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Downy Woodpeckers in Winter

January 22, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

On winter mornings, I often venture outside to photograph the assembly of birds that visit the feeders in my front yard. One of the regular visitors is the diminutive downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), which clings to my peanut feeder, takes a nibble of suet, or forages in the nearby maple trees. Fairly comfortable with a human presence, these birds feature heavily in my photos.

Measuring only six inches in length and weighing less than an ounce, downy woodpeckers are the smallest of North America’s 22 native woodpecker species. They are often confused with the similar-looking hairy woodpecker. Downies are smaller than hairy woodpeckers, however, and rather than the hairy’s spike-like bill, downies sport a smaller, less conspicuous bill. Males possess a red spot on the back of the head, and both sexes have a general black and white appearance. [Read more…] about Downy Woodpeckers in Winter

The Saratoga Electric Railway’s Battle With The D&H

January 21, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Many are aware that one of the first steam railroads in the country was the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad, which began regular service in 1832. The coming of the railroad provided a great boost to the growth of the resort town of Saratoga Springs.

Fewer may realize that sixty years later the resort and the surrounding communities benefited greatly by another transportation revolution, the electric railway. However, the beginning of the trolley age was not without its birth pains. [Read more…] about The Saratoga Electric Railway’s Battle With The D&H

Moose, Winter Ticks and Fungi

January 15, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Legend says a stake through the heart will kill a vampire. But it’s a bit more complicated if you’re plagued – as moose can be – by tens of thousands of tiny blood-suckers. In the case of moose, the vampires are winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus), and finding a way to stake them has been tricky. However, recent research has found a potential – and microscopic – vampire hunter. [Read more…] about Moose, Winter Ticks and Fungi

A Saratoga County Cemetery Mystery

January 13, 2022 by Guest Contributor 3 Comments

Along Plummer Road in the town of Milton in Saratoga County sits the Powell-Wiswall Cemetery, a peaceful rural cemetery where local residents have been laid to rest since the early 1800s.

Standing like a sentinel over it all is a large statue of Christ. On two sides are engraved the names Ella Frances Wood-Mann and her husband Enos Rogers Mann. This monument sits adjacent to Wood family plots, where over the years Ella’s parents and other family members have been laid to rest. [Read more…] about A Saratoga County Cemetery Mystery

Snowy Owls: Denizens of the North

January 8, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Here’s a quiz for Harry Potter fans: What kind of owl played Hedwig in the movies?

If you guessed a snowy owl, you’re correct. With their bright yellow eyes, bulky-looking bodies, and white feathers that cover everything from their beaks to their large feet, these owls strike an impressive pose. And this winter, we may have a greater chance of glimpsing one of these amazing raptors from the far north. [Read more…] about Snowy Owls: Denizens of the North

Saratoga Co’s First Female Supervisor & A Filling Station Assault

January 7, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Anna Riddell came to the town of Hadley in Saratoga County, NY, from Boston in 1910 after marrying a local man. She first made the local paper in 1915 when The Saratogian reported, “Mrs. Anna Riddell has purchased a Ford runabout which she intends to operate herself after taking a few lessons.” Apparently, the lessons were a success and Anna’s love for automobiles flourished.

In 1920, when Riddell’s house was destroyed by fire in the middle of the night, the family barely escaped with nothing but their nightclothes, and “a Dodge touring car belonging to Mrs. Riddell which was in a building connected with the house was saved through great difficulty because of the deep snow.” No longer just a hobby, Anna had become a chauffeur for hire and was among the first women to obtain a driver’s license in Saratoga County.

In addition to her passion for cars, Anna also showed conviction for civic groups and local government. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and volunteered for the Red Cross during the First World War, chairing liberty loan drives and serving as a member of the Red Cross Motor Corps in Hadley. [Read more…] about Saratoga Co’s First Female Supervisor & A Filling Station Assault

Pileated Woodpeckers In Winter

January 2, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Whenever I spy a pileated woodpecker traversing the sky, I pause to watch its weird undulating flight. The jerky rise-and-drop movement of this large woodpecker is endearingly gawky – like a mini pterodactyl visiting from the Cretaceous period.

This time of year, the bird’s bold crimson crest flashes in stark contrast to the mostly-muted colors of winter. [Read more…] about Pileated Woodpeckers In Winter

The Marquis de Chastellux’s Visit To Saratoga Battlefield

January 2, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

The 1777 battles of Saratoga drew visitors to the region even before the Revolutionary War ended.

It is well known that the American victory at Saratoga garnered the outright support of the French. Not only did the French decide to send part of their navy, but they also sent troops under Marshal Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau.

A member of Rochambeau’s staff, François Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux, was particularly interested in the Battles of Saratoga. Being the ninth child of an aristocratic family, Chastellux entered into a military career. Eventually his military career and his knowledge of English led him to join Rochambeau’s staff, which brought him to the United States. [Read more…] about The Marquis de Chastellux’s Visit To Saratoga Battlefield

Live Caches of Moles and Shrews

January 1, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

In November, I was making soup to stock the freezer when I looked out my kitchen window and spotted a red squirrel rustling through the leaves in search of acorns. Both of us were preparing for harder days ahead – me for an upcoming hip replacement surgery, the squirrel for the approaching snowy season.

What other animals, I wondered, were preparing for winter – and how? [Read more…] about Live Caches of Moles and Shrews

Winter Fruit & Wildlife Survival

January 1, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Late one January afternoon, my husband and I stood on the shore of a frozen pond below the summit of Camel’s Hump in Vermont, admiring the view. Suddenly we heard familiar calls, and a flock of robins flew over. Robins? In winter? In the mountains? I was perplexed.

Later, I talked with a birder friend, who informed me that robins from Labrador and other northern regions migrate south to the Green and White Mountains in winter, where they feed on mountain ash berries. Indeed, during our snowshoe trek to the pond, we had noticed clumps of bright red fruit in the small mountain ash trees, topped with powdery snow. [Read more…] about Winter Fruit & Wildlife Survival