March came in like a lamb and went out like a lamb in this neck of the woods. We got a few drabs of snow that last week…some that just covered the ground following rain each time. Some of the nights the stars were very bright, and one night the aurora borealis was super after the clouds moved out. I didn’t see it, but I saw several photos of the many colors that appeared in the night sky. Some days it got up into the high fifties, but some nights it got down into the single digits.
We are having the tail end of the winter that didn’t happen here anyway. The folks out in the mountains of California and Nevada are looking at over 16 feet of snow in many places, with more coming this week with another atmospheric river coming ashore. Their reservoirs should be more than full when all this melts. Down south in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia fifteen tornadoes ripped through parts of these states, killing 26 and leaving hundreds homeless.
Rescuers continue to search for loved ones of residents of a Mississippi town destroyed by a tornado that was on the ground for over ninety miles. In Rolling Fork, a delta town of 2,000, hardly anyone escaped the storm without losing someone they knew or loved. More storms are going through that same area later this week, with more tornadoes and heavy rain forecast all the way to the east coast.
The first day of Spring has arrived with only a new inch of snow and 18 degrees on the thermometer…(better than the three inches of snow and strong winds the day before, but no loss of power.) Many others are still struggling with more water and snow than they can deal with. Others [are dealing with] with damage from high winds and tornadoes that came across the country during the last week. Many in the south had a hard freeze which will affect many flowering trees, shrubs, and some crops that were already up.
Canada geese, often referred to as Canadian Geese, are the second largest waterfowl in North America. (The largest is the swan.) They’re also the most widely distributed, with a range that encompasses arctic, sub-arctic, and temperate regions in Alaska, Canada, all of the lower 48 states, and Mexico. They’re also found in Greenland, northern Europe, and parts of Asia. Introduced populations have established themselves in New Zealand.
Only the females are actually called geese. The males are known as ganders. And the young are goslings. A large group is called a flock. A flock on the ground is known as a gaggle. And geese flying in the characteristic V-formation are referred to as a wedge, team, or skein.
Have you ever heard the saying, “A dog is a man’s best friend”? For many of us who have had a dog for a pet, this saying rings true. Our dog, Mickey, has proven to be a loving, forgiving and tolerant friend and own’s a place in our hearts eternally. But have dogs cornered the market on building friendships with humans? There are thousands of accounts and videos from people around the world who testify, dogs are only one of our potential non-human friends.
My husband and I spend a great deal of time on the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge. It’s there that we witnessed for ourselves, friends come in many shapes, sizes and species. Some have scales, some have fur and some have feathers among other sordid wild attributes. Friendships aren’t limited to humans or domesticated animals, they exist where ever we choose to express our love and appreciation. Little did we know one day we would have friends with feathers who would fly into our hearts. Each of these winged pals are responsible for countless hours of joy in our lives and a true blessing from the natural world.
Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Jennifer Okonuk reported that on September 21, she encountered several migratory bird hunters in Northern Franklin County during the early goose and youth waterfowl hunting seasons.
ECO Okonuk said one group of hunters from Maine was guided by a licensed guide outfitter, but three of the hunters failed to have their required New York Harvest Information Program (HIP) number. The licensed guide also failed to possess a valid hunting license, she said. None of the hunters had their guns plugged as required, and the guns were all capable of holding more than three shells according to ECO Okonuk. » Continue Reading.
A large V of Canada geese flying noisily over my head – and traveling north, rather than south – got me wondering about the ins and outs of fall migration. Shouldn’t these big birds be flying to warmer climes this time of year? Why do they travel in that V-formation, anyway?
It turns out the answers aren’t simple. Canada geese (Branta canadensis) live throughout the continental United States and across their namesake country. These loud honkers are easily identified by their size – up to 20 pounds, with a wingspan up to five feet – and their characteristic white chinstrap markings across black heads and necks. » Continue Reading.
For the past 50 years the New York State Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) Region 6 has been gathering a team of volunteers and staff to collect data on the resident Canada Geese population. According to Regional Habitat Manager Christopher J. Balk, the data collected helps manage the flock and provide pertinent information to tailor bag limits during hunting season. This June 30, 8 am – 2 pm, is another opportunity to corral and handle some geese.
“The volunteers get to reach over the top of the enclosure and help hand the goose to a staff member,” says Balk. “We are usually banding at least 400-500 geese at this event and use the information to primarily report on the bird’s location at two points of time.”
These geese are resident, not migratory, Canada Geese so the distance between their wintering and summering habitat is usually only a few hundred miles. Hunters report the band numbers when they harvest the birds in the fall. The data allows Balk and his colleagues to track to see if a flock is intermingling or not, track growth and movements of the resident population and and to establish annual hunting regulations. » Continue Reading.
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Tamaracks, barred owls, and late fall frosts
The landscape of the mountains has changed in the last two weeks from brilliant colors of reds and yellows to a copper tone of the beech leaves (both on the trees and on the ground.) I know most of the leaves are down when I can see the streetlights shining out on the road from the house. There don’t seem to be as many leaves on the ground as normal. I thought there would be more with all the rain [we’ve] had, but I guess with the lack of sunshine there are fewer.
» Continue Reading.