Beakuency: Bird-Friendly Farms in Hudson Valley! is a community-engaged art project developed with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties. It offers hands-on workshops and a free art zine to highlight local agricultural conservation and explore coexistence. Invasive plants are used as teaching materials in the workshops and to create illustrations for this zine. The materials are collected through local land management practices aimed at restoring ecological balance, which also benefits bird populations.

Two pigment workshops were held in June, one in Acra and one in Hudson, NY. Participants experienced every stage of making lake pigment, except for the final grinding stage in a mortar.

From participants’ feedback:

• I loved your workshop this weekend!! It was such a beautiful yet practical introduction to paint making, and I’m very excited to apply the new skills in my studio soon.

• I went to such a great workshop today on making paint from invasive plants with @mayukof through @ccecgc !! I now have a sense of the process and can’t wait to experiment with making pigments.

I also had a presentation table to share the results from my experiments. If you’re interested, there will be two more workshops in the fall!

Beakuency: Bird-Friendly Farms in Hudson Valley! Art Zine coming soon

I am currently working hard to finish all the illustrations and magazine layouts! It is scheduled for release in mid-July. The first major distribution will happen at the Greene County Youth Fair on July 23 -26, at the CCECG table. Copies will also be available for free at libraries and small businesses across Greene and Columbia Counties.

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CREATE Council on the Arts.

The grant covers the printing costs, but I pay for everything else out of pocket to produce this zine. If you’d like to support this project, you can make a one-time or monthly donation via my newly created Buy Me a Coffee page, or become a paid subscriber of this Beakuency Substack!

Visit Beakuency Buy Me a Coffee

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Stencil Workshop at the Taconic Ridge Farm

Grateful for all the wonderful participants of my stencil workshop at Taconic Ridge Farm! We found design inspiration in the garden, and everyone’s piece came out beautifully. I love seeing how each person brings a different approach to the same process I work with all the time. Some aim for complexity, others for simplicity; some are intuitive, and others methodical. It’s like throwing a stone into water and watching different ripples spread every time, infinite variations of the uniqueness within us. I think art is truly a fun thing.

From participant’s feedback:

I really enjoyed the tactile experience of collecting the plants, being mindful of the kind of shapes that would make compelling cut-outs.

I’m available for hosting art-making workshops!

If you’re interested in having me, please feel free to contact me. I shared some of my ideas about teaching an art workshop in this article.

Columbia County - Alan Devoe Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutCalendar.htm

SAT JUN 6, 2026
CLERMONT (morning)
Coordinator: Nancy Bruno, 518-610-2137
Meet 8 am at the parking lot for the Clermont State Historic Site. One mile north of Tivoli off Route 9G. . Fields, gardens, woods, and river views. Come see why this is one of our more popular walks.

SAT JUN 13, 2026
OOMS CONSERVATION AREA with Columbia Land Conservancy
Coordinator: Joanie Scheu, 845-702-7564
Meet 8:00 at Ooms Conservation Area (480 Rock City Road, Chatham).This property offers beautiful views, trails, and “birdy” habitat. We will be looking for grassland species including Bobolink and Meadowlarks.

Columbia County - Columbia Land Conservancy

Sat, June 6
The Taghkanic Community Forest Grand Opening Day
10am - 3pm. Join friends, volunteers, and fans of the forest to celebrate the opening of CLC’s newest public property – the Taghkanic Community Forest! Drop in to say hello or stay for a whole day of fun. The day is jam-packed with forest-themed festivities including: Bioblitzes where we’ll identify the plants and animals on the property (including a bird walk led by Will Yandik) Kayaking and fishing on the lake, A guided forestry hike with forester Cory Creagan, A birds of prey presentation with Ravensbeard Wildlife Center at 1:00 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

Check out Beakuency interview with TCF committee members!

Dutchess County - Waterman Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/field-trips-2/

Wednesday, June 3
Buttercup West
Leader: Jim Closs (845-663-8264). Meet at parking lot (Stissing Mt. Ln. & right on 22 Mountain Rd., Stanfordville – off Rt.82) at 7:30am.

Sunday June 7
Bashakill North
Leader: Ernie Welch (razor06bill@gmail.com). Please contact Ernie for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, June 10
Southland Farm
Leader: Mona Payton (917- 864-5059). Meet at main parking lot on left side of Rt. 9, Rhinebeck at office at 7:30 am.

Wednesday, June 17
Yellow Frame Farm, Millbrook
Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222) at 7:30 am. Please call Janet for meeting place.

Saturday June 20
Tivoli Bay/Crugers Island
Leader: Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476). Please call Kate for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, June 24
Madam Brett Park
Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at parking lot on Tioronda Ave, Beacon at 7:30am. Take Rte.9D into Beacon. At traffic light intersection of 9D and Tioronda Ave. (before bridge on 9D), turn right and continue on Tioronda Ave., turn left under the old railroad bridge. Parking lot is on left.

Saturday, June 27
Pond Gut
Leaders: Ken & Carol Fredericks (845-452-7619). Please call for time and meeting place.

Dutchess County - New York Audubon

Tue, June 9th and Thu, June 18th
Wildflower & Bird Walk at Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary
6:30 PM - 8 PM. Walk participants will learn about the native and invasive wildflowers found around Dutchess County and look for any grassland breeding birds that nest during the summer at Buttercup Farm. For more information and to purchase ticket, visit here.

Dutchess County - Cary Institute

SAT, June 6
Beginner Bird Walk
8 - 10 am ET, join wildlife biologist Mike Fargione for a beginner bird walk on Cary’s grounds. In this guided walk, participants will learn about principles of birding, how to use field guides and mobile apps, and, of course, how to find and identify birds using binoculars. Whether you are an advanced birder or just starting to recognize your first species, all are welcome to join. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SAT, June 6
Children’s Bird Walk
10-12 am ET, join environmental educator Ashley Alred for a family-friendly springtime bird walk at Cary. This event is open to children ages 12 and under and their families. Practice using binoculars, learn how to identify birds by sight and sound, and apply observation skills to notice amazing bird behaviors as we walk the trails through meadow, forest, and stream ecosystems. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

Ulster County - John Burroughs Natural History Society

For more details & to register, or to check out their nature walks focused on non-bird subjects, please visit: https://jbnhs.org/events/list/

Thu, June 4
SLIDE MTN. BICKNELL’S HIKE
This is an early start to get at the summit at a proper hour. Carpooling from the Kingston Park and Ride or meeting at the trailhead lot on Oliverea Rd. (Cty. Rt. 47). Visit here for more information. Email JBNHSinfo@jbnhs.org to find out more details.

Sat June 6
SUNDOWN FOREST OPEN DISCOVERY
9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Please register with George Moxham (gfmoxham@gmail.com ) for details. Sundown Wild Forest is located in the southern Catskills. We will explore the flora and fauna in this mature second growth forest. For more information, visit here.

Sun June 7
CATSKILL PEAKS THOMAS COLE/BLACK DOME
Contact Dave Hayes (vireo44@gmail.com) to register. Meet at the Kingston Traffic Circle Park & Ride at 6:30AM. This will be an out-and-back hike from Elmer Barnum Road near Maplecrest, NY. For more information, visit here.

Sat June 13
BREEDING BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES
8:00 am - 12:00 pm. The Esopus Creek Conservancy and John Burroughs Natural History Society are co-sponsoring a guided nature walk at Esopus Bend Nature Preserve in Saugerties on Saturday, June 13, 2026, to observe summer breeding birds and butterflies. Please register with the field trip leader Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com )to participate and for meeting time. This joint ECC/JBNHS Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.

Greene County - Larry Federman

June 13 & 27
Piaule Catskill Resort
Mossy Hill Road, Catskill, 8am. Take a walk through the woods with Larry Federman, former president of the Audubon Society of the Northern Catskills. Larry will use various techniques to attract and identify dozens of native bird species. $25. RSVP here.

Greene County - Greene Land Trust

Sunday, June 7
Potic Creek Preserve, Athens
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am. Cost: $10 + fees. Jim Coe, GLT board member and avid birder, will be leading a birding walk on Sunday, June 7th at 8:30am. Join Jim on a walk along the Potic Creek and search for birds that have returned for nesting season, as well as some familiar year-round favorites. All birding levels are welcome. Binoculars will be available for those who need them. RSVP here.

Check out Beakuency interview with Jim Coe!

Berkshire County, MA - Hoffmann Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit: https://hoffmannbirdclub.org/events/

Wed June 3
Birding River Run Farm
5:30 pm. Great Barrington Land Conservancy and the Hoffmann Bird Club are pleased to provide the community with a free guided bird walk at River Run Farm. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

Fri June 5
HBC Members Annual Potluck Picnic
5:00pm Casual birding. 6:00-7:30pm Potluck Dinner and any Club Business. Beverages are provided by the Club. Bring a side dish or dessert to share. Please bring your own place settings and utensils to help lighten the impact on the sanctuary. The Pleasant Valley barn and All Persons Trail are universally accessible. To RSVP, visit here.

