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Nature

On the Wing: A Tempest of Towhees in a Teapot

The eastern towhee breeds in Montauk, and if you go to Oyster Pond this weekend you can hear them calling and singing everywhere.

May 11, 2022
On the Wing: Millions of Birds on the Move

Over the next two weeks, spring bird migration will peak. Hundreds of millions of birds will fly up the country, largely south to north, in sync with blooming trees, flowers, and insect hatches. Many are attempting to reach the green attic of North America, the boreal forest of Canada, where they will breed and raise their young before reversing course in the autumn.

May 5, 2022
Stop and Smell the Roses

In the Northeastern United States, at least, these blossoms — whether red, pink, peach, yellow, white, or some combination of all — are at peak perfection starting in late May through June. As you stroll about, drive around town, or even take the train, here are some South Fork spots where you can find this favorite flower.

Apr 29, 2022
On the Wing: Think Like a Bird in Your Backyard

To make your backyard bird-friendly, you'll need to think like a bird when making landscaping decisions.

Apr 29, 2022
Abuzz About Pollinator Pathways

What are pollinator gardens and why are so many people talking about them right now? The idea, according to the organizers of the Pollinator Pathway movement, is to manage backyards without pesticides and with native plantings so they can connect with parks and preserves, creating a sort of bird and insect “refuge corridor,” an "archipelago" of habitats.

Apr 28, 2022
Great Backyard Bird Count Is This Weekend

This weekend is the 25th anniversary of the Great Backyard Bird Count. To participate, you spend a minimum of 15 minutes counting birds, and afterward report what you see to the number-cracking scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Feb 18, 2022
On the Wing: It Starts With the Spark Bird

In a new column about birds, The Star's Christopher Gangemi discusses the "spark bird," that bird that first makes you notice birds in general, sparking a deeper curiosity about the many birds around you. His, in December of 2001, was the tufted titmouse.

Dec 2, 2021
Early Spring Was a Bounty for Bees on East End

When things greened up early this spring thanks to warmer-than-usual temperatures around here, humans weren't the only ones who noticed. Honeybees are thriving on the East End.

Jul 2, 2020
Paul McCartney Endorses Video for Wildlife

A musical project that came to life last summer will make its broadcast debut this morning, days after coming to the attention of the song’s composer, who happens to have been in the Beatles.

Jul 2, 2020
Nature Notes: The Cutest of All

Halfway through March, chipmunks are up for good, it would seem. I see ours almost every morning running about, looking hale and sassy.

Mar 19, 2020
Nature Notes: Inklings of Springs

Monday was the warmest day since November. It reached 60 degrees in Noyac and thoughts of winter evaporated into thoughts of spring and the turning of the earth from dull gray to bright green.

Mar 11, 2020
Nature Notes: True Blue

The eastern bluebird, the New York State bird, is the only North American thrush that doesn’t build a typical nest in a tree or bush during breeding season. It lays its eggs in a hole in a tree or a nonliving substitute, a bird box.

Mar 5, 2020