I love this time of year. After the exuberance of summer and the vibrant colors of fall, I’m thankful for the days growing shorter. The nights longer. Temperatures falling. Silhouettes of bare branches against a leaden sky promising snow. All of nature winding down. Encouraging quiet. Reflection. Introspection. [more]
Artist Neil Rizos at RTPI
Neil Rizos was in the Jamestown area for most of the week following the opening of his exhibit, and he spent much of this time at RTPI interacting with visitors, students, and staff. Rizos’ exhibition and the associated programming were made possible through a generous sponsorship from Key Bank. While the artist himself is no longer in our area, Rizos’ spectacular work will remain on view in the RTPI galleries through mid-December. Many of these pieces are available for purchase, and the variety of media represented make for a diverse...
read moreOctober Orbweavers
It’s ‘Meet Your Neighbours Monday’! With the arrival of autumn, you are likely to notice a distinctive suite of spiders around your home. The species shown here is the Marbled Orb Weaver (Araneus marmoreus). The appearance of spiders like this one during the month of October has earned their group the nickname “Halloween spider”. Orb Weavers come in several different colors and patterns, so you might say that they wear a variety of costumes! Marbled orbweaver (Araneus marmoreus) photographed by Twan Leenders....
read moreSunset on Stratford Point
Everyone seemed to enjoy these sunset photos from last week at Stratford Point so I thought I would share them with all of you here, too. It has been so satisfying to see our gorgeous gardens being so busy after a year of hard work by staff and volunteers watering, weeding, planting additions, and maintaining everything we have to offer our pollinators and birds. We are all eager to see what sparrows arrive to feed on the many seeds in our plots during the most sparrow-y month of the year. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
read more2017 AAfCW Preliminary Results
Here is more great RTPI news from the shores of Connecticut via the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, a partnership between Audubon Connecticut, Connecticut Audubon Society, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. Preliminary estimates of nesting success for our Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers indicate we had another historic year. At the moment we believe 66 pairs of Piping Plovers fledged 100 chicks, with the pair total being the most all-time for Connecticut and the chicks the fourth highest total ever....
read moreRTPI Protecting Pollinators
How many Monarchs have you seen this year? Anecdotal reports that I have heard- along with my own personal experiences – seem to indicate this was an improved season for one of our favorite butterflies. RTPI’s partnership and collaborative work at Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point with Audubon Connecticut plus Sacred Heart University and the Connecticut Butterfly Association continues to aid our pollinators with expanded gardens and grasslands fueling or hosting dozens and dozens of species each day. I will show you more of...
read moreProject Wild America Youth Ambassadors: Another Successful Year
In honor of Wild America Wednesday, we thought it would be appropriate to celebrate another successful year of RTPI’s Project Wild America (PWA) Youth Ambassadors Program! Beginning in 2015, PWA began with a small group of ambitious students ready to roll up their sleeves and get dirty as they got acquainted with the Chadakoin River and the surrounding urban ecosystem within the City of Jamestown. Fast-forward to 2017, our crew has grown as have as our projects. We hope you enjoy this selection of photos from the summer season as well...
read moreArtist Reception with Neil Rizos 9/22
Join us at RTPI this evening from 5-8pm to celebrate Neil Rizos and his outstanding exhibition now which is now on view. At 6:30, Rizos will deliver a presentation about his art, bird research and travels. This event is free and open to the public. More about the artist and the exhibit at http://rtpi.org/neil-rizos-the-art-of-exploration/
read moreScott Shalaway – Nature Writer and Bird Biologist – to Visit RTPI
Scott Shalaway, Ph.D. is a certified wildlife biologist, ornithologist, birder, and nature writer. He holds degrees in entomology (University of Delaware), biology (Northern Arizona University), and wildlife ecology (Michigan State). Shalaway has written a weekly nature column for newspapers (including Jamestown’s Post-Journal where it appears every Saturday) since 1986, and has hosted a weekly nature-themed radio show entitled Birds and Nature since 1992. On Wednesday, September 27th, Shalaway will be in the Jamestown area to deliver a...
read moreRoger Tory Peterson Takes Center Stage at RTPI
Roger Tory Peterson and his enduring legacy are now front and center at RTPI! This remarkable sculpture of Peterson was created by the talented artist, Margret Joy Flinsch Buba (1904-1998). Visit us soon to view the diverse selection of items that are now on display from our special collections including many pieces of Peterson’s original artwork.
read moreField Sparrow
Chautauqua County certainly has an abundance of old farm fields, but we should be hearing more Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla), and other grassland birds, singing in the fields and other open areas across our region. The prairie habitat that once covered our landscape is long gone, but old, overgrown fields and hay fields provide a decent substitute for grassland birds. Even though their substitute habitat provides most of what these animals need, management practices can be challenges for them. Timing the mowing of these fields is...
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