Sun June 7
Mount Greylock Birds & Breakfast
6:30 am at Mt. Greylock Visitor’s Center. We will bird Rockwell Road, making several stops driving up the mountain, and at the summit. Breakfast at Bascom Lodge will follow the birding. For more information and to RSVP visit here.

Fri June 12
Pride Picnic and Bird Walk with Mass Audubon
6:00 pm at Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Bring a picnic and look for birds along the trails at Pleasant Valley in celebration of Pride Month. For more information and to RSVP visit here.

Sun June 14
“Top to Bottom” Walk – Williamstown
7:00 am at Haley Farm Trailhead. June is perfect for finding active family groups, parents feeding chicks, and fledglings begging for food. We will choose an active road, meet at the top, leave some cars at each end, then walk leisurely to the bottom while watching and listening to all of the rich activity taking place. For more information and to RSVP visit here.

Sat June 20
Greylock Glen, “Birding By Ear”
7:00 am. On this trip, we will focus on identifying birds through their song using the Merlin cell phone app and our own ears! Learn how to enhance your birding experience beyond identifying bird species and learn about the natural history of the birds we hear. The trip list from last year’s walk is on eBird if you want to look at the species we saw and heard! For more information and to RSVP visit here.

This interview was recorded on May 14, 2026, and originally broadcasted on Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7FM on May 23, 2026. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Interview Transcript

Mayuko Fujino: Thank you so much for taking time today to do this interview with me. Could you introduce yourselves first?

Betsy Albert: Hi, I’m Betsy Albert. I am the committee chair of the Taghkanic Community Forest. I also sit on the town board in the town of the Taghkanic, which is where the community forest is located. And I’m sitting next to my two awesome friends, Pat and Tim!

Pat Knapp: I’m Pat Knapp. I am the Director of Public Lands with Columbia Land Conservancy, and I serve as the CLC staff liaison to the Taghkanic Community Forest Committee.

Tim Kennelty: I’m Tim Kennelty, and I am a member of the committee, and I was on the board of the CLC and a volunteer prior to this.

MF: Could you tell us what Taghkanic Community Forest is?

Pat: The Taghkanic Community Forest is a 502-acre property in the town of Taghkanic that is protected, and will remain a natural area with public access. And what is really unique about it is that it is managed as a community forest, meaning there is a committee of volunteer committee members that help to make management decisions and set the vision and direction for the property. Much of the stewardship is also done by volunteers in a very hands-on and engaged way.

MF: This is the first one in Columbia County.

Pat: It is actually just barely the second one in Columbia County. (laugh) There’s another, in the town of Germantown, they just opened, which is really exciting. (The Theodore Robinson Community Forest) It’s something that we’re seeing a lot throughout the country. I think Vermont’s been doing it for a while, in a town-by-town and county-by-county way. But it is pretty new to Columbia County, and it is brand new to Columbia Land Conservancy. It’s pretty different from how CLC manages our other properties, and the biggest part of that is that we have brought in a big group of people. You know, when we’re thinking about the community part of the community forest, we’re thinking about everyone who’s impacted by having this community resource. So we’re talking about natural resource professionals, trail users, birdwatchers, you name it. We try to bring all of those voices to the table and have a really democratic process about how we are setting the direction and planning to manage this forest.

MF: So starting this community forest, it was the idea of CLC. And this idea came to you because…?

Pat: In part, just out of necessity. You know, I think that CLC is interested in impacting more land. We have kind of shifted into a much more hands-on management style on the lands that we own. We’re trying to use these sites as demonstrations. We’re really managing to improve the ecology of these places, in addition to offering recreational opportunities. And, you know, really, there’s just a capacity issue there. So, the best way we can continue to do this and impact more and more land and create more opportunities ecologically and recreationally is to have more support from the people who use these sites. And if we’re going to ask them to volunteer their time and their effort and make donations, then it seems like the best way to really engage the community is to also include them in the decision-making.

MF: The community around the Taghkanic community forest is clearly really excited, as evidenced by the number of volunteers participating. You mentioned, like, over 100 people come to volunteer. And the attendees at your event, you recently had a talk on butterflies and birds, I was there, and that was a very big group of people with lots of questions to ask. What do you think has been the key to generate this much momentum?

Betsy: I think it works two ways. I think one way is that we are in a community of a lot of engaged people who are already paying a lot of attention to the environment around us, and they’re interested in making it better, taking care of it, learning how to take care of it. And I also think that the CLC is such a powerful, vibrant force in our community. They do so many good things that people are aware of, that people already know about them. And when they start a new initiative, a lot of people know about it, because it’s in this community of people that are really into something like this, the idea of this community forest where it’s managed by a group of local stakeholders with the CLC as our guiding light. You know, because of their depth and breadth of knowledge, despite being a fairly small organization as far as the number of people they have, their resources are incredible. They know so much, they have so many good connections with people. I think that when we first put the application out to ask for people to sign up for volunteers, either in a steward capacity or as a committee member, we were flooded with applications. We had a steering committee, and we had to pick from that deep pool, and so we were able to put this really great group of people together to manage this, because everybody wants to be a part of this great thing that’s going on in our backyard.

Pat: And I would add, you know, it’s really hard to create momentum. When we started talking about this project, and when people realized that this property would become kind of a public resource, there was so much excitement, enthusiasm, and interest in participating. And the trick actually became, how do we maintain the momentum? And I give a lot of credit to Betsy and Tim both for communicating with all of the people of Taghkanic and the surrounding area to say, “this is happening – it’s happening soon – it’s happening now!”. When you’re dealing with a state funding source and a nonprofit land trust, you hear about this property being on the market, and then 2 years later you’re able to go, and it all feels slow. But we have packed the schedule and the timeline with so many different engagement opportunities, and really brought in a lot of people to make this happen. I think that it just felt like we’re hurtling towards opening day.

Betsy: A rocket ship. We’re on a rocket ship. (laughs)

Pat: And for the time that I’ve known Tim, when you bring Tim a problem, whether it’s opening a community forest, how do you build community, how do you build a forest, or, you know, in my personal life, I’ve brought things to Tim where I’ve been grieving, and his solution is almost always, without fail, “you should plant a tree.” (laughs)

Tim: That’s very kind of you. (laughs) We kind of knew we had a pretty good feeling about this, because we had this kind of core group of people who, as Betsy said, were super engaged. And we’ve had these talks, we’ve had events, and we knew that, you know, not just the same people, but large groups of people came, so we knew that this might be something that would really light the fire under them, and it really has.

Pat: We followed Tim’s advice, and we planted trees, and everyone got their hands in the dirt, and put their roots in the ground, and now everyone wants to come back and continue to care for those trees, and continue to be a part of this forest that they helped to build. And I would say these types of engagement opportunities where people can really put their skin in the game. Make them want to keep coming back.

Tim: And I do think if there are other organizations who are interested in doing this, that first event that we had, a tree planting event, just seemed to be the glue that brought everybody together. People were joyous that day, and it’s just something that you can do to make a difference, and you could see it in people’s faces. We were talking the other day about how people met each other who didn’t know each other and were planting a tree together, and you just made bonds.

MF: You said there had been a core group. How was that core group formed in the first place? It sounds like there had been talks and everything that something Tim and Betsy had been organizing?

Betsy: Taghkanic has had a Conservation Advisory Committee for a number of years. We also have a Climate Smart Communities Committee. Two committees have melded together over the years, and it’s a core of about maybe 10 to 15 people who have their pulse on climate mitigation actions. We work together to establish Taghkanic as a bronze community, if you’re familiar with that state program. We did a lot of things, like we installed solar on our highway garage, and we put heat pumps in our town hall. We did a number of climate mitigation actions.

That sort of led into paying more attention to the natural world around us, and what climate change is doing. And then we would sponsor talks at our local firehouse. And people just started to come to them. The surrounding communities all have similar organizations, and we’ve started to collaborate, and people just sort of got the word out. And, you know, Tim has a bit of a following. People that Tim has made a connection with over the years started to come. It’s just grown. You know, our presentations, the last one had over 50 people at it. We have just established a lot of people who are paying attention because we put good programming on.

Tim: Well, and the reason I think we could put good programming on is because we did have this core group of people, so we knew that the speakers would have a good audience, and they were willing to come. And we do have this wealth of expertise in the county about all different things. Birding, I’m sure you know, and forests, it was pretty easy to find these people.

