outdoors

At 4:38 p.m., Bill Schutt, Alabama fire's assistant chief, is reminded the sun sets in three minutes.

"That's what I'm worried about," he says. "It's not just light. It gets colder."

His chief is out on an island in the midst of frigid water with a hunter who became stranded in the swamps of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on a day when temperatures dipped into the teens. One firefighter, who was with the chief, is at risk of frostbite after his boots filled with water while trying to reach the hunter.

It's too risky for the firefighters to walk out, even though they've located the hunter and he's in good health.

The hunter called for help at 2:30 in the afternoon. He started hunting at 12:30. He called for help, he said later, having spent an hour in the icy waters of the swamp tracking a deer he'd shot.

"At first the water wasn't too deep," said Colin Phillips, here from Vermont to hunt. "I was hopping from island to island out there and then it started getting deeper and deeper and I'm breaking through the ice. Finally, I reached an island and went about 50 yards and I couldn't go any further. I was exhausted."

His hands were freezing because he didn't have any gloves, but was otherwise appropriately dressed for the conditions. It was so cold that after his gun got wet it jammed with ice. He couldn't even fire a shot to alert rescuers to his location.

He was found with the help of a State Police helicopter and good tracking by Alabama Chief Gary Patnode.

As sunset neared, a hovercraft from Clarence Center returned from its crew's effort to reach the stranded hunter and the two firefighters. 

The sticks and logs popped nearly ever single floatation tube from around the boat. 

One of the crew members said that when they were about halfway to the location, the boat's stern took a nosedive into the water and that's when most of the damage was done.

The crew decided to be safe and make its way back to the shore.

"We realized, it's just a machine," he said. "It can be repaired."

As the sun's light wanes outside the command center, Jim Bouton, a coordinator with the Office of Emergency Management, learns that the weather had cleared enough for the State Police helicopter to return to the scene.

The helicopter isn't really equipped to hoist people from the ground, so the plan is for the chopper to hover right on top of the ice and pull one person at a time into the craft.

Bouton relays the plan to Schutt and looks skeptical.

"We need a plan C," he says.

A little later, scene commanders learn the helicopter from the Erie County Sheriff's Office will attempt the rescue. The two-man crew can deploy a hoist.

"I'm usually the type to remain calm and I was confident enough in our resources and our fire companies that I knew we were eventually going to get out," Patnode said after he returned safely to Casey Road. "We were already working on plans B, C and D."

When the rescue effort first started, Schutt noted, it seemed straightforward enough. Dispatchers were able to provide coordinates of the stranded hunter and he wasn't too difficult to find.

But getting him out safely proved to be harder than expected.

"The amount of water they had to go through, lightly frozen over, was the problem the hunter ran into in the first place," Schutt said. "Our firefighters could not have safely gotten back because they would have had to walk back through the water."

Alabama firefighters have all recently been through wilderness rescue training and Patnode had Thompson carrying a backpack equipped with what rescuers would need in a wilderness situation.

Except for a kit to start a fire.

"If I could have started a fire, I would have," Patnode said.

The idea of a nighttime rescue in the wilderness certainly carried an innate sense of risk.

"Any time you have a helicopter operating in the dark close to trees and people, it's definitely an elevated level of danger," said Andy Merkle, who worked the scene during most of the incident as operations manager.

His job was to keep an track of all the people and resources going in so they could be accounted for coming out.

"We want to make sure we don't come up with any more victims," Merkle said.

The first person rescued was Ryan Thompson, the firefighter with the cold feet. He was fine and was out walking around after a few minutes of rehab in an ambulance.

Thompson expressed nothing but confidence in his chief and his fellow firefighters. He said he never felt like it was a desperate situation.

"I knew it was our job and they would get us out some how," Thompson said.

Phillips was the next one brought back to the command post on Casey Road.

Upon his return, the demeanor of his brother and a friend who had been pacing the road for more than two hours went from fretful to joyous.

"You go from being absolutely terrified to utter rejoicing in the matter of two hours," said friend Matthew Laflair.

Laflair had some familiarity with the swamp area and knew what firefighters were up against.

"I know how tough it is to get back there, so to see the effort is good," Laflair said. "It's impressive to see a helicopter pulling some people out of here."

