In this episode, Master Gardeners Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas sit down with all four authors of the most comprehensive field guide available of a single county in New York State: From the Hudson to the Taconics”An Ecological and Cultural Field Guide to the Habitats of Columbia County by Anna Duhon, Gretchen Stevens, Claudia Knab-Vispo, and Conrad Vispo for the HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARMSCAPE. This conversation is in two parts because of, not only the number of participants in the interview, but the size of the topic.

The interview begins with an introduction to the organizations responsible for making such an effort possible. The Hawthorne Valley Association is the overriding organization, and supports the Farmscape Ecology Program. Hudsonia is the other organization participating in the production of the guide. Hudsonia is a non-advocacy group focusing on data collection and guidance to local governments and advocates in land use decisions. The authors are:

• Conrad Vispo, wildlife ecologist with 21 years of experience at Hawthorne Valley with the goal of exploring and sharing research results;
• Claudia Knab-Vispo, Botanist studying plants/animals/people interactions for the last twenty years, especially wild plants and how they grow and interact;
• Anna Duhon, since 2009 specializing in cultural research and outreach, weaving ecology and culture; and
• Gretchen Stevens, Emerita from Hudsonia, thirty five years in the Hudson Valley, specializing in biodiversity assessment in the Hudson Valley.

The guide is informed by decades of original research and enables readers to get to know 36 distinct habitats including:

• Information on how to identify and distinguish each habitat in the landscape
• Maps of public areas where habitats can be experience
• What to look for, including lists of associated wild plants and animals
• Stewardship ideas and considerations
• Habitat history in the context of human history
• Perspective from people interacting with the habitats Interactive suggestions for engaging with different habitats

When asked why and how they were able to assemble such vast amounts of data, Conrad explained that it was the way they found to communicate informed compassion for the natural world. They devised the concept of habitat descriptions to best express the sense of place, describing the specific geography clearly while remaining aesthetically pleasing. Interestingly, the scope included agricultural habitats and suburban ecology as well as “wild” places.

The volume of historic data collection in Columbia County is staggering, dating back as far as the early 1800s, and continuing to the present. The researchers talked to hunters and farmers, foragers and conservationists, and even children in their quest to reference all types of people using the land. Their idea was that the more users were consulted, the wider the audience for the field guide. People with different perspectives who used the land differently could all use the guidebook successfully. The goal was to raise awareness of differing habitats and connect with each.

The layout of the book is divided into thirty two habitats, each describing the plant and animal life, interrelations between the organisms, then bringing in the history of its land uses and discussion of possible future use. There is often a perspective from the people who actually make use of the habitat, and each section closes with an interactive suggestion to invite reader participation.

Tim was curious about the value of the guide in other New York counties and whether it was transferable. The immediate answer is that while features of some habitats are universal, it's better to take the information as a suggestion in another region. While many things are the same, the type of habitat can often be blended in another site. The idea of the guide is to be able to study as deeply or casually as one chooses. It is meant to be a tool used as the user wishes.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guests: Anna Duhon, Gretchen Stevens, Claudia Knab-Vispo, and Conrad Vispo

Photo by: Teresa Golden. Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Tim Kennelty, Amy Meadow, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Jean Thomas

This episode of “Nature Calls, Conversations from the Hudson Valley” is a retrospective look at one of the early radio interviews from our precursor show, “Digging in With Master Gardeners,” aired on WGXC, 90.7 FM. Teresa and Jean interviewed Master Gardener Volunteer Kathryn Schneider about birds. Kathryn was introduced to the joys of birding by her mother who was a birdwatcher. She took it about as far as you can, since she now has a PhD in Ornithology and has written a guidebook called “Birding the Hudson Valley.” The purpose of the book was to allow people to understand their area and go birding. She started by covering the basics on bird identification and the recording of observations, where to find particular birds, and the importance of knowing the bird's biology. Learning about how birds feed and what they do helps guide successful birders.

The second half of the book is a list of sites in the Hudson Valley where birdwatching is rewarding. Actually feeding birds is the second biggest hobby in the country. But we don't feed birds for ecology and the good of nature. We tend to feed them to amuse ourselves watching them. We can prevent getting bored by providing the correct food for the birds we want to watch, so a little research can improve the view.

