nature

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.    

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.

My big project this weekend was to plant eight new rose bushes and some other flowering plants in the front yard.

This afternoon, as I worked on Memorial Day pictures, I heard a boy's voice outside. He was summoning his sister.

"Come see," he said. "I found a tiger swallowtail butterfly. Come see it."

He kept repeating, "It's a tiger swallowtail."

So, I went out side to see it. 

The butterfly was just sitting next to a newly planted rose.

The boy told me, "I've seen a picture of one in a book before, but never in person."

I asked him if he knew a lot about butterflies and he told me he was fascinated by butterflies and that his dream, once he's grown up, is to breed the first "American swallowtail," which he said would be a red, white and blue butterfly.

It's that time of year when the small woodlots on either side of our property attract a variety of bird life, none more colorful than the Baltimore oriole. Though they didn't arrive as early or in such great numbers as last spring, they did arrive to feast on the small insects among the apple blossoms.

Having grown accustomed to their visits in recent years, by their song alone we know when the orioles have arrived. Their sound is distinct and pleasing to the ear.  

Partially obscured by apple blossoms, I'm guessing this to be a member of the warbler or finch family.

Here seen upside down in its quest for bugs, it was difficult to get a clear pic as it darted quickly about in search of food. 

A pair of fledgling robins seem uninterested in the juicy worm provided by their mother. Not a year passes when a robin has not failed to nest in our garage, always using one of two nests that have been in place for years and each year the same nest produces a double clutch.

A male and female goldfinch search the ground for a meal.

Morning sun highlights the crest of a pileated woodpecker.

Working its way around the tree, it has moved into the shade and this angle reveals the size of its bill.

A lone crow perched in the cottonwood.

The cottonwood towers above the other trees in the woodlot and it's in cottonwood where the crows often gather. This foursome no doubt has mischief on their minds, waiting to harass an unsuspecting hawk or waiting for the neighbors to take out the trash.

This photo was taken in late winter. At first I thought this crow was hard up for a meal as I've never seen a crow attracted to sumac drupes before. As I watched, he didn't eat the drupes, he tore them apart. Did it think something was inside? Or was it hell-bent on destroying the drupes because song birds eat them? And crows are notorious for raiding the nests of other birds and destroying eggs or killing the young.

With a backdrop of woodland and blue sky, a patch of red osier stands amid the remnants of last year's cattails. 

Also called dogwood and red willow, osier is attractive to a variety of wildlife including this redwing blackbird, another spring harbinger.

Framed by osier, a swamp maple is reflected on the surface of a placid backwater. While the sight and sound of the redwing blackbird was obvious, unseen were the spring peepers whose mating call permeated the air.

A mother goose stealthfully protects her clutch of eggs....

...while a great blue heron stalks the edge of a shallow marsh.

It's early evening on Oak Orchard Creek and soon the diurnal creatures will begin their retreat. 

As day rapidly fades into night, only the spring peepers will remain vocal, joining the nocturnal chorus of the late night denizens.

This horned grebe spent much of last weekend in our backyard after the Tonawanda spilled its banks. "Tamer" than other grebes, it allowed Claudia to take these photos without much alarm on its part. Still in its winter plumage in these pics, as it nears its breeding season the neck will turn rufous, the head and back will darken drastically and its russet "horns" will be more prominent.

Here its slightly tilting its head to accommodate a small fish down its gullet. Despite the murky floodwater, this grebe had no trouble finding prey beneath the surface. While its diet consists mostly of small fish, the horned grebe will also eat some crustaceans and aquatic insects. We watched as it would quickly dive and surface several seconds later, a process it would repeat several times throughout the day.

Excellent swimmers, young horned grebes can swim and dive immediately after hatching but most often they hitch a ride atop their parent's backs.

Horned grebes are rarely seen in flight, they migrate under cover of darkness and once on their wintering grounds they seldom leave the water. It spent all of last Saturday morning, afternoon and night in our flooded back yard. It was still there early last Sunday morning but with the floodwaters quickly receding, our visitor finally departed.

Considered the most colorful of waterfowl, the drake wood duck is resplendant in iridescent shades of blue, green and purple. His prominent crest is easy to spot in this photo taken by Claudia.  

The wood duck is noted for nesting in tree cavities. Their young will leave the nest soon after hatching, which will require plummeting up to 50 feet through the air to reach the ground or water.

A monogamous species, this probably isn't the first breeding season for this pair of Canada geese. 

Local wetlands are a favorite stopover for migrating geese. Many find the area just the place to start a family.

