History, Natural History & the Arts
Scientific studies show that time outside in nature significantly reduces stress and anxiety; lowers blood pressure; improves mood, energy, and sleep; and boosts the immune system.
There are several Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) where people with disabilities will find universally accessible features. [Read more…] about Try Accessible Recreation at Wildlife Management Areas
Among these impatient migrants to New York State each spring are pairs of Canada Geese that have overwintered in the windswept corn fields of Southern New York, and across the Pennsylvania and New Jersey countryside where they have found an adequate source of food. [Read more…] about Nesting Time for Canada Geese
Spring is an ideal time to observe bird migrations. New York is conveniently located along the Atlantic Flyway, one of the main migration routes. This gives you a great opportunity to observe birds flying to their summer breeding grounds. [Read more…] about Watch the Skies for Spring Bird Migrations
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced a virtual session focused on providing information and answering questions about a recently completed habitat management plan for Three Mile Bay Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in the towns of West Monroe and Constantia, Oswego County, set for Monday, March 29th. [Read more…] about Three Mile Bay Habitat Management Plan Info Session Set
Atlantic Population (AP) Canada geese nest throughout northern Quebec and winter from New England to South Carolina. The largest concentrations of AP geese occur on the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware and the eastern shores of Maryland & Virginia). [Read more…] about Precipitous Decline In Atlantic Canada Goose Cuts Hunting Season Short
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced a virtual public information session on Habitat Management Plans (HMPs) for Fish Creek, Swallow Bluffs, and Collins Landing Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), set for Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 from 1 to 3 pm. [Read more…] about Virtual Info Session On Fish Creek, Swallow Bluffs, Collins Landing WMAs
A large V of Canada geese flying noisily over my head – and traveling north, rather than south – got me wondering about the ins and outs of fall migration. Shouldn’t these big birds be flying to warmer climes this time of year?
Why do they travel in that V-formation, anyway? [Read more…] about Migrants and Residents: Canada Geese
Birdhouses 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 box and the nearby habitat; some birds prefer open fields while others prefer forests or wetlands. [Read more…] about Consider Bird Nest Boxes
It is typically in November when ice forms on the many ponds and lakes across the Adirondacks. This inevitable transition from a watery world into an icy plain causes the loon to abandon its summer home in remote wilderness locations and seek out an environment in which it can survive until the spring. [Read more…] about Loons Are Migrating
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the recent acquisition of 525 acres in the town of North Collins, Erie County, to create the Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
The land offers hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife viewing, and other recreational opportunities and becomes the largest State-owned WMA in Erie County. [Read more…] about NYS Acquires 525 Acres at Clear Lake, Erie County