Type: Animal Sign
Habitat Description: Forested Waterfalls/River

Natural History Info: While not conclusively a trail of porcupine tracks, the depressions in the snow surrounding the footprints would suggest some low-rising mammal. Given that we saw porcupines in the surrounding area, it would make sense for these tracks to belong to a porcupine.

What drew my attention: We were trying to track a porcupine, so this was a really neat find.

Type: Plant
Habitat Description: Snowy Woodland

Natural History Info: This White Pine, although it bears many wounds from woodpeckers, is still alive and thriving. Because the bark was not stripped in an entire circle anywhere on the tree, the xylem and phloem transport layers have not been entirely disconnected from the roots, thus allowing for the tree to survive despite its scars.

What drew my attention: A tree that looks like swiss cheese is hard to ignore!! Especially when it’s alive still!

Type: Close-Up
Habitat Description: Snowy Woodland

Natural History Info: The brownish foam emitted from the water is probably some mix of sediments from the riverbed as well as salt and other washed away run-offs from human interference upstream. This mix also probably helps to keep the freezing point of the river considerably lower, as well.

What drew my attention: What really caught my eye here was the color of the water’s foam.

Type: Close-Up
Habitat Description: Snowy Woodland

Natural History Info: This woodpecker hole was bored into a White Pine tree. Woodpeckers aren’t specifically “eating” the tree as they peck their holes in: rather, they are eating insects and other pests that may use the tree as shelter.

What drew my attention: It was hard to ignore a tree that looked like swiss cheese! I thought this specific hole was the coolest, because of the little ledge of snow hanging out from the hole.

Type: Landscape
Habitat Description: Snowy Woodland

Natural History Info: These tamarack trees in the snow are deciduous trees that retain their green leaves throughout the winter. Despite the cold temperatures and general other inefficiencies associated with winter, their energy budget allows for them to maintain their green leaves year round.

What drew my attention: Being the only green, leafy, tree in the immediate surroundings made me notice this tree immediately.

Type: Landscape
Habitat Description: Snowy Woodland

Natural History Info: This thawed, flowing body of water is still moving despite the rest of its surroundings being completely frozen. This is possible because a larger body of water will take more time and require colder temperatures to freeze completely. This contrasts to the surrounding snow that fell from the atmosphere above, as the water/snow particles are quite small as they fall and thus can more easily freeze.

I took this close-up picture on our hike to Stone Valley taken in Colton, New York during a lab field trip. This close-up of a trickling open stream is in a hardwood forest and was surrounded by numerous white pine, ash, and birch trees. This picture captivated my attention because along with the river, this was the only body of water still viewable and unfrozen. It was also interesting because it was moving underneath the accumulated snow layer and if it wasn't for this small open portion of stream, none would have even known it was there.

This close-up was taken during our time in Stone Valley located in Colton, New York during a lab field trip. The Raquette River was surrounded on both sides by snow cover as well as hardwood forests on each side. This picture originally drew my attention because the cedar limbs create a natural frame for the river and emphasize the river’s natural appearance that was meant to be the focus point. I also found this picture fascinating because there was heavy snowfall that day and many of the snowflakes were captured in this picture.

I took this picture of the river landscape during our class trip to Stone Valley in Colton, New York. The picture of this landscape embodies many aspects of several other pictures I’ve taken. This picture shows a wide view of the Raquette River along with the hardwood forest environment that portrays a range of different tree species. I found this picture interesting because you can see the movement in the stream as well as the falling snowflakes landing on the ground. The atmosphere here has a very peaceful feeling and to me this seemed as a calming photo.

I took this photo at Lampson Falls because of the shear beauty of the frozen river. Lampson Falls is one of the most popular hiking destinations in up-state New York and contributes heavily to both environmental education in New York state and local tourism (though there is no entry fee for the trail, drawing people to the area inevitably means drawing customers to local businesses). I chose this photo because it really captures the diversity of the North Country.