Beautiful view on a fall day 

While working in the garden there is always a flury of hummingbird activity this time of year. They battle for control of the best feeders and flowers. I captured this photo after this hummingbird successfully chased off the competition and went on with enjoying the flowers. 

Hummingbirds are fighting over the flowers in the gardens. This little one found a perfect spot to sip a zinnia blossom with flowering dill in the background. 

I noticed a bird flying around our property and the hayfield next door, it flew like a bat in circles. There were lots of insects on this hot and humid September day. I realized it was a nighthawk. A rare sighting during daylight hours. Please allow me to add proper tag. Nighthawks are on decline, and it would be great if people could properly tag their sightings. 

I think this was a spiny oak-slug moth caterpillar. It was really beautiful, I can't recall ever seeing another caterpillar that looked like this before.

This little beauty showed up while I was sipping coffee on our porch. I have an abundance of hummingbirds this season, much to my delight. I think they enjoy the multitude of native and annual flowers I have planted for them. The hyacinth bean vine was a new addition to my annuals this summer. Hummingbird approved! 

We took family on the St. Lawrence River and saw this large ship. It was amazing!

I always have one of my cameras handy while I am in the garden. I plant flowers not only for myself to enjoy, but for the birds. This American Goldfinch was kind enough to pose on my sunflowers. 

I always have my camera with me while I am out in the garden. This little goldfinch posed for several photos, it was difficult to choose my favorite. 

This photo depicts an Asian lady beetle, a species similar in looks to a ladybug but very invasive in the North Country. It can be hard to tell the difference between the two but the main giveaway that I look for to distinguish them is the black "M-shaped" marking located behind the Asian lady beetle's head. Despite the invasive nature of this species, they are still stunning and photograph beautifully.

We had so much fun learning about fungi!

Enjoyed a nice morning walk on the SLU XC trails, but am surprised to see some leaves already turning red. Keep hearing that everything is “two weeks early,” plus these trees are on the edge of a soccer field right next to the road, so maybe not the healthiest habitat, contributing to some external stressors…

I was heading out to the garden when I heard the birds sounding the alert. I looked around and sure enough this little one was running along the stone row. I waited on the other side for him to peek out. He seemed to be interested in the clicking of my camera and struck a cute pose. I am pretty sure this stoat is one of the young ones I saw Momma carrying earlier in the season. 

Seek identified this as a “Hermit Flower Beetle” he was the size of a half dollar, maybe a bit bigger, and I love that you can see the lamellate antennae, which is very characteristic of scarab beetles. This fella is similar to the beetles we know as june bugs, but not the same. Apparently they can emit a noxious odor when frightened! 

A rainy walk to Lampson Falls to build fairy houses, collecting material along the way, led to the discovery of lots of different fungi, all probably much happier than the humans at the damp conditions. despite the rain it was a joyful afternoon!

I just love the way the sun shines through this leaf and you can see all of its intricate veins, and the rest of the tree stands a little out of focus in the background. Nature is so awesome!

I work as a Watercraft Inspection Steward to manage invasive species and, when the boat traffic is slow, I try to see what the feathered fellas are up to! There are many places for them to hang out at the boat launch: grasses and reeds, trees, even industrial structures! They are good company for a long day outside and I never get tired of listening to their conversations.

Beautiful little buck stopped in my yard to eat. 

Visited by a bumblebee robber fly at the canton farmers market! These flies are cleverly disguised as bees with their yellow and black coloration and fuzzy bodies - but a closer look and a few clues will give away their status as flies (members of the Diptera order). First - this guy only has one pair of wings. Bees have two pairs! He’s got short antennae, and his eyes are more round whereas bees generally have oval shaped eyes. Finally the giveaway that this isn’t just any fly, but a robber fly - the mustache (technical name: mystax, a collection of stuff bristles on the face).

Kayaking down the Grasse River at dusk. 

I walk my dog every morning at 4:30am and this is my view along the way. 

This dragon fly landed on my son and just happened to have caught a spider to have for a snack. 

