Some summer pics

Here are a few snapshots from summer 2012.

An American toad (Bufo americanus)

Some daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) by the side of the road. Native to China, Japan and Korea, these have been introduced all over the world.

The view from Big Level, aka Rock City Hill.

Some roadside rocks.

Introduced from Europe, chicory (Cichorium intybus) brightens up the roadsides on summer mornings.

Eagles

During the 2012 AVP season, we were graced by the presence of a pair of bald eagles flying up and down the river. Attempts to photograph the birds from the site failed miserably, but I did manage to snap a distant image of one in a tree across the river.

A juvenile mantis

This tiny praying mantis was scrambling across the Karl Site during preparations for field season 2012 for the Allegheny Valley Project.

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.