MF: When people try to do initiatives, there’s almost too much emphasis on social media followings, but to hear you talk about how this developed is really more… sounds like human connections first, and that takes time to cultivate it and develop, and there’s no shortcut to get people engaged and participate and excited in it. But I also did notice that there’s some, logistically, really smart about how this committee is run. Like, I thought it was kind of cool how you’re using the Google Groups.

Betsy: This is Pat. Pat does all the cool stuff. Pat really runs the show, he just kind of makes us feel like we’ve got some part in it. Pat does a tremendous amount of stuff. His organizational skills are unbelievable. You know, he has been the mastermind between these two events. Just the logistical stuff that he has to deal with, and he’s the Director of Public Lands at CLC, so you can imagine he’s also looking at a lot of other things as well. They’ve got this great project at High Falls, et cetera, et cetera. Anyways, Pat’s the one that has put all the structure and the framework together for this.

Tim: And when you think about that first tree planting, it was Pat again, who really managed all of this. Betsy and I kind of, like, scratched our heads and said, we’re going to plant over a thousand trees. How are we actually going to do that logistically? And they had a plan to do it. Pat and his wonderful staff had a plan to do it, and it went very smoothly.

Betsy: The day unfolded seamlessly, and it was Herculean. I mean, they augured 1,600 holes beforehand. I mean, they schlepped stuff. What they had to do was unbelievable. And then everybody came waltzing in and stuck a tree in the ground.

Tim: It was all prepped for people to come in and have a good time.

Pat: I think when they say Pat, it also just kind of means CLC. I’m, like, the conduit for CLC to this committee, but, you know, there’s a really good staff and board at CLC. The board really helped us develop the bylaws for the committee, which really acts as, like, guardrails, that hopefully the committee will never even really need to bump into, because I think that we’ve put together a really good group of people who all share a lot of common goals, and the direction seems pretty clear. We’re going to have some facilitated conversations to set. More of a strategic vision and master plan for the site. So the more everyone is kind of on the same page, the less we need those guardrails, and it just kind of feels like we’re all just having fun, kind of working towards a common goal.

Betsy: By and large. We should definitely mention Heidi Bock, because she was instrumental in all of this as well. And Jen Rosette, she is the Conservation Education Manager. Jen has a tremendous amount to do with putting these events together. These women both have superpowers. It’s really been great. And we’re trying, as part of this model, to take some of the burden of the work off of them, right, so that they can do more, which is another one of the facets of this whole thing, getting management and stewardship of this forest in a different group of hands. So we’re trying to deal with some of the day-to-day stuff, but we fall back on these guys all the time.

MF: I was impressed by how it’s structured and how there’s clarity there, because I’m still relatively new to the area, you know, I wouldn’t know a lot of people here. But I could get a clear sense of, “oh, this is happening soon, these are what the people like, and they’re very excited”, it’s all there in the Google Group, so I quite enjoy reading the threads.

MF: You chose Barred Owl to be the mascot. Why did you choose Barred Owl?

Tim: We didn’t really choose the Barred Owl, the whole group chose the Barred Owl.

Betsy: We voted on it. We voted on it at the tree planting. We had a list of different animals, birds, and plants. And we ended up with the Barred Owl.

Pat: CLC’s other 10 properties each have a mascot, and it’s typically a plant or an animal that you might run into at that property. For this property, it was fun to kind of turn that to a vote. We gave a little bit of a justification for each thing that we might be voting on, and Barred Owl won, resoundingly. What’s been fun is, there’s one kind of potential trail that we’ve flagged out and mapped, and then before we did the work to open the trail, we worked with Farmscape Ecology Program and Gretchen Stevens who’s one of our committee members, also the Director Emeritus of Hudsonia. And they did a survey of that potential trail to make sure that we weren’t disturbing any sensitive habitats, or going through any rare or threatened plant species. In Gretchen’s survey, she observed a Barred Owl on the future Barred Owl Trail, so it felt serendipitous, yeah.

MF: Good. So you have it there.

Betsy: Yeah, the guy, the stewards working on the trails have seen Barred Owls twice now, I think?

MF: Because birders would expect to see it if you put it as a mascot.

Tim: Don’t worry, it will be there.

MF: Yeah, that’s good. I remember going to that location way before. We had a really good look at the Red-breasted Nuthatch. And it was nesting, and it was great. And I think we had a Common Loon in that little pond. Have you got Common Loon since?

Pat: That same winter, they were hanging around for a couple weeks, but I think they were just passing through. So after you all saw the loons, we went out there and got to take a look at them, too.

MF: I’m very excited to go back there for birding purposes. Will there be a…

Tim: We wanna come with you.

MF: What’s that?

Tim: We want to come with you when you go out there birding.

MF: Yeah, I wanna go with you guys. Are you planning on doing bird walks, I hope?

Betsy: Yeah, June 6th. Be there or be square.

Tim: Yeah, that’s right.

MF: Oh yeah, that’s the grand opening.

Pat: And that’s going to be centered around a BioBlitz, so we’ll be working with experts in different fields to get a baseline on everyone that we share that space with. And Will Yandik is going to be leading a bird walk as part of that.

MF: That’s great. Do you want to give us a date and a time of the event, again? June 6th, that’s Saturday.

Pat: 10 to 3.

MF: And when is Will doing the bird walk?

Betsy: The walks are going to begin at 11, and end at 2, at some point during that window.

Pat: But we’ll have a schedule of events as we get closer to the event.

Betsy: Shaping it up now.

Pat: If people are interested in signing up for the opening day on June 6th, you can find that on CLC’s event page, columbialand.org. And then find the events calendar.

MF: And there’ll be raptors, I heard.

Betsy: The Raptors station will be at 1 o’clock in the afternoon.

MF: Who’s bringing the raptors?

Pat: Raven’s Beard [Wildlife Center.]

MF: That’s very cool. And, in the future, after Saturday, June 6th, I hope there’ll be, like maybe Will Yandik can lead regular bird walks.

Tim: If we can convince him. He’s a busy man. Maybe you will. We’re inviting you now, officially. We’re putting you on the spot. Are you gonna do a regular bird walk there for us?

MF: Oh, I’d be happy to join.

Betsy: No, we’d like you to lead one.

MF: Oh! Well, I should scout.

Tim: You wondered how, you know, we get all these people. It’s because we pressure them on radio shows.

MF: Right, publicly. (laughs) I see that’s how you got the momentum.

Betsy: I would like to mention that on our BioBlitz, not only are we having Will Yandik do birding, Gretchen Stevens is leading a plant walk, Helen Forgione is also leading a plant walk, we’ve got a salamander walk being led by Jim McDarby, teacher at Hudson High School.

Pat: And then separately, we’ll have a walk with our forester, who’s been helping us develop a forest stewardship plan. So we’ll be able to talk to folks a little bit about that, and get some more feedback about some big projects that could be coming up.

Betsy: Addison Kubik from PRISM is gonna be leading us on a walk, looking at invasives. The invasive clearing work that we’ve done, healthier areas of the forest, kind of helping people identify problem areas so that when they do go in a stewardship capacity, they can start working to make the forest a better place.

MF: How do you envision the future? Like, say, 10 years, 20 years?

Betsy: Well, that’s the big question. You know, one of the biggest problems that these community forests have is sustainability, keeping people interested and engaged, and that’s one of the big challenges. We’re coming out of the gate really strong, and we’re all trying to do everything we can to keep the momentum going, and I think that has a lot to do. We have to keep getting people engaged. So talking to people like you, helping us get the word out, is a really, a great benefit to us, and we appreciate that.

MF: Are you planning to get students involved?

Betsy: That’s one of the things that’s on Jen’s plate. She’s doing sort of community outreach with some of the schools and some of the youth groups around here. You know, there are a lot of interesting groups like Kite’s Nest, the folks up at Hawthorne Valley, the local schools in the area. We’re gonna try to do outreach to all of those. If anybody’s listening, we would love to work with you, partnership in some way, with any one of those groups.

MF: Thank you very much.

Red-breasted Nuthatch at the Taghkanic Community Forest

Bird-inspired Music of the Month

Stencil Cut & Paint Workshop on May 31 (Hillsdale)

WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE WEEKEND is a weekend festival of hands-on learning, creativity, and community with over 26 workshops and events. For more information, please visit here. I was asked to answer some questions for the Meet the Instructors section of their website, and thought it’s a nice thing to share here as well.

Q&A

What will participants learn in your workshop?

How to cut and paint with stencils, and how to find freedom within limitations. Stenciling is a technique with a lot of constraints, but those constraints can actually be inspiring and liberating.

How did you first get into your craft?

