News, ideas, questions, and observations from Willistown Conservation Trust Staff as we use local conservation to make a broad impact.

Bird Conservation Education Farm General Land Protection Staff Stewardship Watershed

Introducing WCT’s Strategic Plan

Communications Team / February 14, 2023

STRATEGIC PLAN | 2023-2025Saving, Studying, and Sharing Land, Water, and Habitat WHERE HAVE WE BEEN? Land conservation efforts have been...

Nature Preserves Rushton Conservation Center Stewardship Trails

It’s a Wrap for the Campaign for Rushton Woods!

Communications Team / January 31, 2023

In 2018 Willistown Conservation Trust embarked upon an ambitious $2 million fundraising campaign. Named the “Campaign for Rushton Woods,” the...

Conservation Stewardship

Request for Proposal | Rushton Woods Preserve

Andrew Kirkpatrick / January 25, 2023

ProjectWillistown Conservation Trust is seeking proposals for the design, permitting, and construction of a bioretention basin with level spreader and...

Watershed

Watershed Holiday Gift Guide

Watershed Protection Team / December 20, 2022

Check out some of our favorite watershed-themed gifts by clicking the photos to shop! And don't forget to shop local!...

Education Watershed

Help Keep our Drinking Water Clean by Reducing Salt Pollution

Anna Willig / December 15, 2022

By WCT Conservation Research and Data Specialist Anna WilligCover Photo by Jennifer Mathes Salt levels, often measured as chloride concentration,...

Conservation Nature Science Volunteers Watershed

Capturing a Snapshot of Darby Creek

Anna Willig / December 7, 2022

By WCT Conservation Research and Data Specialist Anna Willig At the beginning of November, the Watershed Protection Program at Willistown...

Rushton Conservation Center Sustainable Agriculture Volunteers

Market in the Meadow Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Communications Team / December 6, 2022

This recipe comes from What's Gaby Cooking. You all loved our Vegetarian Chili from Market in the Meadow, so we...

Bird Banding Bird Conservation Conservation Nature Staff

My Conservation Journey: A Tale of Two Countries

Bird Conservation Team / December 1, 2022

By WCT Bird Conservation Associate Phillys N. Gichuru My first memorable conservation experience was when, as an undergrad, my population...

Education Science Staff Volunteers Watershed

Fish Shocking

Lauren McGrath / November 29, 2022

On Saturday, October 22, the Watershed Protection Program joined scientists from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University’s Fisheries...

Conservation Land Protection Nature Preserves Stewardship Trails

Chester County Commissioners, PA DCNR, Willistown Conservation Trust, and Willistown Township Celebrate 12-Acre Addition to Kirkwood Preserve

Monica McQuail / November 2, 2022

Photo from L to R: Julie Graham (WCT), Drew Gilchrist (PA DCNR), Judy Thomas (Chester County Parks & Preservation), Jeanne...

Staff

Your Voice is Valued! Help us Complete Our DEI Audit so Our Organization can Improve its Practices

Communications Team / October 31, 2022

In 2020 Willistown Conservation Trust made a renewed commitment to its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. As our society...

Conservation Education Land Protection

2022 Lenape Sojourn

Lauren McGrath / September 29, 2022

By Watershed Protection Program Director Lauren McGrath; Photos by Kate Etherington On August 16, 2022, Executive Director Kate Etherington and...

Education Science Watershed

State of Our Streams Report Chapter 4: Alkalinity and Hardness

Watershed Protection Team / August 24, 2022

By Anna Willig and Lauren McGrath | Willistown Conservation Trust Watershed Protection Program Cover Photo by Jennifer Mathes Since 2018, the...

Education Science Watershed

State of Our Streams Report Chapter 3: Specific Conductivity, Chloride, and Nutrients

CommIntern / August 17, 2022

By Anna Willig and Lauren McGrath | Willistown Conservation Trust Watershed Protection Program Cover Photo by Jennifer Mathes Since 2018, the...

