Historic Western New York Snowfall
The past week has been nothing short of historic in Western New York with crippling and dangerous snowfall beyond what even lifelong residents could have imagined. This lake effect snowfall weather event was the culmination of several factors that allowed Lake Erie’s snow machine to turn on full blast and dump feet of snow in very short periods of time, rivaling some all-time American records. While the final totals need to be examined, assessed and fully vetted, once you pass four, five, six, or seven feet, there is really no number that can do the impact justice. It is a tragedy that...
Read MoreFireball in the blue
I took this photo yesterday minutes from RTPI in Jamestown. We are about to hit the peak of fall foliage in Western New York and this weekend’s clear, deep blue, autumn skies made for some magnificent moments. If you have the day off from work or school tomorrow please be sure to find some time for a hike, birding, a run, some biking – anything to disconnect and get outdoors for a while. I’ll continue to share more scenes from the season all week long. I hope you share the sentiment with your friends and family. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreBlack Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
I have not seen many Black Swallowtails this year with a few here or there at best – what about you? I had been seeing an abundance of the common Eastern Tiger Swallowtail throughout the spring until their numbers plummeted to near zero in my experience Western New York throughout the summer. It continually astounds me how localized populations of even the more frequently seen species can be and how rapidly and unexpectedly their numbers can fluctuate. Nature is a delicate balance.
Read MoreBees collecting pollen
There have been many busy bees buzzing by me wherever I go lately, collecting all of that pollen I am delighted to see them taking. Are there any creatures on this planet that do more for us humans?
Read MoreTick and disease warning sign
This was a very informative sign that certainly looks rather new that I saw recently here in Western New York. Please have a wonderful weekend outdoors and enjoy the gorgeous weather but always keep your family’s safety in mind – including those furry children, too. Without proper habitat management practices and the continuation of the degradation of our ecosystems signs like these will need to be all the more common as we create more edges, lose predators and spread invasive plants, permitting or even favoring environmental conditions that harbor ticks and foster their...
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