Researchers found that deforestation in the New England area at that time produced significant soil erosion, increasing sediment delivery rates — the natural flow of sand and soil in water systems. The large amounts of sediment traveling in rivers and streams to the coastline spurred a significant period of wetland growth, leading to marshes lining the coast of New England that today are abnormally large.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/new-england-marshes/
According to traditional wisdom, they shouldn’t have been there at all. So much for traditional wisdom. They were there in droves.
Dozens of American robins visited my yard over the weekend. Their visits, unfortunately, were short-lived. First they gathered in the trees in the backyard. Then they dispersed, some going to the birdbath and others hopping along the garden or driveway.
It was nice to see the robins again, especially so many of them at once. Even in the summer when robins are commonplace, I never see that many together. Like many types of birds, robins form large flocks in the winter.
I was happy to see the robins in February, however I was not shocked or even the least bit surprised. Robins may be thought of as signs of spring, but each year many of them stay with us here in New England throughout the winter. In fact, some remain as far north as southern Canada.
They are often hard to find in the winter, but they are around somewhere — and usually in large groups.
With their feathers and down, robins are able to withstand bitter cold temperatures and extreme weather conditions, just like our other “winter” birds such as chickadees and kinglets.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/american-robins-visit-new-england-backyard/
Fall foliage in New England provides a showcase for Mother Nature. Perhaps nowhere else in America, and maybe even the world are the fall colors as stunning and spectacular as October in New England.Fall foliage in New England really begins in August. The shortening daylight hours trigger the deciduous trees to begin the process of shedding their leaves. It happens all around North America, and all around the world.
But in New England it results in a display of special landscapes painted with fiery autumn colors. Why is fall foliage in New England so different and special? It’s a factor of many things but mostly an abundance of different types of deciduous trees, warm autumn days, and cool – but not freezing – nights. When these and a few other conditions are all mixed in the right proportions, then you get the world famous stunning shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns on the hills and mountain sides of New England.
Mohawk Trail
View from the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts
Between mid-September to late-October, visitors flock to New England to see the fall foliage. Many take special bus tours or even train rides. But most take to the road and these six scenic drives offer some of the best autumn views available from anywhere on the planet.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/new-england-fall-foliage-six-best-drives-for-leaf-peeping/
Bird-watching is one of the fastest growing activities in America and Vermont. Vermont offers varied habitats and a conversationalist mindset to protect locations for bird spotting for future generations to enjoy. Here are just a few to whet your appetite.
Nulhegan Basin – Brunswick:
Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom is huge by any description. Covering an area of 2,000 square miles – it’s larger than the state of Rhode Island – and it happens to be a haven for wildlife and birding in particular.
Within the Kingdom and bordering the Connecticut River is the Nulhegan Basin. This area is considered a pristine environment to observe wildlife and in particular an array of bird species that includes: warblers, migratory songbirds, black-backed woodpecker, ruffed grouse, and American woodcock.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/5-remarkable-bird-watching-destinations-in-vermont/
Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II ship are illuminating exhibits on a major event in early American history. Both are places to stir the imagination and entertain your knowledge cells. At the Mayflower II you’ll discover first-hand all about the voyage the pilgrims endured, and then barely a few miles away you’ll experience the early and struggling years of settlement.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/pilgrim-life-at-plymouth-plantation-and-mayflower/
The state bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin, the American Robin is a familiar songbird in the thrush family. They live in towns and woodlands, and are commonly seen on suburban lawns exhibiting their “running and stopping” behavior as they gather their morning worms.
The America Robin feeds on different things throughout the day, including earthworms in the morning, and fruits and berries in the evening. They are mostly active during the day and gather in large flocks at night to roost in trees in secluded areas.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/about-american-robins/
Black-Capped Chickadee
Scientific Name: Poecile atricapilla
The state bird of Maine and Massachusetts, the Black-Capped Chickadee is a small, common songbird in the Tit family generally found throughout Alaska, Canada and the northern United States.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/about-black-capped-chickadee/
Rhode Island may be small but there are hundreds of opportunities for bird-watching in the Ocean State. Rhode Island offers many coastal and inland locations for viewing migratory birds but also houses a vibrant year-round resident population.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/bird-watching-in-rhode-island/
According to Mass Audubon, good news for backyard birding enthusiasts and Bay State nature lovers, as for the first time in decades, Massachusetts is saving twice as much land as it is developing.
Thanks to the collaborative work of state environmental agencies and conservation organizations, no longer is Bay State open space gobbled up at the rate of 40 acres a day. For every acre developed, two are protected.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/good-news-for-massachusetts-backyard-birders/
For many years large fleets from Europe, primarily from Portugal, fished off the coasts of New England and Canada and harvested huge catches of cod which was salted and brought back to Europe. In the days
of the Clipper Ships, salt cod was important to New England’s economy and was exported to the Caribbean and beyond. Salt cod remains a staple on Portugal, Spain, Italy and Mediterranean France and is still widely available in New England.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/new-england-cod-cakes/
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