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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 12h

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdSupermodel. Here’s a proud Canada Jay, helpfully posing for me against a frame of conifer branches. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A large gray and white bird is posing on a branch in the middle of a conifer forest. The bird is situated in the middle of a frame of conifer branches, with patches of blue sky in the background.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 12h

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #UnsungBirds any underrated bird that needs the spotlight. How about this handsome Savannah Sparrow, hunkered down in a meadow in the Adirondacks? wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A brown bird with a yellow eyebrow stripe is perched on some green vegetation in the middle of a meadow.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

For the alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #BadWeather, birds in inclement weather: a Common Redpoll, huddled up against the cold on a frigid February morning. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A brown bird with a white belly and red cap is perched on a snow-covered branch. In the background are snow-covered conifers.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

According to @atlanticbirding.bsky.social, the #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BlueSkies. Here’s a nice Merlin, outlined against a blue sky in early spring. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography #BlueMonday

A large brown bird is perched on a branch. It is early spring in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, so there are no leaves on the tree. In the background is a pale, cloudless blue sky.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #FallBirds. Here’s a lovely Ring-necked Pheasant, hunkered down on some grass by a little pond. Hulls Falls Road, Keene, NY (4 October 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A brightly colored bird with an iridescent copper-gold and rust-red body, a dark blue-green head, a red facial wattle, and a long, pointed, barred tail is huddled on some green vegetation.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Fall Foliage Update: Fall color along the Adirondack Rail Trail at Lake Colby, Saranac Lake, NY (4 October 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-f...

Landscape view of a lake flanked by a large hill with deciduous trees that have turned lovely shares or orange and gold, reflected in the still waters of the lake. The sky is covered with puffy white and dark gray clouds.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The Monarchs are still flying in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks. Monarch, Hulls Falls, Road, Keene, NY (4 October 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b...

A large orange butterfly with black and white markings is nectaring on some purple flowers on the edge of a roadside. In the background is some attractive green vegetation.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Fall Foliage Update: Now at peak color in the Adirondacks. Lovely oranges and golds this year. The oranges are not quite as vibrant as in some previous years. The bright reds on the Sugar Maples have not popped. Heart Lake, Lake Placid, NY (3 October 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-f...

Landscape shot of a small lake bordered by deciduous trees in fall foliage, with dark green conifers providing contrast. There is a small mountain in the distance. The sky is bright blue, with a few low clouds.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

For the alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #Black&White bird, I submit this handsome Black-and-white Warbler, showing off his black and white feathers. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A small bird with black and white stripes across its entire body is perched on a branch. Its head features a distinctive white stripe down the middle of its crown, flanked by black stripes and a dark cheek patch. The bird has two prominent white bars against a black background. In the background is blurred green vegetation

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Iridescence. Here’s a lovely iridescent Indigo Bunting, looking very blue in the sunlight. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A stocky, sparrow-sized bird with bright blue feathers is perched on a branch surrounded by lots of contrasting green leaves.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdsInGreen. Here’s a Black-throated Green Warbler, foraging yesterday afternoon on the trees outside my window. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A small songbird is perched on a branch on the edge of the woods. The bird is has a bright yellow face and black throat and upper breast. Its back and crown are an olive-green color, while its wings are dark gray with two prominent white wing bars. The lower underparts are primarily white, with dark streaking along the flanks.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Herons&Egrets. Here’s a Great Blue Heron, fishing on the edge of a pond. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A large blue-gray bird with very long legs is walking in shallow water. The bird has a long, S-shaped neck, a large yellow dagger-shaped bill, and long, brownish-yellow legs.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

For the #ColorADay theme #OrangeSun: an early October view of the orange and deep gold fall foliage around a meadow in the Adirondack Mountains. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-f... #eastcoastkin #ADK #adirondacks #autumn #fall

A meadow is flanked by deciduous trees in fall colors of orange and deep gold. There are blue mountains in the distance. The sky is a brilliant blue with some pretty, puffy clouds.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

For the alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #SittingOnWater, I offer this handsome male Wood Duck, floating on a pond. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b...

