What
Bulblet Fern (Cystopteris bulbifera)Observer
langDescription
Growing on a rocky hillside with Christmas ferm, Spinulose woodfern, evergreen woodfern, and Northern maidenhair fern.
Photos / Sounds
What
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)Observer
langDescription
As I was walking in the mettawee river, I noticed a small mammal chewing the ends of grass blades on a riverbank. It didn't notice me at all, so I was able to get extremely close to it. I slowly walked behind it(now on the riverbank) and noticed it had a long, snakelike tail. I realized that it was a muskrat. As soon as it noticed me, it went limp, and dropped into the river. It then swam upstream and disappeared in a patch of sycamore roots. I suspect that this is where its nest is located, as muskrats that live in streams and rivers usually makes burrows in the riverbanks for their nest. However, I don't understand why it didn't make a lodge, because there is a cattail marsh near the road.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Beaver (Castor canadensis)Observer
langDescription
Dam is located in Sucker Brook. Apparently does not have a lodge but has a "bank burrow" instead. Although the dam is very conspicuous, we very rarely see the actual animals.
Photos / Sounds
What
Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)Observer
langDescription
Growing extensively along the riverbanks;also growing on logs in the middle of the river.
Photos / Sounds
What
Box Elder (Acer negundo)Observer
langDescription
Extremely numerous along the river banks and closer to route 149 as well.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)Observer
langDescription
Numerous along the banks of the mettawee; many of the older ones are beginning to "lean" into the river.
Photos / Sounds
What
Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)Observer
langDescription
There was one very large tree growing right next to the Mettawee river; the rest were mostly saplings.
Photos / Sounds
What
Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)Observer
langDescription
Growing extensively on the lower 3rd of the banks of Sucker Brook.
Photos / Sounds
What
Southeastern Yellow-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus ssp. auratus)Observer
langDescription
Found dead on the bank of sucker brook. Cause of death unknown.
Photos / Sounds
What
Black Willow (Salix nigra)Observer
langDescription
I saw a very large tree growing on the bank of Sucker Brook. Its catkins were all over the river banks.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Elm (Ulmus americana)Observer
langDescription
I saw a few small elm trees growing on the river banks, but the most noteworthy was a small tree that had fallen across a beaverdam, and was still alive and growing!
Photos / Sounds
What
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)Observer
langDescription
Growing alongside the Ostrich ferns, mostly on Sucker Brook.
Photos / Sounds
What
Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)Observer
langDescription
I saw a huge number of Ostrich fern plants growing on the banks of Sucker Brook and the Mettawee.
Photos / Sounds
What
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)Observer
langDescription
Saw two birds on a large area of gravel at the edge of the river.
Photos / Sounds
What
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)Observer
langDescription
Saw a yellow warbler singing at the top of a small sycamore tree right at the "junction" of Sucker Brook and The Mettawee.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)Observer
langDescription
As I was walking down sucker brook, saw a female merganser with 10 ducklings! I have never seen a bird with that many young, period. When I got to the Mettawee river, which is where sucker brook flows into, the mother and her young frantically ran upstream.
Photos / Sounds
What
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)Observer
langDescription
While walking in our forest, I came upon a grove of hemlock trees. I looked up at one, and saw a strange lump in the tree. Then, the lump started moving, and I realized that it was a porcupine. The that it crawled up the tree almost made it look like a sloth. When it got to a certain height, it stopped moving and fell asleep.
Photos / Sounds
What
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)Observer
langDescription
Had a virginia creeper plant growing up the side of it.
Photos / Sounds
What
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)Observer
langDescription
Had a Pandorus sphinx caterpillar on it. Leaves completely red. Growing up the side of a sugar maple tree.
Photos / Sounds
What
Pandorus Sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus)Observer
langDescription
Found a Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar on a Virginia creeper vine growing up the side of a sugar maple tree. The leaves of the Virginia creeper were completely red(fall colour). The caterpillar was brown with green spots.
What
Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)Observer
langDescription
This evening I went out in our east field to catch dragonflies, and came across a dragonfly feeding swarm. The number of dragonflies patrolling the field for food varied from 5 to about 8. Some of the dragonflies had blue stripes, others were mostly green. The dragonflies were incredibly difficult to catch! They are fast, and quickly maneuver around the net. Whenever I came close to catching a particular dragonfly, it would migrate to a higher elevation. However, I was able to catch a dragonfly. It hit the edge of my net, and fell to the ground. I picked it up. It was "dazed" but it was alive. Using my field guide Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East, I identified it as a female shadow darner. After I took a photograph of it, I tried to release it, but it was reluctant to fly. I believe that this is either because it was still dazed after hitting the edge of my net or because it was late evening and the dragonfly was ready to sleep. I think the former is more likely. I decided to put it on a rock so that it could fly away by itself.
Photos / Sounds
What
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)Observer
langDescription
Saw 2 adult trout with brown trout. Unlike the brown trout, they didn't swim in place and face upstream. They didn't stay in one place for long.
Photos / Sounds
What
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)Observer
langDescription
While snorkeling, I looked under the branches of a log and saw several young brown trout feeding. They were swimming in place, and facing upstream, catching food particles. I saw an adult trout feeding with them. It was doing the same.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)Observer
langDescription
Saw feeding with dace and shiners. Occurs mostly in deep pools.
Photos / Sounds
What
Emerald Shiner (Notropis atherinoides)Observer
langDescription
Saw with common shiner.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Shiner (Luxilus cornutus)Observer
langDescription
Saw several individuals swimming in a deep pool behind the roots of a log while I was snorkeling.
Photos / Sounds
What
Eastern Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)Observer
langDescription
Saw feeding with young brown trout.
Photos / Sounds
What
Spotted Camel Cricket (Ceuthophilus maculatus)Observer
langDescription
When I lifted my worm farm from the ground today, I uncovered 2 spotted camel crickets. I am currently keeping them in a small container.
Photos / Sounds
What
Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)Observer
langDescription
Saw 1 salamander nymph in the water; I tried to catch it with a net, but it was very quick to dive under new rocks after I removed the rock that it was hiding under.