Science Watershed

State of Our Streams Report Chapter 2: Physical Stream Parameters

Watershed Protection Team / August 10, 2022

By Anna Willig and Lauren McGrath | Willistown Conservation Trust Watershed Protection Program Cover Photo by the Watershed Protection Team Since...

Science Watershed

State of Our Streams Report Chapter 1: Introduction and Basic Stream Parameters

Watershed Protection Team / August 3, 2022

By Anna Willig and Lauren McGrath | Willistown Conservation Trust Watershed Protection Program Cover Photo by Jennifer Mathes The focus...

Bird Banding Bird Conservation Farm

Rushton Farm’s First Purple Martins

Aaron Coolman / July 28, 2022

Purple Martins at the Rushton Farm hotel this spring. Photo by Aaron Coolman Eight years ago, our Bird Conservation Program...

Nature Science Watershed

Project Plastic and the Hunt for Microplastics

Watershed Protection Team / July 27, 2022

By Amy Amatya of Project Plastic Some of the greatest challenges humanity faces today — pandemics, climate change, water contamination...

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July Local Lessons from The Przybylowski Family

Communications Team / July 22, 2022

During this year’s Plastic Free July, the Trust is committing to going plastic free and highlighting tips and tricks to...

Education Plastic Free July Watershed

Microplastics: The ever present contaminant

Watershed Protection Team / July 20, 2022

By Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Vincent Liu Large-scale plastic production has been around since the 1950s, and while plastics existed...

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Bird Banding Bird Events

They’re Back….

Communications Team / April 12, 2013

Spring Songbird Banding at Rushton Woods Preserve Begins Tuesday April 16!!Stay tuned... LOTS more information to follow about banding and...

Bird Banding Bird Events

Valentine’s Day Fun: What Men Can Learn from Avian Romance

Communications Team / February 14, 2013 / 1 Reply

Male Hooded Merganser displaying (by http://www.flickr.com/photos/newfoundlander61/) The natural world is filled with romance, beauty and enchantment, and every day seems to be...

ABA, Emperor Penguin, Great Backyard Bird Count, Hooded Merganser, Red-capped manakin, Valentine's Day, Western Grebe

Bird Banding Bird Events

WCT Gives Thanks for a National Grant from Audubon and Toyota

Communications Team / November 20, 2012 / 1 Reply

Go to wctbirds.wordpress.com or click on the post's title above to view the blog post in your browser instead of through email....

Audubon, Early Successional, Long-eared Owl, Saw-whet owl, Shrub habitat, Together Green Innovation Grant, Toyota

Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

American Woodcocks at Songbird Banding, A Visit from American Birding Association and A New High for Saw-whet Owls Banded at Rushton!

Communications Team / November 5, 2012

Sandy set us back drastically last week with net lanes filled with water and debris, but public songbird migration banding...

American Birding Association, American Woodcock, Bird banding, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Saw-whet owl banding, Together Green Innovation Grant

Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

Songbird Banding Continues Full Speed Ahead and Owl Banding Off to a Roaring, Record-Shattering Start

Communications Team / October 17, 2012 / 1 Reply

Well, I have lots to report from the field, so I'll start with last week, which was an exciting one...

northern saw-whet owl banding, PA Young Birders, Palm warbler, Saw-whet Owls, Sharp-shinned hawk, songbird banding, White-throated sparrow

Bird Banding

Rushton Still Riddled with Warblers and Open for Birdness Monday!

Communications Team / October 5, 2012

This week we waited out a string of rainy mornings, finally opened nets on Thursday, got rained out after two...

Bird Banding

Banding Delayed this Week Due to Rain but Columbus Day Open to Public

Communications Team / October 4, 2012

We have not been able to band at all this week because of the rain every morning. Monday was a...

