Winter Skunk Cabbage
Slow down there, Skunk Cabbage! This was the scene on the forest floor yesterday. It’s not spring yet…and we will be snapped back to winter behind today’s cold front.
Read MoreAutumn Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
This beautiful Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) posed wonderfully for me in the shade earlier today, taking a quick break from foraging in mounds of leaf litter. They are a shy species that can be found on the edges of forests and woodlands, even your yard, if there is enough space and habitat for them to find insects. As we near the winter their diet is going to shift to include various berries. I was surprised to find several of them this weekend, possibly having moved south and been more boldly active given all of the cold temperatures lately. They will enjoy this warm-up making bug...
Read MoreHistoric Western New York Snowfall
The past week has been nothing short of historic in Western New York with crippling and dangerous snowfall beyond what even lifelong residents could have imagined. This lake effect snowfall weather event was the culmination of several factors that allowed Lake Erie’s snow machine to turn on full blast and dump feet of snow in very short periods of time, rivaling some all-time American records. While the final totals need to be examined, assessed and fully vetted, once you pass four, five, six, or seven feet, there is really no number that can do the impact justice. It is a tragedy that...
Read MoreMourning Dove flocks
Is it just me or have you observed large flocks of Mourning Doves in unexpected or insignificant areas this autumn, too? Certainly a bird feeder in a yard can be a good place to find even dozens of individuals but it felt like we have had a lot more than usual around to me. Don’t forget to examine those flocks, if you have them. There can be anything from the Eurasian Collared-Dove, a White-winged Dove or a Common Ground-Dove mixed in, if you’re very lucky. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreTufted Titmouse digging in leaf litter
Can you identify this bird with its back to us? The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) does not have legs and feet specifically designed to scratch at the earth that many sparrows possess. Even if it did they would have a tough time getting through these layers of leaves. This bird was ripping away with its bill, leaf by leaf, sifting through them to find some food. It was an organized, frantic and impressively strong leaf tossing frenzy. Good hunting, little one!
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