Friday, September 28, 2007
Mushrooms Anyone?
Below are my sketches of mushrooms found in Wainfleet in the Niagara peninsula. One of my daughters lives there. Remember that a field trip to collect mushrooms requires careful attention to the ground, logs, stumps, branches , the leaves, moss, and yes, even standing trees. I know from early experience that many mushrooms are easily overlooked. They can blend in with the vegetation or often under partially covered leaves or humus on he forest floor.Some of my friends in dense covering use a cane or stick to brush plants aside and uncover mushrooms that otherwise may go undetected. The late Doctor Fuller, noted fungi scientist, said to examine a specimen properly collect the young buttons as well as the mature ones. He used wax paper packages to take his specimens back to his laboratory, He always made field notes at the site
If he could not do his study that day he would refrigerate the specimens in their bag overnight and do his study he next day. A careful and precise mushroom scientist. He inspired many of us..
If he could not do his study that day he would refrigerate the specimens in their bag overnight and do his study he next day. A careful and precise mushroom scientist. He inspired many of us..
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Gone but not Forgotten
Gone Earl Plato
It’s gone! On this 19th of September, it’s gone. Drive on South Kaobel Road where Welland, Niagara Falls, and Port Colborne come together. Just past the chicken farm to the east stood all alone an old oak tree. With its spreading limbs it hosted many raptors over many years. Red-tailed hawks as many as five or six at a time and just a month ago Elaine and I counted 35 Turkey vultures in its lofty limbs. A great place for our raptors to rest. Alas time and probably bird “guano” did the old tree in. We headed off Netherby about 1:15 p.m. that day. No trace of the old oak. Gone forever. Only a memory.
I am a tree lover. I can recall at least three trees of my childhood. The leaning snow apple with its its interior hollow was a favorite place to throw a ball in the upper opening and run to catch it at the bottom There was the old apple tree in the yard that allowed a young boy to climb up easily into its branches. Of course the swing tied to one of its lateral branches was a favourite place to swing. The third tree was a towering maple at the edge of our property near the rail track. Climb the tree and swing out on a narrow branch and see how long you could hang. As a young boy recovering from the effects of polio I spent many hours testing my strength or lack of it.
The late Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller, took my father and me to the Comfort maple in Pelham in the 1940’s. We had a row of maples in front of our place and some of them were towering specimens but the Comfort maple was the “Mother” of all maples. See it before it’s gone.
The old oak tree of South Koabel Road is gone.
***
Fall Migration. Marci Jacklin, our Club’s bird expert, reminded me of this time of year. Bud and I finally managed to get out to Marcy Woods this past Monday morning to collect some spicebush berries. They are still ripening. While there I heard a beautiful bird song. Some years back Rob Eberly and I had heard the song. That was in the Spring migration. Was it a Wood thrush. Guess what? At the top of the list of songbirds who like Spicebush berries are the Wood thrushes! Once you heard this thrush you won’t forget it. It’s flutelike song and the rapid “pit, pit” call is what I believed we heard. .
Marci said , yes the thrushes, warblers and others are appearing in the Point Abino area. It’s Fall migration. I’m alone on this Friday and bird glasses in hand guess where I’m going?
It’s gone! On this 19th of September, it’s gone. Drive on South Kaobel Road where Welland, Niagara Falls, and Port Colborne come together. Just past the chicken farm to the east stood all alone an old oak tree. With its spreading limbs it hosted many raptors over many years. Red-tailed hawks as many as five or six at a time and just a month ago Elaine and I counted 35 Turkey vultures in its lofty limbs. A great place for our raptors to rest. Alas time and probably bird “guano” did the old tree in. We headed off Netherby about 1:15 p.m. that day. No trace of the old oak. Gone forever. Only a memory.
I am a tree lover. I can recall at least three trees of my childhood. The leaning snow apple with its its interior hollow was a favorite place to throw a ball in the upper opening and run to catch it at the bottom There was the old apple tree in the yard that allowed a young boy to climb up easily into its branches. Of course the swing tied to one of its lateral branches was a favourite place to swing. The third tree was a towering maple at the edge of our property near the rail track. Climb the tree and swing out on a narrow branch and see how long you could hang. As a young boy recovering from the effects of polio I spent many hours testing my strength or lack of it.
The late Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller, took my father and me to the Comfort maple in Pelham in the 1940’s. We had a row of maples in front of our place and some of them were towering specimens but the Comfort maple was the “Mother” of all maples. See it before it’s gone.
The old oak tree of South Koabel Road is gone.
