“Warming Oceans Putting Marine Life ‘In a Blender’ “
The title of this article is very well put! But “[a]ccording to a 2013 study, marine species are pushing their range boundaries poleward, away from the Equator, at an average speed of 4.5 miles a year,” which is beyond mind blowing when one considers the history of the Earth and its evolution in hundreds of millions or billions of years. They are moving at the speed of light. The climate has always shifted, but it happens slowly over thousands upon thousands of years instead of decades as it is now due to humans. Even then it often meant extinction for those who had flourished...
Read MoreMeet SAM Tonight!
The Hellbender: New York’s Living Fossil – Tonight at 7:00PM The Eastern Hellbender is a unique salamander found only in the eastern United States. Hellbenders are “living fossils” that have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, giving us a glimpse into our ecological past. In recent years, this iconic species has declined significantly in New York and throughout its entire range. Join conservation biologist Robin Foster to learn more about the hellbender and how you can help to conserve this amazing amphibian! Please join us at RTPI (311 Curtis St., Jamestown, NY) at 7:00 for...
Read MoreYard Pine Siskin
There are still Pine Siskins hanging out in the Northeast, and if you provide them with enough food in your yard and they are able to find a mate, they may nest right there! The nomadic species is certainly opportunistic, and I hope this bird in Twan’s yard can find a partner and settle down soon. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGray Ghost Northern Harrier
This is a “Gray Ghost” Northern Harrier, an adult male soaring through the sky and hunting over grasslands. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History has been assisting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a second season of wintering raptor surveys in Chautauqua County in 2014-2015. The primary focus of these surveys is to determine where Short-eared Owls (Asio flammeus), ‘endangered’ in New York, and Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), ‘threatened’ in New York, are spending the winter season to roost and feed. As we...
Read MoreWinter Raptor Count – RTPI on WGRZ TV
A tremendous thanks to Terry Belke of WGRZ TV in Buffalo for producing this article and video segment on the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History’s winter raptor surveys for his popular series “2 The Outdoors”. The video features RTPI President Twan Leenders and some footage and photos of our target species, the Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl. There is some seriously wonderful video to be seen, so please check it out! RTPI is assisting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a second season of wintering raptor surveys in Chautauqua...
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