 |
| “Tifft Nature Preserve: An Urban Sanctuary”, a Seaway Trails map. A larger copy of the map can be found HERE. |
So
how are you getting your exercise these days, what with “social isolation” and
“no unnecessary travel”? It’s tough
getting enough exercise, since all the gyms are closed, and you have to stay
away from places that everyone else might be going to. Myself personally, I have been going for a
lot of walks and I try to go to places where I can see interesting wildlife, whenever
possible.
So
anyways, on Tuesday, April the 14th, it was a cold, but sunny day,
about 40o Fahrenheit (4o Celsius), although with the
windchill it felt much closer to freezing, when we decided to get out of the
house and get some much needed exercise.
We decided to go to Tifft Nature Preserve, which is only about 4 miles
(6.4 km) from my house, not a very long, unnecessary, trip.
 |
| An excerpt from the Tifft Nature Preserve website, found HERE |
But
what is Tifft Nature Preserve, you ask?
Well, before 1845 it was a typical Great Lakes, lakeshore wetland; then
it became a farm; later a system of canals and railyards; then a dump and since
1972, it has come full circle back to be a lakeshore wetland! In 1845 it was on the edge of the village of
Buffalo and now it is an urban nature preserve surrounded by the city of
Buffalo, New York!
Since
it is spring and Tifft Nature Preserve is a system of lakes and marshes, it is
a natural place for migratory birds to stop and rest on their travels
north. A total of 265 bird species have
been seen in Tifft Nature Preserve and 66 different bird species have been
known to breed here or have been seen during breeding season. Birds that are regularly seen in the preserve
are the common loons, northern harriers, peregrine falcons, common terns and
many others. The nature preserve is also
home to beaver and eastern coyotes, not to mention the ever-present
white-tailed deer.
 |
| Very weathered scat, most likely from an eastern coyote, based on the size and amount of hair, as a comparison the knife in the picture is 5 inches (12.7 cm) long, photograph by the author. |
 |
| Evidence of beavers at work within the nature preserve, photographs by the author. |
The
preserve is also home to a nesting pair of ospreys, and although bald eagles
aren’t common in the preserve, they have been seen there and are becoming more
common in the region around Buffalo, NY.
In 2018 the ospreys nesting in the nesting box above Lake Kirsty in the
Tifft Nature Preserve drove away a bald eagle who wanted to take their nest, HERE.
 |
| An excerpt from the Tifft Nature Preserve, Osprey Cam website, found HERE |
While
out walking we saw the ospreys, who have returned to Tifft each year, since
2011, building a nest above Lake Kirsty.
Unfortunately, the nesting box is on the far side of the lake and it was
too far away to get any good photographs.
We also saw a common loon, which had stopped here on its way north,
diving for fish in the middle of the lake: it was also too far away to get a
good picture.
 |
| The mounds across from Kirsty Lake, photograph by the author. |
 |
| Old Tifft Street, photograph by the author. |
During
our walk up the trail to the North Viewing Blind, on Lisa Pond, I saw a
kingfisher who flew past too fast to do more than say “Hey is that a ...”?! I remember when kingfishers were common in
the 1970s, and then I didn’t see any for a couple of decades. Now, however, I am starting to see them more
often again.
 |
| A canadian goose1 sitting on her nest near the North Viewing Blind on Lisa Pond |
All
in all, we had a great time, we got out of the house, got some much-needed
exercise and saw some cool wildlife! So,
if you are in the Buffalo, New York area, or are going to be, take a trip to Tifft
Nature Preserve! For
more information on trails in the Buffalo, New York area go HERE. If
you don’t live anywhere near the Western New York area, find a nature preserve
near you and get out of the house and get some exercise, just remember to
social isolate and stay six feet (1.8 m) apart, oh, and wear a face mask!
 |
| Two views of Berm Pond, photographs by the author. |
I
hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me
on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.
Don’t forget to follow me on both The
Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE,
and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube. If you have questions, as always, feel free
to leave a comment on either site. I
announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at
bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.
That
is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!
Notes
1
According to Languagehat, while the name for this goose is officially canada goose,
over time, it has become more common to call it canadian goose.
Languagehat,
“Canadian Geese”, January 12, 2004,
Sources
Languagehat,
“Canadian Geese”, January 12, 2004, [Languagehat.com,
© 2020], http://languagehat.com/canadian-geese/,
accessed April 25, 2020
“Tifft
Nature Preserve, Important Bird Areas, New York”, Audubon, [National Audubon
Society], https://www.audubon.org/important-bird-areas/tifft-nature-preserve,
accessed
April 24, 2020
Tifft
Nature Preserve, [Tifft Nature Preserve, © 2020], https://www.tifft.org/,
accessed April 19, 2020
Tifft
Nature Preserve, Osprey Cam, [Tifft Nature Preserve, © 2020], https://www.tifft.org/osprey/,
accessed April 19, 2020
“Tifft Nature Preserve: An Urban Sanctuary”,
Story Teller Signs, [Seaway Trail, Inc., © 2020], http://www.seawaytrail.com/images/storytellers/large/Tifft-Nature-Preserve.jpg, accessed April 19,
2020
“Rare Sighting at Tifft Nature Preserve, Photographer
captures an Osprey & Bald Eagle”, May 17, 2018, WBEN, [Entercom Communications
Corp, © 2020], https://wben.radio.com/articles/rare-sighting-tifft-nature-preserve, accessed April 24,
2020
“Social
distancing recreation in Buffalo: Know where to go”, April 26, 2020 , WBEN, [Entercom Communications Corp, © 2020],
https://wben.radio.com/articles/social-distancing-recreation-in-buffalo-know-where-to-go,
accessed April 26, 2020
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