Book Review: Secret Places: Scenic Treasure of Western New York and Southern Ontario

Now that we're finally getting a prolonged period of warm weather here in Western NY and with restrictions being eased a bit, it would be a great time to get out with the fam' and explore the Great Outdoors.  Perhaps you could even visit some places you haven't been to yet or weren't even aware of.  With that in mind, Mike Radomski has a book suggestion for you to help guide you in that direction!

   

Secret Places: Scenic Treasures of Western New York and Southern Ontario

Secret Places: Scenic Treasure of Western New York and Southern Ontario is a book written by a local author, Bruce Kershner.  Kershner was an environmentalist, author, high school biology teacher and forest ecologist in Western New York. Mr. Kershner was a renowned authority on old growth forests. He won numerous awards for environmental activism which include “Environmentalist of the Year” from the Sierra Club (Niagara Group) and the Adirondack Mountain Council. 

In 1996, he was awarded “Environmentalist of the Year in New York State” by Environmental Advocates of New York. Kershner lead several ecological studies in WNY at locations such as Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, Zoar Valley, Allegany State Park, and the Niagara Gorge.  Sadly, Mr. Kershner passed away in 2007 after a long battle with esophageal cancer.

Maps of the Chimney Bluffs on the Coast of Lake Ontario

Mr. Kershner’s love for WNY and the environment is evident in the book. The text is written in a format that makes you laugh. It contains a wealth of little known facts about the secret place along with some whimsical humor mixed in.

Each secret place contains a written description of the location including its history and points of interest. The entries also have a hand drawn map of the location with detailed illustrations pointing out points of interest. You really get a sense of the author’s humor and excitement for the areas.

Zoar Valley Map

The secret locations are all in Western New York and Southern Ontario. They include Zoar Valley, Reinstein Woods, the Niagara Gorge, Little Rock City and Griffis Sculpture Park. There are a total of 25 secret places. One of my favorite entries, though I have not visited the location is “Swallow Hallow and the Frog Orgy Experience”. Apparently in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge you can hear “the bizarre sounds of singing, peeping and chattering frogs (in a state of orgiastic fervor—this is the sexual version of “Spring Break”).” I look forward to witnessing the orgy.

My other favorite entires include:

• Skinny Dipping Beach at Zoar Valley: “a traditional skinny dipping beach since the 1960s when hippies “liberated” the area from the inhibitions of prudish society.”
• Directions to Buttermilk Falls: “…turn left into the village of Leroy (the “Birthplace of Jello”)”.
• About Reinstein Woods: “..Lily Pond reminds many fo the famous Monet painting of water lilies. In essence, the Preserve is a living “million-dollar painting” and raises the question, “Does art imitate nature, or does nature imitate art? 

Mr. Kershner’s descriptions and details add enjoyment to every secret place we have visited this far. We have visited a few locations we would have never found by ourselves. He even reminds us “Bring plastic bags with you so you can clean up the environment!”

Every WNY outdoor enthusiast should own and treasure a copy. 

Although, I have been to several of the “secret places”, I have not visited them all. To honor the memory of the author, I am making it a goal to visit all 25 places listed in the book and do a trip report on each location. The trip reports will include some of Mr. Kershner’s commentary of the location, photos and an updated digitized map. My trip reports are in no way a replacement for the actual book. Every WNY outdoor enthusiast should own and treasure a copy.

Side note: A friend of mine suggested this book to me. When I looked it up, my wife said, “Hey, that’s my high school biology teacher, I think my dad has that book.” My wife remembers Mr. Kershner as a energetic, whimsical and even a little cooky, teacher, loved by all. Her favorite memory is Mr. Kershner dressing up as a mad scientist and feeding his students a Jello brain. She said he really enjoyed teaching, loved his students and the environment. 

Doing My Part for Nature

Trailhead Sign at Rolin T. Grant Gulf Wilderness Park

In the era of COVID-19 more and more people are looking to nature as an escape and as a way to get away from just spending time at home. As I've written in previous articles, this is a great thing and I believe it will fundamentally change how we view nature moving forward.

Unfortunately, there is also a downside to this.  As more people explore the trails and options that nature provides, we must be careful to do our part to do no harm to our environment and ensure that our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy all that we have today.

A few things to keep in mind as you explore parks, trails and all that nature has to offer.

• Let someone know where you are going, when you will be home and your plans for the outing.
• If you are going out, have a backup plan.  The backup plan should account for weather, full parking lots, etc.
• If a parking lot is full when you get to your destination, find another place to go or try another time of day.
• When you get on a trail, if it is muddy and you are having to walk off to the sides of trails or turn around, come back another day.  Let the ground dry out and recover.
• Practice the principles of Leave No Trace:
• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors
• If taking a pet with you, clean up after your pet and keep your dog on a leash.
• Practice Carry In, Carry Out - If it wasn't there before you came, take it with you.
• Leave nature in a better place than you found it.

The Rolin T. Grant Gulf Wilderness Park is a small park that I recently discovered nearby and I've found myself going back at least a couple of times a week to get away.  Usually there are a few people in the park, but everyone that I have met has been wonderful.  

Unfortunately, the parking areas, trail heads and the trails themselves have become a favorite spot for people to discard their unwanted items.  

Even the trash cans that are provided are full beyond capacity.