Here's a thought....just maybe, could swimming alongside one another be the equivalent of holding hands?

Here's another thought.....is this guy the odd man out???

There are few things in nature so graceful and sublime as the tundra swan in flight. In recent weeks they've been arriving in sizeable flocks from their wintering grounds along the mid-Atlantic Coast.

A split second before touch down in a local farm field, this pair will join the main flock in gleaning the remnants of last year's crop.  

Their respite will be brief before continuing onward to their breeding grounds in the Far North. The landowner said the previous two days the south end of this field held so many swans it resembled moguls on a ski slope.

While only a remnant of the previous day's flock remains, there were enough to suit me. This photo was taken seconds after they spotted me in a hedgerow. Moments before they were meandering about, heads to the ground as they helped themselves to last fall's leftovers. Now alert, their necks erect, they begin to move slowly away.

I certainly would liked to have captured this group against a blue sky....but like the saying goes, you play the hand you're dealt.

This is Raven, a first year black lab and she certainly doesn't seem to mind Claudia and I encroaching on her territory. Though these are her stomping grounds, she could care less about swans.....she just wants to make friends!     Raven is owned by Ed and Luanne Mileham who told us about the swans and gave us access to take photos. Thanks Ed & Luanne!!!   

By the time the mating season kicks into high gear, these swans will be just a memory, nesting somewhere in the Canadian Far North.

While the month of March has hardly been spring-like, Tuesday's weather brought forth an abundance of woodpeckers, songbirds and bushytails in the small woodlot that borders our property. And with the emergence of foliage yet a long way off, conditions were ideal for taking their picture.

First on the scene was this female cardinal. In the soft light of early morning and still plenty of chill in the air, she forages along the ground and spots remnants of last year's seed. 

As the sun climbed higher more birds arrived, like the downy woodpecker pictured above and in the top photo. The "downies" were difficult to capture with the camera, as they kept rapidly flitting about, from tree to tree and branch to branch.

It was only a matter of time before the red squirrel population was heard from. On this day there were several working the same area. This one stopped briefly on the trunk of an aged cottonwood.

From an adjacent walnut tree, this red-bellied woodpecker seems to be sizing up the main trunk of the cottonwood and, with the red squirrel present, weighing its options.......

and then deciding to go for it.

A lone gray squirrel showed up -- even with the red squirrels in close proximity.

Despite the chill in the air and patches of snow on the ground, between the blue sky and the arrival of some furred and feathered friends, it was a good day.

Why did the turkey cross the road? To prove to the possum that it COULD be done.

"No way!!!!" exclaimed the possum.

"Piece of cake" said the turkey...."Watch me".......and off he went.

"Cool beans" said the now believing possum. "Let me give it a try!"......

Meanwhile, a lone turkey vulture patiently watches in anticipation...........

He made it...much to the vulture's disappointment! 

Nemo, the winter storm that passed through the area last Friday evening and early Saturday left a number of picturesque scenes in it's wake. Shortly after sunrise Sunday morning, with the thermometer reading 10 degrees, Claudia and I went off in search of snowscapes to share with Batavian readers.

This scene certainly has a wilderness look to it. It's actually found along Main Street, Oakfield, just across the road from Allie's Cones & Dogs. The stream is shallow and has sufficient current to prevent freezing despite the low temps.  

It was a different story on Oak Orchard Creek where the water runs deeper and the current much slower.

Starving for sunlight, the needles of a spindly spruce have been replaced by a coat of white.

In a distant hedgerow, snow and ice have combined to fashion what appears to be "reindeer figurines."

A drake mallard drifts past a trio of black ducks partially obscured by snow-covered branches.

Constant exposure to a west wind may be the reason for this tilted cedar.

Another photo of Oak Orchard Creek, this one farther upstream, somewhat congested by shoreline brush, but rather enchanting nonetheless.

I never tire of watching and listening to Canada geese, whatever stage of flight they're in, whether passing overhead at treetop level or applying the brakes like the trio pictured above.

The weather services weren't the only ones who knew a storm was coming. Wednesday, only hours before the snow began to fall, large numbers of geese began descending onto this field of cut corn.

Like all wildlife, geese are great natural barometers, always aware of imminent weather changes.

The time period just prior to inclement weather often triggers a good deal of movement. The entire time I watched, the descent of geese never let up...flock after flock dropped out of the sky like gangbusters.

In a setting reminiscent of what was perhaps waterfowling's greatest tragedy of the 20th Century, this pic reminds me of a painting titled "The Winds of Hell," depicting a scene from the Armistice Day storm of 1940. On that day ducks and geese by the thousands were pouring into the backwater sloughs and marshes along a stretch of the Mississippi River...they were seeking shelter from a coming storm, a storm that would catch waterfowlers unprepared and cost many lives. 

