Spring 2011

Got a few opportunities to check out the local flora and fauna during a recent fieldwork trip to WNY. A very wet spring translates to a very green landscape.

Oxbow lake south of the river near Allegany, NY.

Snapple (Chelydra serpentina) in his new home.

Azure bluets (Houstonia caerulea) cluster about the clearings...

...along with speedwell (Veronica sp.)...

...and woodland strawberries (Fragaria vesca).

A few naturalized intruders that join the native plants include forget-me-nots (Myosotis scorpiodes)...

...and the tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris).

Also introduced, the common apple (Malus sylvestris) brightens up the springtime hills with its dazzling blooms.

The native choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) can also produce some eye-catching blooms.

Silver maples (Acer saccharinum) arch over a rain-swollen Allegheny.

The soggy Allegheny Valley had more than enough rain in Spring '11.

The ponds at Breezy Point near Bolivar, NY were full as well.

The benefit is the foliage, lush and green...

Painting the hillsides emerald, with hints of white, yellow and pink.

...and of course, the toads (Bufo americanus) love it.

Random 2008-10

Haven't been able to make a concerted effort to focus on nature while working on my dissertation, but now and again I had managed to slip in a few nature photos.

Here is a common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) with a beautiful orange stripe in its pattern.

The Fivemile Creek is often clogged with wood debris near its confluence with the Allegheny.

Wild cucumber (Echinosystis lobata) can be found in the scrub forests along the river.

Frost aster (Symphyotricum pilosum), also called hairy white oldfield aster, is plentiful late in the year, one of the last to succumb to frost.

Many low farm fields along the river are subject to annual flooding in the early spring.

The intriguing but very toxic false hellebore (Viratrum viride) is conspicuous on the forest floor in the spring.

Beginning in 2011, I will be making an annual trip to the Allegheny Valley to conduct archaeological research. I will be setting aside a few days each trip solely for nature pictures, so there won't be such a long hiatus between posts.

Allegheny River Seasons

The Allegheny River is beautiful in any season. Here are a few shots from all four.

Late Spring

Spring rains can turn the river cocoa brown, filling the bed from bank to tree-lined bank. Trees along the river are most often cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum).

Early Summer

The Allegheny Valley can get a lot of precipitation in early summer. The result is a very green environment.

Late Summer

Late summer is usually relatively dry, but the green remains. Islands appear when the river is lower, and quickly sprout greenery.

Autumn

Busloads of leaf watchers visit the Enchanted Mountains annually to see the hills aflame with red, orange and yellow.

Autumn

A calm and peaceful river reflects the autumn color, even as fallen leaves litter the surface.

Winter

A cold, wind-swept river can still appear inviting.

Winter

A beautiful river, even in the "dead" of winter.

Zoar Valley

Zoar Valley is a natural area owned by New York State in the northwest corner of Cattaraugus County (and into Erie County). Cattaraugus Creek and its tributaries have carved a gorge out of the shale and sandstone. The area is a popular whitewater rafting destination in the spring, and is a hiking paradise in the summer and fall. The confluence of Cattaraugus Creek and South Branch is a favored location for naturists as well as naturalists.

Cattaraugus Creek

Spring whitewater beckons rafters and kayakers from all around. Class II to Class IV rapids keep adventure seekers happy. Fishermen also show up for the salmon and trout.

Zoar Valley Cliffs

The cliffs rise to 400 feet above the creek bed, and are actively eroding. Zoar Valley is wonderfully beautiful, but care must be taken to avoid rockslides and treacherous water.

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

Valentine Flats is covered with these, blooming in the late summer through autumn.

Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

It seems wherever there are lungless salamanders there is moss, which provides a nice backdrop.

Common Morel (Morchella esculenta)

These are edible, but easily confused with inedible false morel (Gyromitra sp. and Verpa sp.).

Waterfalls

Above and below are two of the dozens of waterfalls found in Zoar Valley.

Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis)

This snake is ready to shed. It was under a rock in a dry section of creek bed (the rock was replaced shortly thereafter).

Waterfall

Ribbon Falls is ephemeral...a part-time waterfall.

Carpet of Periwinkle

Much of the floor of Zoar Valley is carpeted with the invasive common periwinkle (Vinca minor).

Another Waterfall

This waterfall is in a small tributary ravine off South Branch.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Frogs and toads are abundant in Zoar Valley.

Zoar Valley Cliffs

Here are a few more views of the many cliffs of the valley.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

This one was basking beside the creek.

Waterfall Beneath Hemlocks

This is a nice little waterfall shaded by eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis).

Forest

Parts of the gorge are less steep, allowing trees to take root.

Golden Groundsel (Packera aurea)

Also known as golden ragwort, this plant is common on the valley floor.

Zoar Valley

Zoar Valley, like the rest of the Enchanted Mountains region, abounds with scenic beauty and biodiversity.

Rock Cities

Rock Cities are massive outcrops of conglomerate beds found at higher elevations throughout the region. They were formed at the edge of an inland sea from sediments eroded from the ancient Taconic mountains to the east. The conglomerate basically consists of white quartz pebbles of various sizes embedded in sandstone. Pebbles from different time periods indicate the conditions under which they were deposited. For example, the Pennsylvanian (~325-280 million years ago) Olean conglomerate at Rock City Park contains well rounded pebbles deposited in a turbulent marine environment such as a shallow estuary. Devonian (~395-345 million years ago) beds like those at Thunder Rocks and Little Rock City contain flattened pebbles, suggesting deposition in a deeper, less turbulent environment. Conglomerate beds around Olean, NY are the only Pennsylvanian and Mississippian (together known as the Carboniferous period) deposits in New York State. As the beds crop out of the hillsides, water seeps into fissures, freezing and thawing to produce huge blocks. The water also erodes shale beds beneath them, causing them to break apart and slowly slide downslope with soil creep. This results in rock cities, with narrow street-like passageways and tunnels. There are numerous rock cities, located in Warren, McKean and Potter counties in Pennsylvania as well as Cattaraugus and Allegany counties in New York. There is even one in Chautauqua County. Three well known rock cities from Cattaraugus County are represented below.

Rock City Park

I tried to avoid the "postcard" views, but I couldn't escape this one from atop the rocks at Rock City Park. That the region is a dissected plateau is evident from the relatively level horizon.

Rock City Park

Located south of Olean, NY, Rock City Park is the largest and most famous of the area's rock cities.

Rock City Park

What appear to be saplings growing out of the rocks here are actually older trees with stunted growth. Some of the trees are 50 to 100 years old.

Rock City Park

Since the early 1900's, when an electric trolley line brought visitors from Olean, NY and Bradford, PA, Rock City Park has been a favorite picnic and hiking place.

Roadside Rocks

Many of the conglomerate outcrops are remnant or limited. Small formations like this one along SR 16 between Olean and Rock City, NY are frequently seen.

Thunder Rocks

Thunder Rocks is one of two larger rock cities (several smaller ones exist) in Allegany State Park. This rock city is more disjointed than others, because rather than outcropping, it forms a remnant cap at the top of a hill.

Little Rock City

Near Little Valley, NY, Little Rock City is a quiet little public space for a relaxing hike.

Little Rock City

The fissures at Little Rock City are impressive, though not as deep as those at Rock City Park.

Little Rock City

There are plenty of nooks and crannies to explore at any rock city.