So exciting to see the new, bright green leaves on these sugar and Norway maples on SLU campus. Not just here but all over campus and beyond the beautiful greenery is just so lush and fresh - it really feels like a breath of fresh air and new beginnings. 

This little bee kept coming back and landing on my book and my sweater while I was outside. I was wearing a yellow sweater with flowers so he may have liked that. When the little friend was on my book he was rubbing his antennae and legs - and you can see how full the tibia on its hind legs are with pollen! So cool! 

Scott and I sampled the lake today and towed a zooplankton net behind the boat near Raspberry Island. Fun times on a beautiful spring day

Spotted this little beauty in my backyard while hiking my dog 

Birding walk led by Tom Langen and the St. Lawrence Land Trust at the Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area. Some of the most exciting sightings (to me at least) were the Virginia rail (pictured here creeping through the marsh), a Northern Waterthrush (not pictured), an American kestrel hovering (not pictured), and the Baltimore oriole we saw at the very end (pictured in a blossoming tree). Other birds we encountered were: 

Buddy was zoomin from tunnel to tunnel

This semester, Nature Up North has been helped by two St. Lawrence University students participating in a "Community based learning" course. Among other things, Julia and Ilana helped us to put out some game cameras in early March. We went out today to retrieve the game cameras. Knowing that the St. Lawrence University Kip Tract is primarily forested wetland, and that the trails are flooded, we donned chest waders just to walk the trail and get the cameras. We were successful in collecting 3 of the 4 cameras; one that we had placed near the bank of the Little River was under water!

Kayla and I went out to do some morning birding on the Kip Trail. After abandoning the trail on the Wachtmeister side due to flooding, we headed to the Pike Rd. entrance. Though I have no bird pictures to share, we saw and/or heard at least the following: Eastern phoebe, kingfishers, mallard ducks, brown creepers, hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, a northern cardinal, red-breasted nuthatch, and likely a yellow warbler!

We happened upon more flooding on the trail and also found some evidence of recent beaver activity near the lean-to.

iNaturalist identified this as a "Winter Stonefly," there have been a bunch on my porch. It's still pretty chilly - how do these insects survive? So cool! 

Saw some tracks in the snow, not sure what they were, maybe a raccoon?

Went for a walk while it snow!! Very peaceful

Owl was soaking up the sun.

My first time skiing at Titus was so much fun! Most of the day was cloudy and spent a while on the "bunny" slopes, my friends and I had a great time.

It was a beautiful afternoon just after a snow storm when a few Blue Jays fluttered about in the backyard. This one loved to pose for the camera. 

Beautiful sunny and cold January day

A little icing to start the year

Beautiful Barred Owl was sitting on the edge of the wooded area.

Our first hike to Huckleberry Lake in the Wolf Lake State Forest in St. Lawrence County. An easy 1.7 mile out-and-back led to a ledge over the still-as-a-mirror lake.

We saw this beautiful sunset from a campsite at Meacham Campground.  

We visited Meacham Lake and got a great picture of the hills.  

I was driving down the road, and I saw some really nice fall colors. The trees almost made a mini tunnel over the road, and it looked like a great picture opportunity.

This beautiful view was at Ausable Point.  

This was taken in Peru at Ausable Point.  

It was a clear and calm Fall day along the beautiful area of Brandy Brook, just outside of Waddington. 

It was amazing to see this little bee at work 

This sight was absolutely breathtaking 

I've been paddling to High Rock on Columbus day for several years now. I enjoy this trek immensely, and the autumn season makes it that much more enjoyable. The leaves are past peak, but still, it's an amazing trip this time of year. The forecast of sunny skies took a while to get there, but eventually, the skies cleared. To top it off, I saw a bald eagle and a bear. 

Had a beautiful hike up Goodman Mountain one Sunday morning, the leaves were all shades of green, yellow, orange, and red and the path was so soft and beautiful with the ones that had already fallen. An amazing short hike!

