What are these tracks . . . 2 by 2, side by side!
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Snow Marks
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? Read the rest of this page »
Another Redpoll Video
Check out the Jamestown Audubon article on Winter Redpolls written for the local newspaper! They emailed me yesterday asking to use two of my photos for the article! Thanks Jen and Sarah. This is an almost Wordless Wednesday video post!
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?? Read the rest of this page »
Annual Waterfowl Survey
Today a few of us from the Cattaraugus County Bird Club participated in the NYS DEC / NYSOA annual waterfowl survey. Each January a quarter of a million ducks across New York State are counted by bird clubs, state officials and your average birder. We are also participating in the Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey, where we are locating Eagles wintering along the Allegheny River. The results of these two surveys will help determine the long-term monitoring of waterfowl and Eagle populations within New York State during the winter months.
Canada Goose with a cold wake up call.
An Interesting Office Visitor
Have you ever been inside Wal-mart or Home Depot with birds flying around the store?? I feel sorry for those birdies and I find myself wondering who’s job it is to get them back outside safely?? Well, you know who gets the call whenever something is flying around the offices in the Administration Building!! I have rescued Chimney Swifts who accidentally fell down the chimney because someone forgot to close the damper. I am the one who saves the Little Brown Bats who accidentally finds there way inside whenever someone leaves a doors or window open due to hot temperatures during the summer. I have even rescued things like a Luna Moths (stuck between the storm windows), Hummingbirds, Meadow Jumping Mouse, Flying Squirrels, Ring-necked Snakes, and a ton of Chipmunks!! But I am rarely called upon during the winter months for unexpected critters that find there way into the offices (well, unless they are mice)!
Today’s Black-capped Chickadee.
Trying to Catch Up!
Snow Bunting from 15 Dec 2007
It has been a busy week with limited time to take any pictures or do any blogging! We lost power a few nights ago to that huge storm that moved through the area. Last night I did a slide program for the Cattaraugus County Camera Club and I now need to prepare for my next slide program on the 19th. I have lucky come across a few first for the year (cool) birds this week! The weekend started with a Northern Shrike (check) who made an appearance at the entrance of Red House off I-86. Yesterday a flock of ~12 Snow Buntings (check) were doing their thing along the road side near Red House Lake. I then noticed a small raft of Buffleheads (check) swimming in the middle of Red House Lake this morning (yep, the lake has thawed out already). This spring weather has really made me crave looking for spring birds like the American Woodcock! Then I remember that it’s a few months early before I can start doing these activities!! Read the rest of this page »
Before the Snow Melted!
White-tailed Deer about to run from me.
This weekend the Deer were feeding on bright green grass which was peaking through the snow! The Raccoons were breaking through the thin ice and fishing for things along the streams edge ! Birds have slowed down at the bird feeders and are now finding seeds elsewhere!! Well, after record high temperatures (60°F) today . . . . the snow has significantly melted away and now they have even more opportunities to find food! Can you believe its mid January with such warm temperatures? Expect even more warmer temperatures tomorrow!! Read the rest of this page »
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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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 