Moose evidence piles up on Norton Peak
By Phil Brown
I had read that this region—dubbed the Sable Highlands—has the largest concentration of moose in the Adirondacks, but I still was astounded by the abundance of scat.
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Adirondack Wildlife Refuge adapts after violations
After running into multiple state and federal violations, Adirondack Wildlife Refuge is making changes while continuing to protect animals.
Climbers ticketed for ignoring falcon protections
By Phil Brown
Poke-O-Moonshine is one of the premier rock-climbing destinations in the Adirondacks, with more than 300 routes, but DEC usually closes part of the cliff in the spring to allow peregrines to nest undisturbed.
Breeding bird atlas kicks off its third statewide survey since 1980
New York is undergoing its third Breeding Bird Atlas, a five-year citizen science project that helps track our avian neighbors across the state.
Alleged moose poacher to appear in court
Moose are protected mammals in New York State. The species was once common in the state, but disappeared in the 1860s after habitat destruction and unregulated hunting. They returned to northern New York from neighboring areas beginning in 1980, taking advantage of abandoned farms and regenerated forests.
Surplus of “middle-aged” forests afflicts Northeastern songbirds
Started in Vermont in partnership with the Tree Farm forestry certification program and other agencies, the warbler effort aims to knock some of the Northeast’s dense forests back into an earlier succession that favors certain birds and the insects they eat.
Video: Northern Saw-whet owl banding
In early October, Wildlife Veterinarian and Biologist Nina Schoch led a group of enthusiasts to catch, study and band Northern Saw-whet owls after dark at the John Brown Farm state historic site in Lake Placid in the Adirondacks.
Monarch butterflies: conservation’s orange flag
By Sara Ruberg
Eastern monarch populations have decreased by at least 80 percent in the past two decades, according to Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. The Western monarch, which migrates only on the coast of California, has declined by 99 percent. The entire North American population is currently under review to be placed under the Endangered Species Act.
Warning: ‘Endangered spruce grouse on road’
By Phil Brown
This summer the state Department of Environmental Conservation released spruce grouse in the area of Blue Mountain Road. The birds were captured in Maine and Ontario.
Louisiana otters get warm welcome at Wild Center
Two river otters that were first captured by crayfish farmers in Louisiana have found a home at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake.