Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)
In the Chautauqua-Allegheny Region we have two species of dusky salamanders that have a lot in common. Do you have any idea which dusky this is? I’ll give you a hint: take a good look at the tail of this individual. Give up? This is a Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus), often mistaken for its relative the Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus). Northern duskies have a distinctive keel on their tail whereas mountain duskies have round tails from base to tip, making it a little easier to tell the two very similar species apart. As you are getting out...
Read MoreNEPARC Annual Meeting
Last week I got the opportunity to attend my first NEPARC (Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) annual meeting held at Allegany State Park in Salamanca, New York. For those that aren’t familiar with the not for profit, NEPARC is a regional subset of PARC or Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. This organization forms inclusive partnerships with like-minded professionals and citizens that are dedicated to the conservation of amphibians, reptiles and their respective habitats throughout each region of the United States and beyond. PARC interacts with...
Read MoreBird Fest 2014 day 2
The second day of RTPI’s Bird Fest 2014 took place on Saturday, June 7. The first day featured two excursions focused on wetlands and grasslands while this second day moved us to the forest and the escarpment. The morning trip was to Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County led by Tim Baird, an exceptional birder and naturalist. It was another lovely day weather-wise in Western New York and the group got to enjoy a lot of warblers in the Red House Lake area. The most vocal and significant warbler was the Northern Parula, an intriguing find in terms of a nesting species as several pairs were...
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