Could it Be That Time Already?!
Our winter weather has been getting stranger by the day! This week we are going to see daytime temperatures in the mid 60’s and overnight temps in the low 40’s and 50’s with possible rain. And you know what that could mean right? Amphibians could potentially begin their migrations to their vernal breeding pools within the next few days! This time last year we were still buried in snow and were still experiencing some of the winds and weather from the “polar vortex.” Due to the extreme cold last year, it wasn’t until early April when we saw spotted...
Read MoreGoodbye Winter
This sunset from earlier in the week felt like a mix of the winter and spring seasons. As our calendars have turned to March we have entered meteorological spring. As the sun rises higher and higher and these sunsets get later and later our buds and blooms starting to pop. Next week will feature some very warm conditions for early March with birds heading north and flowers emerging from the earth. Get outdoors this weekend to enjoy the early signs of spring!
Read MoreBrown Creeper
Brown Creepers must be the winner in the category of “most calm, friendly and tame birds that are yet the most difficult to get a good photo of” because they stay glued to the tree bark and rarely stop moving, spiraling up and down the trunk. They examine every crevice they can for any small insects or spiders, locking those big feet on the bark and staying steady with their long tail, using that large curved bill to snag their snack. I have plenty of semi-blurry photos of the species and even more that are too dark or obstructed. Today I took out my camera to photograph a few of...
Read MoreNot So Sleepy Bears
While the landscape in Western New York is rapidly changing thanks to some lake effect snow, earlier this week the ground was completely uncovered, temperatures were above normal and some normally sleeping wildlife were out foraging on available food resources. These photos were taken by my dad while he and a friend were out on a walk. As you can see, that black shape isn’t a wandering cow in the corn field rather it is an American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) awake from its “hibernation.” According to NYS DEC and the North American Bear Center, the black bear is not a...
Read MoreGreen-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula)
Here’s an aptly named Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) hummingbird to warm you up on this Monday as photographed in Costa Rica by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser. A splash of green among all the white outside always helps, and every day that sun of ours is staying out later and climbing higher…
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