Patnode was the third person airlifted out of the swamp. He was also impressed by the effort of the Erie County pilot.

"I think he went above and beyond," Patnode said. "Maybe he went out of his comfort zone doing a night rescue like that, but he got the job done."

There were two other members of the Alabama team who got stranded in the woods. They were brought out by members of the Clarence Center Fire Department who were dressed in cold-water rescue suits.

In all, volunteers from fire departments in Genesee, Orleans, Erie and Niagara counties assisted in the rescue of Phillips.

"I owe them my life," Phillps said. "If they didn't come out and get me, I'd be dead tonight. I appreciate every second of it. They're great people."

Patnode, Thompson, Schutt, all said, "this is what we do."

So what can we say about that?

"I think you say 'Thank you,' " Schutt said. "I don't know what more you can say than that.

"These guys are out here, no paycheck," Schutt added. "They've been out here in the cold for hours, but it's something you do for your community. When you're part of a volunteer fire department, somebody calls for help, you go help. It's not something you complain about. None of these guys are going to complain about being out here cold and away from home for hours."

The initial post on this incident by Billie Owens contains a lot of details in chronological order of how the rescue went down. If you haven't read it, read it.

Bill Schutt, communicating with dispatchers early in the incident.

Patnode, center of the picture, after being airlifted from the swamp.

Top photo, Colin Phillips escorted to an ambulance after being rescued.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Emily Staniszewski, a 14-year-old Oakfield resident, killed her first deer this week bow hunting, but not just any deer. It's an albino buck.

She made the kill of the three pointer in Chautauqua County.

Kimberly Staniszewski said the deer is quite the trophy for her daughter.

"Needless to say we are planning on having a full mount of this unique animal to admire for many years to come," Kimberly said.

That's Tate, our chocolate lab and his sidekick Ernie, a feisty little mix-breed. Like most dogs, they love to hear the magic words, "wanna go outside?" Better yet, once outside, these two long to hear the words, "let's go out back." With that, they're off and running for the creek bank.

Tate's routine never deviates -- he sniffs his way along the small woodlot before working his way along the creek, stopping only briefly to wonder at the occassional green blur that darts through the grass at his feet. Tate poses no threat to the leopard frogs -- he's only interested investigating the numerous scents he comes across.

Ernie, while feisty at times, likes to relax when out back. He does seem to take an interest in the  wood ducks, watching intently as they take flight upon our arrival.

He's content to watch the world go by, paying no mind to the gray squirrels that like to feed on the mast from our hickory trees.

When I say, "let's go" and start walking back toward the house, as you might guess by his expression, Tate appears to be thinking..,"but we just got here!" 

Meanwhile, Ernie becomes invisible!

It's hard to figure which they like better, a run out by the creek or a roadtrip!

With 12 miles of trail, there is no shortage of hikeable terrain in the Genesee County Park & Forest.

If you enjoy nature, the park is both a relaxing getaway and outdoor classroom. The variety of flora and fauna found within the park is prolific. As autumn progresses, these Hawthorn hips have turned a deeper shade of red.

This couple from the Buffalo area, along with pets Angus and Bailey, spent the afternoon geocaching.   

The trails offer a bit of diversity in the form of knolls, hills and flat ground.

With an algae-covered pond in the background, a sugar maple stands out in contrast amid a stand of pines.

The fire break trail carpeted with fallen leaves

Looking into the colorful canopy of a sugar maple

The smaller of the park's two wetlands....the other encompasses four acres

This trail, lined with black cherry and beech trees, is narrow compared to the others depicted here....

with an understory of young maple and beech trees, this trail through a stand of pines seems narrower still. Just an optical illusion - it's nowhere near the tight squeeze it appears to be!

Whatever your choice of activity, whether it be bird watching, mountain biking, leisure hiking, geocaching and - come winter - snowshoeing and cross country skiing, there is plenty of room for everyone.

Every year about this time of year it seems, Kyle Kendall hauls in a giant fish. Here he is with a 35-inch, 11-pound pike caught at a location in Genesee County.

Submitted by Jodi Wolfley.

Austin Wolfley with his nine-point buck he shot in Alexander.

