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The Fauna of Amherst State Park
Red Fox at Amherst State Park
So my brother and I are walking out of the woods talking about how there is never any animals in the woods when this fox comes bolting across the field at full speed. This photo was taken on January 8, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Young buck moving through the fields of Amherst State Park. You have to watch for movement. These guys blend in too well when they are still. Got to watch for their tail and ears.
This photo was taken on November 11, 2010, By Peter Scumaci
Spent most of the morning trying to get a clear shot at this buck. This was one of the best ones.
Amherst State Park, Amherst, New York
This photo was taken on December 30, 2010, By Peter Scumaci
White-tailed deer at Amherst State Park. Amherst, New York
This photo was taken on December 26, 2010, By Peter Scumaci
Wildlife in Amherst State Park
Courtesy of Gerry Rising
The wildlife of Amherst State Park was evaluated as part of a Draft Master Plan for the park carried out by Environmental Design & Research, P.C. (EDR) of Syracuse, N.Y, Paul Fritz, Project Manager. The following content is largely quoted from that report
Mammals
Mammalian species in the park were documented through field surveys and assessment of habitat suitability by EDR. Habitat conditions suggest the likely occurrence of a least 39 mammal species in the park, of which nine were observed during the 2000-2001 field surveys. Common species include whitetail deer, gray squirrel, red squirrel, raccoon, woodchuck, and eastern chipmunk. Relatively common bats such as eastern pipestrelle, little brown bat, big brown bat, and silverhaired bat are all likely to occur in the park at some time. Similarly, widely distributed species of mice voles and shrews, along with flying squirrels and weasels, also probably occur in the park, although not documented in this survey.
Mammal Species
Opossums
opossum*
Shrews
smoky shrew
masked shrew
shorttail shrew
least shrew
Moles
eastern mole
starnose mole
hairytail mole
Plainnose Bats
eastern pipistrel
big brown bat
hoary bat
red bat
little brown myotis
Keen myotis
silverhaired bat
Racoons
raccoon*
Weasels
shorttail weasel
longtail weasel
mink
striped skunk
Dogs, Wolves, Foxes
coyote
red fox*
gray fox
Squirrels
woodchuck*
eastern chipmunk*
eastern gray squirrel*
red squirrel
southern flying squirrel
Beaver
beaver
Mice, Rats, Lemmings, Voles
deer mouse
whitefooted mouse
meadow vole
muskrat
Old World Rats & Mice
Norway rat
house mouse
Jumping Mice
meadow jumping mouse*
woodland jumping mouse
Hares, Rabbits
eastern cottontail*
Deer
whitetail deer*
Didelphiidae
Dideiphis virginiana
Soricidae
Sorex fumeus
Sorex cinereus
Blarina brevicauda
Cryptotis parva
Talpidae
Scalopus aquaticus
Condylura critata
Parascalops breweri
Vespertilonidae
Pipistrellus subflavus
Eptesicus fuscus
Lasiurus cinereus
Lasiurus borealis
Myotis lucifugus
Myotis keenii
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Procyonidae
Procyon lotor
Mustelidae
Mustela erminea
Mustela frenata
Mustela vison
Mephitis mephitis
Canidae
Canis latrans
Vulpes vulpes
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Sciuridae
Marmota monax
Tamias striatus
Sciurus carolinensis
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Glaucomys volans
Castoridae
Castor canadensis
Cricetidae
Peromyscus maniculatus
Peromyscus leucopus
Microtus pennsylvanicus
Ondatra zibethicus
Muridae
Rattus noivegicus
Mus musculus
Zapeoidae
Zapus hudsonicus
Napaeozapus insignis
Leporidae
Sylvilagus floridanus
Cervidae
Odocoileus virginianus
Reptiles and Amphibians
Habitat assessment and field surveys indicated that at least 28 species of reptiles and amphibians are likely to occur in the park, of which six were identified during the 2000-2001 field surveys. These species were observed by searching under fallen logs and debris, and searching wetlands and the shoreline of Ellicott Creek. Common species of reptile and amphibian in the park include northern water snake, green frog, garter snake, and American toad. The abundance and diversity of reptiles and amphibians may be limited by a lack of suitable breeding areas (e.g. vernal pools) and limited undisturbed upland habitat outside park boundaries.
