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

The Season of Giving

Communications Team / November 20, 2023

Make a smart investment The end of the year is a great time to reflect upon the organizations in your...

Uncategorized

Reversing the Decline of Grassland Birds in Chester County

Zoe Warner / October 30, 2023

While the sun is still below the horizon, the Eastern Meadowlark’s lilting song floats over the field, seeooaa seeadoo, slowly...

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Reflecting on a Summer at Rushton Farm

Willistown Conservation Trust / October 30, 2023

Fresh out of college, my first venture into the ‘real world’ has likely looked different than that of plenty of...

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COMING SOON: Kestrel Hill Preserve

Willistown Conservation Trust / October 30, 2023

A new 90-acre nature preserve at Kirkwood Farm While the price to acquire the land was high, all agreed resoundingly...

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Diatoms Illustrate How Land Use Can Alter Stream Health in Ridley Creek

Sarah Barker / October 30, 2023

Diatoms are a single celled algae which form the foundation of stream ecosystems; they provide oxygen through photosynthesis, and act...

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Twenty Acres of Woodland Habitat Conserved

Erik Hetzel / October 30, 2023

In October 2023 longtime resident and Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) supporter Beverly Hattersley generously granted a conservation easement on her...

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Kirkwood Steps Up!

Andrew Kirkpatrick / October 30, 2023

Willistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) Kirkwood Preserve boasts a rich tapestry of wide-open meadows, a meandering creek, wooded slopes, and riparian...

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Watershed Co-ops Independent Projects

Watershed Protection Team / September 27, 2023

As we look back on the summer, we are so proud of the independent projects that Sarah and Sally have...

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Lose the Lawn

Andrew Kirkpatrick / August 24, 2023

Earlier this year, the Trust received the exciting news that we had received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of...

Plastic Free July Watershed

PolyGone Systems | Eliminating Plastic from our Waterways at Ashbridge Preserve

Watershed Protection Team / July 25, 2023

By Daelin Brown, PolyGone SystemsThere are somewhere between 83 and 358 trillion plastic particles floating around the world in our...

Native Plants Nature Plastic Free July

How to Make Your Own Native Terrarium

Watershed Protection Team / July 18, 2023

By Sarah Barker Terrariums are a fun and easy way to engage with the environment. It only takes one afternoon...

Plastic Free July Watershed

Let’s Go Plastic Free — In Community

Watershed Protection Team / July 5, 2023

By Pam Kosty Most of us know: plastic, especially single-use plastic, is a big problem in our world today. And...

Education Interns, Co-Ops

Meet WCT’s 2023 Seasonal Interns

Communications Team / June 29, 2023

Internships are an integral part of Willistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) work. Each year, hardworking students join our team and bring...

Watershed

The Tale of Charlie Woodscomb: a True Beaver Pioneer

Watershed Protection Team / June 29, 2023

By Watershed Protection Program Co-op Sarah Barker Deep in the sleepy haze of a deciduous forest dawn, between bowing black...

Watershed

Northern Snakehead: A Voracious Predatory Invasive

Watershed Protection Team / June 28, 2023

By Watershed Protection Program Co-op Sally Ehlers The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a type of fish that is originally...

Bird Banding Bird Conservation Conservation Motus Nature Preserves

Willistown Conservation Trust and Natural Lands Receive $25,000 from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to Reverse the Decline of Grassland Birds in Chester County

CommIntern / June 28, 2023

The land trusts will promote land management practices that benefit the Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grasshopper Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark captured...

Watershed

The Tiny Invader: New Zealand Mudsnails in Pennsylvania

Watershed Protection Team / June 27, 2023

By Watershed Protection Program Co-op Sally Ehlers Have you ever heard of the New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)? These tiny...

Watershed

Biofilms: Underdog Ecosystem Engineers

Watershed Protection Team / June 26, 2023

By Watershed Protection Program Co-op Sarah Barker Biofilms are all around us! Often thought of as pests in any environment...