The Beaver Narrows trail is awesome any time of year, but the fall is by far my favorite.

A short but great hike into Moose Pond during the peak of the foliage. 

Oh the color palette! Wow!

Looking for a few moments of peace before I headed to work I stopped at the Public Beach in Blue Mountain Lake to be rewarded with this spendor!

Walking to the end of a trail and looking out over the hills and pond was so beautiful 

Chilly but beautiful leaf peeping day!

Was fortunate to see the velvet still hanging on...

Old maple that I grew up playing under as a child .

Heard some rustling outside and thought that maybe I was about to make a new friend. I don't usually judge a book by its cover but when dealing with skunks, it is safe to assume that it would not want to be my friend.

This is an annual event for us. The foliage seems to run a little earlier along the Bog River area and this year was great. The paddle up the Bog river and then the hike up to the overlook make a perfect "surf and turf" outting.

Always a blessing to be here! 

Peak weekend, decided to go hiking with a few friends, the high peaks were too crowded with hikers so decided to take a smaller trail. Found some unique features along the way. Now, I am halfway complete with the Saranac 6...

Sunset from my backyard, on the Grasse River in Massena, NY.

Another beautiful reminder that we are blessed to live in the best place on Earth. 

Relaxing hike 

Got out on the water and paddled cranberry lake with a group! Got to get off and explore some rocks, go for a chilly swim, and camp out! It was so fun to be outside and enjoy being with new friends!

Peaceful Sky

The waters were a little windy, which made canoeing a little bit more difficult than originally planned. The trees surrounding the lake were just beginning to change their colors, so mainly green with a few leaves of red and orange. But the views of the mountains along the lake were absolutely stunning.

The water was roaring and so amazing. The air crisp and steam flowing from the water with the changing leaves in the distance 

This is a fallen tree on the Lampson Falls trial. Such a beautiful piece of nature 

My family went to Hidden Pastures Dairy to pick sunflowers and we came across many honey bees enjoying the sunflowers.

This is a mourning dove's nest we discovered in our spruce tree in the fall.  

Sunset Hike on Mount Arab, lots of bugs, but the view was worth it. 

Sweet little mouse looking for a morsel was relocated to an area where there would be plenty of food, water and warm places to make a home.

This was a monarch butterfly that we grew from a caterpillar.  We released it and it lighted on a plant in our yard.  

It was a delight to spot this pair of Sandhill Cranes grazing in a grassy field near the Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area in Louisville, St. Lawrence County, NY. Sandhill Cranes breed in several locations in the county, including the Wilson Hill WMA, Upper & Lower Lakes WMA, and the Lisbon Swamp Complex. Keep your eyes out for these majestic birds that can reach four feet in length and have wingspans of 6.5 feet. Better yet - keep your ears open for their distinctive rattling/rolling calls.

This was such a beautiful site as I was walking along the trail across from this gorgeous building that I could not resist the urge to capture its beauty 

On an evening walk at my friend's house, I noticed we were walking by a very simple but beautiful scene. And as someone who lives in the city, I was quite enchanted by it--I just had to get my camera out.

This was a breath taking experience! Fresh morning dew all over the flowers . It was so beautiful 

I was out for a Strole and saw this beautiful family of geese heading out for a swim 

After a rainy hike up for our annual August 31 sunset hike, we were greeted at the top my the most beautiful double rainbow. The clouds then continues to part and the sunset was stunning. 

This was taken at the Malone Rec Park, on what we call Snake Hill.  

A toad climbed far up to an abandoned bird house.

The fields  are full of babies

At just over 1.5 miles, this short trek is an easier mountain than most. For details : https://hikingthetrailtoyesterday.wordpress.com/2022/08/31/panther-moun…

A very unwary deer encountered us on Peter Van de Water Walking Trail in Canton.  He continued to munch leaves and watch us until he decided it was time to walk to the next island.

We saw these pretty flowers on a trip to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake.  

Driving along the Oswegatchie river, I saw something white. Took out my camera...and oh my goodness...I have never seen one of these! This banded kingfisher was my first ever sighting.