When I was a teenager, a local history museum in my grandmother’s neighborhood in Tokyo held an exhibition of Katazome 型染 (traditional Japanese stencil printing) by Serizawa Keisuke 芹沢銈介, a central figure in the Mingei folk art movement of the early 20th century. I started teaching myself how to make cutout pieces afterward.

What do you love most about teaching workshops?

Learning a skill gives you joy and confidence that nothing can take away. I think it’s important to have that one unshakeable source of joy, no matter what you’re going through. I love being able to help make that happen for others.

What can someone expect to walk away with after your class?

A versatile technique that can be applied not only on paper, but on other materials such as fabric, interior walls, and murals. A stencil and a painting they made themselves. And a feeling of “oh, it’s really not that hard to be creative.”

Can you share a favorite moment from teaching or creating?

Learning from participants’ work. I once taught stenciling to 3rd graders and found myself thinking, “Maybe I should be a little less precise with my cut lines to create more dynamic compositions.”

How would you describe your teaching style?

I’m a product of DIY culture: anti-hierarchy, self-taught, and collaborative, so I’m there to share what I know, but equally interested in learning from participants. I try to create a flat space.

What’s a small tip or insight you wish every beginner knew?

What makes a piece of art beautiful is not your skill level, but honesty. Let your work stand on its own, without self-deprecation or grand statements, but just plainly: this is what I’ve got, this is who I am.

What do you love about working in the Hudson Valley / Roe Jan region?

I love finding inspiration and subjects in the Roe Jan natural landscapes. They are not only beautiful, but shelter threatened species, including the Bobolink, a grassland bird that nests in Roe Jan Park. It’s quite special, and not something any of us should take for granted.

Join us!

Join us as we venture into nature to find simple shapes and transform them into unique stencil designs. Participants will create stencil paintings on paper to take home, using cutting tools with safety guidance provided. All materials are included, and the workshop is suitable for beginners.

Fee: $75 + taxes, all materials included. RSVP here.

Paint Making with Invasive Plants Workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties (Acra, Hudson)

Sunday June 7th (Acra) RSVP here.
Saturday, June 13 (Hudson) RSVP here.

1-3pm. Fee $45, all materials included.

Through mini presentations and hands-on paint-making, workshops introduce participants to bird species on farms and invasive plant management that supports their conservation. Asian invasive plants such as Toringo crabapple and Multiflora rose, collected at Hawthorne Valley Farm with guidance from professionals, are used as teaching materials.

While acknowledging their impact on local ecosystems, participants learn the plants’ names, cultural significance, and uses in Japan. Participants take part in a hands-on session making paint from invasive species, creating a positive relationship with these otherwise harmful plants.

Participants will take home a bottle of plant paint and a list of low-cost, recycled-material options that allow them to continue paint-making independently.

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CREATE Council on the Arts.

Columbia County - Alan Devoe Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutCalendar.htm

SAT MAY 9, 2026
OLANA
Coordinator: Frank Smith, 917-254-1237
Meet 8:00 am at the lower parking lot (by the large barn and pond) at Olana State Historic Site, Route 9G. Join us for this very popular (birders & birds) walk through Olana’s artist-designed landscape while keeping eyes and ears open for spring migrants and breeding residents.

SAT MAY 16, 2026
CENTURY RUN
Coordinator: Sue Senecah, 518-210-3027
Join Alan Devoe Bird Club members and friends as we try to see and hear over 100 species in one day. Potluck lunch and tally at Sue Senecah’s (435 Bushnell Road, Chatham) the following day (Sunday May 17th) at 4:00 pm. This is our Club’s main fund-raising event of the year. Please consider participating and/or sponsoring a birder.

SUN MAY 17, 2026
RAIL TRAIL WITH NYS YOUNG BIRDERS
Coordinators: Marian Sole & Autumn Hopkins, 203-710-9096
Join ADBC and the NYSOA Young Birders as we search for warblers along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Cerulean Warblers have been sighted on this stretch in past seasons. Meet 7:30 am at the trail designated parking area on Under Mountain Road, off Route 22 in Copake NY. If coming from the South on Route 22 turn right 9.1 miles from Millerton. If you come from the North on Route 22, Under Mountain Road is on the left 8.8 miles from Hillsdale town center.

SAT MAY 23, 2026
P.S. 21 CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE
Coordinator: Mayuko Fujino, 347-237-0935
Meet 8:00 am in the main parking lot at 2980 Route 66, Chatham. We will be joined by members of the Feminist Bird Club as we explore the trails & property around PS 21 and the adjacent Crellin Community Park.

SAT MAY 30, 2026
SKY HIGH FARM
Coordinator: Sarah Workneh, 312-545-5361
Meet 8:00 am at 1131 County Route 7 in Ancram (the former Sigler Farm). This will be our second public walk at Sky High Farm. The team at Sky High Farm has been busy working on sustainable farming techniques. We are excited to survey the evolving bird life in the fields and border habitat.

Dutchess County - Waterman Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/field-trips-2/

Sunday, May 3
Fahnestock State Park
Leader: To be announced.

Wednesday, May 6
Ferncliff
Leader: Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476).
Meet there (Mt. Rutsen Rd., Rhinebeck) at 7:30am.

Sunday, May 10
Bashakill
Leader: Ernie Welch (email: razor06bill@gmail.com). Please contact for time & meeting place.

Wednesday, May 13
Peach Hill Park
Leader: Ernie Welch (email: razor06bill@gmail.com). Meet at the parking lot, Edgewood Rd., off Salt Pt. Turnpike, (look for signs, directions on website at 7:30am.

Saturday, May 16
May Census

Wednesday, May 20,
Nuclear Lake
Leaders: Ken & Carol Frederick (845-452-7619). Meet at the intersection of Rt.55 and 150 Old Rt.55 in Poughquag at 7:30am.

Saturday, May 23
Poet’s Walk
Leader: Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476). Please call for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, May 27
Tamarack Preserve
Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at club house parking lot on Turkey Hollow Rd. (turn off Rt. 44 – #4754 Rt.44, Millbrook, before Amenia) at 7:30am. Plan to carry lunch.

Ulster County - John Burroughs Natural History Society

For more details & to register, or to check out their nature walks focused on non-bird subjects, please visit: https://jbnhs.org/events/list/

SAT, May 2
JBNHS ULSTER COUNTY BIG SIT 2026
JBNHS’ 11 th annual Big Sit is also our BIG fundraiser for the year (that’s why we do ours in May) but serves too as a friendly competition between established sits. The challenge is twofold; first how many species can you identify by sight and sound from a 17’ diameter circle and more importantly how many friends and family can you get to pledge to your effort. To learn how to join and/or donate, please visit here.

SUN, May 3
SPRING MIGRATION AT NYQUIST- HARCOURT WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
7:00 am - 12:00 pm. This Wallkill Valley Land Trust holding is 56 acres of floodplain forest and an oxbow wetland that has frontage along the Wallkill River and neighbors a community garden. These habitats have a network of trails that make birding easy but occasionally wet (mucks are always a good idea here). Meet up will be at the municipal lot just off 133 Huguenot Street in the Village of New Paltz. Please register with trip leader Deb Weltsch (dwelstch13@gmail.com ) to attend.

SUN, May 3
SPRING TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK ESOPUS BEND NATURE PRESERVE
9:00 am - 12:00 pm. It’s a wonderful time of year to visit the Esopus Creek Conservancy’s Esopus Bend Nature Preserve regardless of the focus but a true joy to celebrate the woody plants and trees in the preserve with some giant specimens of several species to enjoy. Make sure to bring along binoculars to help with bud and flower identification if not for looking at a tree top warbler. Other signs of spring flora and fauna will be noted along this walk as well. Please make sure to register with Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com) for this co-sponsored outing. Please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org to learn about other outings and ways to support and volunteer at the preserve.

MON, May 4
SPRING MIGRATION AT HIGH BANKS
6:00 am - 10:00 pm. An early morning visit during spring migration to this Scenic Hudson property in the Town of Esopus should provide a generous selection of neotropical migrants. Please register with trip leader Jessica Cukrovany (procolinos@gmail.com). There is an initial climb of 200 feet on the trail, but walking is easy after that and a panoramic view of the mid-Hudson Valley can be enjoyed while scanning the treetops for colorful songsters.

THU, May 7
PEACH HILL SPRING MIGRATION
7:00 am - 12:00 pm. This 159-acre park is a former apple orchard and is the highest point in Poughkeepsie. All attributes making it a great location to receive spring migrants and if conditions and timing are right, a very good fall out spot for new arrivals in the morning. Please register with Tracy Little (mycoleydog@netscape.net ) to plan your morning. Meet at Peach Hill Park (32 Edgewood Drive Poughkeepsie NY12603) at 7:00 AM or at the Kingston Thruway traffic circle park and ride to carpool at 6:15 AM.

