Current Nature: Exploring Nantucket's Snakes
As someone from Ireland, I have never seen a snake, whether or not that’s thanks to the legend of St. Patrick banishing snakes, you decide. When I arrived on Nantucket, I was fascinated to learn that it is actually home to six snake species! These are the eastern garter snake, ring-necked snake, eastern milk snake, northern water snake, eastern ribbon snake, and smooth green snake. The diversity was an interesting surprise.
Current Nature: A Spring Chorus Of Frogs
It may still feel like winter, but spring is fast approaching. Soon, frogs that have been dormant for the past few months will wake up. On Nantucket, we have fewer amphibian species than on the mainland, but the ones we have here are sure to excite. Although small and hard to see, the most vocal frog on island is the Spring Peeper. The exact date that peepers start calling each year is dependent on the weather. They typically start in early-March and are most vocal from mid-March through mid-April; however, in particularly warm years, they may be heard as early as January.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2025
National Invasive Species Awareness Week runs this week, February 24-28 2025, but the work to tackle invasives does not stop here!
Nantucket boasts some of the rarest and most fragile habitats in the US, highlighting the importance of preservation, and protection against invasive species.
Dr. Sarah Bois is on the Northeast RISCC (Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change) leadership team, and co-chairs Nantucket’s Invasive Plant Species Committee, two organizations working to eradicate, research, manage, and educate the public about the island and Northeast’s non-native invasive species issues.
Current Nature: Seal-y Season
Our marine year-round residents are always a fun sight, whether from the water’s edge or lounging on the sand, they are a staple here on Nantucket. As pupping season gets underway, there’s a flurry of activity along the shore, and we encourage everyone to be mindful when walking or driving on the beaches.
The island is home to four seal species, two of which are more abundant - the gray seal and the harbor seal. Hooded seals and harp seals have been spotted here, but due to their dependence on pack ice for breeding, their range is restricted to areas where pack ice forms seasonally, and may be a reason why we don't see them as often.
Avian Influenza on Nantucket: What We Know and How to Help
This winter, many people have observed a rise in the number of dead seabirds along Nantucket’s beaches. Although it is difficult to distinguish between normal seasonal mortality rates and elevated rates, researchers have been collecting samples from various locations on the island and are currently awaiting their results.
Current Nature: Resilient Restoration
On the banks of Long Pond, the Linda Loring Nature Foundation has been working on a restoration project that provides an example of how sea level rise can affect even seemingly inland areas of our island. As many of you know, Long Pond is connected to Madaket Harbor via the historic Madaket Ditch which was dug in the 1670s by English colonists and native Wampanoag. Because of this estuary connection, Long Pond itself is brackish and undergoes regular tidal turnover. In addition to the water being salty, this connection also means that Long Pond is subject to predicted sea level rise. Looking at various sea level rise scenarios expected with future climate change, even the most conservative projections show that sea level rise will impact the shoreline of the North Head of Long Pond, home to the Linda Loring Nature Foundation
Current Nature: Snowy Owl Season Returns
After a two-year absence, snowy owls have returned to Nantucket, with three recorded during the 2024 Christmas Bird Count! These striking Arctic birds, last seen here in the winter of 2021, have graced our beaches and open landscapes again, reminding us of their tremendous journeys. But how do they end up so far from their tundra homes? Let’s explore the story of snowy owls, their travels, and how we can be good stewards during their winter stay.
Current Nature: Overwintering Strategies
As the weather gets colder, animals must adapt to survive the winter. Some animals forgo dormancy completely. Birds migrate, deer grow a thick winter coat, and squirrels cache nuts to have a reliable food source. Other species undergo physical, chemical, and habitual changes to their bodies to counteract the cold and the reduced daylight. Many people are familiar with hibernation in mammals, but unique processes also exist in other species.