Bird Banding Owls

Mid-Morning Shower Yields a Pot of Avian Gold at the End of a Rainbow

Communications Team / October 1, 2012

The air was thick, sticky and unseasonably warm on Wednesday, not at all the kind of crisp air that brings...

Bird banding, Black-throated Blue warbler, Nashville warbler, northern saw-whet owl banding, rufous hummingbird migration, Tennessee warbler

Bird Banding

Three Connecticut Warblers, a Wilson’s Warbler, Gray-cheeked Thrush and More!

Communications Team / September 22, 2012 / 4 Replies

NOTE: For those of you viewing this post by email, please remember to click on the title to read the...

Bird banding, Connecticut Warbler, Gray-cheeked Thrush, White eyed Vireo, Wilson's warbler

Bird Banding Bird Events

Fall Banding Season Off to a Bright Start!

Communications Team / September 11, 2012 / 2 Replies

Last week was the first official week of Rushton's fall 2012 public banding season. The rain prevented us from banding on...

Bird banding, Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-belied Flycatcher

Bird Banding Bird Events

Autumn Colors Are Flying Our Way, and Fall Banding Will Soon Begin

Communications Team / August 28, 2012 / 2 Replies

Are you looking for a great spot to observe fall migration? Since habitat is everything, the Willistown Conservation Trust invites...

Bird banding, fall migration, Monarch butterfly, PA Young Birders, Rushton Woods Preserve

Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

As Nesting Season Comes to a Close…

Communications Team / August 13, 2012

Nesting season is over, and fall migration is very near. We must soon say goodbye to migratory beauties, like...

Bird banding, fall migration, Hawk Mountain, kids poetry, MAPS, PA Young Birders, Red knot

Bird Banding Bird Events

Entertainment for Bird Lovers Tonight!

Communications Team / July 16, 2012 / 1 Reply

Don't miss the rare moment of fame for birds and birders tonight at 9pm as HBO premiers Jeffrey Kimball's new...

birding, Heron Cam, Purple Martin banding, The Central Park Effect

Bird Banding

Purple Martin Majesty

Communications Team / July 6, 2012 / 1 Reply

Last week we banded 713 baby Purple Martins, a member of the swallow family, at The Glenn Mills School, compared...

banding, Glen Mills School, Purple Martin, purple martin colony

Bird Banding

A Kentucky Warbler in the Net!

Communications Team / June 21, 2012

Ever since we heard a Kentucky Warbler singing in the woods, we were hoping that one would fly into the...

Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Kentucky Warbler, Urapygial Gland

Bird Banding Bird Events

Spring Migration Banding Is Done, Summer MAPS has Begun!

Communications Team / June 15, 2012

NOTE to SUBSCRIBERS: For best viewing results of this blog, please click on the post title to view in your...

Baby bird, Bird banding, Eastern bluebird, IBP, MAPS, Nests, PA Young Birders, Tree Swallow

Bird Banding

Last Day of Spring Migration Banding Tomorrow

Communications Team / May 23, 2012

Come visit the Rushton banding station and see the birds tomorrow morning if you haven't already! We will be banding...

Bird banding, Gray Catbird, Rushton

Bird Banding Bird Events

Past Two Weeks at Rushton Have Been Booming with Birds!

Communications Team / May 18, 2012

So much to report, and so little time! The banding highlights from last week include many Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia Warblers,...

Bird Banding

Warblers, Thrushes, and Orioles, Oh My!

Communications Team / May 4, 2012 / 1 Reply

We were rained out of the banding station every day this week until Thursday, but it was worth the...

Bird banding, Rushton Woods Preserve, warblers, Willistown Conservation Trust, wood thrush

Bird Banding Bird Events

The Tide of Tweeters is Coming In

Communications Team / April 27, 2012

The vernal clock is ticking, the fervent winds from the South are rising, and I can almost hear the steady...

Bird banding, birding, Brown Thrasher, Carolina Wren, migration, PA Young Birders, TAP, White eyed Vireo

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