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Please Smile
Please Smile Mr. Toad
Sometimes we need a reminder that it’s ok to smile! Found this sad American Toad during an evening hike last night and I just thought he looked soo sad (cute but sad)!!
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Dragonflies by a Mist Net
Beaver Pond Clubtail
Not only were we able to catch birds during the Great Outdoors Program but we were also able to catch 3 different species of dragonflies. I felt bad that the insect station was able to catch 1 Common Baskettail with all those kids running around with butterfly nets . . . I was innocently catching a few of each species without trying.
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Outdoor Program
Me with the kids from last years program
For the past two days (Thursday and Friday) I have been busy helping the Allegany State Park recreation department with the Great Outdoors program for almost 350 kids from 5 different school districts.
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Traveling with cats
My Mum’s Cat
It is amazing what some people with do for their pets or as in today’s case what my mother will do for someone else’s cat. Around 3pm I got a frantic message on my cell asking me to call my mother back ASAP. Here I am thinking she was in a car accident or something. . . . she had found a lady who was at a truck-stop/gas-station and her cat somehow jumped out of her vehicle when she exited the car. You guessed it . . . the cat b-lined under a storage shed and couldn’t be convinced to climb out since almost 11am. I think my mothers exact words were “I am not leaving until this poor girls gets her cat back”.
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Nature Haikus – Sun
Sunset photo by Nicole
Nature Haikus By Young Naturalist C
Sun
Shining in the sky
Bright yellow ball of fire
In a sea of blue
First Day at CLDC
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Last Sunday we started banding over at the CLDC MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding station and placed bands on 15 species (43 individuals). The highlight was the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (first for the station and a year bird for me CHECK), Veery and Eastern Towhees. The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was a late migrant passing through the area and just encourages me start doing spring/fall banding. Warblers banded included the Blue-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. Other commonly captured birds included the Gray Catbird, House Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, and Indigo Bunting.
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Allegany Nature Pilgrimage
Young Naturalist J took this photo of me in the Big Basin
Friday and Saturday was the big Audubon weekend here in Allegany State Park. The Allegany Nature Pilgrimage is sponsored by a few of our local Audubon Societies here in the WNY area (and is my favorite weekend of the year). This was my 13th year attending the pilgrimage and my 10th year as being a group leader. I had the privilege of leading two groups (that turned out to be almost 75 people) into the Big Basin Old Growth area. I just loved having Toni, Jennifer and many other regulars to this blog spend their time with me looking for the big trees!
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Wonderful Day
Young Child Enjoying His Cake!
We had an amazing weekend at the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage! So much to write but very little time . . . a CLDC MAPS banding session is scheduled tomorrow morning!
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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 