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This lovely northern catalpa tree grows just outside my dentist’s office in Milford, PA. The white blossoms and large heart-shaped leaves are attention-grabbers. Catalpas typically flower about seven years after planting and yield bean-like seed pods filled with inch-long seeds that are fringed at the ends.

Two of the blooming beauties we are blessed with here in the Upper Delaware River region that have recently launched their showy displays are the northern catalpa tree and the mountain laurel shrub. … more

By SANDY LONG | 6/23/21

My son’s first fish, caught NOT on Father’s Day.

NOT Father’s Day fishing

For the record, I was right. But then I was wrong. Returning to the right, I’m going to chalk up my confusion to a well-balanced case of aging. As someone who prides himself on being organized … more

By HUNTER HILL | 6/23/21

This leucistic turkey vulture has the classic color variation of this condition. The dorsal side of this bird shows a very splotchy left wing and back. The right wing is largely normal plumage.

Albino versus leucistic

Some of us are lucky enough to see white-colored deer on occasion. You may have heard someone say, “I saw an albino deer in my backyard today!” The question to ask in response could have … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 6/16/21

The Big Hole River, one of Montana's premium trout waters, is suffering a brown trout population decline.

Brown Trout decline in some southwest Montana rivers

The other day when I met Galen for an evening of fishing, he handed me a book containing a note that outlined a serious decline in brown trout populations within some Montana rivers. This is what … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 6/16/21

Sap oozes from a beaver-addled sapling, providing food for airborne yeasts that produce a colorful gooey substance.

Stump flux

With a title like the one atop this column, who could resist the temptation to know more? That’s pretty much how I felt when stumbling upon the beaver-addled, slime-covered stumps depicted … more

By SANDY LONG | 6/9/21

It’s always satisfying to see fresh dirt turned up and new crops being sown.

One potato, two potato, three potato, a thousand

On the subject of planting season, I have more to do than I can say. Since I’m about to spend a page of the paper talking about it, you can assume just how much I really have to do. Farming … more

By HUNTER HILL | 6/9/21

Martucci, Gunther pass bill helping sportsmen, protecting animal welfare

Albany, NY – Senator Mike Martucci (R,C,I–Hudson Valley and Catskills) and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D,WF,I–Forestburgh) announced the two-house passage of … more

6/2/21

This fawn was found near a house and very close to a road in Shohola, PA during the last week of May. The doe gave birth to the fawn very recently, and the fawn did not have the strength to walk yet. This wasn’t the best choice of resting spots, as the fawn was obvious to passing motorists. This fawn was eventually walking and found with its mother a few hours later.

Fawn follies

May and June are the time of the fawns. You may have seen them already in your yard or nearby fields or forests. It is when they are seen on or near a road that they are of most concern. When … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 6/2/21

A trout finally landed after a struggle

The first six weeks or so of the 2021 trout season have been a mixed bag of weather and streamflow. When the season began on April 1, flows were down due to early snowmelt, with the release from … more

By TONY BONAVAIST | 6/2/21

Delicate bluets (Quaker ladies) brighten a grassy path.

Forest finds and fineries

“I was walkin’ through the woods one day, in the merry merry month of May....” Yes, I’ve slightly adapted the song to suit my purpose here—to wake readers to … more

By SANDY LONG | 5/26/21

The blue jays are full of color and attitude it seems.

Cardinal rules

If you’ll recall, I recently wrote about the bears trying to get into our garbage, and I gave some advice about how to deter and educate them on boundaries and so on. Well, I’m about to … more

By HUNTER HILL | 5/26/21

For many people, eastern garter snakes are the most commonly seen. They can be found along trails or maybe in your backyard. The color can vary a little bit, but the lines running the length of the body are characteristic of this species. Garter snakes eat a variety of invertebrates, amphibians and even small minnows.

Sneaky snakes

When we think of reptiles and amphibians, usually the first critters that come to mind are frogs and toads. Most of us have probably seen (and heard) more frogs and toads than any other reptile or … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 5/19/21

The Yellowstone Lake cutthroat trout recovery story

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to fish several trout streams around West Yellowstone, MT, including the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. At that time, fishing for native … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 5/19/21

Pennsylvania residents who are bitten by a tick like this American dog tick can have it tested for tick-borne diseases for free at the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania, based at East Stroudsburg University. Visit www.ticklab.org for details.

Tick time

It’s time to talk about ticks. For starters, May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and the vexatious miniature vampires that are vectors of Lyme disease are out in full force. Over … more

By SANDY LONG | 5/12/21

Forgive the dad-brag, but I never even had to teach my son how to shovel.

Working hard, side by side

The running joke these days seems to be the lack of willingness of a lot of folks to return to work or apply for the many new jobs that are suddenly available. If you’re a farmer, finding help … more

By HUNTER HILL | 5/12/21

Two young can be seen in this nest on April 19 of this year. Their secondary down (mesoptile) has come in, and they are in the area of 3 weeks old. At this stage, they can better retain body heat and do not need to be brooded constantly, which is the case during the first week or so after hatching.

Eaglets make their appearance

In the early 2000s, when I first started tracking bald eagle nests in the upper Delaware River corridor, there were about 10 nests between Port Jervis, NY and Hancock, NY. This was an encouraging … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 5/5/21

A lesson learned, or was it just luck?

About a week ago, I sent an email to friends I fish with, inviting them to our camp for the annual spring gettogether. This is what I wrote in the subject line: “Pick Up Sticks.” Each … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 5/5/21

For brilliant displays of yellow, there’s nothing like forsythia, with its flowers resembling fireworks.

Spring fever

I should probably be alerting readers to the return of ticks throughout the Upper Delaware River region (yes, they’re out in full force) or to the advancing invasion of the spotted lanternfly … more

By SANDY LONG | 4/28/21

Once tree’d, a bear will often remain unaggressive unless provoked.

‘Honey, what was that?’

Bump. Thump. Clatter. You’re lying in bed, trying to scare up a pleasant dream when you hear this disturbance outside. If you’re a married man in the country, the next thing … more

By HUNTER HILL | 4/28/21

This and a few other little black caddisflies ended up getting ambushed by ants. Ants would grab them from the back or side and carry them back to the rest of the colony in their burrow. I also saw a few wings on the asphalt. I had to wonder if some of the flies on the ground were somehow compromised. A couple of the flies being carried by ants appeared dead.

Fly hatch on the Upper Delaware

About a week back, I drove along the river on the Pennslyvania side to the Westfall boat access. It was a nice sunny day with the temperature just under 60 degrees. The first thing that I noticed … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 4/21/21

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Currently viewing stories posted within the past 2 years.
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