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Frank contemplating the evening rise on the bank of the East Branch.

Although the name Frank Mele has appeared in this column on more than one occasion, his renown has been associated with the water releases legislation and bamboo fly rods. That being said, … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 10/17/23

The owl portal

A barred owl entered my life in late August when it was struck by a vehicle near my home. The raptor’s body was mostly intact, but its life force had passed. I retrieved its rain-soaked remains … more

By SANDY LONG | 10/10/23

Right there, as though served on a silver platter, lay my pocketknife.

Lost and found

What for some might be wallet, keys, spectacles and watch, for a farmer is wallet, keys, watch and pocketknife. Growing up, I lost a couple to the public school because everywhere but … more

By HUNTER HILL | 10/10/23

Last look at fall frogs

We don’t think about reptiles and amphibians in September and October, because the animals are less visible. You won’t hear frog and toad calls—that only happens at various … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 10/3/23

The impact of cold release water on the life cycle of the sulphur mayfly

Of all the topics that I’ve written about for the River Reporter, none has received more attention than those about the little sulphur mayfly, Ephemerella dorothea. From a fly … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 10/3/23

Puffballs typically fruit on stumps or rotting logs and could be considered to resemble eyeballs. When struck by raindrops or trodden upon, a puff of spores is emitted from the pore and dispersed by wind...

PeepHole: perceptual possibilities

What do you see when you look at the images in this column? Do the dainty circles appear like bowls filled with tiny pebbles, nests cradling eggs, eyes peering back or something else altogether? … more

By SANDY LONG | 9/27/23

There’s nothing more endearing than 25 pounds of pride bubbling over a 65-pound achievement...

Pumpkin pride

This year for the first time, my boys decided—with some structured leading—to plant and cultivate their own crops aside from those in our farm fields. It began with a strange request. … more

By HUNTER HILL | 9/27/23

Trout recovered in an undercover operation in Deerpark, NY.

Illegal commercialization of trout in Orange County

DEERPARK, NY — On August 14, a Deerpark resident entered pleas of not guilty in Deerpark Town Court to charges related to the illegal commercialization of trout. The arraignment followed a … more

9/20/23

I saw this bullfrog perched on a rock; the challenge was that I couldn’t get too close without spooking the frog. I used 3x zoom (a focal length of about 85-100mm equivalent). I cropped the resulting image and used a little bit of sharpening. There is a fair amount of zoom capability built into mobile phones, but using too much zoom degrades the image. ..It’s good to experiment with zoom and other camera features to see what works best for your particular phone.....

Phone home (and do other things) in the wild

Most people have a mobile phone now and carry it around wherever they go—and that includes going into field and forest. Whether you are going for a two-hour fun hike or a full day’s … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 9/20/23

Isonychia mayflies, hatching along the Esopus Creek.

Isonychia mayfly hatches on the Esopus Creek

The Esopus Creek begins its journey from its source at Winnisook Lake on Slide Mountain in the Catskill Mountains, before joining the Hudson Estuary near Saugerties some 65 miles away. The … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 9/20/23

This striking cluster of turkey tail mushrooms caught my eye on a recent hike in Pike County, PA. While remarkable for their beauty alone, turkey tail fungi are highly prized for their medicinal value as well.

A beautiful bracket

Fungi are fascinating, not only for their ecological, medicinal and culinary properties, but also for the multitude of interesting forms in which they appear. From puffballs to slime molds, from … more

By SANDY LONG | 9/13/23

Preparation is key—but who was ever prepared for children in the kitchen?

There's no 'can' in salsa

The butcher’s kids go hungry and the cobbler’s kids go shoeless. I used to hear this phrase often, but perhaps less so lately. The idea behind it is that the thing we might do as a … more

By HUNTER HILL | 9/13/23

Broad-winged hawks are in the buteo family, as is the red-tailed hawk. They both soar and have stout wings, and might look similar at a long distance. ..The broad-winged hawk stands out with its barred tail and black fringed wings. They fly a little differently too. When a broad-winged circles in a thermal, its turn rate is quicker, with a smaller turning radius.

Hawk migration kicks off

With the arrival of September, many bird species start their migration to wintering grounds. Some waterfowl, such as Canada geese, are very noticeable—they fly in large flocks and their honking … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 9/6/23

Where we stand

What I mean by that title is where we stand with the DEC’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) and its review of all the material we provided regarding the public’s right to wade and fish in … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 9/6/23

Like other chanterelle mushroom species, the cinnabar-red rises in groves from the ground in regional woodlands...

Fungi finds

If you have been wandering the woodlands of the Upper Delaware River region recently, it is likely you have encountered many different types of mushrooms. Fascinating fungi of various forms and … more

By SANDY LONG | 8/29/23

I see, said the blind butcher

Ever had a bad day? Bad week? Maybe it was just uncanny how many things could go wrong all at the same time. Well, this is the tale of one such time. It all started long, long ago. A time so far … more

By HUNTER HILL | 8/29/23

What appears to be an immature osprey hovers near its nest, which is built on the central pillar for the support of a power line. On top of each pillar is a bowl-shaped structure that probably aided the adult ospreys in building the nest. Osprey frequently utilize man-made structures, from towers to channel markers, to build their nests. There is a larger stream near this nest, but no lakes within a mile of it.

Flighted critters, great and small

I had planned a field trip last week, mainly to look for reptiles and amphibians. It was already mid-morning when I reached the state forest land in southern Pike County and started my trek. It was … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 8/23/23

Fishing the Bitterrroot during late runoff, where I almost floated away.

One wrong move

Those of us who fly fish, and indeed most folks who fish, do not consider angling a dangerous sport. That’s especially true when comparing fishing to football, soccer or even auto racing. … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 8/23/23

DEC announces multi-year study on improving bald and golden eagle conservation efforts

NEW YORK STATE — State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) commissioner Basil Seggos announced that the department is seeking hunters to participate in a multi-year study of non-lead … more

8/22/23

A beetle finds repose on the pink petals of a wild rose blooming in Shohola, PA.

Wonderfully wild

It’s that time of year when insects and flowering plants provide a pleasing visual experience to the casual observer enjoying the abundant natural resources of the Upper Delaware River region. … more

By SANDY LONG | 8/16/23

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Currently viewing stories posted within the past 2 years.
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