What's Your Nature?
Become a Nature Up North explorer to share your encounters with wild things and wild places in New York's North Country. Post your wildlife sightings, landscape shots, photos from your outings, and even your organization's events!
Community Campfire - Amphibian Hunt!
Join Nature Up North at the Wachtmeister Field Station on outer Park St. for the first community campfire of the year!
Running from 7-9pm, stop by the field station for s'mores and a trip down the Kip trail to look for amphibians. The Kip trail cuts through a flooded forest with vernal (temporary) pools that form each spring from snowmelt and rain. These are the perfect habitats for amphibians like frogs and salamanders. Take a walk with us to flip over rocks and fallen trees to see if any are hiding underneath!
Yellow-rumped Warbler with an insect
I went for a birding walk on the Remington Recreational Trail today in order to study for my ornithology final (where we'll be identifying birds along the trail). We saw and heard 30 species total, and I was able to get pictures of a few, including this Yellow-rumped Warbler. It was only when I looked back at the photos and zoomed in that I saw the bug in their beak!
Northern Flicker through Binoculars
We came across this Northern Flicker in the enchanted forest of SLU's campus during my ornithology class lab! Northern Flickers are my current favorite bird, and they are a species I wasn't aware of before taking ornithology. I took this photo through my binoculars, so I'm hoping I come across another sometime soon when I have my camera with me to get a better picture.
Pileated Woodpecker at North Country Library System
The administrative office of the North Country Library System is on the Black River, and is set on a large plot of land that includes a grove of old, mixed trees as well as an open field and a small wooded clearing. I go out during my lunch most days, and see all sorts of wildlife. This was an incredibly lucky moment: I heard something hit my window, and I ran to the back door to make sure there wasn’t an injured bird on the ground. While I was looking, this woodpecker flew across the property and landed on the tree closest to the door.
Rabbit Den on SLU's Campus
A photo shared with me by a student on campus of some rabbit kits in their den. Facilities later came by and filled the hole, presumably after relocating the family.
Certified Interpretive Guide Training
Nature Up North is excited to announce that we're hosting a Certified Interpretive Guide Training!
Critters of the Earth Day 7k
While at the Earth Day 7k this year I took advantage of the bird feeder at the Wachtmeister Field Station to snap some photos of visitors to the feeder! This included a number of Purple Finches, a Hairy Woodpecker, and a curious chipmunk. Bird feeders can be a great way to know what species are in the area, learn more about their behavior, and hone your identification skills.
Test Project: Northern NY Vernal Pool Watch
This is a fake project for testing purposes. Each spring, temporary wetlands known as vernal pools come alive with the activity of frogs, salamanders, and fairy shrimp. These seasonal habitats are critical for many amphibians, but because they are often small and short-lived, they can be easily overlooked and are vulnerable to development. The Northern NY Vernal Pool Watch invites community members to help document the locations and health of these important ecosystems across St. Lawrence County and the surrounding North Country region.
9th Annual Earth Day 7K Recap!
The weather tried to stop us, but we are thrilled with the turnout to this year's 9th Annual Earth Day 7k! Despite the rain, more than 30 community members helped to raise over $600 for environmental programming. The North Country community demonstrated what generosity, grit, and passion look like this past Saturday. With the course starting on the muddied Kip Trail shoe laces were tested as the mud grabbed at our runners and walkers.
Grebe at Lower Lake
A pied billed grebe was closer than most of the other birds on this morning, so it became my main photo subject.
Lower lake from the berm ( near the metal observation tower ).