Female Eastern Towhee
Here is the female Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) looking well after a meal (note the bits left on the bill). She is being pushed by the cool northeast winds, her brown, orange and white feathers blowing a little in the breeze. That piercing red eye is magnificent! Autumn migration is a great time to find this bird, but you may also end up seeing them in the winter – especially if one comes to seek refuge at your feeders after a major snowstorm.
Read MoreFall Colors Emerging
Happy 1st day of Autumn! Throughout Western New York and Pennsylvania, the fall colors are just starting to emerge, with some beautiful yellows, faint oranges and reds peaking through the green landscapes. Our recent overnight chills and soaking rains will help boost the vibrancy of the leaves, making for some stellar fall views! Elyse Henshaw Conservation Technician
Read MoreGreat Spangled Fritillary
This Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) was a tricky butterfly, staying hidden from my lens in some very harsh bright sunshine and dark shadows, making its individual features all the more bold. That glaring light did hide some of the bright orange shades, and maybe that is part of how it keeps itself safe. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGnarly Sunset
I went outside to try to photograph some mammatus clouds a few days ago, with the evening sky revealing those dense pockets of descending cool air after a volatile day after severe thunderstorms and heavy rain showers. It did not go very well! The mammatus clouds to my east were a bit too spread out in distribution and too diffuse, not catching the light correctly for some reason. However, the light was funky to say the very least, with everything on the ground having these odd tones as the sun went below the horizon. This soon lit the cloudy skies to the west with fiery, gnarly tones which...
Read MoreFall foliage turns to brown
Even at this mid-November date there are still areas of fall foliage clinging to trees in the Northeast. The prolonged autumn season has left us dark orange, red and brown leaves that have a haunting hue in the setting sun against the slate-colored clouds. The coming cold and snow will mark the end of their prolonged reign against our skyline.
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