Blog

Refuge stays open, thanks to no government shutdown

By Richard Moss President Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge In case you've been avoiding the news, the U.S. Senate late yesterday passed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, so Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge can continue normal...
The Endangered Owl That Depends on WNY

The Endangered Owl That Depends on WNY

Photo by Derek Brazinet Photo by Autumn Brown Owls are most often thought of as creatures of the forest. We think of them inhabiting hollow holes in trees, with their large “wise” eyes glowing from the darkness. The short-eared owl is an exception in many ways. This...

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Hot Diggity Hog!

Hot Diggity Hog!

Photo by Richard Kauffman Many years ago, while walking across a meadow in Western New York, I found an animal clinging to the branches of a young apple tree. The animal and I were both stunned – we didn’t see each other in advance. Nearly 5 feet up the tree, the...

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Run, Run Rudolph

Run, Run Rudolph

Photo by Mark Crisafulli If you are a lover of animals, you may have an inspired National Geographic moment when yousee deer. They can seem like our own local gazelles – untamed and free in our upstate NewYork savannahs and jungles. Like the impala, they take flight...

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The Red Baron

The Red Baron

Featured photo: Cardinal in evergreens by Brian Serafin. Photo by James Monteleone Cardinals are the flashy gift to birdwatchers in the eastern United States. While male cardinalsare as brightly colored as a tropical bird, they are anything but. These beloved birds...

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Carl Zenger Takes the Cake!

Carl Zenger Takes the Cake!

In October, Carl's family, refuge staff, and volunteers celebrated him achieving 40,000 service hours, the largest number ever in the national refuge system! A sculpture that depicts Carl's passions - bluebirds, purple martins, and kestrels - will be installed at the...

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