THU, May 7
NATURE WALK KINGSTON O&W TRAIL
8:30 am - 10:00 am. A series of local walks planned to start the day right with fresh air, shining sun, and birds singing. These will be short, easy strolls designed to have you home earlier to be a “productive” part of society (domestic chores) yet allowing an hour and a half of escapism and camaraderie from said society. This particular walk will explore the Kingston portion of the paved O&W rail trail. Meet up for this walk is at parking lot at 495 Washington Ave. Please register with Charlotte Adamis (charlotteadamis@gmail.com) to find out meet-up location and other details.

FRI, May 9
ULSTER COUNTY SPRING CENSUS: BIG DAY COUNT
This is the day we all look forward to…. the holiest day of the year! Spend the whole day in the field or just a few hours…. who knows what may be found? Refer to your copy of Where to Bird in Ulster County or visit www.jbnhs.org for good birding locations. Submit your report in checklist order to Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com ) or P.O. Box 214, Saugerties, NY 12477). This information is combined in a regional report published by the New York State Ornithological Association.

WED, MAY 13
SPRING MIGRATION AT IMMIGRANT’S WAY
7:00 A.M. Please register with trip leader Mark DeDea (forsythnature@aol.com ) to participate on this easy walk along the paved Empire State Trail that runs parallel to Hudson River through Ulster County’s newest state park. We will start at Kingston Point Beach and walk north to East Kingston (round trip of a little more than four miles).

THU, MAY 14
NATURE WALK KINGSTON GREENLINE WEST
8:30 A.M. Join in on a new series of local walks planned to start the day right with fresh air, shining sun, and birds singing. These will be short, easy strolls designed to have you home earlier to be a “productive” part of society (domestic chores) yet allowing an hour and a half of escapism and camaraderie from said society. This particular walk will explore the western end of the KingstonGreenline along the Midtown Linear Park. Please register with Charlotte Adamis (charlotteadamis@gmail.com ) to find out meet up location and other details.

THU, MAY 21
NATURE WALK KINGSTON WVRT/ROCKWELL
8:30 A.M. Join in on a new series of local walks planned to start the day right with fresh air, shining sun, and birds singing. These will be short, easy strolls designed to have you home earlier to be a “productive” part of society (domestic chores) yet allowing an hour and a half of escapism and camaraderie from said society. This particular walk on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail just outside of the City limits has a nice blend of mixed hardwood/hemlock woods and a powerline cut that runs parallel to the trail, this varietyof habitat is home to quite a few breeding birds. Please register with Charlotte Adamis (charlotteadamis@gmail.com ) to find
out meet up location and other details

SAT, MAY 23
SPRING MIGRATION AT BASHAKILL WMA
The “Bash” is considered one of the best birding locations in our region, especially during spring migration with hopes of species like Prothonotary and Cerulean for the day list. It is wonderful to again have this trip on our schedule and shouldn’t be missed. Please email Tracy Little (mycoleydog@aol.com ) with questions or to register. Meet up to carpool at the Kingston Park and Ride (I-587/Exit 19 Roundabout) for a 6:00 A.M. departure or meet at the “Birder’s parking lot” (turn left off of Haven
Rd. after crossing the Bashakill) for a 7:00 A.M. start time.

THU, MAY 28
NATURE WALK KINGSTON WILTWYCK CEMETERY
8:30 A.M. Join in on a new series of local walks planned to start the day right with fresh air, shining sun, and birds singing. These will be short, easy strolls designed to have you home earlier to be a “productive” part of society (domestic chores) yet allowing an hour and a half of escapism and camaraderie from said society. This particular walk will explore one of Kingston’s oldest green spaces; with a blend of historic headstones, grand old trees, and one of the better spots for birding in Kingston during spring migration. Please register with Charlotte Adamis (charlotteadamis@gmail.com ) to find out meet up location and other details.

Greene County - Larry Federman

Spring Birding Series at RamsHorn
Every Friday, ending on May 29th
Meet at the RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary parking lot at the end of Grandview Avenue in the Village of Catskill at 7:30am. The cost is $10/pp. Contact lgambon@gmail.com for questions.

Berkshire County, MA - Hoffmann Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit: https://hoffmannbirdclub.org/events/

SAT May 2
Birding for beginners, Adams
9:00 am. New to birding? Not sure where to start? This session will start with a discussion on basic tools, practices, and strategies for identifying birds and connecting with your local environment. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN May 3
Cummington
7:50 am. Old Creamery Co-Op 445 Berkshire Trail, Cummington, MA. Search for American Bittern, waterthrushes, Virginia Rails, cuckoos & more! This trip involves driving to 4-6 birding spots, some easy to moderate walking on grassy paths or along roadsides. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN May 3
Birds and Blooms, Bartholomew’s Cobble
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Bartholomew’s Cobble 105 Weatogue Road, Sheffield, MA. Join naturalist Zach Adams for a guided walk along the Housatonic River looking for spring ephemerals and migrating warblers. Bartholomew’s Cobble is famous for its spring wildflowers and is the top birding location in the Berkshires according to eBird. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

WED May 6
Privacy Campground, Hancock
7:00 am. Privacy Campground 2458 Hancock Road, Williamstown, MA. Join us to look for warblers and other spring migrants on trails winding through 485 acres, including a pond and brook, woods, and loads of birdy brush. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

FRI May 8
Joffe Nature Sanctuary
8:00 am. Joffe Nature Sanctuary is a New Marlborough Land Trust property. The property consists of two interlocking loop trails, ideal for families with children. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SAT May 9
Monument Mountain in May, Great Barrington
8:00 am. Meet at the Flag Rock Trailhead parking area on Rt.183 in Housatonic just north of Taft Farms. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN May 10
New Ashford
7:00 am. Join us to explore birding spots in the New Ashford area. Meet at JW Kelly’s Real Estate, Route 7, New Ashford. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

WED May 13
Hand Hollow Conservation Area and Ooms Pond, East Chatham, NY
7:00 am. Morning walk in search of warblers and other migrants. The Hand Hollow portion is an easy 2-hour walk. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

FRI May 15
75th Annual Century Run 🍎
Join a team and continue the tradition of a Big Day! For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN May 17
Bobolinks at Field Farm, Williamstown
7:00 am. Field Farm 554 Sloan Road, Williamstown, MA. Join leader Peter Rogers to view the breeding Bobolinks at the peak of their activity! For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

WED May 20
Tyringham
7:00 am. Big Y (Lee) 10 Pleasant St, Lee, MA. Search for spring migrating and resident warblers, flycatchers, swallows, and raptors at several sites in the beautiful Tyringham Valley. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SAT May 23
October Mountain State Forest
7:00 am. Join our annual trip to October Mountain State Forest. This trip involves driving to multiple birding spots with some walking along roadsides. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN May 24
Springside Park (Spring trip)
7:00 am. 874 North Street, Pittsfield, MA. Look for migrating songbirds and sparrows at the largest municipal park in Pittsfield, walking some of the many woodland trails on the 237 acres. For more information and to RSVP, visit here.

Berkshire County, MA - Berkshire Bird Observatory

Weekly Spring Bird Walks

Ben Nickley, of Berkshire Bird Observatory, leads a weekly bird walk right in the town of Great Barrington. Come explore GBLC’s wonderful Riverfront Trail with us in pursuit of birds while enjoying the onset of spring in good company.

Our Spring Bird Walk series will run from April through May. Our group meets outside the Berkshire Food Co-op at 5:00 PM each Tuesday. Learn to find, identify and more fully appreciate our migratory and resident birds on these community bird walks. Meet other wonderful people while exploring outside together! Bring binoculars if you have them--if not, we can share. Everyone is welcome! Beginners are especially encouraged to join.

These bird walks are free and open to all. Please consider supporting BBO’s nonprofit work by making a donation here.

Event date/time: Every Tuesday at 5:00 PM (April through May 2026)

Event Address: Berkshire Food Co-op, 34 Bridge St, Great Barrington, MA 01230
Contact us at: ben@berkshirebirds.org
In collaboration with Great Barrington Land Conservancy (GBLC) and Berkshire Food Co-op

Register Here.

I was blasting this song from 1980 driving to invasive plant removal volunteering at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, thinking it would be a good track to start a set with when I DJ for the reception party of the invasive plant art show that I’m dreaming of.

Hi, everybody!

We are YMO from Tokyo, Japan

We don’t sightsee, we dance!

Now, ‘Tighten Up’ was very popular in Houston, Texas

With Archie Bell & the Drells

Now, we are the number one!