This stretch of the Little Tonawanda was perhaps my favorite place in the world during my formative years. Here I stalked crayfish, hunted fossils, discovered water snakes and later, in my teen years, learned the place was teeming with creek chubs, suckers, shiners, and dace. Claudia was 16 years old the first time she helped me drag a 4' x 12' minnow seine through knee-deep water along this stretch of the creek! While taking this photo I couldn't help thinking, so much of our world has changed, but the riffles of the Little T still make the same sound they did in those early years.

These crab apples look as though they've been spit shined. Like every other apple tree, this year's crab apples were also laden with fruit.

I've seen abundant wildlife along the power line clear-cut over the years....even the critters like to travel the path of least resistance.

Maple leaves in tints of yellow, red and orange.....photo taken along the Little T where it flows past the old Judge Kone place, a favorite among pike fishermen in the '50s and '60s.

Day fades into night.....dusk along the power lines - diurnal creatures have foraged and retired; the nocturnal denizens are just beginning their watch. 

Their pods burst, these milkweed seeds will become windborne, the leaves of the new plants  providing food for next year's monarch butterfly caterpillars.

Former Batavia PD officer Eugene Jankowski had another successful showing at a gun competition, finishing in the top 25 percent out of 202 competitors and winning 1st Place in the senior tactical optics division.

The competition, the 2013 Blue Ridge Mountain Three-Gun Championship, was held last week  at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Ky.

Competitors shot nine stages of fire in natural terrain over three days.  

All stages required the use of a modern sporting rifle, semi-auto shotgun and semi-auto handgun.  The targets were required to be engaged from awkward shooting locations and positions. Targets ranged from 3 to 425 yards for the rifle, 3-70 yards for the pistol and 10-75 yards for the shotgun.

Jankowski is sponsored by Metal Spinning Targets in Le Roy, CMC Triggers in Fort Worth, Texas, Wolf Gunsprings and Offhaus Farms in Batavia.

The first hint of dawn was on the Eastern horizon when Jeff Bartz pulled off the highway and onto the dirt lane that wound its way through a farm field. In the passenger seat was my grandson, 14-year-old Sammy Bartz who has accompanied his father on numerous hunts in recent years, but only in the role of an observer. On this day the roles would be reversed.

It was the first day of New York State's Youth Firearms Deer Hunt. In only its second year, the program allows junior hunters aged 14 and 15, and accompanied by a mentor who possesses a valid big game hunting license, to hunt deer. Under the terms of the hunt, the mentor is not allowed to carry a firearm, he/she is there for guidance only.

Despite the low light, as the Bartz' vehicle moved slowly along the dirt lane they were able to see several does feeding in the field beside them. On a nearby knoll, silhouetted by the first light of day, was a buck that the father and son estimated to be a six-point. Moments later Jeff and Sammy began the slow walk to their tree stand a quarter mile away through a hardwoods.

"On the way to our stand I could hear deer running off, just kicking up the leaves in their haste," said Jeff. "I figured we botched our hunt."

Not to worry. Not only would the elder Bartz' original plan for the morning pay off, there would be plenty of action forthcoming. Theirs was a strategy that began during midsummer when Jeff and Sammy first scouted a variety of locations before the actual placement of their tree stands. One such location was a large woodlot with an abundance of shagbark hickory and a smattering of beech trees. Last Saturday morning found the pair in those same woods, situated 12 feet off the ground in a buddy stand, a pre-fab ladder stand built for two hunters. Cradled in Sammy's arms was an Ithaca Featherlite 20-gauge, the same shotgun used by his great-grandfather.

The father and son tandem weren't seated very long when the action began.

"Four does came in first," said Sammy. No doubt they were intent on feeding on the bumper crop of hickory nuts that now littered the forest floor.

"A six-point came in right after that," he continued, "and then another buck right behind him. That one was a six-point, too." That's when a skirmish ensued as the two combatants squared off and began shoving back and forth. When asked what the does did at this time, Sammy said, "they all stopped eating to watch." 

At this point Sammy turned to his father and asked, "What should I do?", to which Jeff replied that it was his son's own decision to make. Sammy didn't know it yet, but he was about to have his decision made for him.

