White-throated Sparrows massing and feeding
White-throated Sparrows have arrived in tremendous numbers across the region, ready to eat you out of house and home all winter long! Before then, while the grass and earth is still exposed, without being snow-covered or frozen, they can feast on more natural meals. I took a bunch of photos of a few individuals in a group feeding on the lawn last week. There would not be much to chow down on if this were uniformly treated bright, green grass, one species that was chemically induced to look like the perfect lawn. These monocultures are taking up valuable habitat real estate and often consist...
Read MoreMorning-glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla)
This looks to be a Morning-glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla), one that I photographed only last week. Even as we enter November and have already experienced frosts, freezes and early season snowfall in the Northeast (and the Southeast?!) there are still a wide variety of flying insects to be found. Many of our tiny neighbors can be discovered year-round. It only takes a little more effort on our part to spot them. Put on an extra layer if you need it but get outside as much as you can. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreResting Monarch
This Monarch butterfly was content to take a rest out of the wind for a while. Part of what must make a Monarch’s migration so difficult is that autumn days with warm temperatures are often those that feature a strong southerly flow – precisely the opposite of the direction they’d like. Finding sunny and warm days with a tailwind out of the north is not easy in September or October, especially in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region with lake effect clouds and precipitation even under high pressure. This is before we mention the cool temperatures associated with those...
Read MoreGoodbye to green and growing season
We have already had multiple frosts and freezes in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region. This weekend may bring the first…I’ll say flakes and avoid using the s-word for now! This photo is about as green as it is going to get for several months as we say goodbye for now to both green and growth. Winter brings its own joys and adventures with a new selection of life to take in. Please be sure to read the exciting developments in our winter trails cell phone tour as it expands across Chautauqua County! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCold and snowy end to November
I do not need to tell anyone in the western New York or even Great Lakes region about how cold it has been in the last couple of weeks considering it is November! As of yesterday Buffalo has been -2.0 °F so far this month compared to long-term climate averages while Erie comes in at -3.0 °F, Rochester -1.6 °F, and Watertown -1.5 °F, all despite having had some strong surges of warmth heading into the 60s at a couple points in November. This is Barcelona Harbor in Westfield and its weather station beginning to freeze up. This blast of arctic air also led to both lake effect and synoptic scale...
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