It’s evening, and you’re in the forest. You close your eyes and inhale the sharp, sweet, turpentine scent of pine. The air is still, yet the branches overhead seem to nod at your presence. You shine a flashlight and catch a glimpse: a fleeting, tiny ball of fur, arms and legs outstretched, tail like a rudder, gliding through the night. It lands on a tree trunk, pauses, then launches itself again. A flying squirrel, in its glory. [Read more…] about When North Meets South: Flying Squirrel Hybrids
squirrels
Flying Squirrels: Nocturnal Tree Dwellers
In the days prior to and immediately following a full moon, there is often enough light in the hours after sunset for a person to meander along a well established woodland trail without the aid of a flashlight. By walking slowly and quietly, one can occasionally detect a small gray squirrel rustling about the dead leaves on the forest floor, climbing up a large trunk, or moving along the limb of a tree. While most squirrels strongly prefer to be active during the light of day, the flying squirrel favors the darkness of night and is one of the most common nocturnal tree dwelling mammals in New York State. [Read more…] about Flying Squirrels: Nocturnal Tree Dwellers
State Legislature Passes Bill Banning Wildlife Killing Contests
On June 21, 2023, the New York State Assembly passed legislation carried by Deborah Glick, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Conservation to ban wildlife killing contests in New York State. This bill was passed by the State Senate in early June, carried by Senator Timothy Kennedy. If the legislation is signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul as expected, New York State will become the ninth state to ban wildlife killing contests. [Read more…] about State Legislature Passes Bill Banning Wildlife Killing Contests
There’s More To Animal Fur Than Meets The Eye
A flash of orange streaks across the meadow – a red fox, like a starburst in the snow. Its fur shimmers in the early morning light, and I, bundled in my winter layers and still shivering cold, envy the fox’s luxurious coat. [Read more…] about There’s More To Animal Fur Than Meets The Eye
Look for Wildlife Tracks this Winter
Now is a great time to search for winter tracks or other animal signs visible in the snow. It can be fun to be a detective and figure out what animals have been walking through your yard or across a trail. [Read more…] about Look for Wildlife Tracks this Winter
Squirrel Talk: Gray Squirrel Communication
Even if you’ve never ventured further into the forest than an urban park or a college campus, you’re probably familiar with Sciurus carolinensis, the eastern gray squirrel. While it’s easy to identify gray squirrels by sight, however, recognizing the various sounds they make is more complicated.
Their vocalizations – squeaks, moans, buzzes, barks, and clucks – can sound like noises made by cats, chickens, jays, catbirds, even ducks. [Read more…] about Squirrel Talk: Gray Squirrel Communication
Old Trees Play A Unique And Essential Role
Typically, “tree aging” is done by counting annual growth rings, either on a stump or on a sample core taken by a special tool. But the phrase can also refer to veteranization, a process whereby trees are prematurely aged through targeted injury and stress in order to create specialized habitats. It’s much like the ageing of parents, a treatment administered by one’s children to produce worry lines, grey hairs, and character.
We humans whistle past the cemetery, as it were, with refrains like “50 is the new 40,” apparently hoping to trick death into giving us a free decade somewhere along the line. For trees, there is no single definition of old. A mountain-ash is decrepit by fifty, while a bur oak of that age is a mere adolescent. Every species has a lifespan range beyond which no amount of wishful thinking or supplements can help. [Read more…] about Old Trees Play A Unique And Essential Role
The Gray Squirrel in the Adirondacks
The gray squirrel is a common member of New York State’s wildlife community.
This bushy-tailed rodent ranks among the most frequently seen creatures, especially if a few individuals in the neighborhood are maintaining bird feeders. Yet, as common as this skilled aerialist may appear, the gray squirrel is not as widely distributed throughout the Adirondack Park as it might seem. [Read more…] about The Gray Squirrel in the Adirondacks
R.E.P.E.L. Nuisance Wildlife With These Tips
Spring time can coincide with an increase in conflicts between people and wildlife. Woodchucks in the garden, squirrels or other critters in the attic, and skunks under the shed are but a few of the problems people may encounter. The best way to reduce common wildlife issues is by eliminating access to food, water, and shelter. [Read more…] about R.E.P.E.L. Nuisance Wildlife With These Tips
How Wildlife Adapts To New York Winters
The winter season presents a series of challenges for wildlife, such as food shortages, colder temperatures and large snowfalls. Fortunately, native wildlife has developed unique physiological and behavioral traits to help them survive and thrive in New York’s cold winter climate. [Read more…] about How Wildlife Adapts To New York Winters