As you descend into the park, you see even more discarded items,such as tires, clothes, food containers and more.

I decided that my hike on this day would have additional purpose, to make the park more enjoyable for everyone.  I showed up after work with my gloves, mask, tools to pick up trash and a number of empty trash bags.  I know I may not get all of this cleaned up today, but I can start (and that is usually the hardest part).  

I spent the next three hours walking the trails and picking up everything I found.  The tires and large items will have to wait until another day as I'll need more help to remove them, but I will be back for those.

As you are out enjoying nature, take some gloves and a spare bag with you.  If we each pickup just a few items along the way, you will be surprised at the difference it makes.  

At the end of my walk, this is what I found.

Yes, that is a chainsaw bar.

This is what the areas above look like now.

Yes, I took the bags with me after taking the picture.

If we each do our part, everything that we are taking comfort in and enjoying in these difficult times will be here for generations after us to use and seek solace in during their own challenges.

Stay safe and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

Feathered Friends: May could bring a bounty of Baltimore Orioles

Author: Hanz Kunze (article originally published in the Livingston County News)

Freshly sliced oranges are a great way to attract Batlimore Orioles.

 

May is such a wonderful month with the many beautiful and interesting birds returning and migrating through – along with the fascinating rejuvenation of so many trees, shrubs and flowers.

To me, the month of May is like Christmas as God gives us so much beauty to enjoy and it’s all gift-wrapped in so many beautiful colors and ways! I’m especially interested in the many bird species that will be appearing this month – many of which will be nesting in our region and several that will continue their northern trek into Canada. But I love and admire the awesome flora as well.

We are all quite familiar with the more noticeable and colorful favorites such as the rose-breasted grosbeak, Baltimore oriole, indigo bunting, purple finch, ruby-throated hummingbird, and scarlet tanager. Will it be another banner year for the orioles coming to the feeders such as last year’s unprecedented invasion?

If May is cool like it was last year, we could have just as much Oriole activity – so if you haven’t yet, make sure your grape jelly, oranges, and other goodies are ready for them. Last year it seemed like May 2 was the day that most of the orioles returned. It was like they just fell out of the sky and everyone had them, but it could be later this year. Certainly, as the days followed several more arrived and they all seemed to be going crazy at the feeding stations.

Based on our very cool April weather and the forecast into early May, I think the oriole action will be robust.

Now, if we ever get a really normal or much warmer May, the action at the feeders would be less – as in most past years – because warmer temperatures promote more insects and earlier blossoming of trees that have nectar that also attract insects.

Speaking of insects, it is these that dictate the arrival of so many bird species in May and even into June. Birds rely heavily on insects, and most of those that do are not seed eaters. The coming wave of birds will consist primarily of warblers, vireos, swallows, flycatchers and shorebirds – all insect eaters.

Though there are about 30 species of warblers coming through, it is difficult to find all of them as many migrate right through heading further north and may only stop over for a day or two to rest and to eat. Many birds migrate at night as well.

Still, many species of warblers will nest right here in Western New York. Those will find their preferred habitats rather quickly. Some warblers like nesting in the bushy thickets, some prefer staying high up in deciduous trees, some like the moister sections of woods, some like bogs, some like rushing water, and some like staying low in the understory of woodlots. Some prefer evergreens and others like mixed woodlots. Finding nesting warblers can be a challenge, but also very rewarding.

Some of the most common warblers that you may see or hear include yellow, yellow-rumped, common yellowthroat, ovenbird, blue-winged, American redstart, chestnut-sided, magnolia, northern and Louisiana waterthrush, and several more – all of which nest around here.

Many nature enthusiasts try to see how many warblers they can identify in the month of May and June. And since many are only migrating through for a few days or a week or so, one needs to be birding steadily.

Obviously knowing the songs of the warblers and other birds helps immensely. Even if you don’t know all of them, knowing a few helps. If warblers weren’t singing or calling, we would miss most of them!

I always dread hearing the song of the Blackpoll Warbler later in May as that signifies the end of the warbler migration. They have a distinct call, and my ears are tuned to them. The warblers come in so many beautiful colors and I only named a few above. If you take the time to explore a little and to really identify those warblers passing through all month long, you will be rewarded!

Once you’ve identified a few it can become infectious!

While you are looking for warblers, you are going to see several other neat birds. It can become a bit overwhelming but great fun learning and seeing the array of birds that most people will never see. We have our own “Wild Kingdom” right here in Western New York with an awesome variety of birds and animals to enjoy.

If your yard work always has to come first, you won’t make it out in the woods and thickets to see some great birds. Though I can’t do large-group bird walks right now, I can lead a few people, keeping social distancing in mind, on a walk here and there. If you are interested in joining me for a one-hour walk just let me know. You can call or text me at (585) 813-2676.

I know that I have a lot of work to do, but that will not stop me from fitting in as much birding and nature enjoyment as possible during this most beautiful month of the year. Make yourself a May bird ID list and add to it each day.

Until next time enjoy and be thankful for the beauty of this earth! Merry Christmas – I mean Happy May!

Hans Kunze is an avid birder and nature enthusiast who has been writing about birds and nature for more than 30 years. He writes for The Daily News twice each month. Write him at 6340 LaGrange Rd Wyoming, NY 14591 or call (585) 813-2676.