A duck is floating quietly in the still waters of a small pond. The duck has a slicked-back, iridescent green and purple crested head accented by white stripes. Its chest is a deep burgundy. The duck has red eyes, a multi-colored red, white, and black bill, and a dark glossy back.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

For #ForestFriday: an autumn view of a mixed forest along the banks of a small lake. The lake is bordered by conifers and flanked by deciduous trees on the hills beyond the lake. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-f... #Adirondacks #ECK #forest #ADK #AdirondackForest #scape

A landscape of a lake flanked by dark conifers and the brightly colored orange and red foliage of deciduous trees. In the distance is a small mountain. The trees on the banks of the lake and the mountain are reflected in the calm water of the lake. The sky is a lovely deep blue with some attractive cirrus clouds. The photo was taken in late September on the Heart Lake Trail near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

@helenbennett.bsky.social says today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdNaps. Here’s a sleepy Barred Owl that just can’t keep his eyes open on a frosty February day. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A large round-headed brown bird with distinctive bar-like patterns on its feathers is perched on the branch of a tree in winter. The owl's eyes are closed, because he is apparently napping. This is a Barred Owl, one of our year-round residents. The sky behind him is brilliant blue. The tree he is sitting on has white bark. (It’s a Paper Birch). The photo was taken in early February in our backyard in Lake Placid, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains for upstate New York. I took the photo from my upstairs office window, which is quite close to the tree, and the owl didn’t even wake up to check me out.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay alt theme is: #BrightAccents. Here’s a handsome Baltimore Oriole, showing off his bright orange belly. #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A rather chubby bird with a black head and upper parts and a striking orange chest and belly is perched on a branch. There are blurred conifer trees in the background. Photographed in May in our backyard near Lake Placid, in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The Alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #RedHeads, birds with heads that are any shade of Red. How about this handsome Pileated Woodpecker, showing off his bright red crown and check stripe? wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A large black woodpecker with a big bill is perched on the trunk of a tree. The crown is bright red, as is the cheek stripe. We know it's a male because the cheek stripe is red; females lack the red cheek stripe. In the background is blurred green vegetation. This photo was taken in early May on the Heart Lake Trail, near Lake Placid, New York.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #ItsAllWhite, birds main colour is White. Here are two Great Egrets on a marsh. These birds don't breed in our region. We only see them as they travel through on migration. #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

Two large white birds are seen from a distance. They are standing in shallow water on the edge of a marsh. The vegetation on the marsh is brown, because it is early spring and the photo was taken in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, where spring comes late. The marsh will not start greening up for several weeks.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #FlowerPower. Here’s a handsome Nashville Warbler, perched on a flowering tree. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A small bird with a grey head and yellow breast is perched on the branch of a flowering tree. The bird has a white eye ring. The background sky is blue.

This is a Nashville Warbler. The photo was taken in late May near Lake Placid, in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdNameC. Here’s a nice-looking Canada Goose, resting comfortably in the quiet waters of an oxbow near Lake Placid, New York. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-s... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

A large brown bird with a black and white head is floating in calm water with wetland vegetation in the background. This is a Canada Goose. Canada Geese are large waterbirds with a long neck, large body, large webbed feet, and wide, flat bill.

Canada Geese mate for life. They remain loyal to their mates, typically only finding a new partner if one dies. Pairs remain together throughout the year. Birds of both sexes tend to choose mates of a similar size. Canada Geese are very territorial during breeding season and will often fight with each other over space and resources. The birds are very vocal during fights, honking loudly to intimidate their opponents.

Canada Geese are among the earliest of our March migrants. Some populations winter within their breeding area, but Canada Geese in the Adirondack Park interior generally depart for warmer areas, such as the Champlain Valley, once the lakes freeze and the ground becomes snow-covered. By late March and early April, as the ice breaks up in lakes and river, many have returned, already paired and foraging together.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme #BirdsUpClose: a Common Redpoll at our window feeder. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #birds #photography

The image is a close-up of a brown bird with a little red cap at a bird feeder in winter. This is a Common Redpoll, photographed through an upstairs window in our home here in Lake Placid in upstate New York. Common Redpolls are winter visitors that breed north of us. These small finches are brown and white with two white wing bars, heavily streaked sides, and streaked undertail coverts. They derive their name from the red patch on the crown or poll. The bill is yellow with black at the tip.

The Common Redpoll is an irruptive migrant that breeds in boreal and taiga regions of both the Old and New World Arctic. Some individuals remain within their breeding grounds in winter if food is available. However, Common Redpolls move south in large numbers during winters in response to a failure in seed-crop production among high latitude tree species such as spruce and birch. Common Redpolls are seen in fairly large numbers in our area in irruptive years.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BestOfTheMonth. Here’s a Bobolink – part of a flock that is getting ready to depart on migration. We won’t see them again until they return next May. Heaven Hill, Lake Placid (19 August 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-s... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a brown and yellowish bird perched on a blade of hay in a hay meadow. This is a Bobolink – a grassland bird species that has been breeding on this hay meadow at Heaven Hill near Lake Placid, New York, for many years. Bobolinks winter in the central South American grasslands of southern Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and northern Argentina. They travel over 6,000 miles to their breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada, arriving in the Adirondacks by the second week in May. As with many other migrating species, males arrive before females to establish territories.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

