Wildlife, Fish, and Marine Life Newsletter

Keep Standing Dead Trees in your Woodlot

Some of the most important trees in your woodlot are the ones that are no longer alive. Large, standing dead or dying trees—called snags—are an important part of healthy forests and a critical habitat feature for wildlife. They provide places for many birds and mammals to forage, den, nest, perch, and roost. Snags are very important for cavity-nesting birds like woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees; for bats that roost within cavities, crevices, and flaky bark; and for countless species that rely on insects, fungi, and lichens as a food source. As long as they aren’t in a hazardous location such as near a road or building, consider leaving snags for wildlife.

In woodlands where snags are sparse or absent, it’s possible to create a few by topping, girdling, or simply leaving several mature trees as legacy trees that may become snags in the future. Biologists recommend having at least three large snags (>12” diameter) per acre to benefit wildlife. These stately spires also add structural complexity, provide an element of visual interest, store carbon, reflect a forest stand’s past, and will enrich soils in the future.

Photo by Katherine Yard.

#AdventureAtHome: Winter Seal Watching

‘Tis the season for seal watching! Seals are found in New York from late fall through late spring. Seals haul out—or leave the water to rest on sandy beaches or rocks— to regulate their body temperature, socialize, or give birth. Hauling out in groups also helps seals avoid predators. Up to five species can be seen locally, but harbor, gray, and harp seals are the most common types of seals that you may ‘sea’.

Share the shore with seals and other marine wildlife! Always keep a safe distance of 150 feet, or three school bus lengths of distance between you and the seals. Seals are sensitive and can be easily disturbed while resting on land. Help protect them and yourselves by giving space when wildlife watching.

See previous weeks of #AdventureAtHome content by visiting our website.

Help for Injured Hawk in New York County

On December 2, Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) McCarthy responded to an injured Cooper's Hawk on a rooftop of New York-Presbyterian/Allen Hospital in Manhattan. The juvenile hawk had flown into a glass window and subsequently broke her wing. ECO McCarthy captured the injured hawk and transported it to the Wild Bird Fund where the hawk is being treated by professional rehabilitators and will be released back into the wild.

Photo of ECO McCarthy and hospital staff with juvenile hawk.