Nature Haikus – Geese
By Young Naturalist C
Geese
In a v-shaped form
honk, honking into the sky
Long into the night
(more…)
Black Squirrel
Black Squirrel at Young Naturalist J‘s House
This Black Squirrel is really a black phase of the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Typically we find these guys in the gray/redish phase but on occasion we find the black phase running around. There has been a black phase pair around the 4 corners of Red House Lake for many years now but I have never been able to get a decent photo of them. 😦 (more…)
Last Child in the Woods [Bookreview]
I am not one to review books but the “Last Child in the Woods – Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” by Richard Louv just seemed too perfect of a book for me not to recommend to the many home schoolers, educators and parents that visit this blog. Louv goes into great depth about how our children are increasingly disconnected from nature and why it is important to have our children around nature. (more…)
Nature Haikus – Snowflakes
By Young Naturalist C
Snowflakes
Swirling, whirling down
In a winter wonderland
In different shapes (more…)
Nature Haikus – Fall
By Young Naturalist C
Fall
A leaf falling down
Inside a mix of colors
Of red, gold and orange (more…)
birdQUIZ Blog is Back
The most recent birdQUIZ
Some of you might have noticed that Young Naturalist J (aka Birdbander11) has started postings over on birdQUIZ. I figured since he likes doing his bird quizzes on flickr . . . . he should also start posting them on this blog!! I have given him the permission to upload to the blog and he has been doing a wonderful job with the two post that he has done already (see the links below)!! So, let me introduce Birdbander11 (although he will always be Young Naturalist J to me)!! (more…)
People Trying to Help The Birds
Bonaparte’s Gull along Lake Erie
This weekend Young Naturalist J and I heard about some dead Common Loons that were found along Lake Erie (and had to check it out). We made a little detour from some roadside birding to check a public beach to see if the rumors were true. We found 4 dead loons in just one small area of the beach and it was soo sad seeing these guys. I found a press release that was released today discussing the die off of these Common Loons in this area and as we expected, they died due to Type E Botulism!
Good First Day Back at Work
I planned on doing an interesting post this evening but was reminded about a meeting that I need to attend on invasive species! So, no big blog posting and no owl banding!! I promise to catch up with everyone blog here soon!! After taking a weeks vacation, it really wasn’t that hard coming back to work today like I thought it would be!! But, I do miss sleeping in till 10am each morning! 😦
Orange Sulphur from October 2002
I did locate an Orange Sulphur fluttering around this sunny warm afternoon (55F). I also had a Mink run across the road and disappeared along the stream somewhere (but couldn’t get a photo of it). We had some Buffleheads and a Scaup species swimming in Quaker Lake today. Red House Lake had a larger group of Buffleheads, Pied-billed Grebes and Horned Grebes!! As you can tell it was a very good day back at work today! (more…)
My backyard or is it their backyard?
Ever wonder about your neighbors that don’t speak any English? I have tried pishing (strange noise birders make to get the birds to come closer) those chickadees and I found that they only pish right back at me! Yesterday Young Naturalist J and I tried to learn about these seed hungry neighbors by doing some backyard banding. We were able to recapture 7 Black-capped Chickadees and 1 Slate-colored Junco.
Black-capped Chickadee. (more…)
Backyard Banding
Eastern Tufted Titmouse
This morning Young Naturalist J and I decided to do a little banding in my back yard. Our goal was to catch those Pine Siskin and Redpolls that had visited my house last Friday. Although the Redpoll never returned, we “just” missed an opportunity to band one of the Pine Siskins! 😦 (more…)
Trying to Break 80
Snow for Mary
Yesterday evening we had 6 more visitors (people) at the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station here in Allegany State Park. I was lucky to have Young Naturalist J here to help with banding the 5 owls we captured and he will continue to be around for tonight’s banding (if the weather allows). (more…)
Winter Finch Arrive (Finally)
Pine Siskin and Common Redpoll (Feb 2004)
I woke up and found a Common Redpoll feeding with a flock of American Goldfinch this morning! OMG – that was my first for the year Redpoll (CHECK)! I think it has been since the winter of 2003-04 since I have seen one of these guys and there it was sitting on my birdfeeder! (THINK TOM) I quickly scattered to get my camera and of course it flew away just as I was pulling my camera up to take its picture!! So, after getting my hair cut . . . I spent the day trying to capture a picture of that Redpoll! (more…)
Cat Television
Phoebe watching Cat TV
Being off from work this week has allowed me to spend some valuable time watching Cat TV with my kitties. They needed some bonding time and “they” say I have been ignoring them past few months. I figured I could take this opportunity to watch for winter finches that everyone “else” has been seeing (and not been to my feeders yet). (more…)
Understanding the bird’s wing!
Osprey in flight (from March 2007)
Birds use the ability to fly for finding food, escaping from predators and even migrating to areas that can better support them when there are fewer resources available. Obviously their feathers are not permanent to their body and they need to replace their older (worn) feathers with new (sturdy) feathers. The molting (loosing and growing new feathers) patterns on the wing of the bird can help us banders understand the age of the bird (well sometimes). (more…)
Don’t Forget to Turns Your Clocks Back!
Photo by Young Naturalist J.
We had another busy night at the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station here in Allegany State Park. We had a fellow birdbander and 3 others from the Allegheny National Forest visit us this evening. They were able to see 2 of our Saw-whet Owls being banded and then be released (before heading home). We also had Sarah from Jamestown Audubon visit for most of the evening (and she was able to see 4 of the birds)! I tried to convince her to stay later but she needed to head home. I know that she made the right decision since we did not catch anything again until the wee hours of the night. It has been wonderful with so many visitors visiting the banding station this week. (more…)
Weekend Visitors
Young Naturalist J glad to be banding again!!
We had more visitors at the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station this evening than owls! I need to high-five Grace 🙂 for helping locate our 70th bird of the season (in the mist net) and then allowing me to barrow a book that I need to read. Mike and Terry decided to head home early after banding our first 2 fluff balls (thanks for visiting). Grace left only minutes before we captured our 3rd bird and then recaptured the 2nd bird again (The owl must be net happy). (more…)
Little Visitors
Kids smiling for moms picture!
I had some smiling little visitors at the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station tonight. I expected a “big” night with North-West winds but was only able to banded 3 different individual owls. Not sure why the other evening I captured 4 individuals with southern winds?? I assume science will just keep us guessing with unexpected answers! At least our future birders were happy and of course they didn’t want to head home!! Dad promised they could come back again before the end of the season. (more…)
Upper Allegheny River Basin Workshop
I have been involved with a workshop sponsored by the Nature Conservancy and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for the past two days. They have brought together many scientist, universities, governmental partners and natural resource professionals to assist in putting together an in-depth conservation action plan for the Upper Allegheny River Basin. (more…)
Owls and other kinds of Owls!
Barred Owl
Another busy Owl night this evening!! Obviously looking at the photos . . . . I captured my first Barred Owl for the season!! Yes, I did get taloned on the finger by this bird but nothing too bad! 😦 (more…)
Less Daylight Hours and Spotted Salamanders
Spotted Salamander heading towards the woods.
I did a post almost 7 months ago on the migration of the Spotted Salamander. Each spring these large salamanders come out of the ground and migrate to special mud puddles called vernal pools. It is in these vernal pools where they breed and the females will lay their eggs. It is such an amazing spring time event and who would expect that I would find two of these salamanders crossing the roads during mid October (going the opposite direction?)? (more…)
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 