The two bucks were still going at it when a newcomer arrived on the scene. Both bucks stopped battling as another buck, an eight-point, strutted onto the scene. Sammy raised the Ithaca 20, but with the big buck walking broadside behind leafy growth at 75 yards, he wasn't afforded a clear shot. Noting the direction the buck was headed, Sammy picked an opening between two tree trunks and waited. The opening was slight so once the deer moved into it Sammy had little time. With the buck still on the move, the young hunter took the shot and the buck went down, flailing on the forest floor only briefly before it was up and bounding away.

Both father and son got a good look at the directon in which the deer ran off and decided to wait 45 minutes before climbing down out of their stand. After what must have been an incredibly long wait for Sammy -- no doubt his adrenaline pumping to beat the band- - they began the tracking process. After 20 minutes and 150 yards, Sammy let out a loud whoop after spotting the antlers.

His cheeks flush, a broad smile on his face said it all. Certainly the events that unfolded on this morning will be forever embedded in his mind. And as for Jeff, who has put a great deal of venison in the family freezer over the years, how did this outing rank among all the others? Savoring the moment he said, "This was by far the best hunt I've ever experienced."

Sarah Della Penna sent in this photo she took of a button buck in the Genesee County Park.

From beginning to end, September was a great month to be outdoors. Apple trees already heavy-laden with fruit were showing deep hues of red.

This conjunction of a waxing crescent moon and Venus was visible in the early evening early in September.

Further downstream this woodland waterway entered a meadow, there the stream widened and was thick with submerged vegetation.....a favorite haunt of dragonflies that feed on aquatic insects and other tiny bugs. 

This is guy is called a Half-banded Toper....

Don't know how it was so-named but I really like the deep red color. 

The gossamer wings of a Jagged-edged Saddlebag

The markings along its abdomen are no doubt the "saddlebags."

This leopard frog lives in a damp, grassy section of the meadow, less than a stone's throw from where the stream exits the woods. He needs to lay low, as seen here, for this is also the hunting ground of a Great Blue heron.

Judging from its color phase, this leopard frog spends less time in the tall grass.

Smaller than a Concord grape and somewhat tart, wild grapes are edible and do make a great jam.

Poke berries, on the other hand, should be avoided.

Hawthorn guards the entrance to a woodland trail in Genesee County Park.

A wooly bear catepillar, a seasonal harbinger, checks out a leaf in the roadway of Genesee County Park.

Already deep red, these maple leaves, like the wooly bear, are an early indication that autumn is well under way.

Fall asters are prolific in our local outdoors -- and they really add color to the countryside.

The sun had barely cleared the horizon when I pulled out of the driveway Tuesday morning. And with the camera case on the seat beside me, I really wasn't sure where I was going. The last thing I expected on a rather chilly morning was a bald eagle perched in a dead tree overlooking Tonawanda Creek.

Nearly an hour earlier, while watching the news and having coffee, I mulled over where I would go. At first I contemplated going either to the swamps, Genesee County Park or dragging the canoe out back and paddling upstream on the Tonawanda. These have all been productive in the past but this morning, for some reason, I opted for something different. But still, I couldn't make up my mind on where to go....so I just got in the truck and drove. There was also a catch....I didn't have great deal of time to kill as I had an appointment at 11 a.m.

The sun was making its way up the eastern horizon when I eased down a grassy bank of the Tonawanda where it flows along Stegman Road north of the Bushville bridge. Despite the bright sun on this morning, far less light penetrates shoreline canopy in this stretch. That would change farther downstream. The rock-studded shoreline is a good indication this is smallmouth territory.

Steam rising off the surface -- a good indication the water was considerably warmer than the chilly 45 degree air.   

Farther downstream is where I came across the bald eagle -- in surroundings more suitable for surveying its domain, scanning the creek and the surrounding area for a meal. Fish, muskrats, rabbits -- when you have a bill and talons that big and sharp, the menu is limitless.

Turning its head nearly 180 degrees enables him to watch his backside and prevent potential prey from slinking past.

Further upstream, blended in among fallen limbs, a trio of wood ducks are oblivious to the threat from above. 

Taking leave of their temporary haven, the woodies wisely head upstream -- toward the cover of the canopy.

This cottontail no sooner emerged from dense cover when it rose up on its hind legs to sample the green growth from which it came......

but rather than opting for fresh greens, it chooses some brown drying growth - not that it matters, for this is but an appetizer. His main course is waiting beneath the apple tree.