For the alt #birdOfTheDay theme #Rocky: a Bobolink perched on a rock carrying food for his family. Heaven Hill, Lake Placid, NY. wildadirondacks.org/heaven-hill-... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a black bird with a light yellow cap perched on a rock with a beak full of caterpillars. This is a Bobolink, a grassland bird that breeds in hay meadows. This photo was taken after the eggs had hatched in late June near Lake Placid, New York in the Adirondack Mountains. Both males and females provide parental care.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Woodland – any bird in a forest setting. How about this handsome Canada Jay, perched on a branch in a conifer forest? wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

A gray and white bird is perched on the branch of a conifer. This is a Canada Jay. The Canada Jay (previously known as the Gray Jay) is a year-round resident of the Adirondacks, usually found in coniferous forests or mixed coniferous-deciduous forest habitats, especially where spruce is present.

Canada Jays are usually seen traveling in family groups of two to four birds. They are tame, bold, and curious, often flying up to check out strangers in their territory. They become quickly habituated to food sources and are attracted to campsites and cabins, where their habit of stealing food has led hikers to refer to them as "camp robbers." Canada Jays are frequently seen on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail (where this bird was photographed) surrounding walkers with loud demands for food, then swooping down to land on a birder's hands to grab a raisin or piece of granola.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Yellow. Here’s a nice Yellow-rumped Warbler. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a blue-gray bird with wing bars and bright yellow on the side. This is a Yellow-rumped Warbler. These birds are summer residents here in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. They are among the first warblers to return to their breeding grounds in the spring, with the spring migration occurring over a relatively short period of time. In the Adirondack Park, Yellow-rumped Warblers begin arriving in early April. The number of eBird sightings peaks starting in early May. Some of the birds seen in our area in early spring will probably continue north to breed in Canada, while some will remain to breed in our region.
Yellow-rumped Warblers are generally the last warblers to leave in the fall. The southbound fall migration begins in late August and extends through the end of November. Yellow-rumped Warblers apparently begin leaving their breeding grounds in the Adirondacks in mid-October. Estimating the departure time is difficult, because of the problem of disentangling reports which reflect birds which breed in the Adirondacks and those reflecting birds which are migrating through the area from Canada. In any event, it appears that most Yellow-rumped Warblers who breed in the Adirondacks will have left by mid-November, with a few stragglers seen in December and January.

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Reposted by Adirondack Nature

Jean @jeanmarie8.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Dusk over #MirrorLake looked like watercolor painting yesterday. Fall is the air in the #Adirondacks #photography #eastcoastkin #lakeplacid #adk

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

For #mountainmonday: Algonquin Peak, set off by a lovely green meadow. Adirondack Loj Road, Lake Placid, NY (22 August 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #eastcoastkin #nature #Adirondacks #BlueSkyMonday #landscapephotography

The image shows a mountain with a green meadow in the foreground. This is Algonquin Peak near Lake Placid, NY, in upstate New York. This meadow is a great place to look for butterflies, while enjoying the spectacular view of the mountains.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme #ThinBranches, I offer this female Northern Yellow Warbler, perched precariously on a very thin branch. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-s... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a lovely light yellow bird looking straight at the camera, perched on a thin branch with green foliage in the background. This is a Northern Yellow Warbler, photographed in a wetland in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. The Northern Yellow Warbler is a long-distance migrant, wintering in central and northern South America. It typically begins arriving in the Adirondacks in late April, with the peak of migration occurring in early to mid-May. Most individuals depart our region by the end of September.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The Alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BuntingBirds – any bird with Bunting in their name. Here’s a very lovely Indigo Bunting, fully living up to his name. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

A brilliant blue bird is perched on a branch with green foliage in the background. This is an Indigo Bunting. Indigo Buntings are summer residents for us. They winter in the Neotropics and migrate about 1,200 miles each spring to breeding grounds in North America. Their breeding range spans from southern Canada down to northern Florida, and from the Atlantic coast westward to the edge of the Great Plains.
Indigo Buntings leave their winter range in late April and May. They arrive on their northern breeding grounds over several weeks. In our part of the Adirondacks in upstate New York, we start to see Indigo Buntings in early to mid-May. Some are headed for breeding grounds to our north. Others will settle down here, often in the same site they used the previous year. Some birds, particularly females that had experienced nesting failure the previous year, will settle in a new site.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

