Conte Corner: Celebrating Trees

As spring arrives, we’re celebrating trees and their important—and complex—role in preserving the Connecticut River Watershed.

New Community Park Coming to the Riverfront

Moments after we stepped out of our car and began to take in the 61 acres of open space sweeping down to the Connecticut River, we spied a coyote skirting the tree line.

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.