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!
Volunteer Day at St. Lawrence Land Trust's Hart's Falls
Please join us next Saturday to enjoy Hart's Falls and prepare it for winter. We'll clean trails and clean up any remaining summer debris. We'll have tools and equipment, but please bring gloves, and perhaps lunch to enjoy on the Falls. Hart's Falls is at the intersection of Russel-Pyrites Rd. and Townline Road between Canton and Russell
Hart's Falls from an Eagle's perspective
We stopped by Hart's Falls to see how different it might be after the recent high waters due to Hurricane Debby.
The River itself was already a foot lower than it was at the high the prior day, so I wish I'd had thought of this earlier.
But quite a bit more of the rocks on the upstream side were submerged than we had ever seen on prior visits.
For perspective, both of us are in the picture on the rock.
Higley Fall Fest
On Saturday, September 14th the Friends of Higley Flow State Park will be holding a festival to celebrate the Park and introduce people to its facilities and attractions. While the summer camping season will have ended, the Park remains a destination for other activities. The events are a chance to support the work of the Friends, learn more about the Park, and have some fun.
Why Autumn Pruning is Bad
When I was younger, an old-time arborist I knew used to say “The best time to prune trees is when the tools are sharp.” This guy was beset with shoulder injuries and knee problems because he also believed “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Sadly, both of these old saws are dangerous lies.
Anarchy is Bad for Picnics and Restaurant Patios
I’m not one to shed a tear when authoritarian rulers die, but once they’re gone, outdoor dining becomes a lot more dangerous. As summer wanes, the original queen in every yellowjacket (or other social wasp species) colony dies. Turns out that having a few thousand babies in the course of one season is enough to tire any Queen Mum to death.
Walk on Sugar Island
It was a cooler, windy evening in August when we decided to walk around Sugar Island. While not terribly buggy, you did have to keep moving else they may swarm. The view from the dock was beautiful though and well worth a few mosquito bites.
Fall Bird Walk
Come join Dr. Susan Willson and Eileen Wheeler on a fall bird walk. We will meet at 8am in the parking lot at the main entrance. Please dress for the weather and be prepared for muddy trails and mosquitoes. Wear good walking shoes. Dr. Willson is a bird ecologist and professor at St. Lawrence University, Eileen is an ICNC board member and birder with tons of knowledge about local bird species.
Exploring Fall Island
Join us for a plant walk and illustration workshop in partnership with Sara Lynch and Nature Up North. Sara has been leading workshops as part of her Exploring Fall Island project, bringing together art and ecology, and we're pleased to be part of the last event in this series.
September 14, 10am
Fall Island, Potsdam (behind Ace Hardware)
Some art supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own.
The Colors of Distress
Recent studies show that trained dogs can sense Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, many forms of cancer, and other serious ailments long before symptoms show up. We may not be able to match such an impressive feat, but it turns out we’re not entirely inept when it comes to prescient diagnostics. There are two simple ways to detect grave illness in trees before they start looking overtly ill. The catch is that it’s only possible to do this in late summer when leaves start to change color.
Green Frog
As I was walking on the Saddlemire trail I noticed this green frog hanging out in the grass in the middle of the trail. It wasn't at all startled by my close up photo!