For the #ColorADay theme #YellowThu: Horned Bladderwort in bloom on Heart Lake in the Adirondacks. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #wildflowers #carnivorousplants #AquaticPlants

A plant with a yellow flower is blooming in the shallow waters of a small lake in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. This is Horned Bladderwort, a carnivorous plant found in bogs and along the shorelines of ponds and lakes in the Adirondacks. This plant feeds on small invertebrates. It captures its prey with the aid of small bladders which are submersed in shallow water or wet soil. Horned Bladderwort blooms in July and August in our area.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdNameG: any bird whose common name starts with the letter G. Here’s a Golden-crowned Kinglet, expressing his disapproval about my presence on his trail by raising his gold crest. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

A small grayish bird with a yellow crest is sitting on a branch on the side of a trail. This is a Golden-crowned Kinglet. It is one of two kinglets that breed in the Adirondacks. (The other is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.) The Golden-crowned Kinglet is one of our year-round residents, braving our harsh winters. These active little birds can survive –40 degree nights, sometimes huddling together for warmth.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #AwesomeOwls. Here’s a Barred Owl on a cold January day in the Adirondacks. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK #owls

A large brownish bird with a white belly striped with brown is sitting on a branch in winter. This is a Barred Owl, one of three owl species that breed in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. (The others are the Great Horned Owl and the Northern Saw-whet Owl.) This owl was hanging out on the trees outside my upstairs office window while I was working on a web page. I noticed the owl, opened the window quietly, and snapped the photo. The owl never moved and came back multiple times that winter. The bird feeders we have on our deck attract many squirrels, so I suspect that was why the owl was perching there.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Mid-August in the Adirondacks. Keene, New York (15 August 2026). #stunday #Scape #Adirondacks #ADK #EastCoastKin

The image is a landscape of a wet meadow with mountains in the distance. The sky is a brilliant blue with some lovely cloud formations. The foreground is dominated by yellow vegetation.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

For the #ColorADaytheme #OrangeSun: a Northern Crescent on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail in upstate New York. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Butterflies #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a small orange butterfly posed with its wings closed. This is a Northern Crescent – a member of the Brushfoot family that flies in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York in summer. Its nonscientific name derives from the crescent-shaped spot near the margin of the hind wing below. In terms of ecology, the Northern Crescent may be classified as a medium generalist. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats where asters grow, including abandoned city lots, wooded streams, the edges of marshes, forests, and mountain meadows. The Northern Crescent’s flight period in our area is from early June to early September.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

For the #ColorADay theme #GreenSat: a very green mountain meadow in early morning. Heart Lake Trail, Lake Placid, New York (14 August 2026). wildadirondacks.org/heart-lake-t... #eastcoastkin #Adirondacks #mountains

The image shows a green meadow on a mountain trail. The sky is vivid blue, with no clouds. This is the ski slope on the Heart Lake Trail, near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. This meadow habitat features old field wildflowers and ferns.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

For the alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #BBirdName: very nice Brown Thrasher, considerately posing for me against some bright green foliage after having earned its name by thrashing about in the trees. It’s a summer resident that arrives in our region in April. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-s...

A large brown Bird with an impossibly long tail is perched on a branch. This is a Brown Thrasher photographed near Lake Placid, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains. This is a very well-named bird because it is brown and thrashes around in the trees.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Helen Bennett’s #BirdOfTheDay theme for today #NoBranchWood: any bird on wood, that is not a branch. Here’s a Bobolink on a fence post. #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a brown and yellowish bird perched on a fence post on the edge of a hay meadow. This is a Bobolink – a grassland bird species that has been breeding on this hay meadow at Heaven Hill near Lake Placid, New York, for many years. This bird is probably a fledgling. It is part of a flock of Bobolinks that travel together around the hay meadow in late summer, as they build strength and get ready to depart for their wintering grounds in South America.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

For the #ColorADay theme #BlueTue, here’s an Eastern Tailed-Blue (7 July 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #Butterflies #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a blue butterfly perched on a leaf. This is an Eastern Tailed-Blue, a small butterfly that flies in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York from late May through late September. This butterfly is said to be one of the East's most abundant butterflies, having adapted readily to human activities. The range of Eastern Tailed-Blues includes southeastern Canada and the eastern part of the US, west to Western North Dakota.

From the ecological standpoint, the Eastern Tailed-Blue is a generalist. Typical habitats of the Eastern Tailed-Blue are open, sunny places, including meadows, forest clearings, disturbed areas, and city lots.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Finches. Here’s a handsome Purple Finch, waiting his turn at the feeder. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

A bird with a conical beak is perched on a branch in winter. This is a Purple Finch. A year-round resident in our region considered to be a partial migrant. These chunky birds are sexually dimorphic. Both males and females have large, conical beaks and notched tails.