Watershed

A Microcosm of Macroinvertebrates

Anna Willig / June 25, 2023

By Watershed Conservation Research and Data Specialist Anna Willig Aquatic macroinvertebrates — animals without a backbone that are visible to...

Watershed

Taking the Temperature of Local Streams

Anna Willig / June 24, 2023

By Watershed Conservation Research and Data Specialist Anna Willig One of the most basic, yet most critical, aspects of stream...

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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

Bird Events

Spring has Sprung…And So Have Our Mist Nets

Communications Team / April 3, 2012

That lovely green mist of ephemeral spring beauty has officially invigorated the land and awakened Mother Nature from her brief...

Bird banding, bird walks, early migration, Eastern Meadowlark, PA Young Birders, Rushton Woods Preserve, warblers

Bird Events

Attracting Bluebirds to Your Backyard – Spots Left For Wednesday's Program!

wctbirds / March 12, 2012

Spring is in the air and bluebirds are checking out the real estate! The Trust is starting a nest box...

Bluebird Society of PA, Eastern bluebird, monitoring bluebirds

Bird Events

Attracting Bluebirds to Your Backyard – Spots Left For Wednesday’s Program!

Communications Team / March 12, 2012 / 2 Replies

Spring is in the air and bluebirds are checking out the real estate! The Trust is starting a nest box...

Bluebird Society of PA, Eastern bluebird, monitoring bluebirds

Bird Events

Reminder to PA Young Birders- Change of dates

Communications Team / February 17, 2012

Greetings Jr. Birders! I just wanted to remind you that since this is a holiday weekend and many little birders...

Bluebird, Great Backyard Bird Count, House Finch, PA Young Birders, Robin

Bird Events

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

wctbirds / February 15, 2012

The natural world is filled with romance, beauty and enchantment, and every day seems to be Valentine's Day outside if you...

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

Bird Events

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

Communications Team / February 15, 2012 / 1 Reply

The natural world is filled with romance, beauty and enchantment, and every day seems to be Valentine's Day outside if you...

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

Bird Events

Yellow Diamonds in Snow

Communications Team / February 3, 2012 / 5 Replies

We arrived in Cumberland County last Saturday just after 2 pm. The sky was overcast but the sun still managed...

Bufflehead, Cumberland County Snowy Owl, Great Backyard Bird Count, PA Young Birders, Townsend's Warbler, Willistown Conservation Trust, Woodcock

Bird Events

Willistown Winter Family Bird Walk Tomorrow Morning

Communications Team / January 27, 2012 / 2 Replies

Please join us tomorrow morning (January 28) from 8- 11am at Rushton Woods Preserve for some wonderful winter birding! ...

birding, Cumberland County, Prairie Falcon, Snowy Owl, Townsend's Warbler, Willistown Conservation Trust

Owls

Another Chance to See a Snowy Owl!

Communications Team / January 13, 2012 / 1 Reply

Hi Folks! Just a quick, timely update on the status of the Snowy Owls I spoke of in previous posts......

American Kestrel, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Owl art, Purple Martin, Snowy Owl, Willistown Conservation Trust

Bird Banding Owls

A Little Inspiration and Hope for the New Year

Communications Team / December 28, 2011

The inspiration: This lovely video from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, capturing the joy of birds and the natural world....

Cardinal, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Nuthatch, Snowy Owl

Owls

Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Nature Lover on Your List!

Communications Team / December 20, 2011 / 1 Reply

Christmas is quickly creeping up on us, and if you're like me, you're not finished shopping for everyone on your...

Bird books, Nature books

Bird Banding Owls

Giving Thanks for the Owls of 2011

Communications Team / December 9, 2011 / 4 Replies

Our banding station is officially closed for the year (both songbirds and owls), which means it's time for us banders...

ageing birds, Audubon, bird art, birding, Christmas Bird Count, molt, Northern Saw-whet Owl, PA Young Birders, Snowy Owl

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