One of the most scenic spots, in our Finger Lakes Region, is the beautiful gorge, formed by Townsend Creek, at the south end of Seneca Lake, known as Watkins Glen.  We got to enjoy this spectacular scenery recently, hiking on the Finger Lakes Trail, from the west, to the east end of the state park.

A great addition, to the scenery, is the mature forest along the trail.  The great majority of the trees, in this forest, are eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) and, therein lies the impending disaster to this park and trail.  Entering the west end of the park, the hemlocks looked fine and healthy.  However, when we reached the east end, a different story unfolded.

As mentioned earlier, an unfortunate by-product of international commerce, is often the introduction of weeds or insects from other countries which, in the absence of their natural enemies, have multiplied unchecked, and caused havoc here.  In 1951, an adelgid from Asia (Adelges tsugae), that infests hemlocks, was discovered near Richmond, VA, and has been steadily spreading wherever hemlocks grow.  Exploding populations have already killed huge numbers of trees.

At the east end, we saw many hemlocks dying, with fluffy, white ovisacs, showing what was killing them.  Contractors, hired by the state, were busily injecting systemic insecticides into the trees, or in the soil near them, in a desperate attempt to kill the adelgids, and save the trees.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or entomologist, to see that this is a very labor intensive, and expensive, procedure and yes, there are, as has been in the news, government funding issues.  If this project doesn’t succeed, hiking this trail, in future years, will be much less pleasant, looking at mostly dead trees.  The whole forest ecosystem would be affected, such as salamanders, who depend on the trees for shade and moisture.

I would like to know, if you feel that Watkins Glen is too far for one of our Sunday hikes.  Not only is this one of the most scenic trails but, it would also be a useful service project, for our group, to check the hemlocks at the west end of the park, to see if the adelgids have spread there.  Late March or early April is probably the best time to do this.  You have seen how abundant hemlocks are on the trails we’ve hiked around here.  If we don’t stop them, it’s just a matter of time till the hemlocks around here, are also gone.

In the meantime, if you’re hiking on trails east of Steuben County, try to avoid contact with hemlocks.  The adelgid crawlers are very tiny, barely visible without magnification, making it difficult for you to see them, if they got on you, especially on dark clothing.  You could spread them to a new tree, without even realizing it.  All of these insects are females, and reproduce asexually.  Multiplication is extremely rapid.

We’ve all seen these touching films where a cock and hen find each other, do this exquisitely choreographed courtship dance, and then, the happy couple flies off to build a nest together and enter a blissful monogamous relationship, in some cases, for life.  However, some recent research has revealed quite a different story.

Sneaky surveillance cameras have captured several scenes where, a hen is fastidiously arranging her nest and, while her mate is off, acquiring additional nesting material, an opportunistic cock swoops in for a quickie, and flies off before the unsuspecting mate returns.  This can be accomplished, most times, because the copulation act, in birds, is a fairly short one, so you don’t want to come back in your next life as a bird.  However, I’m sure, there have been times when the intruder was still in the nest, when the mate returned,  In this case, a scene like this might happen.

Moishe: So, what are you doing in my nest?

Abe: Well, everybody has to be someplace.

Zelda: Moishe, I’m hungry.  Go get me a worm.  Get one for Abe too.

Moishe: To hell with Abe.  He can get his own worm.

Studies have shown that, DNA samples taken from clutches of chicks have revealed that, not all of them are the progeny of the sire of the nest.   However, before you chauvenists accuse the poor hen of infidelity, what do you suppose her mate is doing while he’s out gathering nesting material?  Oh well, so much for the illusion of avian monogamy.

The preceding information was obtained at a recent birding conference we went to, where we saw this hilarious powerpoint, presented by an ornithologist from the faculty of McGill University, named Dr. Bird.  Not joking.

On Sundays, we’ve been enjoying the hiking trails in the lush hardwood and coniferous forests that we have the good fortune to have in our area.  However, an unfortunate byproduct of our global commerce has been the accidental introduction of species of weeds and insects, that pose threats to these forests.

Asian long-horned beetle adults with dime and exit holes. Click the image to visit the NY Invasive Species website.

One of these insects, the Asian Longhorned Beetle, has already killed multi thousands of maples, and other hardwoods, in northeast US and southeast Canada.  Infestations exist in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Toronto and Ohio.  Although this beetle has not yet been found in our area, as you can see, it’s all around us.  Not only is the maple one of our most common forest trees, we also got to enjoy the commercial value of the sugar maple, a few weeks ago.

If this beetle should get to our area, it can be eradicated by aggresive action, as long as the infestation is caught early, and hasn’t become too massive.  This is why all us hikers need to know how to detect it.  There will be 2 places, this week, where Georgia and I, who worked on this eradication project before we retired, will show you what you need to know, using powerpoint slides, specimens and literature you can take with you on your hikes.

1. Tuesday, at the Historical Society meeting at the Springwater Town Hall.  Pot luck dinner at 6:30.  Bring a dish to pass, and your place setting.

2. If it’s more convenient for you, on Wednesday, we’ll be giving the same program, at the Adirondack Mountain Club meeting, at the Eisenhart Auditorium, Rochester Museum Science Center, on East and Goodman Aves.  The meeting starts at 7:30 but, we’re also giving a short workshop on the Emarald Ash Borer, before the meeting, at 6:45.

By the time we resume our Sunday hikes, after a week’s hiatus, it should be warm enough for our songbirds to return from their winter residences, and begin planning the production of another generation.

For most birds, both genders return together.  One notable exception is the redwinged blackbird, a common inhabitant of our wetlands.  The cock is one of the first birds to return.  We should be able to see, and hear them, in wet areas.  The hens return a few weeks later and, by then, the cocks have established a breeding territory, and are singing to notify the hens of their presence.  After she finds a cock who’se attractive to her, a brief courtship procedure seals the bond, and serious nest building begins.

Birds can be monomorphic (one form), where both genders look alike, or dimorphic (2 forms), where the genders have different plumage.  The redwinged blackbird is a good example of the latter.  The cock’s feathers are jet black, except for a red spot on his wing, with a yellow border, which gives this bird its name.  The hen is a mottled brown.

The redwinged blackbird, and many other birds, are always dimorphic.  Some, just during the breeding season.  As the cock molts his feathers during the summer, by fall, he looks just like the hen, as in some warblers.  Others may be very subtly dimorphic, the familiar robin being a good example.  The feathers, on the cock’s head, are a very slightly darker shade of grey, than those on his back.  The hen’s head featherss are the same as her back.  See if you can tell the difference, when you see them.

Because the cocks are decked out in their colorful breeding plumage, and are singing their unique songs to attract hens, the next 2 months are the best time to learn birds.  On the naturalist hikes, we will try to identify the birds we encounter, by sight and sound, and make a list for each hike.  While birds are less active in mid afternoon, we should still be able to find some.