Signs Are Going Up!
We are one month and counting until the winter trails officially open for snowmobile, ski and snowshoe activities to begin! Our “Nature at Your Fingertips” cell phone tour signs are in the process of being erected at 30 different locations and the tour itself is getting a major face-lift! With Orbitist providing the new platform, our tour will be easier to use and I think a lot more fun! I can’t wait to tell you more about this in the coming weeks as we continue to improve the tour, so stay tuned! Elyse Henshaw Conservation Technician
Read MoreSnowy RTPI
RTPI was looking a little snowy the other day thanks to some more lake effect snow. The ground is still pretty warm and wet so its going to take a little while before our snowfall sticks, but it won’t be long!
Read MoreSnow Buntings
It is early enough in the avian wintering season that both the earth and the birds – in this case, Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) – are brown. We do not have a solid snow cover yet, and it is amazing how well this plumage is designed to help them blend in to the ground. The Snow Bunting camouflage looks like brown grass and, somehow, a rocky, sandy and rough earth, with their wings showing off the darker pattern of what the tundra and short grasslands look like now. Notice how well these birds keep themselves just off the surface even while engaged in feeding, hiding their...
Read MoreHWA Survey Season
Once again it’s that time of year to brave the cold for conservation sake! That’s right, the season for surveying Eastern Hemlock trees (Tsuga canadensis) for the presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) has officially begun. Commonly referred to as HWA, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is an aphid-like invasive insect that specifically attacks species within the Tsuga genus. Within the United States, four species of hemlock exist: Western and Mountain hemlock in the Pacific Northwest and Eastern and Carolina hemlock throughout the east. Each of these species are fair game for...
Read MoreWinter Cardinal
Could this be the scene we see this weekend? With snow in the forecast it certainly could be! This weekend will be perfect for staying indoors and enjoying a wonderful art exhibit at RTPI. From Field to Frame by the talented Mike DiGiorgio is now on display for all to see. So come on in, warm up and take a peek at these wonderful pieces!
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