Category Archives: Flora & Fauna

Rare or noteworthy wildlife spotted in New York State Parks

From glass eels to silver eels and everything in between The life stages of the American Eel

April 12, 2016 New York State Parks 8 Comments

Imagine yourself hiking next to a babbling creek. You come to a small waterfall surrounded by rocks. The rocks glisten from the spray of the falls. You walk closer and see dozens of small snake like creatures slithering over the wet rocks. You watch them move from the top of the rock pile to the bottom. Then they slide back into the creek.

You saw the American eel utilizing one of its unique adaptations. Their bodies are coated in a mucus layer, providing protection and a way to absorb oxygen through their skin. This mucus, in combination with their muscular bodies, allows them to move out of water and across land to avoid barriers. This, and other adaptations, makes the American eel able to live in more diverse habitats compared to most other fish species.

American eels are fish, despite their snake like appearance, and the only species of eel that live in North America. They are catadromous, migrating from the saltwater of the Sargasso Sea to the freshwater of streams and lakes. The Sargasso Sea spans a part of the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Once they reach maturity, they journey back there to spawn.

The vastness of the Sargasso Sea makes it tough for researchers to locate and observe eels spawning in the wild. At this point, observations of spawning eels remain to be made, although one silver eel was tracked to the Sargasso Sea. Researchers believe the eels die right after spawning. Some mystery surrounds the final life stages of the American eel.

What happens as they grow?

Let us review the known information about the life stages of the eel. The eel’s life begins in the Sargasso Sea. First, they resemble a willow leaf. These small, oblong, transparent fish, called leptocephali, lack the snake like form of adult eels. They are about one inch long and rely on the ocean currents to bring them to the east coast. This journey takes about one year.

Lept — The beginning life stage of the American Eel is called a leptocephalus and these leptocephali use the current to travel to the East Coast. Kils at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Now they resemble vermicelli or rice noodles. At two inches long and still transparent, they are called glass eels. They make their way into estuaries which connect saltwater to freshwater. Many of them find themselves in water bodies of local New York State parks along the Hudson River. Once in freshwater, they develop a brown coloration. This signifies the shift to their next life stage as elvers.

As the elvers grow longer over the next few years, they enter their yellow eel stage. They live in this stage right before they reach full maturity. Their size varies based on sex. Males can grow to two feet long whereas females can reach sizes of four feet. Their size in each life stage is based on their surrounding environment. They become silver eels when they reach full maturity to start their migration.

This silver eel stage happens to be the most understudied of all the life stages. There is no set age that eels are known to reach full maturity and age cannot be determined from external characteristics. Researchers look to study silver eels right before they begin their migration.

What kind of research?

Sarah’s motivation to study silver eels stemmed from her previous experiences working with them in their other life stages. Her work with eels started with a summer project at Bard College, eight years ago. After graduation she continued to work with glass eels, elvers, and yellow eels as a Student Conservation Association (SCA) intern at the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve and Estuary Program. Studying silver eels seemed like the next logical and exciting step for her. Sarah Mount at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry conducted research on yellow and silver eels. Her research led to a model that sorts yellow and silver eels into different maturity classes. The model relies on external characteristics such as the length, weight, eye diameter, pectoral fin length, head length, head width, and body depth of the eels to differentiate maturity classes. This means that future researchers can utilize this model to study the relative age of eels with a capture and release method that does not harm the fish.

With the guidance of Karin Limburg at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, she developed her research ideas into a master’s level study. With the help of colleagues at the Hudson River Research Reserve, she spent two summers and two autumns collecting yellow and silver eels from the streams of the Hudson River estuary.

Interns — SCA interns at the Hudson River Research Reserve help Sarah set up a silver eel fyke net. Chris Bowser

Silver eels migrate at night during rain events in the autumn. To catch them, Sarah set up a fyke net the day before a predicted rain storm. This v-shaped net spanned the width of the stream and was removed the next morning.

The final life stages of the American eel still remain a mystery. Sarah Mount’s research begins to solve it both for future research and for herself. Her model will help future researchers understand when eels reach their full maturity to begin their migration. When asked about her next steps she said, “Now the only missing piece left is the ocean, I’ve got to get out to the Sargasso Sea sometime.”

