***** Bear Alert ***** - A female bear with two very small cubs was recently sighted down in the meadow area of Esopus Bend Nature Preserve
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Eastern Catskills NABA Butterfly Count - Join a field team to census butterflies in Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, or one of dozens of other local sites as a participant in the 8th annual Eastern Catskills North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Fourth of July Butterfly Count on Saturday, June 24, 2017.
Breeding Birds and Butterflies - Breeding Birds and Butterflies
Esopus Bend Nature Preserve
Saturday, June 17, 2017 8:00AMEastern Catskills NABA Butterfly Count
Join a field team to census butterflies in Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, or one of dozens of other local sites as a participant in the 8th annual Eastern Catskills North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Fourth of July Butterfly Count on Saturday, June 24, 2017.
The Eastern Catskills count circle includes a number of productive butterfly habitats in northern Ulster, southeastern Greene, and western Dutchess Counties; including Poet’s Walk Preserve, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, The Great Vly WMA, Onteora State Park, Overlook Mountain, Lower Platte Clove, the eastern end of Ashokan Reservoir, and extensive open meadows in the Town of Ulster. Participants will be assigned to a field party to census one or more target locations within the 15-mile diameter count circle.
Each field party will be assigned at least one individual knowledgeable in butterfly identification, so you don’t need to be a butterfly expert to participate. Full-day participation is not required, but you should be able to commit four to eight hours from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
If you are interested in joining one of the field teams, or have additional questions about participating in a NABA Butterfly Count, please contact Steve Chorvas at schorvas@gmail.com no later than the preceding Sunday, June 18th.
Breeding Birds and Butterflies
photo: Steve Hart
Breeding Birds and Butterflies
The Esopus Creek Conservancy and John Burroughs Natural History Society are co-sponsoring a guided nature walk at Esopus Bend Nature Preserve in Saugerties on Saturday, June 17, 2017, to observe summer breeding birds and butterflies. We will identify birds by sight and sound as we explore the Preserve’s woodlands, wetlands, and meadow, pausing along the way to observe the diversity of plant and animal life that inhabit the Preserve. As the morning temperatures rise, we will focus our attention on early summer butterflies active in the Preserve at this time of the year.
Meet 8:00 a.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on US Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties.
Bring binoculars, insect repellant, and field guides if you have them. Be prepared for potentially wet/muddy trails, tall grass, and dress according to weather conditions. Light rain often makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but will inhibit or eliminate most butterfly activity. Heavy rain cancels the walk. Children are welcome and encouraged, but please do not bring pets.
Contact the field trip leader, Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com) for additional information or directions. This joint ECC/JBNHS Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required, but recommended in the event of unforeseen changes or cancellation. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.