Male Purple Finches are striking birds described by ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson as a “sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.” The males have raspberry red coloration on the upperparts, neck, head, and sides. Males have reddish wing bars, brown streaks on the back and flanks. The lower belly and undertail coverts are white and usually unmarked.

Females are drab, inconspicuous birds, with little or no red. They are strongly streaked on the back and sides of the belly and have a conspicuous light eyebrow stripe and solid ear patch. They have thin white wing bars. The background color on the belly is bright white. First-year Purple Finches are similar to the females.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

For #MountainMonday: a view of Saint Regis Mountain and Heron Marsh in the Adirondack Mountains (10 August 2026). #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image shows a mountain with a marsh in the foreground. This is Saint Regis Mountain in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York. The photo was taken today from in front of the Paul Smiths VIC lodge. The Paul Smiths VIC is a nature preserve offering over 25 miles of trails on a 3,000-acre property. The trail system provides access to a variety of habitats, including mixed forest, hardwood forest, marsh, conifer forest, and bog. It also offers some spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

The Alt theme #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Ducktopia. Here’s a Common Merganser, standing on a log on the bank of a brook. These ducks are among the first ducks to reappear in our part of the Adirondacks, showing up in March and early April. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-s... #Adirondacks #ECK #ADK

The image is of a gray duck with a chestnut head, perched on a log by a pond. This is a female Common Merganser. The Common Merganser spends its winters on large lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in the southern and coastal regions of their breeding range (such as Lake Champlain), and in additional wintering grounds across the northern and western United States. These ducks are among the first ducks to reappear in our part of the Adirondacks. They show up on our marshes, lakes, and ponds, starting in mid-April. The males have white bodies, dark green heads (which appear black in most lights), and a slender, serrated red bill. The females, as shown here, are slate grey with a chestnut head.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Old field on the Adirondack Loj Road, Lake Placid, New York (9 August 2026). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b... #stunday #Scape #Adirondacks #ADK #EastCoastKin

The image shows an old field with mountains in the distance. This photo was taken this morning from the Adirondack Loj Road, near Lake Placid, New York. I stop here just about every day to look for butterflies, in part because it’s very near our home. This field is an old field, meaning it was once an agricultural field that has been has been abandoned.

The earliest pioneer species that move in when a pasture or agricultural field is allowed to revegetate naturally are grasses and herbaceous plants such as ragweed, asters, and goldenrod (as seen here). The mix includes both native species and alien annuals, such as Common Stitchwort and Chickweed. These shade-intolerant plants (both native and nonnative) are able to move in quickly because their seeds were present in the soil and because they can capitalize on full sunlight.

Early pioneering shrubs and trees usually follow. Shrubs such as White Meadowsweet can often be found in fields abandoned a decade or more. Among the most important of the shrubs which colonize abandoned fields are members of the heath family, such as Lowbush Blueberry.

The trees which initially move into the disturbed areas tend to be hardy, but short-lived, plants that are able to colonize nutrient-poor sites. Common trees found in abandoned fields include Quaking Aspens, Choke Cherry, and Pin Cherry. Most of these pioneer, or early succession, trees are short-lived and shade-intolerant. An example is the Pin Cherry, a fast-growing, shade-intolerant deciduous tree which lives only 25 to 30 years. An exception is the Eastern White Pine, seen on the left-hand side of this photo. This tree is a common invader of old fields, particularly on the eastern side of the Adirondacks. It can live 300 to 350 years.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Heart Lake from the Heart Lake Trail, Lake Placid, New York (2 August 2026). wildadirondacks.org/heart-lake-t... #Scape #ECK #ADK #Adirondacks

The image is a landscape of a small, calm lake bordered by wetlands on the left side of the photo. This is Heart Lake, near Lake Placid, in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The photo was taken from the Heart Lake Trail, a nature trail located at the end of Adirondack Loj Road near Lake Placid, New York. The trail provides access to varied habitats, stunning views of the High Peaks, and a Nature Museum.

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Adirondack Nature @adirondacknature.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

For #ForestFriday: a conifer forest on the Blue Dot Trail, Paul Smiths, New York. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-c... #Adirondacks #ECK #forest #ADK #AdirondackForests

The image shows a trail through a conifer forest in late December. The Adirondack Park hosts different types of conifer forests. Lowland conifer forests are found in imperfectly drained flats, low ridges, and knolls. Mountain conifer forests are generally found at elevations above 2800-3000 feet on steep mountain slopes.

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