Eastern Hellbender Plush by Ellen Paquette
This adorable plush Eastern Hellbender, created and generously donated by Ellen Paquette, is just one of several wonderful items that we’ll be raffling off during our Hellbender House Party Fundraising Event on November 18th! Get the details at http://rtpi.org/hellbender-house-party-1118/
Read MoreSwimming Sparrow
Sparrow diversity will be increasing by the day as we move through October and the temperature finally drops. You can expect to see more familiar faces soon after cold fronts bring cooperative winds. In the mean time we have plenty of the more abundant birds like this Savannah Sparrow utilizing the grasslands, feed plots, gardens, dirt patches, rocks, and waterways of Chautauqua County. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreMonarch Chrysalis
Let’s switch it up! I have been photographing plenty of butterflies on beautiful fall flowers recently, but this unexpected sight came thanks to the eye of Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point Land Steward Stefan Martin. The Monarch chrysalis seen here was found yesterday despite the late date, and considering our weather conditions and the favorable location it should have enough time to emerge and head south with all the rest. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreWhat’s In Our Water?
Have you seen this woman in the news lately? This is Dr. Sherri (Sam) Mason, the SUNY Fredonia Professor whose groundbreaking research on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes has earned her much recognition and press. RTPI staff have teamed up with Dr. Mason for guidance on evaluating the levels of plastic pollution in another freshwater system – the Chadakoin River in Jamestown. During our summer 2017 “education through conservation” initiative, the Project Wild America Youth Ambassadors Program (PWA), local students will work with RTPI staff to sample and assess the levels of plastic...
Read MoreAmphibians Abound
The first wave of amphibian breeding has now passed, and early vernal pool breeders are making room for the next wave of frogs to show up at our local wetlands. American toads, pickerel frogs and leopard frogs have been calling for a week or so now, and green frogs and bullfrogs will join in soon, Of course, the spring peepers just won’t stop calling at all… Did you know that you can easily tell the difference between frog eggs and toad eggs? Frog eggs are always laid in a clump or a floating raft, while our toads produce long, corkscrewing strands with a single line of eggs in the center...
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