A Birding First: Purple Martins Establish Nesting Site on Nantucket
This is an exciting milestone in bird history on Nantucket, as Purple Martins take up residence for the very first time! Historically, Purple Martins have never attempted to nest or breed on Nantucket. They have only been spotted passing through during migration. That all changed on Friday 13th June 2025, when Libby Buck, our Conservation Science and Land Steward here at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, observed two Purple Martins investigating the gourds here on the property, and even bringing back nesting material.
The Blanket Beneath Your Feet
As we sit inside during the rainy days of spring, warm coffee in hand to beat the chill and stay dry, Sphagnum moss thrives. Formed by the last glacier’s retreat, Nantucket island is home to numerous bog and wetland ecosystems, and Sphagnum is a major contributor to these unique and highly valued environments.
Appreciating Tent Caterpillars
Spring is in full swing, and with it are familiar signs of the season. One of the most drastic this year is the emergence of Eastern Tent Caterpillars. Have you noticed silky tents in cherry trees? These are the work of the tent caterpillars. Eastern Tent Caterpillars are a native species to Nantucket, with a unique life history.
Call of the Osprey
A familiar sight along the harbor and around our many ponds, Ospreys are a common site as they dive for fish across the island. Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are iconic on-island, a part of our maritime community. Also known as Fish Hawks, they are abundant on Nantucket this time of year, having migrated back this way in late March. While these majestic birds of prey are now a fixture of early spring and summer on the island, that was not always the case.
Will Brood XIV Miss the Boat to Nantucket?
You may have been hearing some buzzzzz about cicadas in our regional news outlets lately. Throughout the state, people are preparing for an onslaught of insects. Why, when, and where?
Well, first the “what”: the emergence of Cicada Brood XIV begins this month and has got many people either bracing for a swarm or looking up cicada recipes. This is one of the few periodic cicada broods known from Massachusetts. But what does that mean for us here on Nantucket? And what even is a “brood” anyway?
Turtle Spotting
Walking through the heavily vegetated bog at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, equipped with waders and data-collection tools, Dr. Sarah Bois taught me all about the turtle species on Nantucket and shared her hopes of finding a Spotted Turtle before the day was through. It’s about that time when our island’s turtles are becoming active again, so be on the lookout!
The Mystery of Eels on Nantucket
As spring weather finally begins to grace us here on Nantucket, we begin to look for our favorite signs of spring; cherry blossoms, daffodil blooms, spring peeper chorus, osprey returning, and…eels! That’s right, the annual spring migration of young eels is upon us, heralding the start of spring for the island.
Current Nature: Holy Mackerel
With the weather warming up and May fast approaching, many Nantucket residents have one thing on their mind; saltwater fishing. After a long, cold winter with not much going on in the harbors and nearshore environments, anglers jump at the opportunity to hit the water. Most people this time of the year are laser-focused on the arrival of Striped Bass, and with good reason, but there are other exciting fish showing up with interesting ecologies and life histories.