Spring is a magical time to visit the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. For a 3-month period birdwatchers literally come from all over the world to view migrations. First, it’s the waterfowl. Then, it’s the shorebirds. Last come the warblers. Many of those birders set-up at the various parking areas, using spotting scopes and binoculars to observe the marshes and ponds. I encourage them while there to stretch their legs for a bit and traverse some of the refuge’s trails. One of them, the Swallow Hollow trail, has always been a favorite of families, joggers, and schools due to its flat, dry trails and unique boardwalk. Those characteristics make nature accessible for all – and there’s plenty of it there. The 1.3 mile trail traverses through a mixed bag of habitats, all of which offer some fine viewing of plants and wildlife and arguably one of the better warbler migration stops on public land in all of Western New York. As you start your hike at the parking lot and head to your...

As we come out of this long, brutal winter you’ll look for the slightest signs of spring to get you through. You might keep your eyes to the skies for migrating birds or you’ll look to the ground for the first glimpse of plant life. When it comes to the latter, one of the very first flowers to grace our presence every year is a plant that is otherwise taken for granted or looked at with disdain by gardeners as a weed – the purple dead nettle. The purple dead nettle is not actually a nettle. It is a member of the mint family. It has the tell-tale characteristic of mints, which is a square stem. It lacks, though, the fragrance that most people expect from mints. It gets the name dead nettle because this mint has numerous small hairs like nettles, but, unlike nettles, they won’t stick in your skin and make you itch like mad – so, it was considered “dead” by early taxonomists. The plant is incredibly common and can be found almost anywhere disturbed by mankind – fields, edges of parking lo...

  Valentine’s Day is just a week and a half away. No doubt, you’ve been thinking about how to spend some time with your loved one. While you are booking that dinner date, make sure you also book some time that weekend with something else you love – birds.   Birds on the Niagara An extraordinary annual event is taking place along the Niagara River from February 12 th to the 16 th . Birds on the Niagara is North America’s only winter birding festival. It features a variety of activities such as guided walks, spotting stations, social events and art workshops, all of which can be researched at bird-niagara.org The keynote event is a presentation by Corina Newsome called “Flock and Forage: Loving by Nature.” Corina is one of the most recognizable and dynamic individuals in the conservation movement, as an ornithologist, communicator, and co-founder of Black Birders Week. She’ll be speaking about the connection between community and conservation and how birds, science, and peopl...

  A recent viral trend on social media has been the sharing of photographs from 2016. Users of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and the like are reminiscing about a decade ago, showing nostalgia for their younger years, or finding escape in the perceived innocence of 2016. Last week, I decided to participate in the craze with one of my daily #Nature365 posts, sharing a collage of nature moments from that year. One such event of 2016 really stood out, as it was my first ever – and, to this date, only – encounter with a wood turtle.   While driving on County Route 38 in Allegany County, I saw a turtle crossing the road. Like any nature lover worth his salt, I got out of the truck and picked him up to put him in a safe spot. I expected the slow-moving pedestrian to be a painted turtle which is, without a doubt, the most common turtle in Western New York. So, I was startled – and incredibly happy -- when I discovered it was a wood turtle. It was rewarding to have my good deed magnifi...