ALL ABOUT BLUEBIRDS - AND MORE

Please join us for our indoor meeting at Finger Lakes Community College on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 11 am in room C220 for this presentation by John Rogers.

This PowerPoint presentation encompasses the life history of the Eastern Bluebird, nest box management, other birds that nest in bluebird boxes, and more. The focus is on bluebirds but John Rogers also shares his passion for the natural world.

John Rogers has maintained an extensive trail of bluebird nest boxes in central New York north of Oneida Lake for decades, and has fledged over 12,000 Eastern Bluebirds. He is a recognized authority on bluebird conservation. He was co-founder of the New York State Bluebird Society in 1982. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards. An experienced birder, John Rogers is a member of the Onondaga Audubon Society.

This presentation is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Listing of species found in Lagoon Park

This is the list of species found in Lagoon Park that Dave DeMallie shared with us.

*** from April 2004, by Bruce Gilman***
Trees
Box-elder ---Acer negundo
Swamp Maple ---Acer x freemanii
Tree of Heaven ---Ailanthus altissima
Shadbush ---Amelanchier arborea
European White Birch ---Betula pendula
Green Ash ---Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Eastern Red Cedar ---Juniperus virginiana
Red Mulberry ---Morus rubra
Norway Spruce ---Picea abies
Scotch Pine ---Pinus sylvestris
Sycamore ---Platanus occidentalis
Eastern Cottonwood ---Populus deltoids
Sweet Cherry ---Prunus avium
Black Locust ---Robinia pseudoacacia
American Elm ---Ulmus americana
Japanese Yew ---Taxus cuspidata
Northern White Cedar ---Thuja occidentalis
European Linden ---Tilia cordata

Shrubs and Vines
Hawthorn ---Crataegus sp.
Silky Dogwood ---Cornus amomum
Gray Dogwood ---Cornus foemina
Red Osier Dogwood ---Cornus sericea
Russian Olive ---Elaeagnus angustifolia
Fly Honeysuckle ---Lonicera morrowii
Tartarian Honeysuckle ---Lonicera tatarica
Crabapple ---Malus sp.
Virginia Creeper ---Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Smooth Buckthorn ---Rhamnus frangula
European Buckthorn ---Rhamnus cathartica
Staghorn Sumac ---Rhus typhina
Multi-flora Rose ---Rosa multiflora
Shrubby Rose ---Rosa sp.
Blackberry ---Rubus allegheniensis
Black Raspberry ---Rubus occidentalis
Pussy Willow ---Salix discolor
Shrubby Willow ---Salix sp.
Poison Ivy ---Toxicodendron radicans
Cranberry Viburnum ---Viburnum opulus
Riverbank Grape ---Vitis riparia

Herbaceous Plants
Yarrow ---Achillea millifolium
Meadow Garlic ---Allium vineale
Garlic Mustard ---Alliaria petiolata
Spreading Dogbane ---Apocynum androsaemifolium
Common Burdock ---Arctium minus
Swamp Milkweed ---Asclepias incarnata
Yellow Rocket ---Barbarea vulgaris
Brome Grass ---Bromus inermis
Spotted Knapweed ---Centaurea maculosa
Canada Thistle ---Cirsium arvense
Bull Thistle ---Cirsium vulgare
Crown Vetch ---Coronilla varia
Orchard Grass ---Dactylis glomerata
Queen Anne’s Lace ---Daucus carota
Common Teasel ---Dipsacus fullonum
Whitlow Grass ---Draba verna
Quack Grass ---Elytrigia repens
Willow Herb ---Epilobium sp.
Daisy Fleabane ---Erigeron annuus
Wild Strawberry ---Fragaria virginiana
Wild Cleavers ---Galium aparine
White Bedstraw ---Galium mollugo
White Avens ---Geum canadense
Ground Ivy ---Glechoma hederacea
St. John’s Wort ---Hypericum perforatum
Spotted Touch Me Not ---Impatiens capensis
Elecampane ---Inula helenium
Yellow Iris ---Iris pseudoacorus
Rush ---Juncus sp.
Purple Dead Nettle ---Lamium purpureum
Everlasting Pea ---Lathyrus latifolius
Ox-Eye Daisy ---Leucantheum vulgare
Bird’s Foot Trefoil ---Lotus corniculatus
Moneywort ---Lysimachia nummularia
Sweet Clover ---Melilotus sp.
Eurasian Milfoil ---Myriophyllum spicatum
Yellow Pond Lily ---Nuphar variegata
Evening Primrose ---Oenthera biennis
Reed Canary Grass ---Phalaris arundinacea
Tall Reed Grass ---Phragmites australis
Ox Tongue ---Picris hieracioides
English Plantain ---Plantago lanceolata
Common Plantain ---Plantago major
Smartweed ---Polygonum sp.
Curly Pondweed ---Potamogeton crispus
Cinquefoil ---Potentilla recta
Self-Heal ---Prunella vulgaris
Tall Buttercup ---Ranunculus acris
Curly Dock ---Rumex crispus
Sour Dock ---Rumex obtusifolius
Wool Grass ---Sedge Scirpus cyperinus
Canada Goldenrod ---Solidago canadensis
Common Dandelion ---Taraxacum officinale
Red Clover ---Trifolium pretense
Colt’s Foot ---Tussilago farfara
Narrow-leaved Cattail ---Typha angustifolia
Blue Vervain ---Verbena hastata
Corn Speedwell ---Veronica arvensis