And then it suddenly occurred to me: the last time we were considered invaders wasn’t the Second World War, but when we were called “economic ANIMALS,” a phrase that followed Japan's postwar economic boom, as its exports and investments flooded global markets. Which is what this song was making fun of – the dehumanizing depiction of Japanese people, and the awkwardness of navigating that moment on the world stage.

Back when that country was thriving, metaphors characterized Japan as an “invading force,” or an enemy that resorted to “sneak attack,” and Japanese trade and investment in the United States was described as “war.” Using militaristic language and viewing your “enemy” as a monolithic force that strips individuality seems pretty similar to what I see in the native vs. non-native/invasive plant conversation.

The question is, is that approach truly helpful?

The militaristic mindset can obscure the science of how these plants function in each local natural landscape. According to Dr. Bernd Blossey’s presentation, Invasive Plants as Agents of Change or Symptoms of Other Stressors*, organized by Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley, there are 4,259 field studies on 104 invasive species, of which 5 species represent 33% of studies. I’m no expert, but that doesn’t sound like we have much data to define what this big group of 'non-native/invasive' plants are doing individually. And yet the war is already declared among some.

He questioned the conventional idea that non-native plants are inherently destructive to ecosystems and advocated for a shift toward evidence-based management and long-term monitoring. The piece of information that most excited the audience: don’t pull Garlic mustard.

I watched another of his presentations, When Doing Nothing is the Best Invasive Plant Management Tool**, to understand more. My crude understanding is that initially Garlic mustard conditions the soil to its advantage in the competition with other plants. But eventually this condition creates microbial communities that are suppressive to Garlic mustard. If you pull it, you may just be getting in the way of that process.

Dr. Blossey also says earthworms make way for Garlic mustard. The plant is taking advantage of a situation that was already in motion. As he puts it: “it’s a follower not a preparer for ecosystems to deteriorate.”

Which brings me to this, from the New York Times, August 28, 1972***:

Japan Fills a Vacuum Regional leaders talk of balancing major-power influence, but they remain wary of the intentions of Moscow and Peking. Europe’s colonial stamp on the region ended symbolically last year when the British withdrew from Singapore. America’s military grip was loosened and its economic energy sapped on the battlefields of Vietnam. And into the vacuum Japan has marched.

I understand the urgency, but to wait and observe, even in dire situations, can be a practical path. Not to neglect, but because there is no shortcut for true understanding. We don't want to act on incomplete information and make things worse, just to get away from fear of losing control and changes to come. The Garlic mustard case suggests exactly that. I think it comes down to this 13th century writing, if you’ll excuse me for being very stereotypically Japanese in quoting it:

The knell of the bells at the Gion temple echoes the impermanence of all things.
The colour of the flowers on its double-trunked tree reveals the truth that to flourish is to fall.
He who is proud is not so for long, like a passing dream on a night in spring.
He who is brave is finally destroyed, to be no more than dust before the wind.

祇園精舍の鐘の声、諸行無常の響きあり。娑羅双樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理をあらはす。驕れる人も久しからず、ただ春の夜の夢のごとし。猛き者もつひにはほろびぬ、ひとへに風の前の塵に同じ。

This is a hard philosophy, especially when your livelihood is at stake. But I do think this centuries-old wisdom is sometimes the right approach: things change, not because they are bad or evil, not necessarily because you TRY, but simply because nothing lasts forever. The anxiety of the “war” mindset prevents you from seeing the reality. Nature is resilient, and it may have better ideas than what you think to be a "solution." Meanwhile, we need to have courage to choose not to live in fear and declare a war, despite the uncertainty, but choose to live with curiosity and patience to all of our fellow beings. If not for the world, for the sake of our own well-being.

*Morning Coffee: Invasive Plants as Agents of Change or Symptoms of Other Stressors by Bernd Blossey, Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley

**When Doing Nothing is the Best Invasive Plant Management Tool by Bernd Blossey, the New York Invasive Species Research Institute

***Japan Tightens Her Economic Grip On Nations of East and South Asia By James P. Sterba Special to The New York Times Aug. 28, 1972

Additional reference: Lex, Andrea Louise. Japan Bashing and the Image of Japan in the American Press. MS thesis, Iowa State University, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, 1993.

San Jose Scale

I was introduced to San Jose Scale at Rose Hill Farm. In their active stage, they are crawlers, and then they create waxy little bumps on the surface of tree branches and take cover under those bumps. Inside the bark, the branch is stained a reddish-purple color. This is the result of the scales sucking plant juices and injecting a toxin. But the purple color is beautiful, and Kevin and Dallas at the farm thought it might be an interesting thing for me to experiment with.

I know that cochineal has been used historically to produce purple pigment. I don’t know exactly which cochineal, but since these insects are supposedly related, and since they are producing purple inside the branches, it would be very cool if I could make purple out of them!

At home, I sat and shaved the branch bark, and tiny, shiny, translucent fragments covering the bumps fell all over my knees. It was strange to think that underneath my fingers were literally thousands of tiny insects, all still. I had never even imagined such a way of living. Why are there such things as San Jose Scales? But then, why is there such a thing as myself, if you really think about it?

Natural pigments never seem to give me what I imagine from what I can see on the surface. The pigment from the infested branches produced a slightly green-tinted yellow, something I have come to expect from apples. Also, from what I could see in the information online, San Jose scales / crawlers are yellow, unlike the purple cochineal used for dye, so maybe it is their yellow too. I used it to paint the acrobats in the center of this painting.

Maybe I need to collect the crawlers and see what I can extract from the insects themselves, rather than from the infested branches, so I can tell exactly whether this particular yellow comes from the apple or from the insect. But Kevin said he was going to treat the tree, so for the sake of the orchard’s health, hopefully I won’t have a sample any time soon!

The image below is from an article Time for San Jose scale, Nikki Rothwell, Michigan State University Extension, and John Wise, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Entomology - August 21, 2007.

Japanese Honeysuckle’s bright yellow

The pigment produced from Japanese honeysuckle leaves is the yellow of male American goldfinch in spring.

Other colors are from Multiflora rose, Toringo crab apple, Common buckthorn, Japanese barberry, hand-cut and stencil painted on paper, 11x14 inches. This image was created inspired by my interview with David Newman and Spencer Crawford, sharing their insights around holistic land management at Arthur's Point Farm is building habitat, supporting biodiversity, and inviting us all to tend the land.

Related Article

Upcoming Event

Stencil Cut & Paint Workshop at WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE WEEKEND
May 31, 2026, 1pm-3pm at Taconic Ridge Farm (Hillsdale, NY)

Join us as we venture into nature to find simple shapes and transform them into unique stencil designs. Participants will create stencil paintings on paper to take home, using cutting tools with safety guidance provided. All materials are included, and the workshop is suitable for beginners.

Fee: $75 + taxes, all materials included. RSVP here.

WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE WEEKEND is a weekend festival of hands-on learning, creativity, and community with over 26 workshops and events. For more information, please visit here.

Paint Making with Invasive Plants Workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties - ACRA & HUDSON
June 7 & June 13, 2026 1pm- 3pm

Fee $45, all materials included. RSVP here.

When I visited the Berkshire Botanical Garden on April 4th, I saw these strange purple things poking their heads up out of the ground here and there.

Eric, the Director of Horticulture at the garden, told me they were Japanese butterbur. I looked it up and learned it was ふき (Fuki). I grew up eating this, but I had only ever seen it in a grocery store or on a table! It made me think of my mother who would cook it for us when I was a child.

*Update: this plant may actually be Petasites hybridus, European Butterbur, rather than Petasites japonicus which is what I grew up eating - further looking into this.

There were many brown dead stems and leaves from last year lying around the flowers. I looked inside of the stem and extracted some white fiber. Apparently, in Hokkaido (the large island in the north), they produce 富貴紙 (Fukigami), a handmade washi paper. This means the production process has been fully established and can be scaled up successfully. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. I think someone should send someone (or me!) to Hokkaido to learn the skills and bring them back!

The paper is crafted from the skin discarded in the preparation of Fuki for the food market. So I guess people here need to start eating Fuki as well. It’s delicious! I haven’t eaten it forever and can’t wait to try it this summer as well as making paper.

Also, an exciting collaboration with the Berkshire Botanical Garden is happening this year. More on this project in the future.

Japanese barberry in spring

Participated in invasive plant removal at the Buttercup Audubon Sanctuary on April 6th. I worked mostly on Japanese barberry, so that’s the harvest of the day.

But what a prickly plant this is. I get stabbed collecting them, and I get stabbed preparing them for pigment extraction. Is this any way to treat your countrymen?

