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birds

Deadwood: The Importance of Standing Dead Trees

January 28, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

standing dead tree by Katherine YardSome of the most important trees in your woodlot are the ones that are no longer alive. Large, standing dead or dying trees — called snags — are an important component of healthy forests and a critical habitat feature for wildlife.

They provide places for many birds and mammals to forage, den, nest, perch, and roost. Snags are particularly important for cavity nesting birds like woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees; for bats that roost within cavities, crevices, and flaky bark; and for countless species that rely on the abundant insects, fungi, and lichens as a food source. [Read more…] about Deadwood: The Importance of Standing Dead Trees

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birds, Forestry, fungi, insects, lichen, small mammals, trees, Wildlife

Robins in Winter

January 7, 2023 by Guest Contributor 2 Comments

American robin courtesy Wikimedia user MdfOne January day, my husband and I set off on a walk around our neighborhood. The temperature was a bone-chilling negative 19 degrees, and although we worked to get our blood pumping, our fingers and toes eventually revolted. As we turned back toward the warmth of home, I spotted a flock of birds bouncing through the branches of a sumac. When I looked more closely, I was shocked to see that the birds were American robins. [Read more…] about Robins in Winter

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, Wildlife

Carolina Wrens Move North

December 31, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Carolina wren courtesy Wikimedia user Dan Pancamo I saw a new bird at my feeder last winter. In mid-December, a small, reddish-brown bird with an upturned tail, a white eyebrow-stripe, and a long, slender, downcurved bill was on the deck below our feeder. Looking at its cocked tail, I suspected it was a type of wren – a Carolina wren, I discovered upon checking my field guide. I had heard the rich, whistled song of this wren in my neighborhood for the first time the previous summer, but this was the first time I’d seen one. [Read more…] about Carolina Wrens Move North

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, Wildlife

Bald Eagle Viewing in Winter

December 31, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

bald eagle by Lisa YoungWinter is a great time to view bald eagles in New York State. Viewing from a safe distance and at planned observation sites can offer an exhilarating and memorable experience.

Wintering bald eagles begin arriving in December and concentrations peak in January and February. Most are heading back to their nesting areas by mid-March.  [Read more…] about Bald Eagle Viewing in Winter

Filed Under: Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Bald Eagles, birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife, winter

Iced-In Loon Rescued From Adirondack Lake

December 20, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

ACLC staff rescues loon from First LakeOn December 14th, the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation received a report of an iced-in loon on First Lake in Herkimer County. On December 15th, ACLC staff and volunteers responded to attempt to save the bird. The rescue team included Cody Sears, Jay Locke, Gary Lee, Don Andrews, and Kurt Gardner. [Read more…] about Iced-In Loon Rescued From Adirondack Lake

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Nature Tagged With: Adirondack Loon Center, birds, Herkimer COunty, ice, loons, waterfowl

Feed Wild Birds Safely and Responsibly

December 9, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

evening grosbeaks by Katherine YardFor many birdwatchers in New York, November 30th is an important date: the day that backyard bird feeders can go back up. To avoid conflicts with bears, DEC highly recommends only feeding birds from November 30th to April 1st. [Read more…] about Feed Wild Birds Safely and Responsibly

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, Wildlife, winter

It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance

November 26, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

tree swallow by Katherine YardBirdhouses are a simple addition to your yard that can provide nesting places for many kinds of birds and weeks of wildlife-watching opportunities.

Cavity-nesters, like tree swallows, house wrens, blackcapped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, wood ducks, and American kestrels, all use nest boxes.

The type of birds you might attract depends on the size of the box and the nearby habitat; some birds prefer open fields while others prefer forests or wetlands. [Read more…] about It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, DEC, fall, nature, Wildlife, winter

Eiders Hit Hard By Avian Influenza; Little Response From DEC

November 26, 2022 by Editorial Staff 3 Comments

A male Common EiderDue to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the St Lawrence waterway in Canada, an estimated 5-15% of nesting eider females died this year, negatively impacting the eider population, likely for several years. [Read more…] about Eiders Hit Hard By Avian Influenza; Little Response From DEC

Filed Under: Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Atlantic Ocean, Bird Migration, birds, DEC, hunting, nature, waterfowl, Wildlife

Canada Goose Migration: Where Are They Going?

November 12, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

canada goose courtesy USFWSThe musical honking of Canada geese and their V-shaped flocks streaming overhead are classic signs of autumn. I hear the clamor of geese as they fly low over my house, preparing to land in the hayfield in our valley.

Sometimes I spot the large, black-necked birds before they take off to continue their journey. Where are they coming from, I wonder, and where are they going? [Read more…] about Canada Goose Migration: Where Are They Going?

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Bird Migration, birding, birds, Canada Geese, waterfowl, Wildlife

The Trouble with Rodenticides

November 5, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Wildlife eating rodenticide from a bait station intended for rats courtesy Wikimedia user Andrew KvalheimLast autumn, around the same time I was laying the winter quilt on our bed, my cat became very interested in the space beneath the kitchen sink. Unsurprisingly, a mouse was huddled down there, seeking shelter in the warmth. Though I was sympathetic, and all wildlife is welcome in our yard, I’d prefer they remain outside the house. What to do? [Read more…] about The Trouble with Rodenticides

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birds, owls, pesticides, raptors, small mammals, Wildlife

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