History, Natural History & the Arts
Late fall and early winter are the best times of year to spot giant silk moth cocoons. Perhaps you’ve seen these creatures in the summer, fluttering by your porch light in the evening or resting on your garage wall in the early morning after spending the night at its light.
These large, showy moths in the family Saturniidae live only briefly as winged adults, are strikingly colored, and, as moths go, are huge. [Read more…] about Cocoon Spotting: Giant Silk Moths in Winter
Last week, during a walk in the woods, I turned towards soft sounds in the understory and saw a small porcupine waddling through fallen oak and maple leaves. Porcupines have terrible eyesight and can’t see more than several feet in front of them, so I was able to quietly watch this one for a few moments.
As the porcupine continued meandering along, it caught my scent and suddenly stilled before lifting up its forelegs and rising onto its haunches, nose in the air. [Read more…] about Porcupettes No More: Young Porcupines in the Struggle
My husband and I once planted 128 fruit trees on a hillside, mostly apples, but the back few rows included stone fruits.
Our apples began producing with gusto after only a few years. We made gallons of cider and sold bushels of heirloom apples. But the plums have required patience. Their blossoms are so delicate and our springs so unpredictable that after eight years, there were still varieties we had yet to taste. [Read more…] about Coyotes Prepare for Winter
At this point in the season, most migrating songbirds and raptors have already left. But on lakes and ponds across the Northeast, some loons are still fishing and paddling.
Loon parents may set off for the ocean before their young can fly, so it’s not uncommon to see loon chicks alone on the water in late autumn. [Read more…] about Lingering Loon Chicks Preparing for Migration
The arrival of autumn has aquatic critters preparing to huddle down as water temperatures drop, and New Yorks’ 44 species of native freshwater mussels are no different.
In the colder months, freshwater mussels burrow deep into the substrate. [Read more…] about Freshwater Mussels Awaiting Winter
The 1895 Champlain Canal navigation season was nearing its end. “The Morgan Lumber Company is hurrying large quantities of lumber to tidewater,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on November 19th.
“Its boats are discharged of their up cargoes of coal as rapidly as possible, and immediately load lumber for the return trip.” There was evidence a few days later that, indeed, the remaining days of the navigation season were numbered. [Read more…] about Closing the Champlain Canal Season in 1895
On a recent walk in the Maine woods, I heard a red-breasted nuthatch calling softly to itself. It was six feet above me in a large white pine, climbing down the tree headfirst. Looking through my binoculars, I saw that the nuthatch was carrying a red spruce seed, which it slotted under a piece of knobby bark before flying off into a tangle of branches and cones on a nearby spruce.
The bird soon reappeared on the pine, 15 feet higher this time, and stashed another seed under the bark on a large horizontal branch. It was still late summer then, but the nuthatch was already planning for winter. [Read more…] about Creating Caches: Winter Preparation
As the beautiful New York landscape takes on its legendary colors and the unwelcome first frost arrives, home gardeners often have questions about fall garden tasks.
Here are seven concerns with answers to make your autumn easier and pave the way for an early start on next year’s garden. [Read more…] about Fall Garden Tasks: A Primer
Fall is an especially good time to find all kinds of nuts on the forest floor, in a picnic area in the park, or maybe even in your neighborhood or back yard. Let’s take a look and learn how to identify some of these wild nuts.
In technical botanical terms, all of these “nuts” are called the “fruit.” The fruit is defined as the seed and the package which holds the seed. So, for example, the acorn is the fruit of an oak tree, and inside is the nut which is a type of seed. If you use plant keys you will see those terms, but for general use, it is OK to call them all nuts. [Read more…] about Wild Nuts: An Important Food Source
Each fall, migrating birds can be seen flying south to their wintering grounds.
This is the ideal time of year for New York residents and visitors to head to Bird Conservation Areas across the state for great bird watching opportunities. [Read more…] about Fall Bird Migration is Underway
As autumn nears, I find myself returning to botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer’s line in Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses where she describes ecological succession as “a tale of the interwoven fates of mosses, fungi, and the footfall of chipmunks.”