Yet I’ve come to love the warm gray that Japanese barberry bark yields (shown in the closeup shot of my painting below), so I must keep taking the abuse. It’s been a mystery to me why the inner branches and roots are such bright yellow — almost neon — and yet the color I extract is gray. How the color shifts from one to another in this process reminds me that colors are not separate; they are seamlessly connected, truly a spectrum, and every time I witness for the first time this mysterious transition, from the dye water to the filtering stage, dried up and then ground, I am amazed. It often brings to mind the line “Green is the true color of the sun” from Haruomi Hosono’s 1993 track Laughter Meditation.

I was also struck by how different this plant looks now compared to what I harvested last November. It’s spring, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was very much a “did you get a haircut?” moment. Tiny green leaves are popping out. I noticed two variations in the stems, both close to the ground and similar in thickness, but one is reddish and the other light gray, both different from the dark branches I’d been working with.

I asked Dave Decker, the land steward of New York Audubon, and he told me the reddish one is younger and the other older. I’ve cooked each separately to see if they yield different pigments. The younger one seems to have produced a much darker gray, the other the warm gray I’ve become familiar with. I’m still waiting for them to dry. Everything about this process is endlessly fascinating. I can’t wait to paint with them.

Bright Yellow of Honeysuckle

While birding with the gang at the Drowned Lands Swamp on April 7th, I collected a few Honeysuckle branches along the trail. Thanks to Kathy Schneider in the gang, one of my birding mentors and also a master gardener, I didn’t have to worry about misidentifying plants. The honeysuckle was already starting to leaf out. I meant to experiment with the bark, but since the leaves came with it, I thought, why not experiment with them too? The leaves amounted to 3.6g.

The color the leaves yielded shocked me. It’s SO bright! I had been so used to the muted colors these plants from the winter produce (and coming from eastern Japan, I’m naturally a sucker for muted color palettes). But this yellow feels like truly a color of something forcefully striving to thrive. And I guess of course it is. It came from baby leaves. “Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May” came to mind. I’ve heard that colors from flower petals and leaves are not as lightfast as those yielded from roots and bark. But I will find out.

Upcoming Events

Stencil Cut & Paint Workshop at WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE WEEKEND
May 31, 2026, 1pm-3pm at Taconic Ridge Farm (Hillsdale, NY)

Join us as we venture into nature to find simple shapes and transform them into unique stencil designs. Participants will create stencil paintings on paper to take home, using cutting tools with safety guidance provided. All materials are included, and the workshop is suitable for beginners.

Fee: $75 + taxes, all materials included. RSVP here.

WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE WEEKEND is a weekend festival of hands-on learning, creativity, and community with over 26 workshops and events. For more information, please visit here.

Paint Making with Invasive Plants Workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties - ACRA & HUDSON
June 7 & June 13, 2026 1pm- 3pm

Fee $45, all materials included. RSVP here.

I received an inspiring comment / question from for my previous post For Integration, Against Demonization. I wrote a reply, and then thought it deserves its own post, with some further thoughts.

Have thought about the invasive-species/human-colonizer parallels a lot recently, especially with yellow crazy ants, this is really nice material for reflection! I've wondered if treating humans and nonhumans on more equitable grounds would invest invasive species (especially those as aggressive, organized, and exploitative as yellow crazy ants) with meaningful responsibility for their roles in ecological destruction, and where the implications of that could(/should) end up.

I think demonization and accountability are two different things. Accountability is necessary and must be assessed proportionately and specifically to the damage caused. In the case of a species, that would mean being removed from a particular area because of the concrete harm it causes there. In the case of immigration, people can and should be deported for specific violations of specific laws. A country cannot accept an infinite number of immigrants, especially those who do not comply with the regulations in place.

But as someone who has jumped through the hoops of immigration, my question is: are those regulations truly fair and inclusive, giving outsiders a genuine chance to integrate in a way that is not disruptive to the resident community? Is meeting them with hostility really helpful to what we are trying to achieve? In my experience, the system felt designed to set you up to fail, making compliance so difficult because of the aggressive view that “they are coming for our resources, we need to get rid of them, only keep the ‘right’ ones, however that gets defined” rather than asking: “what conditions would allow coexistence?”

And historically, what was considered ‘right’ was based on human convenience and aesthetic preference, not necessarily on the balance of the landscape. And that is what fascinates me about the indigenous framework (Contribution of Indigenous Peoples’ understandings and relational frameworks to invasive alien species management). It advocates for management that is just and compassionate rather than driven by demonization, with an aim to understand the finer context of each landscape and for the sake of long-term balance. Which does not mean giving anyone a pass for causing harm.

I think if we are going to be so pro-native, we must give the same passionate support to Indigenous-led biodiversity management, just as one would remove invasive plants to create space for a native plant to grow.

I know this framework not only as an idea, but as an experience.

What does demonization look like?

In The Invasiveness of Native Plant People in 2024, Pam Walatka wrote:

• Nativism has taken hold because people who support it are well-intentioned and respectable; nativists sincerely want to help the environment.

• The hatred came before the danger; eucalyptus were never considered dangerous before nativism taught people to hate them.

• The science is not in yet; evidence-based policies are a thing of the future.

During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, I was in Brooklyn, New York, and I belonged to the population that was considered literally to be a biological threat to the survival of the local ecosystem. Once the president Donald J. Trump called it “Chinese virus”, I started seeing changes in some of my neighbors’ behaviors. They frowned, covered their faces, sometimes crossed the street so they wouldn’t have to pass me. News of people who looked like me being beaten started to flow in. (Anti-Asian American Hate Crimes Spike During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic). A friend who lived nearby sent me a warning about a man in our neighborhood who did not believe in the pandemic yet was posting on social media about his intention of assaulting Asian women for spreading the virus. I looked at his posts and found out he was ‘patrolling’ the same Dunkin’ Donuts that I frequented.

I felt that I had a tiny glimpse of what the Korean population went through in 1923 Japan (Kantō Massacre), a history that, as a Japanese born, I cannot claim to be apart from. Or the Indigenous population in the US, or the Jewish population under the Nazi regime.

If the virus originated in Asia, by all means research and find out if there was anyone to be held accountable. But how does demonizing and trying to physically remove this particular “species”, one that may or may not be connected to the ecological harm in a specific time and place, help accomplish the goal? Whatever political side you were on, did the president who demonized us help you feel that the country was working together towards the solution, or make you feel reassured?

To me, resisting the normalization of demonization is not “just” a matter of language. I experienced this biological threat framing as part of my own life, and it’s the same logic as invasive species thinking: the organism itself becomes the threat, not necessarily its behavior in specific situations. It is difficult for me to witness extreme language being used to promote Nativism in the natural world — such as “terrorists” and “tumors” by leading figures of the gardening or nature conservation world* — especially in this time of ICE raids we are going through.**

*This topic is explored in depth in this article, with counterarguments to the nativist positions: Seeking Peace in Our Gardens | Conservation Sense and Nonsense, April 1st, 2026.)

** ICE Receives 100,000 Applications from Patriotic Americans Who Want to Help Remove Murderers, Gang Members, Pedophiles, and Terrorists from the U.S. | www.dhs.gov, Aug 2025.

Then, what does compassion with accountability look like? The opposite of demonization is not the absence of accountability. It’s the presence of honest discernment.

Once I was invited to a discussion to develop a public art project in NYC about immigrants. The organizer’s idea, as I understood it, was that anyone who wants to come to the US should give themselves permission to come here. Feeling a bit alarmed by the language that sounded rather extreme to my ears, I said, “you wouldn’t want to sound like you are encouraging people to break the laws?” They told me they didn’t agree with me, they were not concerned about the laws and that people were entitled to select their own path, wherever it leads, and that it is a form of empowerment.

The thing is, I really don’t think there are any immigrants who enjoy or take pride in being on an illegal status. We are not asking to be celebrated for breaking laws. What we need is practical support that helps us integrate, which, if you are on an illegal status, is especially hard to come by. We need more pathways to legal status, a system designed with compassion and the assessment of reality that helps us navigate to a place where we can not only benefit from the social infrastructure, but also give back. Not the “We love immigrants” signs in Park Slope, nor public art that tells us not to be bothered by the laws. Unconditional support for undocumented immigrants, if it does not bother to work on the actual reform of the laws, is rather ignoring the reality we face as immigrants. And it gets even worse when you hear one of those progressive immigrant-lovers expressing gratitude to the food delivery order app so they didn’t have to deal with someone with an accent that is so hard to understand over the phone. (True story!)

An example of what helpful alliance looks like, calling for specific legal reform in plain language: New York Farm Bureau Statement on Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Immigration Raids

Situations like immigration raids underscore the dire need for immigration reform in the United States. Farmers are just one of many groups that have been asking for a better guest worker program in this country for about 40 years.

