• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay – Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Over the past few weeks, a deceased Risso’s Dolphin has been seen off Madaket as its sad corpse is returned to the shoreline by incoming waves. At least three people have emailed or texted me […]
Island Science
It Came for My Cherry Trees
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay – Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • I wrote about eastern tent caterpillars a couple of years ago but they are so prevalent around the island, literally spreading out in all directions, that I felt it made sense to write about them […]
Dreaming of a Green Nantucket
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Spring has sprung, the island is filling up with people and warm sunny weather is erasing memories of a long hard winter. This is a perfect time to become aware of how your actions can effect […]
Strange Visitors – Giant Oarfish
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Two photos accompany this article and they may look like an elaborate gimmick or hoax but they are photos taken by Tyler Bradbury and Mike Strazzula of a giant oar fish that washed up on Nantucket […]
Ticked Off on Nantucket – Deer Ticks
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay – Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • As tourists and summer residents start streaming back to the island, Nantucketers are emerging from our hobbit holes to bask in the sunnier and warmer days like a pack of painted turtles and all this […]
Balloons Away
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay – Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • On April 22nd we will celebrate the 45th Earth Day. It is hard to believe that 45 years have passed since the first Earth Day. As citizens of the planet, we have come a long […]