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$Who would want to protect the Delaware River and the natural resources of its watershed? With the reversal of the Delaware River Basin Commission’s recent fracking ban, the pressure to leave a healthy legacy for future generations has been lifted. What a relief!$

Free to frack, what a relief

Rumor has it that fracking can now proceed at full force following the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) remarkable reversal of its decision to ban hydraulic fracturing for natural gas … more

By SANDY LOAM | 3/31/21

This wood duck pair was one of a few on a spall pond in Shohola, PA. As with many bird species, the male is more colorful. Wood ducks nest in abandoned woodpecker nest cavities or in the tops of broken off trees. They sometimes find their way down chimneys due to this behavior.

Winter wildlife viewing opportunities

March 12 was promising to be a somewhat mild day—at least milder than we have had during the last week or so. Temperatures were forecast to rise into the 50s. It was about 7:30 a.m. when I went … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 3/24/21

The turbid waters of the upper basin of the Ashokan Reservoir. Will the upper basin remain turbid indefinitely if the proposed pump storage facility is approved?

Prattsville rides again?

I don’t remember the exact date that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) became aware of the Prattsville pumped storage project proposed for the Schoharie Reservoir. The project … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 3/24/21

Seize your power when it comes to social media. The Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) has launched a new series using the hashtag #ResourceSaturday to raise awareness of Pennsylvania’s rich natural resources. The initiative supports the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP), which collects information regarding the Commonwealth’s biological diversity and develops County Natural Heritage Inventories (CNHIs). Every other Saturday, PCCD will feature inventory sites such as Egypt Meadow Lake (shown here) on its social media, using the posts to link to the inventory. The public is invited to explore the state’s natural heritage and to participate in the conservation of Pike County’s ecological resources. Post your photos of these sites with the hashtag #ResourceSaturday, and PCCD may share your pictures on its page. Visit www.facebook.com/pikeconservation, www.instagram.com/pike_conservation or www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/Resource.aspx to learn more. Then go global by celebrating #InternationalDayofForests on Sunday, March 21 and #WorldWaterDay on Monday, March 22.

Feeling frustrated? Act on it!

Unusually high temperatures during the second week of March have ignited spring fever in many of us. Although it’s a welcome relief from the cabin fever fostered by the taxing weather … more

By SANDY LONG | 3/16/21

Nothing quite as motivating as watching the snow melt.

These first warm days

It’s officially T-shirt season in Pennsylvania. With the pallid sun-starved skin of winter, we northern-dwellers emerged this past week with excitement to make the most out of the first … more

By HUNTER HILL | 3/16/21

Red-bellied woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers, about the size of a northern flicker. This is a pair of them in a nest cavity they built in a dead black birch. There were young in the nest at this time, but too small to see in the entrance. Look for adults carrying food items and listen for begging calls from the young.

The percussionists of the forest

We think of percussionists when we listen to our favorite music; chances are there is a drummer or some other musician beating a cadence of some sort with the rest of the band. Like us, nature has … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 3/10/21

The shore of Flathead Lake where Kokanee Salmon, Spawned ..

Smokin’ salmon

I cannot, in the truest sense of the English language, call this a fishing story. It can, I guess, be called a “catching” story. It does not even involve conventional fishing equipment, … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 3/10/21

Adult male tree swallows are small songbirds with tiny black bills, deep charcoal flight feathers and black masks around the eyes. They are characterized by brilliant blue feathers above and white feathers below.

Noise impacts songbirds

The almost-unimaginable yet historic decision by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to permanently ban fracking in the Delaware River Watershed was announced on February 25. Eleven years of … more

By SANDY LONG | 3/3/21

Coffee in the Hill household is a must, no matter how we have to get it.

Coffee at all costs

In honor of this being my 50th column of The Way Out Here, it is only suitable that I should write about something that I am extremely passionate about. It’s something that even those who do … more

By HUNTER HILL | 3/3/21

Outcrops that have small springs or seeps during the warm weather are good areas to find frozen stalactites of water over the winter. Even a very low flow of water seeping from between rock layers is enough to make huge frozen columns if it stays cold long enough.

