Spotted Salamander along the road!
I had some movement of amphibians along the roads here in Allegany State Park tonight. I ended up going home before seeing any huge numbers of Salamanders migrating to the vernal pools and doing their yearly ritual.
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Brook Trout
Today I had the opportunity to help with stocking 5,000 Brook Trout and 5,000 Brown Trout here in the State Park. It is a tradition of many fishermen to go out on the 1st of April and catch their first trout for the season.
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American Robin about to feed on Staghorn Sumac
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) is a small tree with hairy twigs, hairy leave stalks and hairy fruit. The tree gets its name for the resemblance the branches have with deer’s antlers when the antlers are “in velvet”. The Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants says “American Indians used berries in cough syrups. Berry tea used for lung ailments. Gargled for sore throats and worms. Leaf tea used for sore throats, tonsillitis. Root or bark tea astringent; used for bleeding”. But do note they remind us; “Do not confuse Staghorn Sumac with Poison Sumac”!!!
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Sleeping Bufflehead
Today the Cattaraugus County Bird Club had their Annual Waterfowl Fieldtrip along the Allegheny River and Conewango Wetland Area. We had a wonderful birding day with 53 species of birds and we survived glacial like temperatures!
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Fox Sparrow photo from November 2007
I had my first Fox Sparrow at my bird feeder this evening (CHECK, first for 2008). I just knew it was only a matter of time until these amazing red/gray birds made their arrival into the area. I didn’t get a photo of them since it was cloudy/snowing and its was getting close to sunset! I expect to see them more of these Fox Sparrow over the next few weeks.
American Woodcock photo by Grace – April 2007
One of the easiest ways of finding the American Woodcock (aka Timberdoodle) is to take a trip into a wet meadow around dusk and then wait. Not long after the sun sets you will witness one the most amazing flight display of any of our birds here in the North East. The male Timberdoodle will do its peent call for about 10 or 15 minutes and then take flight into the sky in a circular direction! The American Woodcock has developed a unique flight feather that allows the bird to create a whistle sound when heading towards the sky! After 2 or 3 circles, the bird will return to the earth with the most beautiful lullabies that you will ever hear! Once it has returned to the same location in which it started . . . the American Woodcock will return in peenting again and then repeat its flight display until it’s too dark to see! Below is the video that I captured on Easter Sunday of their display here in Allegany State Park!
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It’s not my fault that I am a mutant!
Osprey
Happy Dyngus Day everyone and it’s probably a holiday that many have never heard about! Anyways, Dyngus Day is very popular in the Buffalo area and a fun day that I love celebrating. If anything, Dyngus Day was a good bird day for me!
My Easter Squirrel
I used my off day to spend a little time looking for birds before the family Easter dinner today. I woke up to some beautiful sun that was shining through my bedroom window and although temps were below freezing . . . I couldn’t have asked for a better day. Everything was wonderful except I just didn’t have what it took for any good pictures!
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Welcome to the mon@rch nature blog and I hope you join us in some of our nature adventures through the Allegany State Park area!
I am a naturalist, field biologist and nature photographer from the Western New York area. I have started exploring nature writing through this blog and it truly has been fun sharing my numerous adventures with everyone. Thanks to the many other authors that help me with my post and they will be sharing some of their nature explorations.
I have always had a latent interest in birds and photography and have been lucky enough to find time to explore these interests over the last few years. I am very thankful to the Cattaraugus County Bird Club for getting me started, sharing their wealth of knowledge and for their wonderful programs. And many thanks to Tom for letting me share some of my adventures and photos on the Monarch Nature Blog.
Thank you for taking the time visiting and commenting on this blog.
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