The above photo depicts Oak Orchard Creek little more than a quarter-mile upstream of Lake Ontario. From the creek mouth to Waterport dam, this is a much wider stretch of stream with a more diverse fishery than found upstream. But on this day, with the exception of few bumps at the end of the line, neither the trout nor salmon were willing to cooperate.

Snow geese mingling with Canadas

A closer look at the "snows"

Vultures take flight

Get ready...

Here they come

Calling 'em in

Fetch 'em up!

Turkey vultures are normally seen gliding high overhead, soaring on thermal currents, those columns of rising warm air that enable them to cover miles while conserving energy at the same time. Last Wednesday I took these photos along the edge of an evergreen forest. Seven were roosting in a dead hardwood with several more situated in a splintered pine.

While a few birds flew back and forth between the edge of the pines and the dead tree, for the most part they were unalarmed, staying put for several photos.    

Above photo depicts one turkey vulture spreading its wings while another preens its feathers. There is much speculation as to the reason for this practice. Some believe the wings are used as solar panels to generate body warmth while others tend to think they are utilizing the suns ultraviolet rays to kill bacteria picked up from diseased carcasses.

They are ominous-looking creatures, and with their featherless heads, turkey vultures may not be much in terms of appearance, yet they perform a valuable service by cleaning up carrion. Even from high overhead, the turkey vulture employs its keen sense of smell to locate food, one of the few birds of prey able to do so. 

I have spent about 40-50 minutes each of the last 3 evenings, starting at 6:30pm, sitting with my camera in a spot where I know deer like to chill and eat.

I am excited about the photo I caught today! You can see the deer are very aware of me. I think they wish I would stop watching them so they could just eat dinner in peace!

This photo was taken in Oakfield, NY on Lockport Rd between 6:30 and 7:15pm, September 12,09 by Breanna Roz (http://www.BreRoz.com)

Had lunch at the Log Cabin at Indian Falls.

Huge fish fry...way too much, had to bring half home.

Mirror image on Oak Orchard Creek

More photos after the jump:

 

(Into the Woods)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Did you take a break as promised?
JOE: I did. I took a walk down a country road and communed with nature's beauty on the best day I have seen all summer.
CALLIOPE: Good timing.
JOE: I can't agree more.
CALLIOPE: What did you discover?
JOE: Birds, cornflowers, Queen Anne's lace, fields, woods and wild black raspberries.
CALLIOPE: Did you take along your camera?
JOE: Not this time. I had to choose between just being with nature or capturing it. I chose the former.
CALLIOPE: Not a bad choice. What did the experience do for you?
JOE: Helped gain me some perspective on life. It's the journey which matters, not the goal.
CALLIOPE: Others might disagree.
JOE: Let them. We all have to choose our own paths and make of them what we will. I'm happy with the choices I have made.
CALLIOPE: Glad to hear it.
JOE: Thanks. Talk with you tomorrow.

Because wetlands are an important part of the environment, the Canadian-based Marsh Monitoring Program has been studying the effects of outside disturbances on the swamps, marshes, mini-wetlands and adjoining woodlands throughout the entire Great Lakes Basin.

 In their quest to determine the health of these wetlands as well as surrounding woodlands - the MMP enlists the help of volunteers who take a census of the amphibian and feathered inhabitants at selected locales.  A number of these volunteers work at collecting data for both birds and amphibians, others concentrate on birds alone while others focus on the frog population.

 Batavian Bill Moon is a local MMP volunteer who focuses on the amphibian population.  Waiting for a minimum air temperature of 60 degrees, he will select an evening during the months of April, May and June to visit nearby wetlands as dusk approaches. He waits for night to fall, then for a given time period, listens for spring peepers, green frogs and bull frogs, carefully charting the results. The nocturnal chorus, or lack thereof, speaks volumes for the Marsh Monitoring Program.

Due to the work of the program volunteers throughout the Great Lakes Basin, the MMP has established a ranking system, or report card so to speak, to evaluate the state of various wetlands stretching from Wisconsin to the St. Lawrence River. These wetlands range in size from vast swamps and cattail marshes to microcosmic wetland tracts.

Being among nature’s delicate species, the songbirds and amphibians serve as natural barometers, providing insight as to the health of the outdoors environment. As good indicators of air and water quality and other earth resources, such species are the first to be affected by various disturbances on the landscape such as Great Lakes water levels, housing or developmental sprawl, etc.   

Originally the intent of the morning’s paddle was to get a photo or two of the otters known to inhabit Black Creek. Unfortunately, the semi-aquatic mammals were nowhere in sight. Perhaps they had moved farther upstream, into the Bergen Swamp.   There were numerous Canada geese on hand, adults, adolescents and goslings – and willing to have their picture taken.