FINWR elects officers, board member
At its annual meeting Nov. 22, the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (FINWR) elected a new member to its board and officers for the coming year. Elected to the board was Garner Light of Gasport, the group’s past president. Emma DeLeon of Williamsville was...
Logan Sauer loves job, nature and art
By Patti Singer Logan Sauer spent summers in his middle-school years roaming the forest near his Virginia apartment complex with his friends, collecting rocks and holding frogs. He’d go on hikes with his mom, but mostly on paved trails. “We weren’t really outdoorsy...
Winners announced in FINWR photo contest
The winners of the 2024-25 photo contest held by Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (FINWR) were announced Saturday, Nov. 22, at the nonprofit group’s annual meeting. First, second and third place were chosen in three categories: birds, other wildlife, and...
14 books for nature lovers on your list
The holiday season is just around the corner. If you have a nature/bird lover you are looking for a gift for, here are some possibilities suggested by some of our board members and other members of Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. All of these can be...
Zenger a man for all seasons at Iroquois refuge
By Patti Singer Carl Zenger builds and maintains bluebird boxes at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge as if they were his own home. He started a nesting program for purple martins, and he cares about them like family. He trains volunteers, interns and students, and...
Refuge trails open, but be aware
During the ongoing government shutdown, the refuge grounds and trails are still open to visitors. However, please keep in mind that because staff is furloughed and volunteers are not allowed to work on the premises, facilities and services will be extremely limited....
Novel explores invasive species
“When the Killing’s Done,” a 2011 novel by T.C. Boyle, explores some of the issues caused by invasive species.
Pollinator meadow at Iroquois refuge opens
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge celebrated its new pollinator garden on Saturday at the Cayuga Overlook. The meadow was mostly the work of Dave O’Donnell, president of the Eastern Monarch Butterly Farm in Clarence. “This was a wonderful team effort, and we will...
Sen. Ortt lauds Zenger’s refuge work
Carl Zenger of Lockport has received a New York state Senate commendation from Minority Leader Sen. Robert G. Ortt in recognition of Zenger’s volunteer work at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Zenger, a retired mechanical engineer, has been recognized by peers,...
Meet the baby birds in our nest box studies
By Robert DeLeon Every spring Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR) plays host to thousands of birds of many species, which is important in conserving a number of species that are experiencing alarming population declines. In...
Carl Zenger national volunteer of year
Carl Zenger of Lockport has been awarded the Refuge Volunteer of the Year in the 2025 National Wildlife Refuge Awards by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. A former board member of the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Zenger, a retired mechanical...
35 pick up litter on Iroquois refuge
In a cleanup sponsored by Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, 35 volunteers braved the elements Saturday morning to pick up litter at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. The Spring Sweep was part of the annual Great Lakes CleanUP, in which thousands across the Great Lakes...
WNY Tonight features Friends group
Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge officers Dick Moss and Emma DeLeon were Bob Confer’s guests Wednesday, April 16, for an episode of WNY Tonight, a public access TV show out of Lockport. Their discussion topics included migrating and nesting birds, eagle...
Iroquois refuge manager Tom Roster retires
By Patti Singer High on Tom Roster’s to-do list when he arrived at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in November 2004 was getting Swallow Hollow Trail in shape and repairing the handicap-accessible boardwalk. “That was a very big and impressive project that had a lot...
Refuge stays open, thanks to no government shutdown
By Richard Moss President Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge In case you've been avoiding the news, the U.S. Senate late yesterday passed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, so Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge can continue normal...
Public lands under threat, including Iroquois refuge
Wildlife, plants, peacefulness, and a staff that teaches about nature: All this and more are what visitors tell us they love about Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. But the refuge and others nationwide are in danger from cuts in federal spending and expected policy...
Bald eagles, nest cam back on track
By Dick Moss and Garner Light After a brief but concerning setback, the Cayuga marsh bald eagle pair and the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge nest camera project are back on track. Two weeks after the nest camera, funded by Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife...