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!
Eastern Newt
Very exciting finding this Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), also called the Red Spotted Newt. This newt is in its terrestrial juvenile life stage, called an eft. Found near the Kip Trail hiding under a log.
Red-backed salamander
Another red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus, adult) found at Glenmeal, also under a log! Tried to avoid handing directly with my skin because I wasn't wearing gloves - soaps/lotions from our hands can really hurt their delicate skin - they perform cutaneous respiration.
Red-backed salamander
Found this red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus, adult) in Glenmeal State Forest, under a log.
Red backed salamander
Found this red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus, adult) under a small log along the Kip Trail near Wachtmeister Field Station.
Star-nosed moles
A group doing trail work picked up a pile of mulch and found several star-nosed mole babies. We had never seen a star-nosed out here, much less babies, so were very excited by the find. The nest was quickly replaced and work moved from the area to leave them to grow.
Mother's Day Frog & Salamander Walk
It's a great time of year to find frogs and salamanders! Join us for a fun Mother's Day outing at SLU Environmental Studies Department's Living Lab site to on Hwy 68 to explore the secret world of amphibians. Guest naturalist Kristine Hoffmann will lead the group to the vernal pools at the site in search of spring amphibians that come to these special, temporary pools to breed, like wood frogs and spotted salamanders.
Harper Falls
This is a great short hike that is usually pretty secluded. With a dozen cars at Lampson falls that day, this was perfect.
Huckleberry Lake
A dreary day, but still made for a nice spring hike to Huckleberry Lake. Plenty of geese, and even a couple of loons on the lake.
Phragmites (Common Reed) SUNY Canton
Found common reed along the power lines by SUNY Canton- wonderful day! Partially Cloudy and 62 degrees.
Phragmites (Common Reed) at SUNY Canton
Found many patches of dried and regrowing phragmites along the roadside toward the SUNY Canton Hockey Rink Parking Lot.