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]
Noble Proctor
Noble Proctor was one of Roger Tory Peterson’s dearest friends and protégées. Even Peterson considered Noble one of the greatest naturalists alive – quite a compliment coming from the master himself! Noble was not only the consummate student of the natural world, he was also its most passionate advocate. Noble was everyone’s teacher – always willing to share his vast knowledge with a smile and a personal touch, he inspired hundreds of his students to be the best they could ever be. During his long and distinguished career he has...
read moreShorebird Brochures
Here are a couple quick photos of our freshly-printed American Oystercatcher brochures to go along with our Piping Plover brochures! You can spot our logo along with Audubon Connecticut at the top, and were created by our staff as a part of our education and outreach work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. They look wonderful in person, and our staff will soon have some to pass on to you if we see you on the beach in Connecticut. They feature basic biological information on both species including where and when they nest, why...
read moreScorching May
The first half of the month of May 2015 was a quietly scorching one, with the heat turned all the way up in the Northeast. You may not believe it based on the outdoor feel of our day to day weather, but the entire region was far warmer than usual. While we did not have the extreme highs or actual heat waves, a stretch or days well into the 90s or anything particularly memorable, we have been consistently warmer than average for our highs and often above the long-term lows. The Northeast Regional Climate Center map here shows us the tale. The...
read moreEmerald Ash Borer Awareness Week
As time has gone on our country has developed holidays to commemorate our presidents, honor veterans that have served or been lost at war, recognize the tireless efforts of civil rights leaders, and many more. In many cases however, these holidays don’t recognize all the important issues or ongoing causes that continually shape our culture, health, and environment. In response to this, many awareness days, weeks and even months have been established. While this upcoming Monday marks a major holiday, this week marks a special cause:...
read moreYellow-throated Vireo
The Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) is one of those species I never seem to spot frequently, and thus I end up knowing little about them. They are birds of the deciduous forest of eastern North America, preferring the edge. This may be along a roadway or a trail, the latter allowing for some good views in my experience, but they also enjoy staying at mid to high levels. A bird in the canopy is much more difficult to learn about than one that hangs out down here with us. I spotted this Yellow-throated Vireo several days ago at a...
read moreBlack-and-white Warbler
I couldn’t let Twan have all the fun with the Black-and-white Warblers (Mniotilta varia), and this little creeper was spotted last week as it furiously crawled and flew all around tree trunks for its insect prey. You can even see one such snack in the last photo. These birds seem like they have so much personality, but when they are visiting us in May they are move, too busy to stop to chat for too long. I am envious of anyone who gets to enjoy them while they are more relaxed on the wintering grounds. However, even then they are said...
read moreGrasshopper Sparrow
I photographed this Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) last week on a dreary and foggy morning in grasslands known to be a spring migratory site for the species. It was busy feeding in the mist, generally avoiding any picturesque views, as is typical for the species. It had even been singing the previous day! RTPI staff documented confirmed breeding of Henslow’s Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows at the Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport (KJHW) during the summer of 2013. Both species are listed as New York endangered species with the...
read moreIndigo Bunting
Here are some more shots of Twan’s backyard Indigo Bunting. That blazing and regal blue looks almost otherworldly when you are at home and suddenly notice it outside of your window. It even decided to have a snack at his feeders…what a treat for him! As you can see he also had an American Goldfinch friend, and this Gray Catbird hopped up for some suet. I am beyond jealous…have you had such a cooperative Indigo Bunting? Now all he needs is a Painted Bunting to complete his set. Our homes, feeders and yards are a “Wild...
read moreRTPI in FrogLog
RTPI tropical frog research is in the news today! Many of you are likely aware of RTPI’s research, education and conservation efforts focused on our region’s flora and fauna. If you regularly visit this page or our website, then I’m sure you have also read about our work elsewhere – such as the coastal bird conservation and outreach efforts we carry out with our partners from the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds in CT. But you may not be aware of the important work RTPI does with critically endangered amphibians...
read moreRed Fox Kits Growing
We are now entering May with far warmer weather and much more cooperative conditions for young mammals to grow and explore, learning about their environment and all within it. After Elyse tossed up some photos of her own Red Fox kits, I knew I had to answer back with another volley of photos from “my” family. In case you missed them previously here they are at a very young age. I also took some shots of a couple of the little pups having some play time, wrestling around and practicing their “ferocious” predator skills...
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