Ferns and Allies
Field Horsetail ---Equisetum arvense
　
　
　

The Lagoon Park Landscape Restoration Project Tour - August 21, 2010

Dave DeMallie talked about the native and invasive plant species at Lagoon Park on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua. A proposal was made to the City of Canandaigua to have invasive plants removed from this forever wild flood plane and protected wetland. Due to funding shortages the project has not yet commenced.
European Buckthorn would be the primary target for removal without disturbing wildlife. Invassive plants will be cut at the base and a herbacide would be applied to the stumps only as needed. Replanting would occur with native species.

Jewelweed/Touch Me Not (a soothing remedy for poison ivy)

A bridge similar to this would look great and be very useful crossing 5 and 20 at South Main Street.

Monarch caterpillar (frass on upper left leaf)

A few members enjoying the view

Bob Guthrie and Maya Hobday discussing select species

A Blue Heron

Maya Hobday keeping clear of the Poison Ivy edging

Smartweed

More poison ivy growing all around the tree trunk

The "Y" shoots from the main branch of the river wild grape are tasty

Species identified during the Canandaigua Botanical trip to The Lagoon Park

European buckthorn, black willow, black locus, jewel weed, fragrent white water lily, golden rod, queen Ann's lace, dogbane, high bush cranberry, evening primrose, mullen, ash tree, grey dogwood with white berries, knapp weed, crab apple, river wild grape, smart weed, St. John's weed (has tiny, little holes in its leaves; look against the sky or through a magnifying glass to see them), self heal, horehound (has square stem), teasel, birdfoot trefoil, downy willow herb, fleabane, elecampane (sunflower like flower).

Interesting factoid: maple, ash, and dogwood MAD have opposite leaves.

Gathering at the Lagoon Park - August 21, 2010

The following Canandaigau Botanical Society Members were present to meet Dave DeMallie for a tour of the Lagoon Park on Saturday morning August 21, 2010:

Bob Guthrie, Maya Hobday, Peggy Kane, Carmen Kuenen, Leona Lauster,Donna Middlebrook, Laura Ouimette, John & Mary Purdy and guest Ben Cornelius

Before heading out on the walk a discussion took place regarding a gift to be made to Wood Library in memory of Betty Herriott's passing earlier this year.

The Lagoon Park Landscape Restoration Project Tour

Saturday, August 21, 2010 10 am

Meet at the Steamboat Landing parking lot.

The Lagoon Park is on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua across from the Steamboat Landing Restaurant.

The purpose of our tour will be to compare and contrast the native and invasive plant species and to look at their implications for providing habitat for wildlife. Also, we will look at the work underway to remove invasive plants and discuss the various strategies being used to re-establish a wider diversity of native flora in the park. We’ll check out the territory along the easy-to-walk and well groomed pathways.

Leaders: Dave DeMallie, graduate of the Conservation Program at FLCC and
Project Leader, Jim Engel of White Oak Nursery.

FELLENZ FAMILY FARM TOUR

Andy Fellenz welcomed us to his Organic Fellenz Family Farm on Saturday, July 24th. Botanical members in attendance were: Kathie Crocker, Tom Crocker, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette, Joan Purdy, and Peter Purdy.

Andy talked about the three Community Supported Agriculture programs he farms for in Canandaigua, Geneva, and Pittsford before bringing us to the fields and high tunnels (hoop houses) to talk about how he manages the tomatoes and cucurbits. Andy shared a wealth of information about organic farming.

