Banding Demo for Kids Last Friday
For the past 6 years I have had the opportunity to participate in Allegany State Park’s Great Outdoors Day with the Recreation Department. This year due to the scheduling conflicts . . . . I was only able to banding during the Friday Class Sessions. But I still had the opportunity to interact with over 200 children from numerous school districts.
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Mourning Cloak
Mourning Cloak
Just found a Mourning Cloak who let me pick it up with my finger! I just love seeing Mother Nature up close!
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First Day at CLDC for 2009
Wilson’s Warbler
Last Sunday after the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage we started banding over at the CLDC MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding station. We placed bands on 14 species and we placed new bands on 19 individuals. In addition to the newly banded birds we recaptured 2 Song Sparrows, 4 Common Yellowthroats, 1 House Wren and 1 Indigo Bunting which were previous year banded birds (for a total of 27 individuals).
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Allegany Nature Pilgrimage 2009
Old Growth Walk (Photo by Patty)
Last weekend the 51st annual Allegany Nature Pilgrimage was held in Allegany State Park. This is my 14th year attending the pilgrimage and my 11th year as a trip leader. The Allegany Nature Pilgrimage was started by Gilbert Burgeson (aka Gib) who traveled to Tennesee to visit their daughter. While in Tennessee he attended the Smokey Mountain Wildflower Pilgrimage and said, “Why can’t we have a pilgrimage? Why not at Allegany Park?”! Over the past 51 years the organization still frequently has visitors from all over the United States, Canada and other Countries to attend the Pilgrimage weekend. (more…)
First Day of SWAT
Common Yellowthroat
On Friday the 29th of May 2009 we opened the SWAT MAPS banding station! We captured 12 different species and banded 22 newly banded birds with 10 recaptures. I wouldn’t have called this a good banding day but turned out better than how we first expected it to turn out like!
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Yellow-breasted Chat
Me with the Yellow-breasted Chat
Did I mention that on International Migratory Bird Day . . . . . I got another LIFER!! Yellow-breasted Chat (CHECK)!
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Goslings and Mother Goose
Canada Goose Cuteness
These are pure cuteness . . . . sorry for anyone who feel the need to say awwww!
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First Monarch of the Year
Monarch
Today along Red House Lake I saw my first Monarch Butterfly (CHECK) for the year! The migration has just started moving through the Western New York area!
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Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Random photos that I took of an Eastern Kingbird blowing around in the wind!
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Pat’s [Wordless Wednesday]
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Dragonfly
All Photo’s were taken by my friend Pat Coate
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Least Bittern
Female Least Bittern on her Nest!
Answer to yesterday’s birdQUIZ!
Least Bittern!
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bird nest birdQUIZ
Bird on a nest!
Photographed this bird sitting on its nest yesterday! I am not going to give away any clues but I will post my other pictures including the answer tomorrow evening!
Happy Mothers Day
Gosling Resting
I always remember that the baby Goslings are born around Mothers Day! I figured this would be the most appropriate pictures to use on my Mothers Day post!
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY (more…)
Baby Fox Cuteness
Baby Red Fox
Had the opportunity to photograph some baby Red Foxes this evening from my vehicle! It was cloudy from a storm moving into the area and all of the pictures needed some cropping . . . reason the photos were not perfect! But they were a blast to watch!
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May First
Gray Catbird
May first brought in a flurry of new birds species in the Allegany State Park area. The morning started off with a Blue-winged Warbler (CHECK) and Wood Thrush (CHECK) who were down in the wetland on the maintenance road. I finally saw my first Gray Catbird (CHECK) as it passed in front of the vehicle along Red House Lake! I spent most of my morning along the Bova XC/Mountain Biking trails, where I picked up a Hooded Warbler (CHECK) and American Redstart (CHECK). The Cliff Swallow (CHECK) was observed flying around the Administration Building exploring the locations that they have nested previous years! It is absolutely amazing how quickly birds arrive once you get the most perfect southern winds!
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B – Birds
Baltimore Oriole
Loved finding some first of the year B-birds over the past few days! About 10 minutes after posting my previous post on Sunday . . . . I had my first of the year Blackburnian Warbler (CHECK) who was singing up in the Hemlocks! They seem a little early but after looking at last years first of the year, it was ironically also on April 26th!!
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New Neo-tropical Migrants
Northern Parula
Neo-tropical migrants were moving through the area last night in record numbers! This morning I saw on the list serv many more warbler “first of the year” sightings for April than I can ever remember reading! I figured this was an opportunity to report some of my recent first of the years to all my blogging friends!!
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Happy Earth Day
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker by Pat Coate
I hope everyone has a great Happy Earth Day . . . . Year . . . . Life! Remember Earth Day isn’t just one day of the year. . . . . it is how you should live every day! (more…)
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
