Bald Eagles and dairy farmers exist in a mutually beneficial relationship in parts of northwestern Washington State. According to a new study, this “win-win” relationship has been a more recent development, driven by the impact of climate change on eagles’ traditional winter diet of salmon carcasses, as well as by increased eagle abundance following decades of conservation efforts. The research is published in the journal Ecosphere. [Read more…] about Study: Climate Change Has Altered Human-Raptor Relationships
Wildlife
2022 Bear Hunting Statistics
New York black bear hunters killed an estimated 1,318 black bears during the 2022 hunting seasons. Overall kills declined slightly compared to the 2021 hunting season, with the greatest density occurring in areas of the Catskills.
An estimated 458 bears were killed in the Northern Zone and an estimated 860 bears in the Southern Zone. [Read more…] about 2022 Bear Hunting Statistics
Watchable Wildlife: Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area, Erie County
Located on the north side of Genesee Road and west of NYS Route 75 in the Town of North Collins, Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area is a 526-acre property that includes the serene Clear Lake Reservoir. [Read more…] about Watchable Wildlife: Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area, Erie County
Great Backyard Bird Count Results
The 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count organizers estimate that more than 500,000 participants from around the globe participated. [Read more…] about Great Backyard Bird Count Results
Exotic Animals, The Van Amburgh Circus & The Lion King of Fishkill
The term “exotic pet” refers to wild animals kept in captivity in a domestic setting for the purpose of personal interest or entertainment. With globalization the trade has increased dramatically, although its real scope is difficult to ascertain because for most species there is no registration requirement. Its scale may be a contemporary concern, but the practice itself has a long history. The public has always been obsessed with non-native animals. [Read more…] about Exotic Animals, The Van Amburgh Circus & The Lion King of Fishkill
How Animals Stay Warm In Winter
To survive the cold of winter, some animals take advantage of protected habitats, such as wooded areas or under a blanket of insulating snow. Ruffed grouse, for example, fly into piles of loose snow and create roosting cavities to rest in when not foraging. Mice and other small mammals remain active in tunnels under the snow. [Read more…] about How Animals Stay Warm In Winter
Whitetail Antler Sheds & Deer Health
Throughout the winter months, whitetail bucks cast off or “shed” their antlers in response to dropping testosterone levels associated with increasing daylight. Many outdoor enthusiasts search for these shed antlers as collectibles, use them to build lamps or furniture, and determine which bucks made it through the hunting season. [Read more…] about Whitetail Antler Sheds & Deer Health
As Lake Champlain Lake Trout Rebound, Stocking Reduced
The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative – a working group of fisheries professionals from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – have announced the decision to further reduce the number of stocked lake trout released annually into Lake Champlain waters. They said this decision was prompted by the continued increase in natural reproduction and the documentation of multiple age classes of wild fish. [Read more…] about As Lake Champlain Lake Trout Rebound, Stocking Reduced
Hot To Avoid Coyote Conflicts
Coyote sightings are likely to increase in the coming months and New Yorkers should be aware of the potential for conflicts and guidelines to prevent negative encounters. [Read more…] about Hot To Avoid Coyote Conflicts
The Return of the Ospreys
On my commute to the Northern Woodlands offices in Lyme, New Hampshire, I pass a long-established osprey nest, perched atop a very tall electric tower next to Route 302. This location offers the ospreys a view of their surroundings – and provides me with a view of the ospreys from the road.
My early morning drive is brighter now, on the season’s edge, than it was in the heart of winter, and I have been craning my neck lately to get a look at the nest – and hoping to see a raptor or two perched on its edge or soaring nearby. [Read more…] about The Return of the Ospreys