***
Fall Migration. Marci Jacklin, our Club’s bird expert, reminded me of this time of year. Bud and I finally managed to get out to Marcy Woods this past Monday morning to collect some spicebush berries. They are still ripening. While there I heard a beautiful bird song. Some years back Rob Eberly and I had heard the song. That was in the Spring migration. Was it a Wood thrush. Guess what? At the top of the list of songbirds who like Spicebush berries are the Wood thrushes! Once you heard this thrush you won’t forget it. It’s flutelike song and the rapid “pit, pit” call is what I believed we heard. .
Marci said , yes the thrushes, warblers and others are appearing in the Point Abino area. It’s Fall migration. I’m alone on this Friday and bird glasses in hand guess where I’m going?
Flashback Ten Years
Take a Walk
Flash Back! On our great Owl Prowl Search back in January a few years ago I met on Ott Road some American birders from near Fredonia, New York. That’s not too far away. Guess what? They along with other service clubs have adopted an old rail line over there. The man I talked with was quite enthused about the project. Apparently it’s going quite well. All ages use the trail at all seasons. Cross-country skiers to bicyclists available themselves of the six-mile run. Here in Fort Erie we would have a much longer trail. Think about it.
I was just out on a walk in Marcy’s Woods with my Junior Naturalists. One boy found a beer bottle courtesy of snow-mobilers. I have picked up wine bottles and beer cans this winter there. So? We helped clean up the woods. The Fredonia man said that they made regular trips to clean up their stretch of trail. That’s a good idea. No Fort Erie tax money involved just supportive citizens willing to spend a few hours keeping their part of our proposed trail in shape, that includes cleaning up a little horse manure too if you think it necessary...
Don’t get me wrong about snowmobiles and dirt bikes. I have had both but a walking, hiking, riding trail should not be for motorized vehicles. I know that there other places for them to ride.
Town property - town liability insurance? I don’t know. The Americans had individual portions of their trail covered by their own liability insurance at no cost to the municipality. That sounds a little complicated but we will investigate further. It would be a shame that this old stretch of C.N.R. disused track can only be used by a few ***
We were asked about the Club’s Owl Prowl recently. I missed it last year because of church commitments. This year wife, Elaine, and I were able to make it. It’s an all day affair from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dress warmly and have good footware. It was well worth it. Thanks to birder Blayne Farnan and his wife from Port Colborne we saw a Saw-whet, a male and female Screech Owl, over 30 Short-eared Owls, a Great Horned Owl on its nest, and my first, a Long-eared Owl. This couple from Port Colborne have the uncanny ability to take you back into the woods to a special place and there they show you an owl. Amazing! Last year they found a Snowy Owl. No kidding.
There were about 25 Bert Miller Nature Club members and about the same number of birders from the Buffalo area. I believe that there were about 23 cars going from location to location all as part of the Owl Prowl. You have to love these raptors.
Flash Back! On our great Owl Prowl Search back in January a few years ago I met on Ott Road some American birders from near Fredonia, New York. That’s not too far away. Guess what? They along with other service clubs have adopted an old rail line over there. The man I talked with was quite enthused about the project. Apparently it’s going quite well. All ages use the trail at all seasons. Cross-country skiers to bicyclists available themselves of the six-mile run. Here in Fort Erie we would have a much longer trail. Think about it.
I was just out on a walk in Marcy’s Woods with my Junior Naturalists. One boy found a beer bottle courtesy of snow-mobilers. I have picked up wine bottles and beer cans this winter there. So? We helped clean up the woods. The Fredonia man said that they made regular trips to clean up their stretch of trail. That’s a good idea. No Fort Erie tax money involved just supportive citizens willing to spend a few hours keeping their part of our proposed trail in shape, that includes cleaning up a little horse manure too if you think it necessary...
Don’t get me wrong about snowmobiles and dirt bikes. I have had both but a walking, hiking, riding trail should not be for motorized vehicles. I know that there other places for them to ride.
Town property - town liability insurance? I don’t know. The Americans had individual portions of their trail covered by their own liability insurance at no cost to the municipality. That sounds a little complicated but we will investigate further. It would be a shame that this old stretch of C.N.R. disused track can only be used by a few ***
We were asked about the Club’s Owl Prowl recently. I missed it last year because of church commitments. This year wife, Elaine, and I were able to make it. It’s an all day affair from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dress warmly and have good footware. It was well worth it. Thanks to birder Blayne Farnan and his wife from Port Colborne we saw a Saw-whet, a male and female Screech Owl, over 30 Short-eared Owls, a Great Horned Owl on its nest, and my first, a Long-eared Owl. This couple from Port Colborne have the uncanny ability to take you back into the woods to a special place and there they show you an owl. Amazing! Last year they found a Snowy Owl. No kidding.
There were about 25 Bert Miller Nature Club members and about the same number of birders from the Buffalo area. I believe that there were about 23 cars going from location to location all as part of the Owl Prowl. You have to love these raptors.
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