Frozen waterscapes

We are past the middle of February, and the mild start of winter has now given way to more seasonable conditions. More temperatures in the single digits, as well as snow and ice, have resulted in a … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 2/24/21

Note the difference in the nylon leader, left, and the braided leader?

Some thoughts about tapered leaders

As a long-time angler, I hear little discussion about tapered leaders, even though they are an integral part of a fly fisher’s gear. Perhaps leaders are viewed as innocuous, just a necessary … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 2/24/21

Watch for artful expressions of ice while taking a winter walk.

Winter woes and wonders

Here we are in the heart of winter, surrounded and confounded by massive amounts of snow. That such wondrous stuff can also wreak havoc upon our lives is a given at this time of year. As we forge our … more

By SANDY LONG | 2/17/21

You can set up your seedlings anytime you like, but I would wait a bit longer before planting.

Delayed by a rodent

Every farmer has an internal clock. As the weather shifts, it pressures toward the next season, creating that sense of motivation that reminds us, “Hey, it’s time to get ready.” … more

By HUNTER HILL | 2/17/21

What looks like a small choir practicing is a small flock of brown-headed cowbirds. They like open fields and yards; if your yard is large enough to raise livestock, you may see this species around. Cowbirds are “Brood Parasites.” They do not build a nest of their own. Instead, they take over the nests of other species and proceed to raise their own young. Cowbirds will come to feeders.

The 2021 Great Backyard Bird Count

We have been having some somewhat significant snowstorms after a quiet start to winter. Even though you may have been stuck in the house in the midst of the storm, you likely had some birds at your … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 2/10/21

Grayling

As readers of this column by an author who is resident of the Hudson Valley and fishes the Catskill region almost exclusively, you might reasonably ask, why a piece about grayling? A good question, … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 2/10/21

You won’t find a living warthog anywhere in Pike County, but you can see it as a taxidermy mount in the Columns Museum, along with other animals (bear, deer, wolf) donated by local world traveler and avid hunter John Gallaso.

Pike County’s historic nature

Looking for something to combat the impacts of quarantines and restrictions imposed by the ongoing pandemic, in addition to the creep of cabin fever? The Pike County Historical Society (PCHS) is … more

By SANDY LONG | 2/3/21

Who has time for that?

As the snow continues to fall and freeze and swirl around outside, I can’t help but feel as though I’m inside a snow globe or, rather, a wintery hourglass. This deep into winter, … more

By HUNTER HILL | 2/3/21

The ringed bill can be seen in this photograph as well as some other identifying features. Many species of gull appear similar from afar, so binoculars will help in areas where there may be multiple species of gull.

Gulls of the Delaware

When I check out areas of the Delaware or Mongaup rivers for eagles, it’s not just the eagles I am looking for. Eagles are foraging for fish, including fish that were stunned or killed by … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 1/27/21

DEC’s Trout Stream Management Plan

In early November of 2019, I wrote about the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) proposed plan to make significant changes in how it managed New York’s trout rivers. … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 1/27/21

Opportunities abound to participate in citizen science projects pertaining to birds like this white-breasted nuthatch. Project Feeder Watch (www.feederwatch.org) is ongoing through Friday, April 9. (Also see www.celebrateurbanbirds.org.) Take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count from Friday to Monday, February 12 to 15. Learn more at www.birdcount.org. All are projects of the outstanding Cornell Lab of Ornithology (www.birds.cornell.edu/home).

Bird balm: an antidote to anxiety

It’s safe to say that the first weeks of 2021 have not provided the hopeful optimism we’ve all been craving as we attempt to move forward and put the madness of the past year behind … more

By SANDY LONG | 1/20/21

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Currently viewing stories posted within the past 2 years.
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