About a month ago I described an active nest box in my grandson’s backyard. A pair of tufted titmice had built a nest and incubated and hatched five eggs. I promised an update on the nest’s fate; all five young titmice fledged successfully. That’s the definition of “nest ...
Millions of people downhill from us drink the waters that are shed from our roofs, parking lots, streets and lawns. As watershed residents, it is the responsibility of each of us to take care of the waters that land on our homes and yards. Rainfall and snow can contain dust, ash and ...
It is an otherworldly sound – it both belongs and doesn’t. At once it instills a fear that renders you motionless, but also attracts you with a deep rooted thrill fueled by adrenaline. Rattlesnake. I remember my first wild Pennsylvania rattlesnake. Black phase female, basking on a rock ...
Drive slowly by a farm pond, a lake, or a wetland on a warm summer evening, and you’re likely to hear two distinctive voices. A deep, booming, “Jug-o’-rummm!” betrays a male bullfrog. On a lake the sound can travel up to a mile across open water. As darkness falls, dozens of bullfrog ...
The lakes and streams in Chautauqua County have been impacted for decades by human uses in the landscapes which “shed” water to them. These waterways are some of our most valuable assets, and they need your action to protect them! How is your community managing your watershed? Is your ...
At this time last year, I found myself ready to leave one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. We had just found what appeared to be the last parking spot in Zion National Park and were walking to what looked like a never ending line for the tram to go into the valley. And it was ...
This weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer. That means little league games, swimming pools, and maybe some beach time. But summer also brings sunburn, sweltering heat, and biting/stinging insects. Today, however, let’s focus on the botanical scourge called poison ivy, which ...
May is a season of fast changes. Storm clouds boil up over the hills to the west and sweep rain across the region. Days of baking sun are followed by mornings where winter coats are more appropriate. Most of the changes, though, are quiet. The forest fills slowly with life. Ferns ...
One of my favorite parts of being a naturalist is watching kids discover things they have never seen before. So many children simply don’t get the opportunity to explore outdoors or don’t even know that exploring outside is an option. Audubon does a lot of programs for schools in ...
The nesting season for birds shifts into high gear in May. Geography, weather, and each species’ biology affect the precise timing of the nesting season, but one constant is the role of the incredible egg. Think of an egg as an avian gestation chamber, or the functional equivalent of a ...
Everyone loves a good neighbor, especially one that comes to your house to clean. Chautauqua Lake has a good neighbor — the Conewango Creek Watershed Association. For the last four years, they have come to help clean up the outlet of Chautauqua Lake, and they are set to do it for a ...
When I was in college I usually ate my lunch at the Trailhead CafÈ, a little cafÈ just inside ESF’s campus center. The Trailhead doesn’t look like much to a random stranger just wandering through, but to the students at ESF the Trailhead was the closest thing we had to a dining hall ...
It’s been almost a year since my wife and I moved from West Virginia to Western North Carolina. Since then many readers have written to wish us well. We truly appreciate your thoughtful cards and emails. Thank you. Moving from a large old house on 95 rural acres to a suburban ...
An invasive species is an organism that has been introduced to an environment it is not native to and damages or impacts ecosystems, economies and/or human health. It can be plant, animal, fungal, viral or bacterial in nature. The negative impacts of these species can be extremely severe ...
This is the time of year that I fully understand the value of basking. Lying on the ground, cushioned by the newly growing grass, the kiss of the sun on my winter skin is deep and satisfying. I can feel my muscles relax and my mind wander. When I close my eyes, the season truly transforms. ...
Each spring many readers ask how to use nest boxes to attract eastern bluebirds, tufted titmice, Carolina and black-capped chickadees, and house and Carolina wrens. Many readers specifically ask how long the process will actually take. Here’s a specific example from a year ago. In March ...
Springtime in the forests of Western New York is a time of gentle rebirth and renewal, so welcome and wondrous after the long gray months of winter dormancy, darkness and cold. In the world of plants in our region’s watersheds, vernal awakening is cued most reliably by the shortening of ...
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve claims the title of “The Holiday Season.” However, I could make a case for spring as a strong runner up. I sit here both tired and energized from Volunteer Day, Audubon’s Earth Day celebration. After a morning of hard work on the nature ...
If you’re looking for a good book, here are a few titles I’ve had a chance to review and enjoy recently. Kenn Kaufman has been obsessed with birds since he dropped out of high school and hitchhiked across the country pursuing his passion. He recounted that year in Kingbird Highway ...
What is your yard care personality type? Are you a Naturalist? A Perfectionist? A Moderate? No matter your type, there is a way to incorporate watershed-friendly practices into your routine and still maintain a yard that you can be proud of! Why is it important to use ...