Chadakoin River in downtown Jamestown
The Chadakoin River, pictured here in downtown Jamestown, is glowing with life and autumn shades. What did you see outside on this fine fall day? Corridors like this one can be a wonderful place for wildlife on the move including many species of migrant birds and dragonflies apart from all the endemic life we often speak of. I have seen some stunning warblers here! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreRTPI and SUNY JCC studying Spiny Softshell Turtles
This fall we have two interns from SUNY Jamestown Community College working with us on the study and research of the Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) population present in the Chadakoin River, located mere moments from our campus in Jamestown, New York. The state-listed turtle is listed as “special concern” and we are thankful to have this nearby area where we have found them successfully nesting. The Chadakoin River has a history of being surrounded by development and industry, making contamination of various sorts and water quality major concerns. However, the...
Read MoreChadakoin River in downtown Jamestown, New York
This is the Chadakoin River in downtown Jamestown, New York. On one hand it is a waterway that has been surrounded by industry and development for decades. On the other hand it is a vital environmental hotspot, hosting species like the Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera), state-listed as a species of “special concern”. This is a very literal example of this dichotomy. With all of that said there are many reasons to be optimistic about the Chadakoin and other natural resources in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region! Later today I will post a blog entry about RTPI’s...
Read MoreSnowy Egrets feeding under the clouds
I took these photos earlier in the week while conducting surveys in coastal Connecticut for our work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. It was a warm and cloudy day with calm but soon to be increasing winds ahead of a cold front. The southerly flow made for a quieter morning in terms of passerine migrants but these feeding Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) kept me busy. The Snowy Egret is listed as “threatened” under the Connecticut Endangered Species Act. While we as a society no longer hunt birds like these beautiful long-legged waders to adorn our clothing with their...
Read MoreGreat Egret – happy autumn eve!
Happy autumn eve! This Great Egret should probably get a move on soon. With that said more and more long-legged waders, shorebirds and various passerine species are attempting to overwinter further north each year. Last winter was the exception to the continually changing climate. Anyone who tells you with certainty what these upcoming seasons will bring is assuredly fibbing, but right now for us in the northeast it seems to be a continuation of historically average conditions.
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