Post by Brianna Rosamilia, Master of Science candidate in Environmental Interpretation at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Flora & Fauna, Nature Centers, Park Volunteers

Amphibians on the Move!

April 5, 2016 New York State Parks Leave a comment

As temperatures rise, spring rains roll in, and the ground thaws, the amphibians of New York are preparing themselves for a great migration. On the 10^th of March, a group of about 30 volunteers congregated near Hop Field at Thacher State Park armed with flashlights and buckets. With great excitement they looked along the road edges for salamanders and frogs, hoping to help them cross the road as the amphibians migrated to woodland pools. Throughout most of the year, mole salamanders and woodland frogs spend their time burrowed under rocks and leaves on the forest floor, but each spring salamanders and frogs can migrate up to a quarter mile to woodland pools to breed. The mass migrations to the vernal pools occur during spring rainstorms with temperatures above 40 degrees.

The rain was intermittent that night, and although spring peepers and leopard frogs were escorted across the road, no salamanders were found. The migrations typically happen in late March and early April, so there is still hope! On nights when the conditions are right, many nature enthusiasts can be seen on roadways close to wetlands helping the amphibians safely cross the road. If you are interested in getting involved in preventing vehicle related deaths during these mass migrations, contact your local State Park or local DEC office. These organizations sometimes coordinate volunteers to come together on rainy nights to help salamanders cross busy roads. The more volunteers there are to help, the more amphibians will successfully breed! Before you help the amphibians, be sure to brush up on your identification! Here is a sampling of the native amphibians that you could see in New York.

Mole Salamanders:

The blue spotted salamander is black with pale blue flecks all over its body. It can grow from 3.5 to 5.5 inches long. They are frequently seen in woodlands.

Spotted Salamander

Spotted Salamander Congress by Hannah Long, SCA Environmental Educator Member Thacher State Park, 2016

The spotted salamander is black and has yellow spots. It can grow up to 8 inches long. It is one of the most common salamanders in the area, and if you go out on a migration night there is a good chance that you will see it!

The Jefferson salamander is dark brown and has pale blue spots on its limbs and lower sides. The blue speckling is best seen on younger salamanders. It can crossbreed with the blue spotted salamander and usually grows to 4.5 to 7 inches long.

This red eft/ red spotted newt can secrete poisonous toxins. When it is on land in its juvenile stage, it is orange. However, in its aquatic adult stage it is an olive brown color and has a wide paddle like tail.

Frogs:

The wood frog has an extremely high freeze tolerance and can live in a variety of habitats including forests, tundra, and bogs. It has the nickname “Lone Ranger” because the coloration on its face resembles a mask. Last year a bill was proposed by a class of 3^rd graders to declare the wood frog the State Amphibian of New York. To see the bill’s progress check out this website.

The spring peeper has large vocal sacs that it uses to create high pitched tones during the spring mating season. It typically grows to about one inch long and has a dark X marking on its back. Listen to the call of a male spring peeper.

The leopard frog gets its name from the irregularly shaped dark patches on its legs and back and can grow to be 3 to 5 inches long. They were once the most abundant frog species in North America, but they suffered large population declines in the 1970s.

Tracking The Elusive New England Cottontail

March 29, 2016 New York State Parks Leave a comment

It is a typical morning at the Taconic Outdoor Education Center (TOEC) in Fahnestock State Park. The sunshine beams through the forest, a chorus of song birds are greeting the day, and 60 elementary school students are making their way to breakfast to fuel up for an active day of learning in the outdoors. Meanwhile, a familiar truck and crew rolls in to begin their workday visiting several small animal traps set in specific locations in hopes that at least one will contain a rabbit, particularly a New England Cottontail.

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) is collaborating with State Parks, and the Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct important research about the population decline of native New England Cottontail. Over the past decade, studies have indicated that their numbers have decreased about 50%. The two major factors contributing to the population decrease are loss of suitable habitat, and the expanding range of the Eastern Cottontail. The only native rabbit species east of the Hudson River is the New England Cottontail; however the range of the Eastern Cottontail has been expanding and now overlaps this territory which causes competition for resources. Predation is also playing a role in the decreasing population; part of this research project is keeping an eye on who’s eating New England Cottontails by using trail cameras. These cameras placed in baited locations and use a motion sensor to take pictures when an animal walks by. Different predators are “captured” in a photo as they come to investigate the bait, which shows the species that a present in the rabbit survey area.

