Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) saying hello
Oh, hello there, Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus). It seems as if there is nothing to see here, yes? The poor little thing was frozen in place while we had a staring contest. I was the first one who blinked, moving ever so slightly, and it dashed back off behind the tree. I hope it did not think it was invisible until then. Either way it was a very cute moment in November nature. I wish it the best for winter season and hope it has a large cache of food to snack on between naps. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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.
Read MoreOak leaves falling on Mallards
What do you believe the birds think as the world is literally falling around them? The bright, vibrant existence most of them are born into during the spring and the summer suddenly fades in the Northeast with cooling temperatures, shortening days and leaves floating to the earth from increasingly bare trees. Here is their reality collapsing further on a crisp November autumn day as these Mallards feed and contemplate, possibly wondering when the process will begin to reverse.
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 MoreWinter raptor surveys with NYSDEC
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History will be assisting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a second season of wintering raptor surveys in Chautauqua County in 2014-2015 and we will need your help! 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. Western New York’s NYSDEC Region 9 is a large geographical area and we at RTPI volunteered our time...
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