The Naturalist’s Blog

Week of December 11, 2022 – December 17, 2022 by Elizabeth Suzedell, Environmental Educator Last week was rainy and drizzly. We had gloomy days with the ground continuously soaked with water. If there was so much moisture in the environment, why does our skin still feel so dry? The answer is because of the cold. Air in our atmosphere consists of several gasses, including water vapor. Warm air holds a [...]

Week of December 4, 2022 – December 10, 2022 by Anna Stunkel, Environmental Educator As December’s chill sets in, I fondly think back to days of catching frogs at the pond or marveling at frogs and toads hopping around on the forest floor. Do you ever wonder how these critters survive in the depths of winter? Some frogs, such as Northern Leopard Frogs and Green Frogs, sit deep below the [...]

Week of November 27, 2022 – December 3, 2022 by Bridget Jones, Environmental Educator In late fall, the forest seems to settle into a deeper level of silence. Buzzing and chirping insects have vanished and many animals are moving into dens for the winter. This past week, I took a walk through Baltimore Woods on a particularly quiet day. Without the usual backdrop of noise and activity, my attention focused [...]

Week of November 20, 2022 – November 26, 2022 by Sunny Guyette, Environmental Educator For the Syracuse City School District 5th grade Ecosystem Exploration field trips, I like to take my groups to a pond located along the Boundary Trail. Next to the pond, is a bat house. Oftentimes, when I ask the kids what kind of home they think it is, they rightfully mistake it as a birdhouse. I [...]

Week of November 13, 2022 – November 19, 2022 by Elizabeth Suzedell, Environmental Educator We have already had our first frost in Central New York, and waking up to a thin glaze of ice crystals covering the grass, other plants, and our cars is becoming more common as we approach mid-November. You may have occasionally noticed some thick dew throughout the autumn, and even though frost is ice, both dew [...]

Please note: This week’s Naturalist Blog contains somewhat graphic images and video links captured via a trail camera of real animals feeding on a deer carcass. Viewer discretion is advised. Week of November 6, 2022 – November 12, 2022 by Anna Stunkel, Environmental Educator A couple of weeks ago, some of our educators and Trail School participants set up trail cams on a deer carcass that we found near the edge of the [...]

Week of October 30, 2022 – November 5, 2022 by Bridget Jones, Environmental Educator As Halloween approaches and children dress up as bats, cats, and werewolves, our thoughts turn more frequently to creatures that inhabit the night. While we are sleeping, a whole world of activity is taking place right outside our windows. Imagine coming to Baltimore Woods late at night. If you were to follow a moonlit trail to [...]

Week of October 23, 2022 – October 29, 2022 by Sunny Guyette, Environmental Educator Crunch, crunch, crunch! As the season changes, we may notice the trees that turn from green to vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red are losing their leaves, while other trees stay green year round. But why does this happen? Why do some trees lose all of their leaves in the fall and some keep their [...]

Week of October 16, 2022 – October 22, 2022 by Bridget Jones, Environmental Educator They appear right before dusk, over fields and wetlands in the cool fall air. As you look towards the horizon, you might see what appear to be low, quickly moving clouds approaching. At a closer range, they become a series of twisting shapes in the air, like abstract art come to life. While it sounds like [...]