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.
Current Nature: Be Part Of Bird Science On Nantucket
Calling all nature seekers, bird lovers, and anyone looking to get involved in community science on Nantucket! The Linda Loring Nature Foundation is excited to offer two fun and easy ways for the community to get involved in bird monitoring this year: Nantucket Osprey Watch and Project FeederWatch. These opportunities are open to all and designed to be educational, engaging, and easy to participate in.
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.