Reptile and Amphibian Species
Pikes
northern pike
Sunfishes
smallmouth bass*
largemouth bass
bluegill
pumpkinseed*
rock bass*
green sunfish
Bullhead/Catfishes
brown bullhead
log perch
trout perch
Suckers
white sucker*
northern hogsucker
Perches
tessellated darter
yellow perch
rainbow darter
shield darter
Carps and Minnows
carp*
cutups minnow
common shiner
spottail shiner
central stone roller
river chub
bluntnose minnow
Esocidae
Esox lucis
Centrarchidae
Micropterus dolomieui
Micropterus salmoides
Lepomis
Lepomis gibbosus
Ambloplites rupestris
Lepomis cyanellus
Ictaluridae
Amelurus nebulosus
Percina caprodes
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Catostomidae
Catostomus commersoni
Hypertelium nigricans
Percidae
Etheostoma olmstedi
Perca flavescens
Etheostoma caeruleum
Percina peltata
Cyprinidae
Cyprinus carpio
Exoglossum maxillingua
Luxilus cornutus
Notropis hudsonicus
Campstoma ariomalum
Nocomis micropogon
Pimephales notatus
Box and Water Turtles
midland painted turtle
wood turtle
Snapping Turtles
common snapping turtle
Musk and Mud Turtles
stinkpot
Colubrids
northern water snake
northern brown snake
eastern garter snake
northern redbellied snake
eastern milk snake
black rat snake
northern ringneck snake
northern black racer
Mole Salamanders
bluespotted salamander
Jefferson's salamander
spotted salamander
Newts
redspotted newt
Lungless Salamanders
redbacked salamander
northern twolined salamander
slimy salamander
northern dusky salamander
Toads
American toad*
Tree Frogs
spring peeper
gray treefrog
True Frogs
wood frog
pickeral frog
northern leopard frog
green frog*
bull frog
Emydidae
Chrysemys picta marginata
Clemmys insculpta
Chelydridae
Chelydra serpentina
Kinosternidae
Sternotherus odoratus
Colubridae
Natrix sipedon sipedon
Storeria dekayi dekayi
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Storeria occipitomaculata
occipitomaculata
Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum
Elaphe obsoleta
Diadophis punctatus edwardsi
Coluber constrictor constrictor
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma laterale
Ambystoma jeffersonianum
Ambystoma maculatum
Salamandridae
Notophthalmus viridescens
Plethodontidae
Plethodon cinereus cinereus
Eurycea bislineata bislineata
Plethodon glutinosus
Desmognathus fuscus
Bufonidae
Bufo americanus
Hylidae
Hyla crucifer
Hyla versicolor
Ranidae
Rana sylvatica
Rana palustris
Rana pipiens
Rana clamitans melanota
Rana catesbeiana
Fish/Aquatic Species
According to fish surveys conducted by the NYSDEC during 1999, Ellicott Creek within Amherst State Park supports a warm water fishery. Electroshocking conducted just below Glen Avenue and approximately 0.75 mile downstream within the park documented the presence of 14 different fish species. Common game species and panfish include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed and bluegill. Rough fish include hogsucker, white sucker and carp, while minnows/forage fish include common shiner, stone roller rainbow darter, bluntnose minnow, log perch and river chub. At the time the sampling was conducted (August 24, 1999), water temperature was in the range of 68°-71° F. According to a representative of the NYSDEC, cold water discharge to Ellicott Creek from a large upstream stone quarry is currently maintaining slightly colder water temperatures and more reliable summertime flows in the creek (M. Wilkinson, pers. comm.). These conditions are likely benefiting the existing aquatic community, but are not significant enough to allow the establishment of a cold water fishery.
Fish Species
So I am photographing a group of deer when this guy scoots right between us. He seemed to float above the snow because he moved so smooth and fast. I was lucky he stopped when he heard my shutter fire. This Red Fox was gone as quickly as he appeared. If I didn't have the pictures, I would have doubted that I actually saw him. Amherst State Park, Amherst, New York
And yes, I realize there is a tree in the left foreground and a small twig covering part of his face. This is not a studio...it is a real photograph of a Red Fox in its natural environment. This photo was taken on February 5, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
White-tailed deer at Amherst State Park. This one was sticking its nose in the snow, and then licking it off with its tongue. Pretty funny to watch. Always difficult to catch these guys out in the open, I like this image because it shows the animal in its natural surrounding. This photo was taken on February 5, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Way out of my comfort zone on this one. Tried to crop this guy so you could see some of the detail of his face. Absolutely beautiful creatures, especially the eyes. We spent about 20 minutes about 30 feet apart as he tried to figure out what I was. This photo was taken on February 5, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Chipmunk on a path along Ellicott Creek
at Amherst State Park
A group of deer in Amherst State Park, Amherst, New York. This photo was taken on April 16, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Young deer in deep snow at Amherst State Park. This photo was taken on February 25, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Red Fox in the early morning light. Amherst State Park, Amherst, New York. Shot in color and converted to b&w in Adobe Photoshop CS3. This photo was taken on March 10, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
White-tailed deer during a snow fall. Amherst State Park. This photo was taken on February 11, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
Red Squirrel. Smaller than the Grey Squirrel, this guy seemed to run a lot faster. Amherst State Park, Amherst, NY. This photo was taken on February 5, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
This Gray Squirrel was 3 feet away from jumping on me when he realized I was not a tree. He did pose for a few pictures before bounding away. Shot in the wild. I had to quickly switch to 3.5 meters from 8.5 meters when he got so close. Gray Squirrel Amherst State Park, Amherst, NY. This photo was taken on January 22, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
"What are you doing in my woods?"
Almost had a great opportunity for a picture as this little fox was running perpendicular to me through the woods. He was headed toward a clearing when he suddenly stopped and ran in the other direction. It makes you appreciate the times when you get a good opportunity for a clear shot. This photo was taken on January 14, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
Happy New Year. First shot of 2012. I was trying to shoot the fox again, but messed up the opportunity. (I keep forgetting the animals are on nature time, not human time.) This guy walked in on me while I was hiding under a pine tree. I thought the morning would be a total loss but was pleasantly surprised. White-tailed deer, Amherst State Park This photo was taken on January 1, 2012, By Peter Scumaci
Red Fox in the woods. Waited for him to get real close this time. Once again, he took off runing after he heard my shutter. Amherst State Park, Amherst, NY. This photo was taken on December 24, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Good Morning Foxy. This little Red Fox seems to have skipped its coffee this morning. It was not very happy to hear my shutter clicking off. It ran away shortly after this picture as taken. Amherst State Park, Amherst, NY. This photo was taken on December 1, 2011, By Peter Scumaci.
A 7 point buck in Amherst State Park. Light was fading fast but I kept shooting even as the shutter started to slow. This photo was taken on October 8, 2011, By Peter Scumaci
Another low-light shot of deer in Amherst State Park. This guy was the most adventurous of the herd. This photo was taken on October 8, 2011, By Peter Scumaci