Eagle spotted on the Raquette River in Norfolk, NY

Taking model shots of my coworker and spotted the bear behind her (look to the right) picture of bear posted by itself as well on profile/encounters 🥰

I was taking model shots of my coworker on the bridge and spotted the bear behind her! Had to quickly change my settings! This bear just strutted across the river, not a care about our presence! 

This was such a beautiful site . Watching the sun go down as we were fishing on the St Lawrence River 

Couple watching a beautiful sunset at Barnhart Marina

After hearing mink running around chirping along the rocky shore I followed them from farther away and sat there watching them. After a little bit I ran back in and got my camera and when I came back there were only 2 left. One was sleeping on a rock and then there was this little guy who came back with a huge crayfish! 

This was taken during a camping trip to Meacham Lake this past year.  

Just spotted this fella out for an afternoon stroll

Not much to say except for this fella was big and he was NOT bothered by us

This sweat bee seemed to have some sort of mites bothering it, not sure if it’s the same mite that infests honeybee hives (Varroa destructor) or something similar or even completely different. 

Super cool find at Conservation Field Day at Indian Creek Nature Center - a male giant water bug with eggs on its back!! Giant water bugs reverse parental roles and the males carry the eggs on their back until they hatch. These cool insects also have a sinister nickname: toe-biter!

Love finding large, cool fungi but love even more seeing how all the other forest critters use them! Breakfast is served for these slugs!

The Edwards Nature Trail is such a hidden gem! It’s so cool to be able to walk along the old train trestle, and the trail itself is very accessible and easy to find. And of course crossing the Oswegatchie River is lovely!

I was walking around with my camera and every time I would go outside, I would always get a big whiff of the lilac bushes! Finally I grabbed my macro camera lens and took some photos of the flowers!

Saw a ton of these beautiful red trilliums on Cranberry Lake! A lovely way to start the morning after sleeping in the lean-to. 

A nice hike into Round Lake (Sabattis NY). for details- https://hikingthetrailtoyesterday.wordpress.com/2022/05/09/round-lake-h…

This was taken atop Baker Mountain.  

It was an amazing early spring experience. 

Enjoyed watching this shy male fish until we heard his mate calling from down the lake and off he took!

Beautiful, dappled sunlight captured on a cool, April evening on the Kip trail at St. Lawrence University. 

I was humbled that she allowed her picture taken without judgement.

The signs of spring are popping out - honeysuckle, trout lilly, and trillium! I love them all and am excited to see the white/orange, yellow, and red blossoms once they bloom! Even if the honeysuckle is non-native :(

Just happened along the eagles sitting in the osprey nest before the ospreys returned. Always awesome to see eagles up close.

Saw the first garter snakes of the year this morning by our beaver pond. 

Wood frogs are loud and proud in the vernal pools, even though they're still half covered in ice. Wood frogs started calling two days ago, chorus frogs started with their creaky door trill this morning. 

No peepers yet! 

Woodpecker watching Cardinal 

Doing spring clean up in the yard at the Nicandri Nature Center and found our first salamander of the year. Not sure if it is Jefferson or Jefferson/blue spotted hybrid (which we believe we have in the park). Dark slate with barely visible blue. Was cold and we moved him to safe leaf litter from the sidewalk. 

The area around the beaver pond has several spots where skunk cabbage is emerging. Lots of tracks where critters have nibbled it or passed by. 

On a nature walk this afternoon outside of St. Lawrence University. Today was a warmer day than usual resulting in the snow melting and being able to see the ground again! 

Had the best time hiking up St. Regis! A sunny day, broke out my snowshoes, it was quite chilly. Not too challenging of a hike except for one short, steep bit. Definitely recommend, especially on a winter day like this one!

A great day snowshoeing on the Peavine Swamp Trail. 

To read more about it- https://hikingthetrailtoyesterday.wordpress.com/2022/02/06/peavine-swam…

Had a lovely but bitterly cold day (although the shining sun helped) hiking Baker Mountain, one of the Saranac Sixers. Very nice hike, close to Saranac lake with lovely views. 