Camera trapped red fox

Camera trapped bobcat

Camera trapped eastern coyote

Back at the TOEC, the students are gathering to meet with their instructors for their morning lesson, the phone suddenly rings. “We have a rabbit” says the voice on the other end. Flexibility is part of the job description of an outdoor educator, and no one passes up an opportunity to enjoy a teachable moment, especially when it involves a live animal. All plans are dropped for the moment and after a short walk the students quietly approach the researchers who are preparing to identify, collect data, and radio tag the small mammal.

Juvenile — Measuring a juvenile New England Cottontail, photo by Amanda Cheeseman

Many of students who visit the TOEC are from the New York City area and rarely get to experience being this close to a truly wild animal, and they have a lot of questions such as: “Why is it in a pillowcase?”, “How long are its feet?”, “Is that a baby?” and “What’s That!?”. Their sense of wonder is contagious and the SUNY ESF researchers return the enthusiasm by answering the barrage of questions being hurled at them, while also safely collecting data on their captive rabbit. Measurements are taken, and the data is recorded onto forms and will go into a large database to allow for comparison across the entire northeast. The final step is to attach a small antenna to the rabbit’s back so that the researchers will be able to locate the individual rabbit again through radio telemetry. Now comes the exciting part! The rabbit is released, and in a flash it darts away, immediately out-of-sight, camouflaged amongst the underbrush.

Camouflage — A well camouflaged New England Cottontail. Can you see the antennae? photo by Amanda Cheeseman

Upon reflection, many students will say seeing the rabbit was their favorite part of the week, and they walk away with the feeling of being included in something important. Nothing teaches better than experience; giving students the chance to interact with a living, breathing part of the ecosystem around them. It sure makes for a pretty great day.

Post by Dana Mark, environmental educator at TOEC

Flora & Fauna, Park Volunteers

Golden Opportunities at Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park

March 22, 2016 New York State Parks Leave a comment

On February 24, 2009, two visitors to Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park were enjoying a sunny walk on Davis Road when two BIG birds flew overhead, going north. “Golden Eagles!” exclaimed these experienced bird watchers. Both were volunteers at the Delaware Otsego Audubon Society’s (DOAS) Franklin Mountain Hawk Watch which is known for its number of migrating Golden Eagles during the late fall. The Golden Eagle is one of the largest raptors (birds of prey) in North America, not that common in eastern New York, but well worth keeping an eye out for.

During spring and fall migration, raptors use prominent ridges to save energy by riding updrafts that lift and/or push birds toward their destination. On sunny days, warm air may spiral upward, creating thermals (columns of warm air) that lift birds to higher elevations. Raptors soar and glide as much as possible, saving their own energy resources during the long journey. In early spring, they are on their way to nesting territory. For Golden Eagles coming through New York, that Destination is in Labrador, Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Some Goldens stay the winter in our state, so in February it is hard to say if these were birds headed north or had been here all winter.

DOAS conducted Golden Eagle surveys at Davis Park in the spring of 2010, 2011, and 2012 with an average of 35 Goldens heading north each March. Since then, area hawk watchers have counted raptors there when conditions seemed favorable, averaging 16 Goldens each March. Data is collected by the Hawk Migration Association of North America and can be viewed at hawkcount.org. (Look for DOAS-Davis State Park.) It’s interesting to look at daily accounts to compare wind direction, wind speed, temperature and number of raptors identified, along with non-raptor sightings.

Diane_Graf photo — Wind break at sunset, Diane Graf, DOAS volunteer

Site supervisor Joe Ritton has been an enthusiastic supporter of the counting efforts at Davis Park. He built a wind break for the team near cabins 4 and 5 in early March. It provides shelter from the ever-present wind, and prevents spotting scopes from blowing over. The view to the south, west and north are wonderful with the park elevation being 1971 feet. Here’s a 360 panoramic view from a point above the wind break:

Take the virtual tour!

