Gadwall Sunset
I photographed this spectacular sunset last week at Stratford Point while attempting to give it a number of different looks by changing lenses and positioning. A friendly Gadwall felt a little less friendly once it saw me approaching the water, but you can still see the duck behind the spartina in the first photo. That spartina is slowly regenerating and growing in to the intertidal zone, helping to protect and preserve the low energy side of the site from tidal and wave action. There are still plenty of pools for long-legged waders to feed in on small fish like sand lance, and there are...
Read MoreHumped Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza)
Gorgeous above the water surface, deadly below it – the Humped Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza), and other bladderworts, use small submerged vesicles – bladders – to trap and digest small aquatic invertebrates to augment their nutrient intake in the wetlands they occupy. These are among the very few carnivorous plants found in the northeastern United States. Photographed by RTPI President Twan Leenders for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project.
Read MoreJuly Sunset
Here are a couple sunset photos from last night at Stratford Point as we were on duty providing some fireworks coverage here in Stratford, Milford and West Haven for the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. You can see the reef balls in the distance along our dune and spartina growth in the intertidal zone. We had a couple Black-crowned Night-Heron visitors appropriately join us just after darkness fell on the site. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreJune Drought
Here are a couple more great graphics from the Northeast Regional Climate Center on the dry June we just wrapped up in the Northeast. The regional drought continues and will worsen even after some late week storms. We need significant rain and we need it soon, and for a prolonged period…but that is not in the forecast. As you can see in the table the precipitation stayed to our south causing record and tragic flooding in places like West Virginia. We need more balance, climate!
Read MoreDrought Worsening
Hey, did you happen to notice how dry it has been? Because our drought is steadily worsening as well. The Northeast is dry and far more dry than earlier this spring, the beginning of the year, the start of the last water year after a dry summer of 2015, and this date one year ago. We also do not have a lot of water in the forecast. Let’s hope for some clouds and some rain, please! We need more than a thunderstorm or two, and a few well-placed lows saturating the region would certainly be welcome. Extremes hurt much of the life in our environment, and climate change increasing our...
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