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!
Lance-Tipped Darner
The Lance-tipped darner is a large dragonfly, like most darners are, which is identifiable by it yellow-green markings under its wings and blue striping on its tail.
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher heard singing off in the woods just outside Colton-Pierrepont Central School
Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly
Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly spotted in the fenced off marshy area next to the school
Jack in the Pulpit
Today, I found a very large jack in the pulpit. The leaves grow in groups of three, and are usually 8-15 cm long. This one was closer to 25 cm! The flowers of jack in the pulpits grow between the two sets of leaves, with a large, cylindrical, hooded flower. Male flowers die before the females grow, so females have to be pollinated by a different plant (COOL FACT!).
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
The Twelve-spotted Skimmer has three brown spots on each wing, making twelve spots. Males form white spots between these brown ones, while females don't. Sometimes they are called Ten-spotted Skimmers for the number of white spots.
Burying Beetle
Burying beetles are black with reddish markings on their backs. They are true to their name, burying carcasses of rodents or other small animals.
Wood Frog
Wood frogs are found all over the North Country. They blend in to their environments very well (as seen in the second picture) with a brown or tan color, and have a dark eye mask.
Avalanche Pass Slide
If you've gone to Avalanche Pass, you've walked directly under this slide created in 1999 by Hurricane Floyd. Keep in mind that skiing/snowshoeing is strictly forbidden. Triggering an avalanche here would put anyone on the trail below in jeopardy. For the full trip report and pictures see the "Slides and Bushwhacks" page at http://www.mackenziefamily.com/46/46r.html
Colden's "Cruciflyer" Slide
What a stellar climb up a double fall line. This little gem was created in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene. It's not a beginner's slide, nor is it technical. For the full trip report and pictures see the "Slides and Bushwhacks" page at http://www.mackenziefamily.com/46/46r.html
Nippletop Slide
Took a friend and his girlfriend up this remote backcountry slide on Nippletop Mountain. It's a straightforward climb, but can make for a long day none-the-less. For the full trip report and pictures see the "Slides and Bushwhacks" page at http://www.mackenziefamily.com/46/46r.html