Honey Bees vs. Native Bees
Did you know, honey bees are NOT native to the US? Native bees like the mason bee are important to remember when considering our pollinators.
Category: Wildlife
Bobcat
The bobcat is the only native North American cat species that occurs today in New York State. In fact, the bobcat’s range covers most of the lower 48 states. “Most” is the operative word here, …
Take Refuge
What is a refuge? Refuge is a part of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. It is a refuge for wildlife, but what about us?
Doug Tallamy and Bringing Nature Home
Bringing Nature Home. We can bypass gridlock and inaction by creating habitat ourselves. We all have the ability to do something for our local ecosystem.
2020 Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count
It’s time again for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count! The count began in December 1968. The National Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts for 120 years and the Friends of Iroquois …
Springtails: Unexpected Life in the Snow
If you do much winter hiking, you will often find tiny black soot-like dots in the deep snow boot prints you have made. Few of us pay any attention to those little dots, but a …
Wildlife Refuge or Wildlife Preserve?
There are many words used to define a protected place of nature. Sanctuary, Preserve, Refuge – just to name a few. And exactly what gets protected varies greatly depending on the words used. Let’s take …
Good Things Come to Those That Wait
Fall seems to be a sad time of year. We lose things – warmth, leaves and favorite song birds. However, bird migration is an astounding phenomenon. That these small, seemingly delicate creatures can travel such distances …
Which Swan is Which?
Many times, people wonder what type of swan they are seeing at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Up until several years ago, there was really only one possible North American swan as an answer to these …
Asters: The Flowers of Frost
This is a beautiful time of year here. A walk through the Iroquois Refuge or a drive into the countryside in any direction provides enough beauty to lift one’s soul. So much in fact, that …