Rainy Saturday
This rainy weather is for the ducks or should I say Common Mergansers! They are predicting sun for tomorrow, so expect me to get out and do some catch up on my birding. (more…)
Stocking Fish in Allegany State Park
Today I had the opportunity to help with some stocking of Brook Trout here in Allegany State Park. I was only able to participate with a few stops but today they proposed throwing in about a thousand fishies into the streams! Not being a fisherman, I was amazed at how colorful and beautiful these Brook Trout are. (more…)
migrants starting to move!
It is great finding Trilliums again!
Migrants are starting to move through the area! Yesterday evening I heard and saw my first Yellow-rumped Warbler (CHECK) for 2007. When I had first heard the butter butt, I had thought it could have been a Yellow-throated Warbler since they do have a some what similar song!! It appears the YTWA’s have not made it back yet and will be my next quest in locating!! I was happy to have followed many Pine Warblers around yesterday (although they wouldn’t let me photograph them so high up along the tree tops). So many places to go, so many bird sounds around me and yesterday I found myself taking my truck to the shop for some work! Uggg! (more…)
Ecological Niches
Many of our diurnal and nocturnal animals will both have similar ecological niches. Think of a niche as a job someone (human) might have in the grocery store. Many employees that work in this grocery store have a specific duty and specialties in getting their job done. One employee might be the butcher and makes sure the meat isn’t spoiled or is always sliced the same way. Another employee will have the duty of keeping the fruit fresh and knows everything that needs to be known about the fruit they are selling. Some grocery stores have seafood departments, bakeries and even a pharmacy. By everyone working together will provide a location for us making choices in what we eat. Animals also have jobs and their “ecological niche” which keeps them from competing for food but still allows many species to live together in the same habitat. For example, nuthatches walk upside down on the tree to pull out insects that they can see under the bark (which other birds easily overlook). Walking upside down is their ecological niche! (more…)
Ripley Hawk Watch
Today I joined the Cattaraugus County Bird Club for our annual hawk field trip to the Ripley Hawk Watch in Ripley New York. We headed to this hawk watch because the birds will migrate north along thermos and then reach Lake Erie. Since the lake water is cold (causing cold airs and no thermos) the hawks will not cross the lake and follow the waters edge until they find a land bridge. These areas are perfect spots in seeing many raptors in one location. Although, it was a clear sky and hard finding these bird specks way up in the sky. It was fun anyways with many great birds. (more…)
Just another Saturday
Today I cleaned out all of my Northern Saw-whet Owl boxes that I have here in the park. Hint to everyone, don’t accidentally delete your GPS coordinates or make sure you write them down somewhere before clicking “delete”. I have three boxes that I couldn’t seem to relocate and my luck is that they probably have a bird nesting in them. (more…)
Sunrise Walk
It seems like I am never able to get to bed early because of both my nature blog and flickr. Writing was not one of my best subjects in school and it can take me a while to write something up. I take all my pictures in the RAW format, so editing the pictures can take some time. Then there are so many wonderful photostreams and nature blogs that I visit every night. Not including trying to keep up with emails, ect.. I always find myself going to bed much later than I should and have a hard time waking up each morning. Not this morning!! I went to bed early after watching the 11pm news that the morning was going to be beautiful (cold but beautiful) and just knew I needed to do some sunrise birding.
Just enjoying being outside!
An older photo of a Blue-headed Vireo that I took in 2006
Some days you find yourself not wanting to pull the camera out of your backpack or even picking up your binoculars. Today was one of those days where I just wanted to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. I started after work exploring my new bird banding site and checking out how much damage the Beavers have done. I think my changes that I need to do will be better in the long run (as long as the beaver doesn’t expand its range)! I then headed over to France Brook area of the park where I typically find Blue-headed Vireos and Louisiana Waterthrush. They still have not arrived but I am anticipating one of the two species to arrive sometime this weekend. I have been looking but not located any Eastern Phoebes anywhere since I took that photo of the one eating the worm on the road. While out along France Brook, I had heard a deew deew deew!! Deew Deew Deew!! This was worth the binoculars going up! Greater Yellowlegs just few over my head!! CHECK, first for 2007! Getting ready for my slide program that I am doing for the Cattaraugus County Bird Club tomorrow! Enjoy the weekend, its going to be a nice one!!
Dead Swallows and my Cousins Blog!
