Tick 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...
Read MoreSky over RTPI
Are you excited for some blue skies, Northeast?! This did not turn out to be a supernova but this recent photo certainly looked like it, even if momentarily, in the RTPI sky. Western New York sure knows how to make some vivid clouds. It’s Thursday morning but let’s start thinking about the gorgeous weekend and what we’ll do outside right now. Hello, sun!
Read MorePink Lady Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule)
Pink Lady Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) were on display during RTPI Bird Fest 2014 under all of the birds as Sean so elegantly depicts here.
Read MoreShort-headed Garter Snake (Thamnophis brachystoma)
Meet today’s cool neighbor: the Short-headed Garter Snake (Thamnophis brachystoma). This obscure little reptile has one of the smallest distribution ranges of all North American snakes and is only found in a small section of Western New York, adjacent Pennsylvania and reaches just into Ohio. During a quick check of a nearby hibernaculum last week we found a dozen individuals including gravid females and last year’s juveniles, indicating that our local population is doing great.
Read MorePearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Great to see some butterflies today after a slow start to spring including many Pearl Crescents (Phyciodes tharos). Have you had any Monarchs yet?
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