History, Natural History & the Arts
Anyone who has shared a home with a dog or a cat has learned something about the silent language of tails. Wild and domesticated animals may use tails for everything from communication to courtship, balance to locomotion, and defense to swatting flies.
Tails can range from short to long and be furry, feathered, or naked. [Read more…] about Animal Tails: The Tales They Tell
Whenever the subject of fishers comes up, you hear they’re mean, nasty and vicious – a smaller wolverine with attitude. Fishers get a pretty bad rap, but when they do, there’s a great deal of projecting and anthropomorphizing going on.
Fishers aren’t mean or evil, and they don’t really eat many house cats at all. [Read more…] about Fishers And Their Bad Reputation
I love that time in spring when the hills around my house change from gray and brown to shades of yellow, green, and red. The trees have not yet leafed out, so what’s painting the forests these wonderful colors?
The answer: most of our northern hardwood trees are flowering. [Read more…] about Tree Flowers Color the Hills
The Lake Champlain Committee in partnership with Lake Champlain Sea Grant have announced their expanded line up of “Zoom a Scientist” programs.
The public can tune in virtually through Zoom every Tuesday and Friday from noon to 1 pm to learn more about Lake Champlain. [Read more…] about Zoom A Lake Champlain Scientist Programs
Beavers are the great architects of American ponds and streams. The North American beaver competes with the Eurasian beaver to be the 2nd largest rodent in the world, after another semi-aquatic mammal, the South American Capybara.
The average weight of a beaver in New York State is 42 lbs, though 60 pounders are not that unusual. Beavers have an average body length of 2 and ½ feet to 3 feet, and a flat swimming rudder tail of 8 to 14 inches. The tail doubles as a warning device, used to loudly slap the water when predators, dogs or people are sighted. [Read more…] about Beavers: Nature’s Architects and Engineers
I came of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was a turbulent time in American history; marked by the rise of the antiwar movement (Vietnam, nuclear weapons) and the expansion of movements promoting equality for groups of marginalized people including woman, African Americans, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning) community.
Many also consider the 60s and 70s to be the beginning of the modern American environmental movement; which is often portrayed as having started with the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s best-selling book, Silent Spring (thirty-one weeks on the New York Times best-seller list). The book described how the adverse environmental effects caused by the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides threatened both animals and human beings. [Read more…] about Earth Day 50: A Recent History Of Environmentalism
Harbor, grey, and harp seals are commonly seen on many of New York’s saltwater beaches and estuaries at this time of year, and it is normal to see seals in large groups or alone on the beach.
Seal pups are also commonly seen alone on beaches when their mothers temporarily leave to hunt, or once they are fully weaned and foraging for the first time on their own. [Read more…] about Saltwater Wildlife: Harbor, Grey, and Harp Seals
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 provides a great opportunity to observe birds flying to their summer breeding grounds.
Here’s a few resources to get you started: [Read more…] about Quarantine Pastimes: Tracking Spring Bird Migrations
In recognition of the 50th Earth Day on April 22nd, 2020, the New York State Archives is showcasing records that document the climate, pollution control and abatement, water supply management, and forest preservation and management in New York State. [Read more…] about NYS Archives Celebrating 50th Earth Day
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, creators of the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace, have shared a number of educational activities that teach responsible outdoor recreation to kids. [Read more…] about #RecreateLocal: Leave No Trace Lessons for Kids