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Reflections in Nature: Forest fire wardens become busy in spring

During March, April and May, forest fire wardens and local fire companies become busy with brush fires and larger forest fires. This springtime danger comes when bright sun, strong winds and warming temperatures quickly increase wildfire dangers across Pennsylvania’s forests and brush lands. When things turn green later in the spring the fire season will slow down. The Bureau of Forestry within DCNR is responsible for the prevention and suppression of wildfire on the 17 million acres of forest lands throughout the commonwealth. Today the bureau aids fire companies across the state ...

Community outdoor calendar for week of April 1

AUDUBON EVENT: BIRDING ALONG THE RIVER WALK WHERE: Meet at the South Williamsport Recycling Center at the top of the dike on the river walk. WHEN: Saturday, April 5 at 9 a.m. NOTES: Join the Lycoming Audubon Society for an easy bird walk along the SUsquehanna River Walk on the South Williamsport side. You will view waterfowl and enjoy species of raptors like bald eagles, peregrine falcons and red-tailed hawks. We will check out birdlife that frequent the brush and trees along the path. The program is free and open to the public. More details can be found at ...

Speeding up the bird learning curve for various bird watchers

How many birds can you name? Many people can name only a few — even people who have bird feeders. Today’s technology however can greatly accelerate our learning curve. Perhaps the most accessible resource is the free Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is close by in ...

Ramps will be blooming in nearby forests soon

Ramps are awakening in our local woods. Never heard of ramps? If you ever decide to practice foraging from our abundant forests, you will definitely want to learn about ramps. They erupt in April and are a perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family. By erupt, that means they are ...

Reflections in Nature: Most waterfowls return to same area they were raised

On March 16, I saw hooded mergansers on Sugar Creek, which is outside of Troy. I knew before long we would be seeing many species of ducks. All waterfowl migrate. It is believed that most waterfowl return to mate and raise their young in the same area where they were raised, however many ducks that winter in the Southern United States will pair up on the wintering grounds before the northward migration begins. Instead of flying northward to the areas where they were hatched, these males will accompany the female to where she was born to raise their young. This type of migration is ...

NestWatch project invites people to monitor nearby nests

ITHACA, N.Y. — Spring is here and that means new life all around including nesting birds. The NestWatch project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology invites people to monitor bird nests near you and share in the lives of birds from nest building to fledging. NestWatch has been documenting when and where birds have nested for 60 years. The data shared with NestWatch helps scientists better understand how environmental changes affect the success of birds as they raise their young. Joining NestWatch is free, and it only takes about 15 minutes to learn how to participate, keeping the ...