Canvasback
Canvasback
The canvasback is a local migrant who breed mainly in western North American. They can be quite numerous in there wintering waters but inland where I am located . . . . they are not as common. As a result you can understand how pleased I was to see these guys on Lake Erie last Wednesday. They are typically very skittish but there were a few who let me get close before swimming away. (more…)
This Weeks Bird Updates
Scaup Pair (Greater-Lesser I have no clue)
This was such a wonderful bird week that I needed to catch everyone up with my first for 2008 finds! With spring being only a month away . . . it was very apparent that birds are starting to work there way through the area.
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Sunny Nature Hike
White-breasted Nuthatch
I enjoyed a wonderful sunny nature hike in Allegany State Park today. It was wonderful seeing people hiking, ice fishing, sledding, cross-country skiing and even those that were out on snowmobiles. Even more pleasant was seeing many of those enjoying nature with their children and pulling the kids away from the computer games for a few hours.
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The Banding [part 2]
Short-eared Owls amazing face pattern
Yesterday’s post was about the excitement of catching these two Short-eared Owls . . . Today I will be writing about the banding process, transmitter and releasing the owls (and a few cool photos). (more…)
Second Try! [Part 1]
Short-eared Owl in flight
I have learned that if you first don’t succeed . . . . try, try again!! Yesterday Jennifer from A Passion for Nature and I decided to head up to Buffalo for another attempt at Short-eared Owl banding with State Biologist Chuck Rosenburg from the Department of Environmental Conservation. You might remember my last trip a few weeks ago with many great views and two “almost” catches!!! Although seeing these amazing birds flying around is fun . . . our primary mission was watching them being banded. The question is: will we catch something?? (more…)
Opossum [video]
Daylight Opossum playing possum
Today I found an Opossum foraging for food along the roadside. Typically I find them during night time hours, so I used this opportunity to try and capture a little video of this ugly guy! I approached very slowly and because it was soo focused on gathering food . . . it did not notice me for about 5 or so minutes. I observed it feeding on something in the grass but couldn’t tell exactly what it was (assuming some kind of grub). I made a little noise to get its attention and then it suddenly played possum! I took a few photos and after backing off some, it came back to life. It showed me its teeth and then decided to run away! The Opossum was still observed foraging in the same field when I returned 15 minutes later to point him out to someone. (more…)
Rufous vs Gray
From the Peterson Field Guide.
The Eastern Screech Owl is a species that have two distinct morphs and live within the same population (polymorphism). It is generally known that gray-morphed Screech Owls are more frequently found in the North and the rufous-morphed birds are mostly found in the South. Many publications will discuss this relationship with the rufous-morphed birds not being able to handle the colder winters and I know there are some studies are trying to prove that. I did find an interesting publication by Mosher and Henny (1976) who explains how the rufous-morphed Screech Owls oxygen uptake is greater than the gray-morphed birds when exposed to lower temperatures. I have also heard about the relationship with the different morphs and tree species that are found in the areas !! (more…)
Short-eared Owl [video]
Short-eared Owl on Telephone Pole
Yesterday evening I was invited to join a State Biologist from the Department of Environmental Conservation in banding some Short-eared Owls up in the Buffalo, NY area. If you know me . . . . I couldn’t resist this opportunity to seeing such an amazing bird up close. I decided to take a half day from work and drive the 2 hours up north for these marvelous birds! Chuck and his team had already finished setting everything up and was about to starting to test the equipment (sunset was approaching fast). Just as he felt that everything was ready . . . . the most beautiful Short-eared Owl suddenly appeared from behind us as if it was a flying ghost!! I never saw so many people scatter to there vehicles as I did then!! (more…)
Fun Skiing Day [Video]
Hmm . . . Pizza after Skiing!
I joined Young Naturalist C, J and E today for a fun skiing day over at the Holimont Ski Resort in Ellicottville, New York. This is our annual skiing day that we do each year and the kids keep on getting better and better . . . . I continue to have a harder time keeping up with them!! We are always guaranteed many laughs and I will probably feel the fun we had tomorrow morning once my muscles relax!! (ugg) This (2:35 minute) video is only a sample of our excellent day!! (more…)
Forest Junk
An old bus in the woods.