Despite Wednesday's storm and present cold temps, I saw numerous flocks passing overhead, none of which were so high they would appear to be in migratory flight. Maybe they'll stick around...I have no doubt they know more about the long-range forecast than the rest of us.

Geese weren't the only feathered critters getting in a major feed prior to the storm...a dozen or more turkeys were feeding in the far end of the same field. 

Frozen ground and a bit of snow would not deter the turkeys from getting in one last feed before a thick blanket of white would make foraging all but impossible.

Daybreak at Pcionek's woods

Claudia spotted this whitetail along the edge of an Oakfield woodlot...with the rut kicking into high gear the bucks have been on the move.

Reflective pool in an Elba woodland

Vestige of October's foliage

This ringneck pheasant was sauntering along the side of the road and stopped long enough for Claudia to take its picture before hightailing it into dense cover.

A hardwoods and spent milkweed pods separated by a foggy shroud

Clouds reflected on a small stream

Redtail hawk surveying its domain

We came across this historic marker on West Barre Road.

Sunset viewed from Mudrzynski's hill in Oakfield

The classical look of Canada geese descending onto their feeding ground has inspired many a wildlife artist. While this is merely the last stage of their flight, in each of the previous phases their movement is filled with purpose.

Being in close proximity to the grain fields, this autumn we've witnessed a great deal of the geese coming and going, often hearing the faint telltale call of the Canadas before we spot them. Scanning the sky we locate them, sometimes so far off in the distance where they seems to be hardly more than an obscure smudge on the sky.

Wings firmly fixed in place, the initial stage of descent begins...

What appears to be a holding pattern is a steady drop in altitude...

Things appear okay on the ground, wings cupped, a slight turn and continue descent... 

By the looks of things, the coast is clear, no danger in sight.

Seconds from touchdown and a veritable feast in the cornfield.

Whether they be red, orange, yellow or a combination thereof, maples are among my autumn favorites.

Here's a colorful and placid stretch of Celery Brook.

This doe as she was about to cross Old Creek Road when she stopped long enough to get her picture taken.

Twin oaks stand guard at the edge of Pcionek's woods.

Canada geese passing overhead

A pair of aged maples at the edge of a cattail swamp

Roadside red clover bud

Each year about this time, like clockwork, wood ducks descend on a stretch of the Tonawanda Creek where it flows behind our home. The wood ducks feel right at home there, dabbling on the acorns which fall from the red oaks lining the bank.

No doubt they also are drawn to the calm, flat water and abundant shoreline vegetation. Overhanging bushes and vines provide ample cover.

Along the narrow corridor of Tonawanda Creek it's not difficult to see wood ducks during the month of October. In fact, I expect to see them whenver I walk to the creek bank, or at the very least, hear that unique call they make -- some might call it a squeal while others say it's more like a high-pitched whistle/whine.  

Taking pics of wood ducks on Tonawanda Creek is one thing, the wide open spaces of the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area is another story. The sloughs and backwaters here are ideal for ducks, but the place is so vast, it's easy to be in one place while the ducks are in another.

Tailor-made as this place is, on this morning I had seen only a handful of ducks, all moving too fast and too far away for photos. When I saw the stick nest pictured above, I decided to zoom in. 

That's when I saw the ducks in the background, rapidly dropping in altitude and heading for the flooded timber.

Is it mere coincidence that one of the most colorful species of waterfowl is on hand during that part of the autumn season when foliage is tinted to the max?

While wood ducks are among the first waterfowl to arrive, they will also be among the first to depart for warmer climes. As I watched the wood ducks swim back and forth among floating leaves on the creek behind our home, I knew that all too soon they will be winging it southward for an extended period of time. 

Whatever the species, be it wood duck or mallard, canvasback or Canada goose, there is graceful symmetry in the flight of waterfowl, and something sublime in a creature that beats its wings an incredible number of times each minute at altitudes and for distances that boggle the mind.

Yesterday was the official opening of Alexander Elementary School's outdoor classroom. Sixth-graders McKenna Moran and Nick Allen did the honors for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with some assistance from preschool teacher Ellie Jinks.

Parents, kids and community members braved the autumn morning chill to attend the ceremony celebrating the opening of the very first certified outdoor classroom in Upstate NY.

McKenna and Nick were among the students who helped with this project last year as fifth-graders. They were honored student speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where each praised the outdoor classroom's merits from a student's perspective.

