Plants + Animals Archives

Plants + Animals

Raccoons, the Lovable Local-to-Everywhere Rogues

They’re right in our midst, and simultaneously appreciated (for their masked-eye, ringed-tail cuteness) and unloved (especially for their tendency to...

#FlightWatch: Do You Know the Mockingbird?

Mockingbirds are a fixture in popular American culture. They provided...

Inside N.Y.’s First-in-the-Nation Neonic Pesticide Nix

Since the 1940s, farmers and landscapers alike have used synthetic...

Coexisting More Peacefully With Coyotes

As human activity over the centuries has drastically altered the...

#BuggingOut

How to Better Attract and Support Butterflies

Many of us dream of having a butterfly haven in our own backyard, but creating...

#PlantLife

As the Climate Changes, Which Perennials Will Thrive in the Hudson Valley?

Only every decade or so does the U.S. Department of Agriculture release the latest edition...

#HappyTails

The Valley’s Different Breed of Zoo

Sure, NYC offers world-caliber collections of wildlife like the Bronx Zoo — but the Hudson...

#FlightWatch

Series

#FlightWatch: Do You Know the Mockingbird?

Mockingbirds are a fixture in popular American culture. They provided inspiration for the Mockingjays in The Hunger Games. Harper Lee named...

Up Close With New York’s Only Resident Hummingbird

Bird lovers throughout the Hudson Valley are watching for one of our area’s most beloved seasonal residents: the ruby-throated hummingbird....

How Robins Signal Spring

The robin is the oneThat interrupts the mornWith hurried, few, express reportsWhen March is scarcely on. Virtually nobody signals the...

Why Cardinals Rule

Northern cardinals have become a familiar and welcome sight to New Yorkers, particularly here in the Hudson Valley. The iconic...

What’s Next When You Find an Injured Bird

There’s something especially heartbreaking about coming across an injured bird — a creature meant to soar that is suddenly suffering,...

Poughkeepsie’s Massive Crow Roost

As the weather cools off, crows flock to Poughkeepsie by the thousands to join a communal roost, a ritual that’s...

The Local Eagle-Spotting Outlook

Few things in life draw the sort of deep-sigh feeling of awe as the sight of a majestic eagle soaring...

On Cold Days, Go Gull-Spotting

You might see a seagull over the Hudson River and think it’s amazing that these birds have come 50 or...

The Valley’s Vanishing Nighthawks

BEEMPP! BOOM!! and again BEEEMPP! BOOOM! On a warm June evening, I would take the kids down to Coxsackie to wait....

#TreesPlease

Series

Big Trees and the Humans Who Find Them

Near Coeymans, N.Y., there is a floodplain that flanks the Hudson and extends out to a well-kept property that a...

Celebrating FDR’s Pioneering Tree Conservation

Conserving land — cultivating it expressly for nature — is a standard practice today. But decades ago, it was an unheard-of...

Fall Foliage and Climate Change: A Wild Mix

The photogenic sprawl of trees in their vibrant fall colors is arguably one of the Hudson Valley’s most defining features,...

Quiz: Do You Know Fall’s Most Vibrant Leaves?

The Hudson Valley is famous for its fall foliage, best seen across rolling hills, apple orchards, and riverside mountains. Everyone...

Newburgh’s Balmville Tree, a Landmark of American History

Among local trees that have captured the imagination, it’s hard to top the Balmville Tree. Walk, bike, or drive past...

Return of the Elms

On a fall Friday morning, a pickup truck arrived at Mawignack Preserve in Catskill with a long-anticipated cargo: 28 trees....

10 Top Fall-Foliage Hot Spots in the Hudson Valley

The annual changing-leaf display along the Hudson River always boosts flagging spirits — and who couldn’t use a little pick-me-up...

#BuggingOut

Series

Inside N.Y.’s First-in-the-Nation Neonic Pesticide Nix

Since the 1940s, farmers and landscapers alike have used synthetic pesticides that are sprayed on plants and crops. But in...

How to Better Attract and Support Butterflies

Many of us dream of having a butterfly haven in our own backyard, but creating a utopia for these enchanting...

World’s First Bee Vaccine Expands Pollinator Potential

The next time you see a honeybee buzzing around a flower or a shrub or an apple tree, you can...

It’s National Moth Week

by Dalvin Aboagye Step outside your home on a nice night and take a look around. What do you see?...

Tackling Ticks

Enjoying outdoor exercise helps boost our immune system and relieve stress, which has never been more important. But while a...

#WildlifeLove

Series

Raccoons, the Lovable Local-to-Everywhere Rogues

They’re right in our midst, and simultaneously appreciated (for their masked-eye, ringed-tail cuteness) and unloved (especially for their tendency to...

Coexisting More Peacefully With Coyotes

As human activity over the centuries has drastically altered the American landscape, the makeup of wildlife in the country has...

Winging It With New York Bats

Despite their spooky rep, there’s much more to bats than Dracula and Halloween decorations. Around the world, bats serve as...

The Valley’s Various Frog Species Make Moves

Frogs may be the most familiar and observable amphibians in the Hudson Valley. Unlike their secretive cousins the salamanders, frogs...

The Opossum, a Surprising N.Y. Fan Fave

They may not look like the cuddliest creatures, but opossums are still beloved by many New Yorkers. In May, they...

Look Out For These New York Snakes

Cryptic, mysterious, and too often feared, snakes are among the most misunderstood animals that share our planet. New York is...

Making a Big Effort to Save a Little Turtle

Around late April, bog turtles began to emerge from their muddy hibernacula, or winter shelters, to greet another season in...

Forget Forecasting — Appreciate What Groundhogs Can Actually Rock

Will he or won’t he? That will be the question on everyone’s mind on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, when Punxsutawney...

Why the Tiny Shrew Will Blow Your Mind

Shrews aren’t just terms out of Shakespeare. In fact, Shakespeare is brand-new compared to actual shrews, animals that have been...

#Invasives101

Series

How Bad Is Water Chestnut, Really?

When it comes to invasive species that have affected the Hudson River, water chestnuts are one of the most common....

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Eat ‘Em

Invasive plants wreak great havoc in the Hudson Valley, crowding out native species that birds and other animals depend on...

Hounding Out Invasive Species in the Hudson Valley

The next time you’re hiking in the Lower Hudson Valley, be on the lookout for two of the region’s newest...

Woolly Adelgids Threaten Eastern Hemlock Trees

For generations, the canopies provided by the Eastern hemlock trees have been integral to the Empire State’s forest ecosystems. Although...

Watch Out for Spotted Lanternflies

The spotted lanternfly is one beautiful bug. With its wings outspread, an adult resembles an abstract painting, sporting geometric splotches...

Solving a Knotty Knotweed Problem

“When I first started working here, I didn’t realize this could be such a beautiful view,” says Scenic Hudson Parks...

Don’t Touch That Plant!

Trees, shrubs and wildflowers contribute so much beauty to the Hudson Valley — and joy to our lives — but...

Trees That Eat Things

Scenic Hudson Land Stewardship Coordinator Dan Smith photographed an ice skate being “eaten” by a tree on one of our...