Where Balloons Go
This is where balloons end up once they are let go. I cannot tell you how many times I have come across large bunches of balloons while outdoors in even remote and otherwise pristine locations. We even end up spotting them during hawk watching every year! While most folks rather innocently do not think about the end game once they let go of that string we should be aware of the consequences of our actions and how potentially deadly they are to birds and all wildlife. Released lighted lanterns may be pretty but where are they going to end up? Not floating off into space. I am always surprised...
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 MoreSweetgum tree’s gorgeous real estate
If the birds who constructed this home had done so on this Sweetgum tree during the autumn season the price for their “land” would have skyrocketed thanks to the gorgeous surroundings. Checking out trees, shrubs and other woody vegetation after the leaves fall is a good idea if you want to learn about where bird nests are built and the most favorable locations to seek out breeders next spring and summer. Sometimes you may find some previously used nests that were right under your nose, unbeknownst to you thanks to the secretive parents and a job well done.
Read MorePowerline corridors, plants and wildlife
Powerline corridors, as well as gas and oil pipeline right of ways, are often an unexpected habitat oasis. They cover millions of acres of land in America. They may also provide a tremendous benefit to plants and wildlife that favor scrub or early successional habitat, a type that we do not favor in our development otherwise. Certain bees and butterflies to flowers and birds can all end up winning if these strips are managed properly – limiting mowing, chemicals, invasive plants and so forth. As humans have worked to protect forests we have neglected to do the same for this habitat...
Read MoreHorned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a species of open areas – the tundra, grasslands, fields, beaches and dunes and even the desert. Unsurprisingly they feed on the ground on insects and seeds and often take advantage of human activity disturbing areas such as mowed airports or piles of plowed earth or snow that expose more food. When it comes to the winter you will find them wherever it is the most bare. You can frequently spot them with Snow Buntings and, more rarely, the Lapland Longspur. They are also another species decreasing across much of their range and are listed as...
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