Treasure Hunt Tuesday; A Revolutionary Naturalist’s First Tools
Roger Tory Peterson’s obsession with birds prompted a lifelong interest in photography – what better way to capture fleeting encounters with his feathered fascinations? The following photograph depicts a 4×5″ Auto-Graflex camera of the type that Roger Tory Peterson utilized to photograph birds in his early career. Below that is a photo of a young Peterson in the field with his photographic tools. Over the course of his lifetime, Peterson amassed a collection of some one-million photographs; most of these reside in the RTPI archives as 35mm transparencies. ~ Learn it, Love it,...
Read MoreDoors Open Jamestown! Saturday, January 21st; 10am – 5pm
During the community-wide event Doors Open Jamestown, area attractions offer free admission, raffle prizes, and more. Fifteen local attractions and nearly two dozen restaurants and retail stores partner for this annual event to celebrate the region. More information is available by visiting www.jamestownupclose.com or Doors Open Jamestown on Facebook. We invite you to visit RTPI during Doors Open Jamestown to enjoy: – Free admission into our current exhibition, Focus on Nature XIV – Original artwork and memorabilia from the Peterson collection – 20% off your purchase in our...
Read MoreWinter Raptor Survey Training – Wednesday January 11th, 2017 @ 6PM
Grasslands are amongst the fastest declining habitats in the country, and the bird species dependent upon vast stretches of waist-deep grasses are disappearing at alarming rates. In effort to learn more about these imperiled species within New York State and to protect remaining populations, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has been conducting winter raptor surveys—specifically monitoring Short Eared Owls (endangered) and Northern Harriers (threatened). The NYS DEC has also enlisted the help of other environmental organizations and interested citizens to...
Read MoreRTPI to Host ‘Focus On Nature XIV’ Exhibition
Focus on Nature XIV, an exhibition organized by the New York State Museum, will be presented at RTPI from December 3, 2016 through April 9, 2017. Like Roger Tory Peterson, the artists featured in this show demonstrate the role illustration plays in natural science research and education, to stimulate curiosity about the world, and bring clearly into focus images of nature that people might not otherwise be aware of or able to visualize. Since its inception in 1990, the New York State Museum’s Focus on Nature exhibit series has reflected the standards, materials, and skills of contemporary...
Read MoreA Conversation With Scott Weidensaul
Scott Weidensaul has authored over two dozen books on natural history – including his most recent, the Peterson Reference Guide To Owls of North America and the Caribbean – he has been a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and he’s renowned as a field researcher. His writing has appeared in many major publications, including Audubon and National Wildlife. He is a popular lecturer and one of the world’s most highly regarded authorities on birds. Be sure to check out this recent interview with Weidensaul conducted by Steven Brodsky for his column entitled Entertainment, Culture and More...
Read MoreOur Changing Forests with Professor Jonathan Titus (SUNY Fredonia)
Dr. Jonathan Titus – professor of biology, botany and ecology at SUNY Fredonia – will deliver a program at RTPI on Wednesday, November 9th at 7pm summarizing his current research addressing many aspects of the rapid changes underway in forests throughout our area. “Our forests are changing very fast due to non-native invasive plant species, tree diseases (beech bark disease, hemlock wooly adelgid and emerald ash borer), deer overpopulation and climate change,” Dr. Titus explained, “so I am tracking tree growth and understory vegetation across the county to understand the change...
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