HEART-HALTING HENS
There’s nothing quite as startling as a ground-nesting bird gone undetected until erupting in flight. This happened more times than I care to admit while birding and clearing preserve trails. An undaunted female mallard, wild turkey, and American woodcock all exhibited incredible perseverance and bravery while incubating eggs, only exposing a nest once being nearly stepped on. These […]
WONDROUS WILDFLOWERS in the HIDDEN VALLEY
Satisfy your senses with an outing to Hidden Valley Preserve. Short, hoarse phrases give away a singing scarlet tanager atop the talus slope while a Louisiana waterthrush whistles and twitters beside the cascading tributary. Northerly aspects cast shade over the trail and a breeze funneling through the narrow gully bring goosebumps to exposed skin. The river […]
What’s the cutting all about? EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT MANAGEMENT
One of Steep Rock’s initiatives is to protect and enhance biodiversity. Biodiversity is a measure of the variety of habitat types and species present on our preserves. Often, ecosystems containing a high degree of biodiversity are more productive than those without. This is due to an enhanced connectivity between organisms resulting from each playing their […]
CAREFUL with this CONSPICUOUS CATERPILLAR
Hickory tussock moth larvae have made their presence known in hardwood stands this month. Whether foraging on nut leaves, suspended from a silken strand, residing on low vegetation, or cruising over ground, this caterpillar’s showy appearance makes them stand out. Predation is of little concern to this distasteful species. Long abdominal hairs are barbed and stick to an […]
TEEMING WITH LIFE
Peeps and quacks of breeding amphibians are beginning to permeate our woodlands. Follow them and you will find a vernal pool, pond, or stream in healthy spring form. Steep Rock Association has put forth much effort investigating the amphibian community utilizing these aquatic habitats. For those who missed it, below is an article from the VISTA Summer 2015 Newsletter summarizing […]
BLUEBIRD BOX CLEANING in preparation for NESTWATCH
Cavity nesting species like eastern bluebird and tree swallow benefit from the availability of artificial nest boxes. Nests constructed in them often have greater success compared to those in a natural cavity, being less susceptible to predation and having a beneficial microclimate as a result of mindful placement. As spring approaches and migrating birds return […]
BALD EAGLES back for WINTER
Three bald eagles of varying age were observed on Lake Waramaug this morning. The photos below depict morphological changes immature eagles undergo as they reach maturity. It usually takes four to five years to develop the characteristic white head and tail of adults. An adult was also seen in flight, although not documented. Updated January 20, […]
MOBILE MUSTELIDS
A winter’s day awakens with a burnt salmon sunrise engulfing the horizon and a fresh snow blanketing the landscape. A frigid breeze rattles frozen limbs. You pull up the sheets and pity all wildlife, for they must be hunkered down in coniferous stands, reserving stores or hibernating, but that is not always the case. Weasels, […]
RABBIT STEW
A cattail falls to the blade of my brush cutter, grudgingly smacking my face and exploding into a cloud of seed. Reed canary grass, invasive by nature, has also colonized this wet meadow of Macricostas Preserve that parallels Route 202, and its eradication is the focus of my effort. Monotonously sweeping back and forth, my […]
OWLERS must be PROWLERS
Winter is primetime for owl prowling since many species’ breeding seasons are either underway or quickly approach, and they act accordingly. Great horned and barred owls hoot in declaration of their territories as well as to communicate with their mate. Eastern screech owls whinny and northern saw-whets squeal as day turns to night. However, don’t expect […]