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Outdoor

‘Caching’ when times are lean

Winter is in full swing, but despite the cold and snow there are still animals that are active. Lately when I arrive at Audubon Community Nature Center in the mornings, I’ve been looking out the large window at the bird feeders. As I watch the birds and squirrels, I notice some of them collect food and carry it away instead of eating it on the spot. In some cases, animals will collect and store extra food, saving it for later or times of scarcity. This behavior is called ‘caching’ and can be observed in several animals, including squirrels and certain bird species. Oftentimes ...

Cycles and seasons impact animals, wildlife

The cycles found throughout nature are full of endings, fresh starts, and plenty of resets, whether we are talking about massive weather patterns or a single Monarch caterpillar. The change in an organism’s behaviors through the day, week, or year are sometimes the result of an innate ...

In harsh winter, birds add life to outdoors

When winter winds are frigid and I crave a taste of the outdoors, I find myself glued to the window watching my birdfeeders. If the landscape is a bit snowy and I notice plenty of activity, I will sneak out my front door camouflaged by a white sheet, just barely exposing my camera lens ...

Audubon building closed next week

Area residents’ favorite outdoor escapes are still wide open while Audubon Community Nature Center’s building is closed Monday to Friday, Jan. 16 for staff planning. As always, you can visit the live birds of prey, explore the native tree arboretum, have fun in the Nature Play Area, and ...

Geometric shapes in nature

Often when describing patterns, they are placed in one of two categories: organic or geometric. Organic designs are ones based on natural things, like the silhouette of a tree or fur pattern of an animal. On the other hand, geometric designs are typically mathematical and often feel more ...

There’s a life beneath the snow

Snow. While it’s still early in the winter, here in Chautauqua County we are already feeling the freeze. The world has been blanketed with white, and it seems like that blanket is here to stay. While the snow does cause some inconveniences for us humans, for many animals it is one of ...