A chilly, snowy walk on the Kip Trail looking for birds. Not much to be seen there but still a lovely golden hour adventure. 

It was an uncharacteristically pleasant day for the middle of December in the High Peaks. Virtually no snow, but there was plenty of ice- we used microspike the entire way up and down. This is the older trail that sees much less traffic than the new trail leading from the Olympic complex on the other side of the mountain. Round trip mileage was just under 5 miles with 925' of elevation gain. The day was quite hazy, so the views of the MacIntyre Range were not as spectacular as usual. Still, it's a fairly easy hike (for being in the High Peaks) with some nice views.

This is a test.

In driving down Route 68 toward Canton, I spotted a good number of Trumpeter Swans on the Grasse River.  I pulled over in a safe space and was able to count 15 of them! I captured this photo showing two adults and three immature swans (the ones with the grayish necks and heads). So named for their trumpet-like calls, the Trumpeter Swan is the largest waterfowl native to North America, getting to be six feet in length and with wingspans of 8.5 feet!

A nice easy trek along two Adirondack Ponds- Black and Long. The trails are part of the Pauls Smiths VIC. Three lean-tos along the way are nice to stop and take a few pictures. Total mileage was about 3.4 miles RT.

A nighttime stroll on the St. Lawrence XC Trails with the SLU Powerhouse searching for cryptids like Bigfoot or Mothman ended with us spotting an owl!! Most likely a barred owl, we watched it for a while before it eventually took off. Although the picture is a little blurry, I was surprised to even be able to make out the owl since it was dark except for the moon behind the clouds. So exciting!

Awakening to a fresh coat of snow here in Indian Lake.

Baldface is a short but steep (gains over 1000' in a mile) mountain that is a real gem. The trailhead is virtually unmarked, and there is nothing but a few old ribbons on the trail. It is old school -straight up the mountain, no switchbacks. It had rained the day before and the leaves were very slippery. The steepness got our attention, but the views were awesome from the mountain's bald summit. Debar Mt. is west of the summit and Debar Pond between the two. There is a second lookout that has views south towards Loon Lake Mountain.

I spent Columbus Day with a solo kayak trip up the Oswegatchie River (Fine NY) to High Rock. The leaves are well past peak, and the water was REALLY low. I didn't have to carry over anything, but I ran aground several times. The temperature was great considering it's October

Although a cloudy day, the leaves on the trees were absolutely beautiful! Captures the true image of the Fall season in the North Country.

The Clarksboro Trail- Claire NY
I have been trying to get to the Clarksboro Trail since early summer. I had someone ask about the trail, and I’d never heard of it. After a little research, I found that it is a fairly new trail on the 51,950-acre Grasse River Easement Tract. The trailhead is on the north side of the Tooley Pond Road, 2.6-miles from Rt 27 in DeGrasse. The trailhead is marked and starts at gate #1 on an old logging road.

Hiked the beautiful Stone Valley with some families for SLU parent weekend! Perfect weather and some lovely views. Will definitely be going back!

Beautiful sunsets beautiful place 

A gorgeous afternoon for a kayak on the Grasse, thanks to SLU’s canoe shack! The first signs of fall are starting to show in the yellowing of leaves. Spotted a few turtles sunning themselves, lots of frogs hanging out on the algae, a few remaining flowers. Followed two belted kingfishers up the river for a while, but they just wouldn’t pose for a good photo. A beautiful day!

Took a lovely afternoon paddle on the little river. Light breeze, few bugs, starting to see some fall color.

Found this neat fungi by the Grasse River right off of Miner St. I identified with the help of iNaturalist and really enjoyed the name chicken-of-the-woods, named not for appearance but taste! Who knew!

I went camping in Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario in 2021 over Memorial Day Weekend. It was a beautiful trip, one of the last my family ever took in our RV. Here is a picture I took of the sunset on one of the nights we were there.