Nesting Boxes at Greenwood Sanctuary

Last Fall, some nesting boxes designed for Wood Ducks and some designed for Owls or Kestrels, were deployed at Greenwood Sanctuary in Dimock, PA. This week we saw swallows skimming across the water for insects and returning repeatedly to the Wood Duck nesting boxes positioned near the pond. The nesting boxes have a side door…

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Visitors to Floating Nest

When you decide to hijack a nest site from a Mallard Duck, on a floating platform, and incubate a brood of your own, the 28 days of isolation can be pleasantly punctuated by visits from non-threatening neighbors. https://elrose.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/STC_7815.jpg One regular task, for which webbed feet are particularly adept, is turning the eggs to help with…

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Floating Platform Update – Goose Family

In mid-April, we observed that there was a Canadian Goose nesting on one of the floating platforms. We are happy to report that three goose eggs that were incubated on the floating platform hatched this week. There were egg shells observed on the nesting platform. The mother goose and the goslings were not seen when…

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Floating Platforms update – another new nest

In early April, we observed a Mallard duck nest on one of the floating platforms. We mounted a motion activated camera and then did not disturb the nest site for three weeks. We returned yesterday to see if conditions would allow swapping of the SD memory card in the camera. We found no sign of…

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Floating Platform Update – New Tenant

The two floating platforms were stored on shore at Silver Lake for the winter, and were again deployed on April 2, 2016. The platforms were placed about 50 feet off-shore and new straw was added. The day that the platforms were floated out again, there were 5 mallard ducks observed on the lake. A quick…

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Spring Trail Cleanup- High Point Preserve April 30

Spend some time in the woods while helping us to maintain and clean up the trails of High Point Preserve! On this day, the preserve will be open to both members and non-members so take this special opportunity to visit this beautiful preserve! Meet at the butterfly garden (by the open field, at the end…

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Webinar – Controversy on Bee Poisoning

Neonicotinoids, Bees and Urban Trees: The Controversy Defined Widespread media coverage of high profile bee poisonings related to the application of neonicotinoids on urban trees has caused intense scrutiny of the use of these insecticides. Join Dr. Richard Cowles, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, as he discusses the health of bee populations (including the phenomena known…

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Tax Incentive for Conservation Easements made permanent

In a strong bipartisan action, the Senate voted 65-33 to pass the bill that will make the tax incentive for conservation easement donations permanent. This follows A 318-109 vote in the House OF Representatives. This legislation has been a priority for the Land Trust Alliance and Edward L Rose Conservancy for a decade, and it…

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Fisher on Trail Camera

A fisher was spotted locally by a Conservancy member on a trail camera that was set up to watch for wild turkeys. The fisher is a member of the weasel family, which includes mink and skunks. Fishers are native to Pennsylvania but loss of forest habitat in the 1800’s greatly reduced their numbers. Their reintroduction…

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Penn State Webinar Feb 9: Native Plants and Providing Habitat for Wildlife

Penn State Renewable Natural Resources Extension Team’s February webinar. PA Forest Stewardship Webinars: Native plants and providing habitat for wildlife, Tuesday, February 9, 2016, at two times, 12 PM (noon) and 7 p.m. ET. Topic Description: Native plants are often already on our local landscapes, but management can be critical to their maintenance as well…

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