The phrase evokes the quiet, entangled choreography of life in transition. Since first reading it, I’ve become more attuned to the subtleties of that unfolding. [Read more…] about In the Footsteps of a Chipmunk
The staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is a ubiquitous shrub of human-impacted northeastern habitats. Sumac stands occur along most highways and county roads, as well as in disturbed areas and abandoned fields transitioning to shrubland.
With the onset of late summer’s cooler nighttime temperatures and shorter days, staghorn sumacs are among the first leafy plants to lose chlorophyll from their cells. The breakdown of this pigment triggers the transition from green foliage to yellow, orange, and red, often starting as early as mid-August. After a striking autumnal display, their rich red to burgundy-colored fruit clusters remain all winter. [Read more…] about Sumac Galls & Aphids: An Ancient Association
Several weeks and many baths ago, my dog discovered a black-and-white stranger crossing our lawn. Wagging vigorously, and ignoring my frantic shouts, she ran up and offered her canine greeting: a nose-to-tail sniff.
The encounter ended predictably, with the skunk waddling off into the dark, the dog staggering in circles, and me searching desperately through the cupboard for stink-dispelling supplies. [Read more…] about Skunks Are Preparing for Winter
It is always wise to drive carefully in areas where deer and moose live, but fall is an especially important time to be alert to their presence. Deer and moose become more active in November and December during breeding season and are more likely to enter public roadways.
Motorists should be aware that animals are especially active at dawn and dusk when visibility may be reduced and commuter traffic may be heavy. [Read more…] about Motorists: Watch for Deer and Moose
As the leaves continue to fall, many of us will use our time or money to rid our lawns of leaves. Keeping our leaves nearby is a simpler, more environmentally-friendly solution, as leaves contain nutrients that are good for the soil.
Here are some ways to make the most of your leaves: [Read more…] about Why You Should Keep Your Leaves In Your Yard
The great annual movements of fall include monarch butterflies winging toward Mexico, whales heading to the Caribbean to give birth, and multitudes of birds in the autumn skies. There’s another migration this season that often goes unnoticed by casual observers: that of dragonflies.
Given that dragonflies (or something closely resembling them) have been on this planet for more than 300 million years, there’s even a chance they’re the original migratory animals. [Read more…] about Migratory Dragonflies Are On The Move
Go for a spin this fall and discover the scenic biking trails at New York State Parks. Bicycling is a great, low-impact exercise to enjoy with family and friends and a picturesque way to experience fall foliage in New York State. With so many trails to choose from, here are a few destinations from around the state worth exploring. [Read more…] about Bicycling Adventures in New York State Parks
Leaf peeping is right up there with pumpkin spice lattes and cozy wool sweaters as a quintessential fall activity. When the temperature starts dropping and autumn begins to show its true colors, many New Yorkers converge on their local state parks for the chance to see beautiful yellow, orange, and red vistas up close and personal. Whether you’re an avid hiker or a weekend trail walker, fall is the perfect season to get outside and enjoy the 2000+ miles of state park trails. [Read more…] about Great Leaf Peeping Opportunities at New York State Parks
Each fall, migrating birds can be seen flying south to their wintering grounds. This is the ideal time of year for New York residents and visitors to head to Bird Conservation Areas across the state for great bird watching opportunities. With birds on the move, your favorite birding site can change within a few days with different species traveling through. [Read more…] about Fall Bird Migration is Underway: Here’s Where To Watch
Residents of New England and southeastern Canada are dismayed by this year’s drab fall color display, an unfortunate result of funding cuts at USDA’s Plant-Pigmentation Program. Or at least I assume that’s what happened.
Actually, it’s largely due to the abnormally wet season we’ve had. Frequent rains kept foliage damp for long periods, which set the stage for normally weak, opportunistic fungal pathogens to cop an attitude, and set up housekeeping inside leaves. High temperatures and humidity helped speed things along. [Read more…] about What’s Making This Year’s Fall Leaf Colors Dull
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