These photos were taken this fall over on the Red House side of Allegany State Park. They are off trial on the edge of the forest and an old field. Last time I saw this bus was probably 10 years ago when it was still standing upright (I have a slide of it then here somewhere . . . ).
Do you ever photograph forest junk?
Winter Blues
Today was not the best day to be out birding and I found myself taking some winter pictures along Red House Creek. Since temperatures have been reaching near 0°F this past week (and will continue to be for the next week) . . . . I have found myself with some “winter blues” and desiring the return to the spring/summer temperatures. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to reflect how one particular spot can look almost 6 months later when temperatures were near 90°F. (more…)
Old Allegany State Park Pictures
Administration Building in 1928
I did a talk for the Allegany State Park Historical Society this weekend on the daily life of a naturalist here in Allegany State Park. It is the same program that I have been doing for the many photo-clubs, bird-clubs, etc.. over the past year. Even with the white-out snow conditions . . . . we still had an excellent turnout. Speaking of old park history . . . it has been a while since I have posted any old park pictures. (more…)
Photographing the Earth, one millimeter at a time . . .
Vatican Museum in Rome by CalevPhoto
Many start blogging to easily share there daily activities with family (but more than your family find your blog and you start talking more about nature)!! Others use there blog to talk about olden days when we were kids!! Like turning 8 years old and visiting my Aunt and Uncles campsite here in Allegany State Park. Joe (my cousin) and I would spend numerous hours playing in the stream trying to catch the largest crayfish. Darn those Raccoons . . . . they must have recognized the camper because they could always find our best hiding spots (when keeping the Crayfish overnight)! I still don’t understand why my Aunt and Uncle wouldn’t let us keep them inside the camper? (more…)
Murmuration of Starlings
A Murmuration of Starlings
What is a Murmuration of Starlings? It really isn’t much except being a fancy way to describing a group of European Starlings that you might find together. The Encarta Dictionary says; mur•mu•ra•tion (noun) 1. murmuring – an act or sound of murmuring 2. starlings collectively – a flock of starlings! Many other critters have different names for describing there group gatherings. . . . here are a few my favorite examples; “a cloud of gnats”, “a walk of snipe” and “a band of gorillas”!! I wonder if the gorillas have hippy gorillas or monkeys who follow them from gig to gig?? (more…)
Winter Berry
Winter Berry
Jen did a wonderful Colors of Winter post, which encouraged me to get out and find some color before the snow started falling! I did not find as much color as Jennifer did but I was happy to get out to find something!!
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Birds – 2007 Checklist
Red-necked Grebe that was rescued.
I decided to split up my 2007 Nature Checklist into 5 different categories; Butterflies & Skippers, Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and Birds! Birds are my last species in this series that I have been keeping track of within Western New York State, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. I have also taken the birds and split them up between non-passerines (88) and passerines (111). This was one of my best “bird” years with many great species and 6 lifers (5 of which were at Cape Cod)! Although, it would have been nice to have gotten one more species to make it exactly 200 for 2007! Maybe I can break that 200 barrier in 2008 and do a little traveling (which is how so many are able to get their numbers up)?? (more…)
Amphibians – 2007 Checklist
I decided to split my 2007 Nature Checklist into 5 different categories; Butterflies & Skippers, Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and Birds! Amphibians are the next family in my series of species that I have kept track of within Western New York State in 2007. I have taken the Amphibians and split them up between Salamanders (9) and Frogs (7).
Spotted Salamander (more…)
Butterflies – 2007 Checklist
Monarch Pair
I decided to split my 2007 Nature Checklist into 5 different categories; Butterflies & Skippers, Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and Birds! I would like to start this series with the Butterfly (31) and Skipper (12) species I found within Western New York State. Between high gas prices and limited time to get out to look for butterflies in 2007, I ended up seeing a lower than normal numbers of butterflies. My first butterflies was in Allegany State Park on the 21st of April with an Eastern Comma and a Mourning Cloak. My biggest butterfly day was on the 10th of June 2007 with 19 species. Ya, Ya, I have had better years!! (more…)
Happy New Year Everyone!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 