Spider photo by kirispupis
It has been such a busy week for me and I am trying to get things done before the weather gets better. Just seems like everything is happening at once!! I did get out today and checked all the bluebird boxes before all the birdies start building their nest. My stomach dropped as soon as (more…)
BOS Count
Today I participated in the Buffalo Ornithological Society (BOS) Count were I cover the lower half of section 24 (Allegany State Park – go figure). The BOS conducts three annual bird counts during the months of April, May, and October. The count dates are targeted to periods of significant bird migration and have been ongoing since 1935. Normally I locate around 50 species during the April count but rarely have to deal with a nor easter storm that just arrived. We woke up to snow on the ground and quickly the weather turned into mixed rain/snow. By noon it was entirely rain coming down and it wasn’t an easy day to be out birding. I worked hard and only able to come up with 40 species (see list below). Adding birds that I did see yesterday (and not today) I could have easily been over 50 but blame the low numbers due to this storm. Typically the April BOS count gives me an opportunity to locate Blue-headed Vireo, Barn Swallow, Louisiana Waterthrush, Broadwing Hawk, and 3-4 species of Butterflies (not this year). I did have some species of waterfowl that normally have moved through the area already. (more…)
Day Before the Storm (part 2)
Wild Turkey wondering through the snow!
Today was a wonderful day with 43 species and a ton of photos. I decided to spit the post up between waterfowl (part 1) and non waterfowl (part 2). I started my day over at Red House Lake and one of the first birds I saw were 2 Eastern Meadowlarks (CHECK, first for 2007)!! I jumped out of my truck and took a long series of photos of these two first of the year birds (for the blog). Then I got a little too close and they flew away!! Going to review my pictures, I realized that I didn’t have a memory card in my camera!! Ugg – no pictures of Meadowlarks today!! I then headed to the woods in search of a Goshawk territory that I know about. Didn’t get dive bombed but did quickly observe the Goshawk passing overhead (CHECK, first for 2007)!! While searching for the Goshawk, I also come across an American Woodcock, Turkey Vulture and a Common Raven. This Wild Turkey (in picture above) greeted me once I returned back to my truck! (more…)
Day Before the Storm (part 1) Waterfowl
Common Merganser Pair
Today was a wonderful day with 43 species and a ton of photos. I decided to spit the post up between waterfowl (part 1) and non waterfowl (part 2).
Red House Lake had a good majority of the species today. The 4 Common Loons, 4 Scaup species, 2 Red-breasted Merganser and a Northern Shoveler were the highlighted birds. I also saw the more common waterfowl like 3 Bufflehead, 6 Common Merganser, 4 Pied-billed Grebe, Mallard and Canada Goose swimming around. (more…)
Food that helps the bluebirds during the storm
We have another storm moving up the east coast this weekend and I believe this storm will continue to put pressure on our insect eating migrants. I wanted to check all of the bluebird boxes but decided not to disturb the boxes until after the storm has moves through. I believe it is possible that the substances inside the box could help the surviving swallows stay insulated and I do not want to stress any swallows more than they could possibly be already. I did settle on checking the two boxes back behind the house where the Eastern Bluebirds were showing some interest in nesting. It was only a week ago when these two boxes were completely empty. With a closer inspection it appears the bluebirds have left numerous clues of how they are able to survive the snow storm that we had last week.
snow is melting
The snow is finally starting to melt with temperatures in the 40’s today. This evening I decided to head over to the Quaker side of Allegany State Park to do a little birding. Despite the rain that started falling, I saw some wonderful birds. Ospreys were fishing with only one dive attempt which came up empty. There were numerous loons and mergansers that I was able to see swimming around. I enjoyed finding a Double Crested Cormorant near the overspill, but wait . . . what is that flying?? Bonaparte’s Gull, CHECK first for the year!! Not one but three or four could be seen flying around the lake. This is the only time of the year which we can locate these gulls flying through this area and I was starting to worry that I would miss seeing them this year due to this crazy weather. All these gulls were adults in their alternate (breeding) plumage, like we typically find them in this area. I hope they stick around for my count that I am doing on Sunday.
Other ducks observed included Ring-necked Ducks, Horned Grebes and Buffleheads. I decided to drive over to where my bluebird boxes were located and thought I had seen a Kestrel up in the tree. I turned the truck around (so I can see better due to the rain and check out the Osprey Nest). I slowly made it back to the falcon and something wasn’t right?? Kestrels don’t have banded tails like that?? the color pattern isn’t right?? Could this bird be it a Merlin?? I pulled the field guide out! Sure enough, Merlin, CHECK first for the year!! This poor bird wasn’t enjoying the rain and very skittish. I tried to move my truck a little closer for a better photo and away it went. Not bad for a rainy day, at least it wasn’t snowing (whoops, it was snowing in the higher elevations).