Andy asks what we're interested to hear about in the shade of the packing shed
Andy talks about growing his tomatoes in the field

Tomatoes growing in the field with support from criss-crossed lines between plants

Andy shared a taste of Asian Tat Soi with us

A view of the fields and high tunnels from Lester Road

Tomatoes in a high tunnel

Chester the dog rests nearby as Andy talks with Canandaigua Botanical Society members

A view from inside the high tunnel

Discussing tomatoes in the high tunnel

Tomatoes growing in the high tunnel

A high tunnel with a field waiting for its next planting

This shows a clip holding the vine to a string that comes from the top of the high tunnel

Cantaloupe growing in a high tunnel

Cucumbers growing in a high tunnel

Between the planting sheds

Seeds planted in honeycomb grid (which straightens out to evenly spaced lines for planting)

Andy showing us a honeycomb seed frame

Japanese Paperpot Planter (See video) (set up video)

Squash growing in the tasting orchard
Jan and Andy by the Fellenz Family Farm stand

Andy has two websites that can be viewed for more information:
http://www.fellenzfamilyfarm.com/ and
http://www.localharvest.org/fellenz-family-farm-M6712

Resources spoken about during the tour:
Northeast Organic Farming Association: http://www.nofa.org/index.php
Organic Materials Review Institute: www.omri.org
www.Highmowingseeds.com and www.Johnnyseeds.com

Tour of the Organic Fellenz Family Farm

Saturday, July 24, 2010 - 10 am at 1919 Lester Road in Phelps (or 9:30 am if you wish to carpool from the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot off Sly Street in Canandaigua).

Join the Canandaigua Botanical Society as we tour the Fellenz Family Farm. Andy Fellenz will show us the summertime workings of his organic farm and discuss managing tomatoes and cucurbits in high tunnels.

Andy Fellenz established the organic Fellenz Family Farm in 2002. He created and maintains three Community Supported Agriculture programs (Canandaigua, Geneva, and Pittsford) from his seven-acre organic farm. Andy has given presentations on issues such as agriculture in the Finger Lakes, organic farming, small-scale farming, and sustainable farming. Andy is also the president of the Ontario County Farm Bureau.

http://www.fellenzfamilyfarm.com/

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M6712

Dandelion-leaved Sundrops open in real time!

BEFORE

AFTER

My neighbor gave me these "Moonflowers" several years ago. I was told that they were planted along forest paths for indian princesses to follow home to safety. They are Oenothera acaulis aurea in the Onagraceae (Evening primrose) family. I have them planted along the sidewalk in front of our house and on some evenings they draw crowds and applause.

Here's a YouTube link with the same video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzoHwWCVAWs
They bloom in the evening between 8:30 and 9:30 pm from May through August. Blossoms will bloom once and be spent by noon the following day. Each plant will produce several blossoms each week throughout the four months.

Visit to the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium

On Saturday, June 19, 2010 the following Canandaigua Botanical Society members met with Elizabeth Pixley, curator of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium, in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center: Kathie & Tom Crocker, Peggy Kane, Donna Middlebrook, Bethan & Laura Ouimette.

A herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts usually in a dried form and mounted on a sheet. Mounting is done with glue, tape, and in one case wire. Small envelopes are also used for some specimens or seeds.

The office of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium

A specimen of American ElmTables set up in the hallway for working and viewing (cabinets of specimens are to the right)Specimans are organized by families (ending in aceae)Cabinets are labeled by family and genusElizabeth Pixley showing the specimens organized by species inside cabinetsSpecimen labels include family name, genus, species, location & date of collection, and collector name and sometimes stamps for viewer recordingBethan impressed by the blue coloring of the Mertensia virginica after 115 yearsTom Crocker assisting with the opening of a hallway storage cabinet Insect control once managed by moth balls can also be dealt with by freezing specimens Many of the specimens had artistic value. It's important to invert a leaf for future reference.

Lily specimen

Fern specimen with roots

RAS Herbarium has over 60,000 specimens from around the world dating back to 1850.

Fern specimens

Elizabeth Pixley will be our guest speaker at the April 8, 2011 Annual meeting and potluck dinner. If you have an interest in helping to repair or remount RAS Herbarium specimens please send an Email to us at canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com and we'll get you in touch with Elizabeth Pixley.

**We were surprised not to find any sunflower specimens. Bethan mentioned "moon flower" as a favorite which we did not locate either. Laura has since researched to locate the name of the moon flower that Bethan mentioned. It is commonly called Dandelion Sundrop. Its botanical name is Oenothera acaulis aurea of the Onagraceae family (evening primrose family).**