Enjoy discoveries on our 152 acre preserve.
One of five vernal pools at Woodcock in winter.
Visit our nature center for an open house or event!
Enjoy discoveries on our 152 acre preserve.
Notes from a Naturalist
December 20, 2024
Types of Dormancy: More than Hibernation
By Kevin Andros - Environmental Educator
For humans, snowy days this December mean bundling up with hot chocolate or donning many layers to go sledding. But for many animals the cold winds signal that it is time to enter a period of dormancy. What even is “dormancy” and do all animals enter this state? Dormancy is the catchall word for when an animal slows down some of their bodily functions for a length of time. This definition is intentionally vague because there are many different types of dormancy that can vary between different types of animals or even by species. This might seem pedantic but little details are important for science and learning about these intricacies is what makes nature a wonderful thing to learn about. With that out of the way let’s get into the different methods that animals have to survive the harshness of winter.
- Read the full article here
November 19, 2024
Native Plant Spotlight: Witch Hazel
By Tommy McCarthy - Environmental Educator
Naturalists have a habit of pointing out invasive species. They are present at almost every nature preserve, and when leading others on a guided walk they frequently tend to be the subject of questions. While I do think it is positive for people to learn about invasive plants, it can be discouraging when invasives make up the bulk of what you see and learn about on nature walks. Of course, not all you see on your hikes are invasive, but when you’re surrounded by so many other eye-catching things, many of our native plant species are easy to walk by without giving them a second thought.
- Read the full article here
October 2, 2024
Turkey Vultures: Nature's Resourceful Recyclers
By Jen Meikle - Environmental Educator
Here in Connecticut, a turkey vulture gliding through the air is a familiar sight. The simple way to identify a turkey vulture soaring overhead is by the v shape that its wings make as it flies. If you look at the ends of their wings as they fly, you can see that the feathers splay out, almost resembling long fingers. Their wingspan is generally around a whopping six feet...
- Read the full article here
September 17, 2024
What is a Mast Year and How Does It Happen?
By Tommy McCarthy and Kevin Andros - Environmental Educators
September is a fantastic month to learn more about trees. They still have their leaves in order to help with practicing identification, and there is so much about them to observe as we head into autumn. We can make a point of observing what color changes different species exhibit, the timing of those changes, and what else aside from leaves they might be dropping. As we move ever closer towards another autumn equinox, I’ve found myself thinking about what might be going with trees that we can’t easily observe.
- Read the full article here
July 31, 2024
The Hidden World of Fireflies
By Jen Meikle - Environmental Educator
Many of us think fondly of fireflies (or lightning bugs) and think back to warm summer nights, the sky dotted by flashes of yellow as they float through the air, searching for mates. There is so much mystery surrounding these bugs, starting with their ability to glow, but there is much more to the hidden world of fireflies than meets the eye. First off, fireflies are actually not flies at all– they are beetles.
- Read the full article here
June 20, 2024
Bats: Myths, Facts, & Guano
By Kevin Andros - Environmental Educator
Bats return to where they were born to give birth just like sea turtles with beaches and some amphibians with vernal pools! This is the time of year where bats have their babies. They usually only have a single baby a year and bat babies are called “pups”. Unfortunately most people get the wrong idea when it comes to bats. There is a stereotype widespread in the media that bats are an icon of dark and evil. Whether it be the vampiric association, fear of diseases, or the classic bat stuck in the hair myth, bats are not something to be feared. At the end of the day, they are ecologically beneficial, incredibly cool, and pretty adorable.
- Read the full article here
May 28, 2024
Habitat Spotlight: Grasslands in Connecticut
By Tommy McCarthy - Environmental Educator
Exploring a natural grassland in the springtime is a unique experience. Different from the nature we are used to, in our predominantly forested region. Light fog blankets a grassland as the sun rises, diffusing the golden light in a beautiful way. Dewdrops adorn tall grasses and wildflowers. Spider webs woven among tall blades of grass also hold drops of dew, appearing to be elaborate beaded necklaces. Birds welcome the light by singing songs that go unheard in the forest, and near constant rustling in the tall grasses hints at several other forms of life that go largely unseen.
- Read the full article here
April 24, 2024
Do You Know Your Pollinators?
By Jen Meikle - Environmental Educator
As the weather becomes warmer, you may be starting to notice more bugs buzzing around and more flowers starting to bloom. Late March and April brings Bumble Bees and ground nesting bees, and later on in April tunnel nesting bees also become active. You will also begin to see more butterflies flying around. These species are known as pollinators. While the word “pollinator” probably conjures up images of bees, they are not the only type of pollinators that are important.
- Read the full article here
March 7, 2024
Sea Monkeys, Burning Man, and Vernal Pools
By Kevin Andros - Environmental Educator
How can any of the things in the title be connected? I’m glad you asked. March is a real turning point in the seasons. The scale tips from cold and dreary to bright and hopeful, although some years this happens like a seesaw rather than a gradual shift. The start of spring is often characterized by new beginnings in the natural world. Migraters return in droves, the breeding season begins for many species, and spring ephemeral plants emerge. That word ephemeral is also a perfect descriptor for the connecting factor of “Sea Monkeys, Burning Man, and Vernal Pools”, the fairy shrimp!
- Read the full article here
January 18, 2024
Dinnertime For Our Birds of Prey
By Jen Meikle - Environmental Educator
At Woodcock, we currently have three birds of prey as animal ambassadors. All our birds can no longer fly due to wing injuries from being hit by cars. I was covering feeding one day, which involves placing a combination of dead thawed (originally frozen) rats, mice, and chicks in the bird enclosures for their dinner. Starting with Click, our Barred Owl, I place her mice on the stump which basically serves as her plate. She watches me from a distance with her large eyes; she’ll come back to eat those later on, often when no one is around.
- Read the full article here