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!
Phantoms in the Park
The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting Phantoms in the Park, a Halloween celebration in the heart of Canton, NY!
Head to Canton Village Park on Saturday, October 24 from 12pm-1pm for games, activities, and student-led booths from SUNY Canton and St. Lawrence University!
Join Nature Up North at this fun event at our pumpkin-carving booth and learn about environmentally responsible jack-o'-lantern tips!
Stick around for the annual costume parade down Main Street at 1pm!
October Brings Fairies to the North Country!
As the vibrant autumn leaves begin to fall and the air starts to chill, it's time to be on the lookout for fairies in the North Country! Before they migrate south for the winter, Thimble and Blossom have taken up residence on our trails to enjoy fall activities such as foraging for acorns with the squirrels, tucking the bears in for hibernation, and collecting dew from the last blooming wildflowers. Through all of their woodland travels they’ve become excellent naturalists, and are now here to answer any questions you may have!
Massawepie sunset
The sunset after the day's rains just kept getting better,
Bog River & Hitchens Pond paddle W/ Lows Overlook
This trek is an annual favorite for me. The water levels are terribly low between the lower and upper dams. Despite it feeling like paddling in a hayfield, the day was perfect, and the foliage is at its peak around the Horseshoe Lake area. The trail to the overlook is in great shape despite recent rains.
Doe on the Trail
While walking around one of the bends on the Remington Trail, we came across this calm deer grazing just off the path. We were able to get quite close before it spooked off.
Fall Colors at Tooley Pond
Enjoyed the vibrant fall foliage this morning after a pleasant hike up the Tooley Pond Mountain trail!
Young Bandit
While out on our dock on Black Lake, I saw this young bandit following his family through the wetland plants. He paused for a moment so I could snap his photo before he continued on his way.
Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Schizochromism dilute pigmentation)
This white hummingbird appeared in my garden the evening of 7/22 and hung around through 8/2. She became a regular at my feeders and I enjoyed watching her sip from various feeders and flowers along our property. I originally thought that she was leucistic due to her normal eye color. I have since learned from a ornithologist that specializes in pigment mutations that she is actually has a condition called schizochromism dilute. The presence of brown/tan pigment is the difference between her condition and albinism or leucism.
Sustainability Day and Green Living Fair
This event is free and open to the public and the academic community. It will include an exhibit and fair, workshops, posters, and keynote speaker. The exhibits feature tabling by community organizations, renewable energy and environmentally oriented businesses, topical posters created by area students, outdoor learning activities, an informational display of electric vehicles.
St. Lawrence Land Trust Annual Tooley Pond Road Waterfalls Walk
Visit the spectacular waterfalls of Tooley Pond Road. Dr. Tom Langen and the St. Lawrence Land Trust will lead a family friendly tour of waterfalls on Tooley Pond Road, October 3, just in time for the heart of the fall foliage. Participants should meet at the ADK Park sign on the western end of the Tooley Pond Rd. at 8:30 a.m. (about 1.5 miles up the road from Degrasse). The tour should be 2.5 hours total. We will explore 4 different waterfalls along the road, weather and conditions permitting.