Golden eagle in flight, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Golden_Eagle_1.jpg

Hawk watching requires patience, watching the sky until the exciting moment when a bird appears as a tiny dot in the distance and approaches, bringing many possibilities: Is it large or small? What type is it: a Buteo, Accipiter, Falcon, Harrier, Eagle, Osprey? How many species are in a group of birds? Is the bird an adult or is it immature? The questions are many, and finding the answers is challenging. Wind can keep birds far away, lighting can make colors seem to change, and birds show different shapes when seen at certain angles. Practice is necessary to learn identification skills. Spending time with an experienced counter at an established hawk watch is a wonderful way to learn. Although Golden Eagles have been highlighted in this article, there will be many other species of raptors during migrations, too. Look for Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, and Ospreys.

Bring a chair, good binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one. A beautiful, calm day is most appealing to the potential hawk watcher, but without wind there will be few raptors. Good visibility is important and raptors don’t migrate in the rain, so look for snow, fog or rain in the forecast when planning whether or not to come for raptors.

Those who are interested in spending more than one day looking for raptors at the Park may wish to rent a cabin. Barred Owls have been heard during the night as well a late in the day. Peace and quiet prevail.

Post by Becky Gretton, DOAS member and golden eagle watch volunteer

Flora & Fauna

Early Spring Migrants

March 8, 2016 New York State Parks 1 Comment

Signs of spring are beginning to show in the great northeast. The days are getting longer, skunk cabbage is beginning to erupt from the cold ground and birds that have been afar for the winter months are beginning to return to New York State. One may think “What birds? The birds have been here all winter.” True, not all of our native bird species in New York migrate south for the winter months. Birds such as chickadees, northern cardinals, and red tailed hawks tough out the winter, anticipating the spring breeding season (see prior blog post on overwintering birds). But far more birds winter in South America, Central America, and the southern USA and make the long journey back to NY in the spring. It is an exhausting flight; the birds must make short stops to fuel up on available food and take a quick rest, then up to the sky to continue their journey. Upon arrival at their breeding/nesting grounds, whether in New York State or farther north, there is little time for rest or replenishment of their lost fat reserves from the long journey. The birds must stake out nesting territory, defend it, find a mate and start building the nest that they will care for, around the clock, in the weeks to come.

Keep your ears and eyes out for the early returning migrants, the birds that are first to arrive in the months of March and April. Before describing some of the species one may encounter while bird watching, lets discover the difference between bird calls and songs, primarily applying to passerines or “song birds”. A call is a brief simple sound like a chip note, peep, or chatter. A song is a longer sound segment, usually with distinctive melody such as a series of notes strung together. Calls can be heard all winter from our resident bird population, but in spring the songs begin. Songs are typically related to courtship and establishing territory. Bird sounds (song, hoot, chatter…etc.) are also very useful in assisting bird watchers with identification, as bird vocals are distinct to individual species.

Additional tips that help with bird identification are size, coloration or plumage, and habitat use. Pick a bird you are familiar with, say the American Crow, and think about the size of the bird you are trying to identify. Having an idea of what size the bird is can help you narrow down what the species is from one that may look similar but is larger or smaller than the bird you are trying to identify. Plumage (feather pattern) is very important when identifying birds and can also be very frustrating! However, the more you bird watch, the better you will get at noticing the differences between species. Habitat type can also help narrow down what species a bird is. For example, if you are observing a bird in a wetland and you think you know what the bird is, but you’re bird guide says that bird is primarily found in dry open fields – you will have to continue looking. All of these factors combined; sound, size, plumage, and habitat use are useful tools in assisting the observer with identifying a bird.

Early Returning Migrants: Meet the Birds!

Passerines or Song Birds

Red-winged Blackbird

These birds often travel in large flocks and can be found nesting in wet marshy or shrubby habitat. A medium sized bird; the male has a distinctive red patch on the upper wing. The female looks very different in color, being a light brownish hue with darker streaking.

Male Red-Winged Blackbird, OPRHP

Female Red-Winged Blackbird, OPRHP

Length: 8.75 inches Wing Span: 13 inches Weight: 52 grams

Listen to a red-winged blackbird sing –

Martin St-Michel, XC137984. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/137984.

