Back Lighting
We are getting very close to the leaves being at peak here in Allegany State Park this weekend. Please enjoy yourself while I take you through the park looking at the fall leaves. Read the rest of this page »
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Take a drive through Allegany State Park
Banders Meeting
Junkin’s Warbler Painting
Today I joined some fellow bird banders to discuss what projects we have been participating in over the past year. This Banders Meeting was hosted by David Junkin, who you might remember as the individual who discovered the Junkin’s Warbler. It was great hearing directly from him about how he found what he called this “freak bird” and the following steps on how the world also discovered this bird. I was so pleased to have an opportunity to see the original Junkin’s Warbler Painting that was done for the publication “Living Bird”. Read the rest of this page »
Fall is in the air
Colors just before Sunset
I think this weekend is when the leaves will be at full peak here in Allegany State Park. Hope to get a few more shots to share with everyone!
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Few Songbirds Still Around
Blue-headed Vireo
I have been seeing many songbirds flying around the area this past week! Some are those to be expected like the White-throated Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows. I have heard a few Swamp Sparrows and Song Sparrows singing in a few locations near Beaver Ponds. The Dark-eyed Junco’s seem to be scattered just about everywhere. Read the rest of this page »
More Visitors
This evening some staff and volunteers from Jamestown Audubon joined me to band some Northern Saw-whet Owls. First few net checks we had come up empty and just before they were about to leave we heard what I believed to be a Saw-whets vocalizing around the net! Of course I kept them past their bed time and they waited to see if we would end up catching an owl with our next check. Read the rest of this page »
Resting and Enjoying Everything Around Me
Monarch butterflies are still flying.
Instead of heading home early from work today to take a nap (like I wanted to do) . . . . I just kept busy spending the day with Adele looking butterflies and dragonflies that are still flying around. We only located 3 Monarch butterflies, 2 Darner species and a dozen or so Familiar Bluets over in Quaker Lake. I have closed the Owl Nets this evening due to a storm pushing through the area just after dusk (which gives me a rest day). . . . so here are a few random pictures I have taken that I wanted to share. Read the rest of this page »
My Best Night Ever
The cutest fluff ball of the night!
I am soo tired and need to head to bed (it has been a long night!)! I just had to tell you about the 17 birds I caught this evening! Without a doubt this was my best night ever for the Allegany State Park Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station!! Perfect North East winds . . . . did I say perfect everything for migration?? I need to be at work at 8am tomorrow . . . . so I guess to continue going till sunrise isn’t an option!! When I closed my nets I could still hear a few Saw-whets moving around and vocalizing!! I should have stayed open!! Ugg Read the rest of this page »
What an Owl Smells Like
Old picture of me teaching kids some bad habits
If you regularly follow this blog . . . . then you would know that I have an obsession with smelling the heads of woodpeckers. The woodpeckers head have a pine-musty odor to them but for some reason the smell is very pleasurable to me (ya, I am nuts – I know already)!! This evening while studying the migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owls . . . . I had a quick whiff of that odor! Bet you can’t guess what I did next?? Read the rest of this page »
Surprised Big Fluff Ball Night!
Don and a Fluff Ball
Saturday evening a fellow bird bander Don Watt and his family joined me for some Saw-whet Owl banding here in Allegany State Park. He is interested in starting his own owl banding station and joined me to get a better idea on how I am catching these tiny owls. I was happy to capture a Northern Saw-whet Owl for them just before they headed home (High Five!). Read the rest of this page »
Witch-hazel
Witch-hazel leaves & flowers
Witch-hazel is my favorite tree for many reasons. . . . It has always been a topic of discussion on if it is either a tree or a shrub?? My personal feeling is that this is more of a tree than a shrub but that is just my personal thought (no science behind that statement). I also love that this trees leaf is odd shaped and has some unique flowers. I can always find this tree flowering around mid October which I think is an excellent time of the year!! The greatest part of Witch-hazel is that people can extract an astringent from the bark and leaves that is used for things like; a hemorrhoid medication, shaving lotion, bug bites, acne cream and even helps with poison ivy! Read the rest of this page »
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 