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!
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 ).
Lower Lake morning arrives.
I woke up early and heard the loons calling from Lower Lake at Upper and Lower Lake WMA.
I decided to head over to watch the sun come up, most of the birds ( and muskrat ) were off in the distance, but it was still well worth the visit to see the colors change before the Sun actually made it's appearance.
Why did the salamander cross the road?
This may seem like the start of a joke (to get to the other side, right?) but it actually has a serious answer and some complex systems at play.
Plant a Tree, or Rent It?
Planting a tree isn’t rocket science, which is good. If it were that complex, I’d wager we’d have a lot fewer trees around. It may not take a genius to plant a tree correctly, but a lot of money is wasted each year to buy and install trees which may as well be rented, because they will only live a fraction of their potential lifespan.
A daybreak walk.
I woke up to see mist rising from the Oswegatchie, so I went out to sit on a milkcrate for an hour or so and see what came by to visit.
Among the ones that came by were Mallards, Wood Ducks, Common and Hooded Merganser and a Pied Billed Grebe.
They are usually all very skittish and leave anytime we exit the house or are within around 100 yards from them, so I got a slightly better chance to get phots by being there first and waiting for them to arrive.
Snapped a Snipe
Wilson's snipe was out by mud where the river had receded recently.
I've seen them up here before, but it's the first time one stayed around long enough for me get a good picture of it.
Crow overlooking the landscape
I saw this American Crow while on a walk on the Saddlemire Trail today. It was perched on this dead tree watching over the area. I had my binoculars with me, so I lined up my phone camera with the binocular lens to get this picture. Did you know that crows can remember faces? They're pretty cool birds!