The woods behind the visitor center barn and the tenant house at Crow’s Nest Preserve lead down to French Creek, and provide a wildlife corridor…

Birders have been visiting Crow’s Nest Preserve over the last few weeks to see red-headed woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). We’ve seen them here occasionally over the…

We are past peak fall color but it is still glorious here. Last week’s storm knocked many leaves off but the oaks in have come into…

Actually, it was after work yesterday that I decided to investigate the newly-flooded beaver wetland by boat. I borrowed a kayak (thanks, Pete!) and paddled around…

After a few years without beavers in this section of French Creek (but apparent both upstream and downstream) beavers have once again built a dam…

Meet the prescribed grazing crew at Crow’s Nest for 2013. Duffy the goat blends in pretty well with the Jersey steers, and is holding his…

Here is tonight’s sunset from the preserve. I like that autumn evenings are relatively mild, that the cold of frost doesn’t settle until morning. These…

Patchy frost in the yard this morning. We’re in a cold hollow in a cold part of the region, so your conditions may vary. We’re…

Right now the sassafras trees are an intense burning orange; Virginia creeper a deep crimson, and dogwoods starting to turn a rich burgundy. Other plants—spicebush,…