House Wren

The House Wren is smaller in size than the Red-winged Black Bird, weighing about 41 grams less. Both female and male House Wrens have similar plumage (meaning they look the same). Wrens in general are noted for the characteristic pose seen in the picture, with their tail feathers and head up in the air. The House Wren nests in dense brushy habitat, usually within woods. They will also take to bird boxes.

Length: 4.75 inches Wing Span: 6 inches Weight: 11 grams

Listen to the song of a male house wren:

Antonio Xeira, XC305012. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/305012

Common Yellowthroat

The Common Yellowthroat is a warbler and one of the first warblers to arrive in New York. The Common Yellowthroat is a small bird, similar in size to the House Wren. The male has a distinctive black mask, outlined in white – which the female lacks. Warblers in general are very colorful and eye catching. The Common Yellowthroat nests in wet marshy and brushy habitats.

Female Common Yellowthroat, Joe Sebastiani, http://blog.delawarenaturesociety.org/tag/quiz

Male Common Yellowthroat, Joshua Chrisman, https://www.michigannature.org/home/news/2012photoresults.html

Length: 5 inches Wing Span: 6.75 inches Weight: 10 grams

Listen to a male common yelllowthroat sing:

Jorge de Leon Cardozo and Susan Hochgraf, XC181589. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/181589

Plovers

Killdeer

The Killdeer is an interesting bird, in that it has the unique behavior of displaying a broken-wing act to draw predators away from their nest. So if you see the act, consider yourself lucky, but do not approach! Killdeer are in the plover family, which primarily are a shore bird. However, the Killdeer can be found nesting on open ground in many habitat types, such as agricultural fields, parking lots, and sandy/bare ground areas. Their vocals sound similar to “Killdeer” and they have two distinctive black rings on their chest. Killdeer are larger than the song birds previously discussed, but smaller then a crow.

Killdeer, Suzanne Britton, http://ironphoenix.org/gallery

Killdeer in the wounded wing posture, Suzanne Britton, http://ironphoenix.org/gallery

Length: 10.5 inches Wing Span: 24 inches Weight: 95 grams

Listen to a killdeer call:

James Bradley, XC302258. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/302258.

Herons

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Herons have long legs for wading in water and can be over three feet tall! These birds have a diet composed of fish, frogs, and invertebrates (organisms lacking a spine, such as bugs and insects). Therefore they rely on open water to forage and find food and can be found anywhere from marshy wetlands, rivers, lakes and flooded areas to the shores of the ocean. Look for Herons as the waterbodies began to thaw in spring. These birds nest in rookeries with dozens of nests built of large sticks in a single tree or group of trees, usually within a wetland.

Length: 46 inches Wing Span: 72 inches Weight: 2,400 grams/ 5.3 pounds

Listen to a great blue heron call:

Ian Cruickshank, XC210126. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/210126.

Raptors

Osprey

Ospreys are a large raptor – meaning they are carnivores. Primarily eating fish, they hover high in the air over water and then dive, talons first, at their prey. They can be found along the shores of river, lakes, and the sea and build huge nests compiled of sticks. The nests can be built on the crotch of a tree, utility poles, or platforms specifically installed for osprey nesting. Typically these birds mate for life, meaning once a pair bond is formed; it lasts until one of the birds dies. Ospreys will return to the same nesting site year after year, adding more to their nest as they see fit. Look for these birds as the water bodies begin to thaw, and their characteristic hovering behavior.

Jason Kazuta hancockwildife.org — Osprey, Jason Kazuta, http://www.hancockwildlife.org/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=756&page=55

Length: 23 inches Wing Span: 63 inches Weight: 1,600 grams/ 3.5 pounds

Listen to an osprey call:

Paul Marvin, XC145834. Accessible at http://www.xeno-canto.org/145834

Now that you have learned about some of the early returning migrants, grab a good bird field guide, a pair of binoculars and a birding buddy and head to your local State or Town Park! Remember that these birds are under physical stress from their long migration, so avoid flushing or pushing them with your presence (don’t chase them). View with binoculars from a comfortable distance and maybe you will observe courtship behavior or the gathering of nesting material.

*Bird length, wingspan , weight and habitat preference obtained from The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America by David Sibley.

Post by Lilly Schelling, OPRHP, Wildlife Specialist