Cozy Climate
As the snow falls across Chautauqua County and Western New York let us take a moment to remember when it was not a frigid arctic tundra and birds were singing, flowers blooming, and so forth…a few weeks ago. Those species that are expanding their range and trying to conquer new territory to the north as climate change makes it feasible are in for a rude awakening this week. Birds like this Northern Mockingbird or the Carolina Wren might have been living it up recently, feeding on anything they like in warm and mostly snow-free conditions. Now they will be in deep trouble, struggling to...
Read MoreButter Butt
The Yellow-rumped Warbler, or “Butter Butt” as we can see here, is one of the few warblers you can see here in December. While the leaves have left the trees the Yellow-rumps may still be around in warm areas such as coastlines, wooded wetlands and ponds, heated urban areas or places like sewage treatment plants. They are one of the only bits of yellow you can find in the winter season, and while hanging out here in our neck of the woods through the cold temperatures and snow is certainly difficult, at least these birds avoid the peril of a prolonged migration.
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!
Read MoreMore Frosty Mornings
This autumn has certainly been an interesting one as far as weather goes! Our first frost came rather late and last week we seemed to have had an “Indian Summer” with temperatures in the 60’s and even low 70’s…quite toasty for early November! While winter is still a little ways out, it will be interesting to see how El Niño continues to influence our weather patterns here in the Northeast. This week seems to be back to normal average temperatures, giving us freezing overnight lows and frosty mornings, but next week is forecasted to be warm once again. No matter...
Read MoreField Sparrow
This Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) actually flew directly towards me and my dog to perch on this white pine branch this morning. It looked us over for a minute and then went back to snacking. It is another great example of a lovely bird that we can still find even in the..uh, cold days of November? It is November, and apart from the low sun angle and early sunset it felt like it could have been late August out there today. This will undoubtedly keep birds with us a little longer with easier to survive temperatures, poor migratory conditions because of the southerly flow, and prolonged...
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