada will start to head south for the winter. This migration will bring thousands of raptors within sight, and often directly over, the top of Putney Mountain. As they pass by, a group of hawkwatchers will identify them, count their numbers, and send this data to the Hawk Migration of North America Association which compiles data from many sites. This allows ornithologists to study and compare migrations to past years.

The chance to see any of 16 species of raptors soar by, sometimes seemingly within arms reach, and often in large numbers, fuels the imagination and addiction that causes the volunteer hawkwatchers to spend many happy hours, often in difficult weather, watching and waiting. Throughout September and October, except for days with excessive rain, hawkwatchers strive to have someone on the top of the mountain to watch and record that day’s flight.

The Putney Mountain Hawkwatch is located on the ridgeline that extends across Putney. A dirt road transects the ridge and at the summit is the parking lot for the Putney Town Forest. (See the end of this article for directions.) From the end of the parking lot a well marked trail will lead you 3⁄4 mile to the exposed summit watch point. If you hike up to join the watchers, be sure to carry binoculars, water, a hat, and maybe even a folding chair if you can spend a bit of time waiting and watching. But do be warned, if you get to see a Bald Eagle soar by or a swirling kettle of Broadwing Hawks, you too may develop a desire to spend hours sitting, watching, and waiting. And truly good things come to those who wait. All of the watchers have a favorite sighting or day on the mountain which they love to talk about, but these days often come after hours of patient observation.

Perhaps the most often asked question is “When?.” When are they flying? When can I see them? When should I come? Although raptor migration is a natural event with wild birds of prey, years of collected data allows watchers to predict (with consideration of the weather) the arrival of flights. Because the Broad Winged Hawk makes up the highest number of raptors seen (some years over 3,000) and because they often gather together into large groups and most travel within a 10 day period, watchers know that between Sept. 10th and Sept. 20th on clear windy days, hundreds and even perhaps 1,000 raptors can be seen soaring in a single day. But in early September or late October a watcher is often rewarded with great sightings of Eagles (sometimes even Golden Eagles), Falcons and often 10 or more species of raptors can be seen in a single day, though perhaps not in great numbers.

Besides the opportunity to experience these soaring raptors, the hawkwatching also brings a chance to see the seasons change. I’ve never had a bad day at the mountain, even after sitting 8 hours in fog to see a single hunting Red-tailed Hawk. The chance (perhaps excuse) to sit and watch a small part of this amazing natural phenomenon brings joy to my heart and soul, pulls me away from the “real” world and lets me spend time in the natural world which, though often ignored, is vital to our lives.

So this September take a little hike and join us as we become witnesses to one of nature’s greatest show. The fascinating world of freedom and flight seen in these passing raptors. To find out more about raptor migration across the country, go to the Hawk Migration Association of North America’s website, www.hmana.org. There is a link there for Hawk Watch sites across the country.

To find Putney Mountain From I-91: Take exit 4 (Putney). Go north on Rt 5 into the town of Putney. In the center of town make a left onto Westminster West Road and follow for about 1 mile. Look for West Hill Road on the left and take that road for another few miles. Look for Putney Mountain Road on the right and take that road (dirt) for a few more miles until you reach the high point. There will be a parking area off to the right through the trees. Park there and then follow the dominant trail along the ridge until you get to the clearing. Walking time is about 15 minutes.