Planting your garden to draw birds is another way to enhance your enjoyment. In a nutshell, native plants are best, and the careful choice of trees can be helpful. Birds don't just eat seeds. They eat bugs, worms, caterpillars, berries and even nectar. Bird feeders are best used when the flowers are not blooming because birds will ignore feeders if they have more interesting things to eat. Winter is prime time because they can use the extra nutrition to keep warm. Late November to early April are safer months to put out feeders, especially if you have bears for neighbors. But keep in mind that they're not always sleeping when you think they should be in these times of climate change so adjust based on the weather. Bears don't tend to hibernate until they can no longer find food. After the first significant snowfall might be the safer bet to put out your feeders.

Going down the list of pesky critters, we also have: squirrels. Baffles above and below the feeder can help to keep them away. Grackles, cowbirds and starlings usually travel around in flocks. Hawks and cats can also be problematic. Kathy says cats shouldn't be outside because they are killing millions of birds and have even made some of them extinct, while it should be remembered that hawks need to feed their babies, too. It's best to give blue jays their own feeder with peanuts in the shell to keep them distracted and away from your other feeders.

Kathy then reviews the best ways to observe birds and how to identify them. Sibley and Peterson Guides are her favorite, and the Merlin phone app is an excellent resource. She also suggests you research the type of binoculars to use. Many will work fine, but many are just wrong. Once you've outgrown watching your feeder visitors, it's time to go to them. She suggests that you look for a local bird club and ask to go along on a walk. Figure what birds to expect there and look for them specifically. Bird clubs are relatively easy to find, including the Audubon Society, so join groups in your area. Guided bird walks are everywhere, including Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) sponsored ones, often led by Kathy herself.

The conversation concludes with specific topics including the population biology for birds, the Christmas Bird Count, and specific discussions about robins, bluebirds, ravens and vultures. Hosts: Teresa Golden and Jean Thomas Guest: Kathryn Schneider, PhD. Photo: Jean Thomas Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Jean Thomas

Jean and Teresa interview fellow Master Gardener Volunteer Tim Kennelty about pollinators. Tim is also a Master Naturalist with Cornell Cooperative Extension, and has served as a board member for the Columbia Land Conservancy.The conversation starts with the definition of a pollinator. Tim explains that a creature that goes from flower to flower to feed will get pollen stuck to itself. The creature then carries the pollen to the next flower and “delivers” it in exchange for the nectar. This is an arrangement that has developed over millennia to benefit both the flower and the creature. While most pollinators are insects, there are birds and bats that serve as pollinators, too. The insects are most commonly of the bees/wasp groups, butterflies/moths groups, and beetles. The Xerxes Society is a valuable resource to learn more about native pollinators and plants.

The discussion then moves to why we should care. It all boils down to the food chain. Insects are at the bottom of the food chain, and many rely on plants for life. Their symbiotic relationship helps both to thrive and serve as food for others further up the chain. This is so basic as a foundation for our existence that any disturbance in the connection will ripple upward, affecting the entire food chain. Risks included are mostly man made. Habitat disturbance leaves gaps between the links, and climate change disrupts the balance of timing between plant and insect (or animal) synchrony. Flowers blooming at the”wrong” time or migrators arriving too late for the usual diet can result in disaster for whole populations. Indeed, the statistics are alarming. Forty per cent of all insects are in steep decline, resulting in decreased populations all along the interconnected chain of life forms, ultimately in extinction for many. Specifically, Tim mentions bees which are mostly “designed” for pollination.

Honey bees must be considered separately because they are actually treated and considered as livestock. Interestingly they are not native but are handled by beekeepers, and are essential for much commercial fruit production. Sadly, they, too, are at risk from climate and pollution caused threats.

Native bees are a fascinating study. There are about four hundred species in North America, with several hundred living in New York State. Ninety percent are solitary, which may be contrary to popular expectations due to our familiarity with honey bees. Most are dedicated pollinators that have co-evolved with particular flowers. Also unlike honeybees, most can't sting. Those that can, will only do under great threat of their own death.

The “cousins” to bees, the wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, are more often communal. They build nests attached to structures or shrubs, or in the ground. These guys are far more aggressive, and will not hesitate to sting, so beware if you spot any of their habitats, like paper nests or overly active holes in the ground. They're so fierce they even have a meat eating stage. But, to circle back to the topic at hand, they are also very active pollinators.

Hosts: Teresa Golden and Jean Thomas Guest: Tim Kennelty Photo: Teresa Golden Production Assistance: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Jean Thomas, Xandra Powers

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