Extremely abundant common sparrows
This Dark-eyed Junco can be seen chowing down on a seed while nearly 200 more of its friends were doing the same nearby. I cannot recall a time where I have seen a greater sustained abundance, perhaps for the last three or four weeks, of a few common sparrow species spread across the region. There have been huge flocks of Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-throated Sparrows seemingly everywhere in appropriate habitat. Have you noticed the same? Maybe they had a very productive nesting year and perhaps they are also irrupting due to a lack of food in the north. Thankfully there is no...
Read MoreFox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
One of my favorite parts of the chilly month of November is the return of the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) which becomes widespread after most of the other sparrow species have passed through or established winter territory. As you may have seen at your feeders this relatively large sparrow is a big time kicker, making feeding in the early season leaf litter and snow much easier. They are often difficult birds to dig up on Christmas Bird Counts as they are shy and like to remain hidden or close to a ready escape most of the time. If you have never had one in your yard try placing seed on...
Read MoreRed-breasted Nuthatch enjoying pine cones
On the same day that I posted about not seeing many Red-breasted Nuthatches this autumn I went out and immediately saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Such is life! I do not need to file a retraction in this case because my overall point remains valid. The species is a resident in many parts of New York and the Northeast but these tiny bundles of joy are found much more frequently in the fall and winter during irruption years where birds move south and often visit bird feeders for the duration of their stay. There are always a number of Red-breasted Nuthatches that migrate to southern quarters....
Read MoreRed-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
Have you seen any more Red-breasted Nuthatches than usual at your feeders or in your area? I have not seen many as of yet this fall, and this photo is from a previous winter. It seems unlikely that we will have more than average in many places in the Northeast this autumn and winter, and we will be without an irruption. During some of their major movements there are often birds heading south middle of the summer, even July, with the returning earliest warblers. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreRTPI and SUNY JCC studying Spiny Softshell Turtles
This fall we have two interns from SUNY Jamestown Community College working with us on the study and research of the Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) population present in the Chadakoin River, located mere moments from our campus in Jamestown, New York. The state-listed turtle is listed as “special concern” and we are thankful to have this nearby area where we have found them successfully nesting. The Chadakoin River has a history of being surrounded by development and industry, making contamination of various sorts and water quality major concerns. However, the...
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