Regardless of the season, there is never a shortage of furry visitors to our yard and this time of year, be it rabbit, chipmunk, squirrel or woodchuck, they all come to feast on the apples.  

Unlike the rabbits and woodchucks, this red squirrel isn't limited to dining on the ground. I'm sure he would much rather have pine cones from a Norway spruce but he's learned to take what he can get. And speaking of woodchucks, that green growth in the background is a travel corridor, so to speak.....

it's one of my wife's flower beds and the woodchuck uses it for cover. Here he's slinking past the ferns and hostas on the way to his dinner. Once he's sure the coast is clear, he'll waddle out into the open and grab an apple. If undisturbed, he will then stand on his haunches and begin gnawing away.

It seems that everywhere we went this month there were outdoor photo ops, one of which was this bullfrog basking in the morning sun while waiting for an easy meal.

This Circumpolar Bluet rested on shoreline vegetation long enough for its photo to be taken.    

Unlike its older and bolder counterpart, this young bullfrog remains mostly hidden, keeping only its head above the soggy vegetation. It's learned early on that it can be the hunter one second before becoming the hunted moments later.

Long-legged waders such as herons and egrets consider frogs choice morsels.

Frogs needn't worry about this fella. Strictly a herbivore, this young forkhorn will be shedding his velvet in the coming days.

Teasle highlighted by the sun, in the background a shaded brook covered with duck weed.

August provided us with a number of interesting cloud formations -- this one occurring in early evening.

Last week's full moon on the rise, climbing above the upper branches of our apple tree....

and several hours later its descent in the Southwestern sky.

The Turk's Cap is one of the most colorful and spectacular of the lily family.

While it lends color to the countryside, Spotted Knapweed, pictured above, is often considered an invasive and pesky plant, particularly when it shows up in a pasture.

Live Forever is a member of the sedum family, and derives its name from an ability to regenerate from the smallest fragment.

In recent decades purple loosestrife has inundated our wetlands.

Though highly colorful, loosestrife is also considered an invasive species that has taken over entire tracts of wetland, in the process crowding out more beneficial species.

Black-eyed Susans and Joe Pye weed along the bank of Tonawanda Creek.

As the legend goes, Joe Pye weed got its name from a legendary healer of the same name who lived up New England way in the 17th Century and used this colorful wildflower in the treatment of fevers.

Staghorn sumac seems to like the climate here in Western New York. 

Not to be confused with poison sumac, the drupes of staghorn sumac are utilized by man and nature alike. High in vitamin C, the drupes make a tasty tea or "sumacade." From mid to late July through early August is a good time to collect the drupes, soaking them in room temperature water for an hour or two before straining.

Here's a closeup of the drupe.....from December thru March, as available food sources are dwindling, wintering songbirds will utilize the drupes.

The first time I saw a house finch I thought I was looking at a sparrow/cardinal hybrid. Like many song birds, this one perched in our apple tree no doubt looking for insects.

Having spotted me, he immediately took what he felt was appropriate action............

As I understand it, this bit of displaying is something birds do to mark their territory to intruders or in hopes of attracting a mate.

Here's a literal bird's eye view of a visitor whose incessant squawking often gives him away long before he comes into view...........

unlike other songbirds, the noisy Bluejay didn't come here in seach of bugs. The apple tree is lush this year and no doubt he's here to gorge himself on fresh fruit. He must have been hungry -- despite my close proximity, he refused to leave.

For the past couple of weeks this little songster had been singing its heart out, while hidden amid the apple tree foliage. Its song was pleasant, and a sound I either had not heard before or perhaps just hadn't been mindful of. Try as we might, Claudia and I were unable to get a look as it flitted from branch to branch. If we attempted to move in for a closer it would fly off into an adjoining woodlot.  

As I took its picture it began belting out the same melody we had been hearing previously....... the closest resembling photo I could find in either the Smithsonian or Audubon field guides indicated it might be a Veery thrush. Still not certain, but its sound was most pleasing to the ears.    

Two year old Evan Patric, geared up with "floaties," takes his father's hand as he prepares to embark on his first fishing adventure.

Evan is nestled close to his father, James, as the boat leaves the dock. That's Joe Schlossel Jr. in the stern, rigging the tackle.

