A handsome black, orange, and white bird is perched on some low vegetation. This is an Eastern Towhee. Eastern Towhees are large, long-tailed sparrows found in shrubby habitats, old fields, and forest edges. We don’t often see them in the High Peaks region. Although they breed throughout much of New York State, the only confirmed breeding bird sightings for Eastern Towhees in the third New York Breeding Bird Atlas are on the periphery of the Park. I took this photo at Heaven Hill near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #tricolour. Here’s a perfectly elegant black, orange, and white #EasternTowhee. wildadirondacks.org/heaven-hill-...

#eastcoastkin #Adirondacks #AdirondackBirds #birding #birds #nature #wildlife #AdirondackMountains #ECK #HeavenHillTrails #UihleinFoundation

Two pink flowers are blooming in a forest. The plants are Pink Lady’s Slippers. Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule Aiton) is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the orchid family. It blooms in the Adirondacks from late May to late June. Pink Lady's Slippers are found from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia; south to South Carolina and Georgia; west to Alabama and Tennessee; and north to Minnesota. This plant is listed as endangered in Illinois and Tennessee and unusual in Georgia. Pink Lady's Slipper grows in a variety of habitats. In the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, this plant can be found growing on well-drained sites, often under partial shade in conifer forests. Pink Lady's Slipper also grows under hardwoods and in Mixed Wood Forests. It is typically found in acidic soils. It can also be seen on the edges of swamps and bogs.

For today’s #ColorADay theme #PinkMon: #PinkLadySlippers, nestled down with some ferns. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w...

#eastcoastkin #AdirondackMountains #Adirondacks #ECK #nature #ADK #ladyslipper #HeavenHillTrails #UihleinFoundation #wildflowers #AdirondackWildflowers

The image shows a large tree standing on the edge of a meadow. I took this photograph in September on the Sugar Maple Trail. This trail is part of the Heaven Hill trail system, owned and maintained by the Uihlein Foundation. The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is a large, slow-growing, deciduous tree which flourishes in well-drained soil in the Adirondack Mountains. Like other maples, Sugar Maples have opposite, lobed leaves. These leaves turn red, yellow, or orange in autumn, contributing to the brilliant palette of colors seen in September and early October in the Adirondacks.

For the #coloraday theme #orangeSun: a Sugar Maple on the Heaven Hill Trails near Lake Placid, New York. wildadirondacks.org/trees-of-the...

#eastcoastkin #AdirondackMountains #Adirondacks #ECK #trees #forest #nature #scape #AdirondackForests #ADK #sugarmaple #HeavenHillTrails #UihleinFoundation

The image shows a large rock on a trail through a hardwood forest. It’s mid-May and the trees are just starting to leaf out. The trail is called Big Rock Trail. It’s part of the Heaven Hill trail system near Lake Placid in upstate New York. The property is owned and maintained by the Henry Uihlein II and Mildred A. Uihlein Foundation. The Heaven Hill trail system is a popular destination for tourists and locals.

#GlacialErratic on the Big Rock Trail at Heaven Hill. A big rock left behind by a glacier 1.6 million years ago. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-g...

#RockinTuesday #eastcoastkin #ECK #glacialErratic #HeavenHillTrails #uihleinfoundation #adirondacks #AdirondackMountains

A small brown and white bird with a yellow eyebrow is sitting on a rock. This is a Savannah Sparrow – a grassland bird that breeds in open country across Canada and the northern United States, and southward to Mexico and the mountains of Georgia. It is one of the most variable songbirds in North America, with roughly 17 recognized subspecies that differ in size, plumage, bill structure, and habitat use. Savannah Sparrows favor wide, open landscapes—such as pastures, hayfields, and old fields—where low vegetation provides ideal nesting cover. My favorite place for studying these birds is the hay meadow at Heaven Hill, near Lake Placid in upstate New York. They migrate from their wintering grounds south of us and usually arrive in our area in mid-April.

The Alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #sparrow. Here’s one of my favorite sparrows: the #SavannahSparrow. Lake Placid, New York. wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-b...

#birds #eastcoastkin #Adirondacks #AdirondackMountains #AdirondackBirds #sparrows #grasslandbirds
#UihleinFoundation #HeavenHillTrails

The image shows a mountain range in the background, with trees in bright fall foliage and an open area in the foreground. This photo was taken on the Old Orchard Loop – part of the Heaven Hill trail system. This is a community preserve located near the village of Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The property is owned and maintained by the Uihlein Foundation and is open to the public. It’s only a few miles from our house, so I go there frequently all year round for the views and in the summer for the butterflies.

For the #coloraday theme #orangesun, here's a view of fall foliage from the Old Orchard Loop on the #HeavenHillTrails near Lake Placid in upstate New York. wildadirondacks.org/heaven-hill-...

#coloraday #orangesun #eastcoastkin #Adirondacks #AdirondackMounains #nature #UihleinFoundation #clouds

A very dapper black bird with white back, black underparts, and a yellow patch on the nape is sitting on the top of a fence post. This is one of the Bobolinks who breed on the hay meadows at Heaven Hill Farm near Lake Placid in upstate New York. Bobolinks winter in southern South America every year. They return to our part of the Adirondack Mountains in May.

For the #birdoftheday theme #sideprofiles, I offer a handsome male #Bobolink, sitting pretty in a hay meadow near Lake Placid, New York (13 July 2025). wildadirondacks.org/heaven-hill-...

#birds #eastcoastkin #Adirondacks #AdirondackMountains #AdirondackBirds #HeavenHilltrails #birding

The image shows a woodland trail in fall, with the trees showing orange leaves and brightly colored leaves carpeting the trail. This is the Bear Cub Loop – part of the Heaven Hill trail system. This is a community preserve located near the village of Lake Placid in upstate New York. It owned and maintained by the Uihlein Foundation and is open to the public. This is one of my favorite haunts to enjoy nature. The trail system has easy walking trails going through a wide variety of habitats, including meadows, old fields, successional forest, hardwood forest, mixed conifer-hardwood forest, and several types of swamps. The hills and open areas provide breathtaking views of the High Peaks.

The #forest in the fall: fall foliage on the #HeavenHillTrails near Lake Placid, New York. (1 October 2020). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-m...

#forestFriday #forest #nature #Adirondacks #AdirondackMountains #eastcoastkin #Footpathfriday

A small yellow wildflower is blooming in the woods. This is a Trout Lily – one of the earliest spring flowers in the Adirondack Mountains. It is a spring ephemeral with delicate yellow blooms and mottled leaves. It is also known as the Dog Tooth Violet or Adder's Tongue. In the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Trout Lilies generally flower in early to mid-May.

#TroutLily on the #HeavenHillTrails near Lake Placid, NY (9 May 2019). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-w...

#coloraday #yellowthu #eastcoastkin #wildflowers #dogtoothviolet

Scenic view of a mountain meadow with the High Peaks in the distance. The vegetation in the foreground is splashed with wildflowers such as Black-eyed Susans, Daisy Fleabane, and White Meadowsweet.

The Old Orchard Loop provides opportunities to see birds, plants, and butterflies that flourish in old fields. The open terrain features stunning views of the High Peaks. Old Orchard Loop, Essex County, NY (21 July 2025). wildadirondacks.org/heaven-hill-...
#UihleinFoundation #HeavenHillTrails

Two woodchucks are sitting at the edge of their burrow on a field.

Woodchucks, Heaven Hill, Essex County, NY (6 May 2024). wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-m...

#mammals #woodchuck #GroundHog #HeavenHillTrails #AdirondackMammals #AdirondackRodents