Chautauqua County Snow Depth
Our friends at the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club have this NOAA/NWS snow depth map regularly updating on their website to let members and the visiting public know how much snow is on the ground in Chautauqua County. While it has gone down a bit recently due to a brief warm-up (very brief, and I am being very generous in saying “warm-up”!) and some rain, freezing rain, and sleet, there is still a ton of snow covering the earth in the region. You can see the escarpment well in this photo and the effect of elevation on snowfall and temperature. It will be utterly frigid later this...
Read MoreCurrent Snow Depth
Many snowmobile trails are open and folks are out on their sleds, hiking and skiing across the wintry landscape in Chautauqua County. Here’s our current regional snow depth – this is more like it! Have you used our educational, conservation-minded and natural history based winter trails cell phone tour? http://rtpi.org/conservation/winter-trails-cell-phone-tour/
Read MoreLong-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
It is December duck time! I have been enjoying some of the new arrivals across our region as birds like Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Greater and Lesser Scaups, Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads, and these Long-tailed Ducks make their way to our shores. This species of diving duck certainly spends a long time underwater when it is feeding. It can even go down to near 200 feet! Their incredible patterns almost appeared camouflaged against the water on this cloudy late autumn day. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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