"(It's great that) instead of just staying inside all day and writing papers," McKenna said, "kids get to be outside doing hands-on things and still learn the same things they would be learning inside."

"I think it's a great addition to our school," Nick said when addressing the crowd. "We don't get to go outside very much. And like McKenna said, instead of just reading about nature in books, we get to go outside (and learn in a hands-on way). I want to thank all the donors (and everyone who helped out)."

Guest speaker Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer called Alexander's outdoor classroom "a shining example of what all of Genesee County, and really the rest of New York State, should do."

He also said that "our kids are in front of too many screens (TV screens, computers, iPods, etc.)," and that projects like this show dedication to "where education should be going -- into the future."

Alexander School Board Vice President Reed Pettys cited studies indicating that:

• Most of today's children spend 90 percent of their time indoors;
• Allergies and asthma have increased as kids have stayed indoors more often;
• Kids who spend more time playing outdoors do better in school and have better motor skills (agility, etc);
• Symptoms of conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are relieved by contact with nature.

"Our hope is that for many years and decades to come," Pettys said, "this outdoor classroom will give relief to many individuals."

More photos after the jump (click on the headline):

Jinks, who has taught in Alexander for 38 years, jumpstarted this project a little over a year ago.

She applied for and won a Pepsi Refresh grant, and with the help of teachers, school administrators, school board members, parents, community members and local businesses -- as well as the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation -- she was able to make her dream of an outdoor classroom a reality.

She drew her initial inspiration from something she learned as a student at SUNY Geneseo.

"I learned that unstructured play is good for the health and relationships of both children and adults."

Throughout the process, she was inspired by the generosity and support of the school and wider community via fundraisers, social media and a lot of hard work.

Alexander Central School District Superintendent Kathleen Maerten said she was "most proud of the fact that funding for this project came from grants, local businesses and community generosity. No district funds were used."

Maerten emphasized that there is still work to be done. The Outdoor Classroom Committee would like to eventually install a bike and walking path around the classroom, an amphitheater for performances and a greenhouse.

In addition to these, of course, is the challenge of routine maintenance.

"This is going to require a continued commitment from the school and the community," Maerten said.

More photos:

Kathy Busch, vice principal of the elementary school, contributed to the Fall "mood" by serving apple cider.

Patrick Kelly enjoyed the sandbox while his sisters tiptoed around the edge.

Billy Marchison, meanwhile, was rocking the "Wheeled Toy Area."

Businesses that have supported this project include the following:

Pepsi Corporation

Alexander Equipment

Attica Packaging Co.

Concreations, LLC

Eberhard Landscaping

Johnson's Nursery

Pudgie's Nursery

United Materials

Home Depot Foundation

A-1 Supply Co., LLC

Bernard Schmeider PE, LS

Conservation Connects

Frey Sand and Gravel

Merle Excavating

Springtyme Landscaping

Z & M Ag and Turf

Lowe's Foundation

Attica Hardware

Bonsal American

Dominick and Daughters

Iroquois Job Corps

Palmiter's Nursery

Thomson Rustic Furnishings

Previous coverage:

New classroom will give Alexander students a place to learn in the great outdoors

Alexander Elementary School holds open house for outdoor classroom

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One thing I haven't spent enough time doing is exploring the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge -- what a great resource for Genesee County.

Prior to the public hearing in Alabama Thursday night, I headed out to the refuge a few hours ahead of time with the specific idea of going to a part of the park I'd seen previously and thought was quite scenic. It's actually in Orleans County, but hey, most of the refuge in in Genesee County. I believe the area is called Ridgeneck Ringneck Marsh. It's off Oak Orchard Ridge Road, which is in the northern part of the refuge.

Here are the pictures I took.

BTW: Not that any of these pictures are worthy of entry, but entries are being accepted now for the Friends of Iroquois NWR photo contest. The deadline is Sept. 1, 2013.

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Out in the open, this pair of whitetail does little more than give me a passing glance before going about their business of feeding.

This female, hardly concerned with my presence, is about to continue her browsing.

She pays no attention whatsoever to a sizable flock of boisterous blackbirds. Early autumn can be a great time to spot deer feeding in open fields, but a change in terrain can result in limited sighting opportunites.

Whitetails are skulkers, and in woodlands and dense brush one needs to keep an eye peeled for a flicker of movement, like maybe a twitching tail. I waited a considerable time for this deer to raise its head, curious to see if it was sporting antlers.

Once positioned between a pair of hawthorn trunks I was able to make out an antlerless head. Its a doe, craning her neck for a backward glimpse.