Estuary for Young Readers #13

“So, how?” Lieutenant Dunbar said, arms folded, eyes squinted, staring out across the Rappahannock River. “The cavalry could just charge across the river at Kelly’s Ford, but they’d get blown out of the water by those three cannons.

One Photograph: Three “Wish Birds”

As a Massachusetts boy who had been seeking out new birds for better than a year, I was possessed by an unwritten “wish list” of some ten or fifteen species I’d tried desperately but failed to see.

On My Mind…

As Estuary begins its fifth year of publication, it seems fitting to reflect on what has taken place and what lies ahead.

The Fascinating Life Cycle of Dragonflies

Warm breezes, the shimmer of light reflected off gentle ripples on the surface of a pond, the melodic trill of summer cicadas, and the translucent glimmer of dragonflies as they perform their aerial ballet—all of these images conjure thoughts of summer in New England.

Cymbella Cistula

While many are familiar with the fish and wildlife that define our landscapes, there are other lesser-known critters that play a role in creating and maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

Celebrating Microcultures

On a tributary a mile west of the Connecticut River, above an old milldam in Centerbrook, Connecticut, a small former auger bit factory breathes the 21st century air

Wildlife Wonders: Green Herons

It’s well known by birdwatchers that green herons (Butorides virescens), who are common in the Connecticut River watershed, use their daggerlike bills to seize prey.

Casting About: The Eightmile River

Frequently hidden from view, the Eightmile River and its East Branch ramble through the pristine woodlands of Lyme, East Haddam, and Salem, Connecticut.

Estuary for Young Readers #12

At the same instant the tree limb went crashing to the ground, the hot-air balloon broke loose and shot up so fast that in seconds I found myself clinging for dear life to the safe end of the limb and looking up at the bottom of the basket.

The Connecticut River Raft Race

With all the decorum of a college fraternity on house party weekend, the annual Connecticut River Raft Race will celebrate its 50th anniversary on July 20, 2024.

A Story of Restoration: Of a Car, Not Fish

This is a love story. An unusual one, perhaps. Nonetheless a tale of steadfast devotion and affection that has endured through good times and
bad for many, many decades.