October 2023 Outdoor Discovery

Watchable Wildlife - Capital District Wildlife Management Area

The Capital District Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located in the towns of Berlin and Stephentown in Rensselaer County. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, if you are craving some Adirondack-like scenery, this 10,000-acre parcel of woods is the place to go. While touring the many interior access roads, you may see deer, fisher, or even a moose.

In spring, the many streams, bogs, and wetland pools burst with woodland wildflowers, forest warblers, and pond-breeding amphibians. In the summer, the deep conifer greens mix with lighter hardwood emerald greens in a bridge of leaves that closes over the top of the woodland trails. Fall is when this WMA really shines, with bursting colors that amaze around every turn. In the winter, the WMA is silent; the higher elevations here typically see snow far earlier and for much longer than the lower elevations around the Albany area.

You can also admire the panoramic vista from 1,750 feet in elevation that looks out across the Cherry Plain. There are seven trails totaling nine miles in length across the entire WMA. If hiking with your dog, remember pets must be leashed on WMAs to protect wildlife and because there is a healthy population of porcupines in the area. Recreational opportunities at this WMA include hunting, trapping, fishing, birding, photography, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking. Birders visiting the WMA are likely to enjoy seeing red-shouldered hawk, barred owl, indigo bunting, wood duck, American redstart, ovenbird, black-throated blue warbler, and Connecticut warbler.

Read more about Capital District WMA in the February/March 2023 issue of the Conservationist (PDF).

New Locations Added to the NYS Birding Trail

DEC recently announced the addition of 12 new locations to the NYS Birding Trail, bringing the total number of sites statewide to 344. The new additions provide visitors with unique experiences, from large preserves and nature centers with diverse habitats to urban oases steeped in history and teeming with wildlife.

The newly added locations are located on public and private lands across the state:

• Central-Finger Lakes: Baltimore Woods Nature Center (Onondaga County)
• Greater Niagara:
  • Amherst Veterans Canal Park (Erie County)
  • Eight locations within the City of Buffalo (Erie County)
    • Cazenovia Park
    • Delaware Park
    • Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park
    • Ship Canal Commons/Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park
    • South Park (Buffalo Botanical Gardens)
    • Unity Island
    • Broderick Park
    • Bird Island Pier
• Long Island: Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center (Nassau County)
• Southern Tier: Audubon Community Nature Center (Chautauqua County)

Visit the New York State Birding webpage to plan a trip to these and other spots on the Birding Trail.

Photo: Baltimore Woods Nature Center, Onondaga County

Experience Fall Hiking

If you are looking to enjoy the fall foliage this season, consider a trip to the Catskills to complete the Catskills Fire Tower Challenge! Fall is a great time for hiking in New York, with stunning colors and cooler temperatures. Be sure to check I Love NY’s Fall Foliage Report for updates.

For those looking for alternate locations, check out DEC’s Trails Less Traveled webpage, offering a sample of hidden treasures from across New York. Everyone is encouraged to practice Leave No Trace™ Principles and Love Our New York Lands by recreating safely and sustainably, hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and experience level. DEC also now offers a HikeSmartNY poster available for download in 15 languages.

Upcoming Events

Be sure to check out DEC's wide selection of outdoor activities on our events calendar. View upcoming activities or all the planned events currently scheduled, including public hearings and meetings.

For information about upcoming events at DEC’s environmental education centers, visit the following links:

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (Albany County)

Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve & Environmental Education Center (Erie County)

Rogers Environmental Education Center (Chenango County)

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (Dutchess County)

Check Out Our Facebook Live Events

Visit DEC’s Facebook page for updates and to view our Facebook Live offerings. From adventures at fish hatcheries and nighttime hikes to Q&As about black bears, there is always something to see and learn.

Don’t Miss the Latest Issue of the Conservationist

In the Oct./Nov. issue of the Conservationist, readers will learn about a team of DEC engineers sent to Vermont to conduct safety inspections on dams throughout the state after historic flooding swamped the Green Mountain State.

Here in New York, DEC staff are studying biological communities (a.k.a. bugs) in the Hudson and Mohawk rivers. Utilizing some of the same sampling techniques and equipment used in the 1970s, research scientists are evaluating the alterations of conditions of these two major waterways. Readers will learn about this important initiative and how the rivers’ water quality has changed during the past 50 years. Readers can also learn how to “recycle right” and restore confidence in recycling, as well as how New York is revitalizing contaminated sites and returning them to productive use through New York’s successful Brownfield Cleanup Program.

In addition, readers will learn about different types of hunting dogs and which breeds are best suited to your hunting needs, and how organizations are inspiring new conservationists by introducing people of diverse backgrounds to the sport of turkey hunting. All this and more in the latest issue of the Conservationist. Visit DEC's website to subscribe, or call 1-518-402-8047. We now also offer a digital only subscription for just for $6 a year.