Osprey, Worms and Loons
Yesterday was the first I have seen the Osprey since the snow started on Wednesday. It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when I was watching these large birds gathering nesting material and copulating at this same platform. Since Osprey captures their food in the water, their wings and muscles do not do well with these colder temperatures. Although, this one individual appeared to be doing alright and I am glad to see they are still in the area. (more…)
Purple Finch Visits the Feeder
When the weather gets bad, the birds require doing just about anything to make sure they have built up enough fat to survive the cold nights. As in yesterdays post, I discussed how many species were heading straight for the roads with hopes of finding worms, bugs or seeds. I have also been talking about the Tree Swallows skimming the lakes in search of flying insects. In my previous posts, I had neglected to tell you about the numerous birds that I have been seeing at my birdfeeders. One highlighted bird that I want to tell you about is the Purple Finch (more…)
Roadside Birding
There is no surprise that the North East has been blasted with a cold front and the storm has rudely moved through the area dropping over a foot of snow. Last Thursday I found myself here in Allegany State Park driving the roads looking for birds that are not well equipped for our kind of winters.
Tree Swallows Acting Cute
Tonight I had planned on doing a post on all of my wonderful birds that I photographed along the roads here in Allegany State Park. I had already edited the pictures and had the basic layout planned. Then I went outside for a quick drive and checked on how the Tree Swallow were doing (and took these pictures)!! How could I not do a follow up on the Tree Swallows and not post the cutest pictures that I have ever taken?? (more…)
Risk and Benefits of Early Migration
Here on my nature blog here you will constantly see me noting my first of the year sightings! Normally those are the birds trying to be the first on their breeding grounds. These early birds are the experienced adults taking advantage of the many benefits of arriving early. Those males who arrive first will have their first choice in the most suitable nesting habitat and provide a better chance for the males to be pair up with a female. These earlier nesting pairs will then have a longer nesting period with a better fledgling success rate. Those individuals that show up later will then result in a less suitable habitat where they could have less available food for their young. Obviously this will reduce their chances of producing successful fledglings and open up the opportunity for predators finding their nest.
These long-distance migrants have many hazardous obstacles that the birds will need to avoid during their migration. My Ornithology text book by Frank Gill states “More than half the small land birds of the Northern Hemisphere never return from their southbound migration”. This is so hard to believe but there are so many physical risk that they encounter like: exhaustion, predators or even the weather. It was my post yesterdays where I discussed temperatures being in the ~70sF (Tuesday’s 1/2 day off). There were a few species including a dragonfly which I had listed as my first for the year find. Could they be risking their lives for the possible benefits of arriving early? (more…)
Half Day of Butterfly Searching
I started getting spring fever (again) after taking my lunch break yesterday (temps were in the 70’s). Something told me to get my butt outside and start search for butterflies!! At 1:30 I took off from work and drove over to the Wolf Run area of Allegany State Park (one of my favorite butterfly spots). In about 1 1/2 hour’s time I had found 17 species of birds and a few wildflowers peaking out of the ground. Leaks were really teasing me and YES, their odor did follow me for the rest of the night. I saw the leaves of trout lilies, toothwort and something else that could have been spring beauties peaking out of the ground. Leaving my favorite little forested flower area, I heard a Barred Owl vocalizing in the middle of the day (about 3pm)! A second owl some distance away began responding back (who cooks for you? who cooks for you all?). (more…)
Friendly Birds
Yesterday I took a quick walk after visiting the local casino (to play my free casino money they gave me, I didn’t loose anything). I tried focusing my time on photographing the Vesper Sparrows down on ASP Rt. 2 and wasn’t successful in relocating them. I found myself just wondering around and enjoying all the wildlife around me. The Eastern Phoebe’s (as in the picture above) were fairly numerous with the males following the females around like a lost puppy. Tree Swallows were mostly heard soaring around in search of insects while the Ospreys were actively carrying sticks to their nesting platform. I noticed that the woodfrogs and spotted salamanders have already started laying their eggs. (more…)
Cattaraugus County Waterfowl Fieldtrip
Last Saturday I attended our Annual Cattaraugus County Waterfowl Fieldtrip and our mission was to find as many early spring visitors as possible. We had a spectacular turnout with 15 people and a few were old friends that we had not seen in a while. The group located 54 species and 10 of which were species that were first of the years for me. The list of birds are as follows: (the * represents first for the year, CHECK) (more…)
Cleaning My Bluebird Boxes Out
I have finally finished the spring cleaning of all the bluebird boxes here in Allegany State Park. I oversee 24 bluebird boxes in Red House side of the park and this year I had to replace 4 of the boxes that park staff asked me to remove last season for the construction of the recycling center. Two of the boxes were place back in the same location and the other two needed to be placed in a new location (which I located along the bike path for park visitors to see). (more…)
Hide and Go Seek in Allegany State Park
Is it under the rock or under the log, just maybe it is located right next to where you are standing? Geocaching has become today’s modern scavenger hunt. To the unknown geocaching eye, you probably have one across from your local grocery store or in your local park. Some people find the hide within seconds and the next person could spend hours searching. What makes this sport fun is that you never know what you will find until you start searching. Geocaching could take you too many locations you would have never visited without the encouragement of finding that cache. (more…)
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 