LOCALadk Magazine

31 Summer 2016 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk pearances, but was still around. There is a beautiful, small, open bog pond in a five-acre bog just north of Helldiver, and another ¼ mile east of the parking area. It's about an acre, and is completely covered with bog vegetation. There are many more boggy areas in the Adirondacks with many of the same bog plants and bird species. All the inlets to Raquette Lake, Browns Tract Stream, Marion River, Bea- ver Brook, South Inlet, Outlet of Shallow Lake and Boulder Brook are all boreal habitats. All can be canoed: some are in slow moving water and may have a few beaver dams to haul over, others are all still-water paddling. The Wildlife Conservation Society of the Adirondacks and DEC have been doing bird studies in many of these areas for several years to determine effects of climate change on the population of these boreal bird species. I have also been documenting bird population in some of the same areas for a few years, and can see a decline of these bird species in the areas. For the last two years, The Endangered Species Unit of DEC has gone to Maine and has captured spruce grouse to stock them in previously-populated boreal habitats in the Adiron- dacks. Successful breeding did occur in 2015. This is such a beautiful bird! It would be great if the stocking efforts prove successful. Most of these areas - and more - were written up in the book Adirondack Birding: 60 Great Places to Find Birds, by John M.C. Peterson and me for Long Pond Press in 2008. This book is still available in some area book stores. It provides maps and descriptions of possible sightings in each area. So get out! Get your feet wet! And see just what a bog has to offer: the natural community there will amaze you. Anne Brewer Erika Bailey

• Cover