I'm not sure what dialogue took place here, but judging from his expression, Evan seems to be saying, "where are the fish?" 

With his dad's help, Evan takes hold of the fishing rod.

Given a free rein, so to speak, Evan dunks the end of the pole. Give him time, he seems to have the hang of it.  

With a little help, Evan boats his first fish, a largemouth black bass. For 2-year-old Evan that fish must be larger than life.

As evidenced by his smile, I'm guessing that Joe Jr. seems to have captured the action on his phone. It's been almost two decades since he first wet a line......  

And this is the guy who showed Joe Jr. the ropes. That's Joe Schlossel Sr. bringing a bass alongside the canoe.

Though Joe Sr. doesn't get to fish as much as he'd like, apparently he hasn't lost the touch!

With a lull in the action, Evan's attention turns toward the evening sky.....

What kid isn't fascinated with cloud formations?

Back at the dock, Evan gets into the canoe and grabs both paddles, just as he did before the evening began. He wasn't too pleased when we loaded the canoe onto the pickup. But a competent guide knows how to keep his clients happy and moments later Joe Jr. presented the young angler with a cherry-flavored freezy pop and just like that the canoe was forgotten. 

At first glance this photo appears to be nothing more than some tall wild grass. But a look just beyond the grass reveals an ominous shape and a pair of sinister-looking eyes. Even before I took this photo the first image I saw was that of a large bundle of feathers with a pair of enormous wings extended.

A closer look revealed a great horned owl that had apparently just made a kill and looks none too pleased over my intrusion. Judging from its size I'd say it's a female and she's on full alert, unsure of my intentions. Her raised tufts and intense, glowering stare seem to be saying, "stay away."   

You may find it funny, but, I took several photos and talked to her the entire time. Though still eyeing me warily, she seemed less tense. Unlike a few previous encounters where the owls repeatedly clacked their beak and emitted a hissing sound, this gal just looked at me as I took her picture.    

I've long had an infatuation with mature great horned owls, dating back to my first enounter in the late Sixties. They are an ultimate predator, and while highly nocturnal, they do make daytime hunting forays. They can rotate their head 280 degrees, enabling them to watch their own back, so to speak. That's quite an asset while hunting from a perch. Their long, thick talons will easily skewer flesh and they are built for silent flight as there is no swooshing of air as it passes though their feathers. Except for mating calls and territorial warnings, they navigate the wilds without making a sound.

Eventually I turned and walked away, as fascinated as ever with the great horned owl.

Murray the cat spends a good deal of his time perched in the window, just watching the world go by. Whether he opts for a ground floor or a second-story window, there's a lot to see. 

Take for instance this cottontail rapidly inhaling the stalk of a clover bud.

Then too, there are plenty of chipmunks to keep Murray amused. This guy appears to be checking if the coast is clear.

Whenever feathered or furry visitors come into our yard, Murray's barely audible purr becomes a muffled staccato and his tail begins to writhe back and forth and up and down. It's also a signal to grab the camera and see what's up. Generally it's songbirds, red or gray squirrels and woodchucks that pique Murray's interest.......but not always.

Like the morning when this hawk alit in the hedgerow, perched no more than 12 feet off the ground. I'm not sure if it's a young Cooper's hawk or a broad-wing, but I was able get a sequence of photos and Murray didn't seem to mind my intrusion into his space.

Naturally any birds or cottontails had vacated the area, but the hawk seemed intent on having a look-see. It began scoping the area with a long look to the left.

It then did an about-face to scan the ground below and slightly to its right.......

before peering off into the distance.

It briefly cast a glance in our direction.......

then, partially obscured by twigs, it seems to go on high alert, craning its neck forward. 

Its head once again erect, it's still eyeballing whatever caught its attention.

Suddenly its bill opens slightly....is it agitated or getting ready to pounce?

Then, for the second time, it turned in our direction.......and it's probably just a coincidence, but it was at this moment that Murray decided to vacate the window. Seconds later the hawk exited its perch and, in a flash, swept downward and momentarily out of sight before emerging once again as it sped off, flying just above a ground cover of vine and brush before disappearing from sight altogether.

Like I said, probably just a coincidence, but when I turned from the window, guess where I found Murray?