• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • I have a picture of myself with some high school friends arm in arm standing in the middle of a field facing the camera. The image always solicits an obvious “oldie but goody” joke, typical nostalgia for […]
Island Science
Summer Pyrotechnics – Fireflies
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • The gentle glowing of fireflies that surround me at the UMass Boston Nantucket Field station is a welcome summer visitor. I was surprised when a group of students from Worcester was shocked and delighted to see these […]
Native or Washashore?
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • A Biological Search for the Indigenous Life on Nantucket Not all readers of this column may know the term washashore which is used by natives to refer to newcomers who live on Nantucket who were not born […]
Water Defense to the Rescue
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • A few months ago I attended a water quality presentation up at the Massachusetts State House at the invitation of my friend and our most excellent Cape and island House Representative Tim Madden and island buddy Bob […]
Abundance of Squid
by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station It’s been four years since I last wrote about squid, and their eggs have been washing up around our island during the last two weeks. It looks like we may have a good population of squid this year. Squid […]
New in Nature
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Spring has sprung and summer is almost upon us. Everywhere you look on island flowers are blooming, turtles are crossing the road, and insects are waking up to enjoy the warm sunny days. Several notable natural occurrences, […]
Fine Feathered Friends: Part 2 Nature’s Street Cleaners
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • This week’s topic came up while talking with friends about trends on island that might be fun to write about. They mentioned that they remember when no Turkey Vultures were present on island and how prolific they […]
What’s for Dinner? Nantucket’s Edible Nature
• by Dr. Sarah Oktay | Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Maybe I am hungry every time I write this column? This week I wanted to remind everyone of the incredible variety of natural foods on Nantucket. There are many fine restaurants on island, and this is […]