The Names of Things
It has been said that one of homo sapiens’ distinguishing characteristics is to give names to things. It’s easy to see how the naming of things is directly related to preserving that knowledge and passing …
Fantastic Feathers
Feathers, being unique to birds, are one of the most remarkable structures in nature. They are the ultimate multi-taskers. Here are some fun feathery feats: Feathers provide thermoregulation since birds can adjust each feather position at will with …
Drew Lanham: Mystic Ornithologist
When my husband and I moved to Western New York in 1989 we searched for trails to hike and places to go that would immerse us in the arms of nature. We lived in New …
Juncos are Extraordinary Birds
Along with their brown sparrow relatives, some mostly gray birds regularly visit bird feeders. Although they do occasionally eat at trays, more often they are to be seen with doves and other birds feeding on …
Purple Martin First Flights
Who could not be captivated by the beautiful song and graceful flight of our largest swallow species, the Purple Martin? I for one, have long admired these glossy purplish-blue long-distance migrants to North America. I’ve …
Playing Possum is Serious Business
The opossum (Didelphis virginianas) is a truly remarkable creature. Although many consider them to be ugly, even sinister looking, (the author is not among those) they possess no small number of amazing adaptations. There are a few …
Book Review: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
In this amazing book, Robin Wall Kimmerer, through story and memoir, illuminates the love of
Indigenous people for the land they inhabit. With gratitude and humility, they learned and taught respect, reciprocity and responsibility for the land and all living beings.
Mystery Bird
I was eleven years old and I knew that this was going to be my first big birding year. My mother had helped me meet some of Rochester’s finest bird watchers: Gordon Meade, Joe Taylor, …
New Trail Signage for Feeder Road & Swallow Hollow
Historically, the Friends of Iroquois, Inc. have had the pleasure of partnering with Iroquois National Refuge by funding the Guide by Cell program for Swallow Hollow Trail and funding the interpretive panels at Swallow Hollow …
Happy (Indoor) Cats
With the exception of size, a cat is a cat and that is that. From the largest and most aggressive wild cats to our pampered pets, the body form of a cat remains the same. This may be viewed as efficiency in the cat design: A very effective predator and the purr-fect hunting machine.