From the super exciting book I’m currently reading, The Unruly Wild: Embracing Ecological Change in the Southwest by Juliet C. Stromberg (The University of Arizona Press, March 2026):

Rather than using a militaristic framework for invasive species,” he advised, “we need to consider alternatives that recognize our relationship with them, while still promoting conservation action.

Just giving a pass to anyone is not compassion. Compassion is to actually be patient and listen, and find a way to coexist.

Related Posts

Arthur’s Point Farm website

Birds of Arthur’s Point Farm - Report by Spencer Crawford

Reptiles and Amphibians of Arthur’s Point Farm - Report by Spencer Crawford

This interview was recorded on March 4th, 2026, and originally broadcasted on Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7FM on March 28th, 2026. The interview and transcript have been edited for length and clarity.

Interview Transcript

Mayuko Fujino: Could you introduce yourselves?

Spencer Crawford: Okay. My name’s Spencer Crawford. I would describe myself as a local naturalist. I have a background in wildlife biology. I worked in avian field tech jobs for about eight years. Now I work at Hawthorne Valley in the produce department. I’m here because my partner and I lived at Arthur’s Point for two years, 2021 and 2022. And while I was there, I documented whatever I could see there. Actually, the reason why I live up here is because we moved up to live on the farm. So, thankful for that too.

David Newman: Well, we’re really thankful for Spencer and his partner Beth, who as he said, worked here for two years, and was a really important part at the early stage of Arthur’s Point Farm.

I’m David Newman, co-founder with my wife Stephanie of Arthur’s Point Farm. This is a second career for both of us. I’m an environmental lawyer and practiced various aspects of litigation and advocacy mainly around fisheries. So not relevant to this, but the background in environmental law was, or environmentalism, I think was key when we moved up here to figuring out how we could establish an agricultural enterprise that was in line with the ecology, that could enhance the surrounding ecology.

And so, not knowing much about farming, having done it ourselves, we started by managing the landscape and starting cutting back invasive species, planting natives as we could, kind of on the side. And then over a period of several years – we’ve been here for 13 years total – we decided to get more serious about it and we transitioned out of our careers, my work in environmental law and Stephanie’s in public health, to focus full time on starting what is now Arthur’s Point Farm, which is a native plant nursery with a focus on ecological restoration, agroforestry and land stewardship, trying to improve the biodiversity and also the productivity of the land. In addition to the nursery products that we sell, we are also planting orchards, mainly of chestnut, but of other nuts and fruits.

We continue to do quite a bit of ecological work as we can every year, in addition to the core commercial farm tasks. So, we choose areas around the farm to clear invasive species, to exclude deer, to plant natives, and then to manage those over the subsequent years. And that’s Arthur’s Point.

MF: Spencer was literally a birder in residence at Arthur’s Point Farm. What species of birds have been seen on Author’s Point Farm, and if there’s any specific highlights that you want to share?

SC: Arthur’s Point is a really cool property, pretty diversified in terms of habitat types. There’s a marsh, there’s functional grassland, there’s interior forest, there’s some conifer forest. In total, I actually logged 125 species there. And that was also when I was doing field work. So I wasn’t even there for some of the major migration movements. But some highlights, I had 21 species of warblers. There’s breeding Prairie Warblers, which is pretty cool. There’s breeding Brown Thrasher, so some shrub land birds. There’s Grasshopper Sparrow, of course, which is really awesome. Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow. Breeding American Kestrels. I had Merlins there, not breeding but… and Peregrine Falcon, I even had a Golden Eagle in the winter time. So that’s pretty cool. And you know, some cool winter visitors were Snow Buntings, American Pipits. So just a lot of really cool stuff. Got my life for Philadelphia Vireo there. So yeah, there’s a ton there.

MF: The species that you mentioned include lots of grassland bird species and that leads to the question about the Grasshopper Sparrow, which are generally in decline in New York State. And yet they’re thriving on Arthur’s Point Farm along with the species you mentioned, like kestrel or Eastern Meadowlark. Which aspects of your farm management do you think have contributed most to these birds’ success?

SC: Yeah, and I’ll also go a little bit into Grasshopper Sparrows because it’s a pretty rare bird for this area in New York. From the breeding bird survey from DEC, they’ve calculated from 2000 to 2022 in New York, there’s an annual decline of about 6.4%. But yeah, when I was there, high counts, I probably documented like 9. And I had confirmed breeding behavior, confirmed fledging. And that’s definitely, or most likely, the biggest breeding population in Columbia county and it’s definitely up there for the Hudson Valley.

So I would say Arthur’s Point, they also work in conjunction with Hawthorne Valley and they’ve allotted one section of the property to pasture, I think for Hawthorne Valley’s breeding cattle. So I know two of those pastures are in permanent pasture. There’s probably like 40 acres of pasture there. There’s also an adjacent neighbor with about 200 acres of hay field. All of the breeding activity that I saw was on Arthur’s Point. But you know, I haven’t surveyed beyond. So two of those pastures are in permanent pasture and they’re on a rotational grazing schedule. So it’s pretty light to moderate grazing, which is kind of the level that they can tolerate. And also both farms are organic and not using pesticides. I would say having that working collaboration with Hawthorne Valley and Arthur’s Point has contributed to their success there.

DN: Arthur’s Point Farm has been working in partnership with Hawthorne Valley and our neighbors for almost a decade. And that included, initially, some grazing seasonally. Now there’s a year round herd that overwinters here in a paddock at Arthur’s Point and it includes growing some small grains and also cutting hay on our fields and the adjacent fields occasionally.

But the farm director, Spencer Fenniman at Hawthorne Valley, has an approach and we’ve worked with him and our neighbors where it’s really, it’s in tune with the demands of the local ecosystem to the extent that we can. We’re trying to have productivity in terms of the livestock in that part of the farm and the grains they grow, but to do it in a way that’s holistic and organic and a light footprint on the land. So that has to do with the stocking rates and the grazing pattern. So, you know, obviously overstocking the land, you’re going to have a different impact. The prior farmer that we worked with did just that, so we parted ways with him because he was overgrazing many of the fields. Just too much pressure, especially some steeply sloped areas that we have since excluded entirely.

So there are areas, we call them exclusion zones that are now off limits. Obviously the wetlands are off limits and they have been from the start. But in addition to that, we’ve excluded some of the fields or former fields that really ought not to be fields and we’ve planted native trees and shrubs in those areas and in addition to hedgerows of native trees and shrubs surrounding the pastures.

So there’s much more diversity and there are areas that literally don’t get grazed or mowed sometimes for a complete season. So there’s enough area for these grassland birds to establish, apparently from what we’ve seen. It wasn’t intentional for a specific species. It was more of a holistic management approach. But we’ve witnessed, fortunately with Spencer’s great work and with what we’ve observed over the years, we’ve witnessed more biodiversity, more bird life. And ultimately, it starts with what’s growing here and how we’re managing the land. The birds are here because of the insect population. They’re here and they’re thriving because they have enough to eat and they have the habitat to go about their different life stages.

And so the land management is twofold. One allowing them the habitat they need, but also the biodiversity for the insect populations that they need to survive. So one of the key elements of our management approach has been to eradicate invasives, at least reduce invasives. You can’t really eradicate them. So honeysuckle and wild rose and ailanthus (Tree of heaven), and Autumn Olive, all these other non-natives that we see around the area, we continue to kind of battle with.

And if you don’t replant in this environment, with so many Whitetail deer, you don’t end up with a lot of native regrowth, at least very quickly. So we’ve tried to accelerate that through planting of a lot of diverse species that are native to this area, but haven’t been present here in a long time, at least on our farm. So that is the key, creating this hotspot, this biological hotspot, in line with what Doug Tallamy talks about, which is what we do in our areas, our backyard, our farms, has this massive impact. If we can connect it with our neighbors or people down the road that are doing something similar, we create these pathways of biodiversity to bring back a lot of these species and they can thrive.

And we see that in a short period of time, which is inspiring. You know, we’re not saving the world, but if enough people do this, we actually can reverse the decline in biodiversity in regions and beyond.

MF: One of the elements you just mentioned included hedgerow. And that’s one of the things I wanted to ask you about, because birders often focus on it. And I saw on your website, there was a page about 800 feet of hedgerows project that’s been taking place for a few years now. So I wanted to ask you about how hedgerows support both bird life and sustainable farming practice.

DN: Well, the presence of a lot of hedgerows on farms are those areas on fence lines or adjacent to fence lines that are just kind of not mowed. They’re not managed and they grow up into whatever wants to grow there. In our area with, again with so many White-tailed Deer and the existence of so many of these invasive shrubs, they’re the most aggressive and that’s what tends to grow in those hedgerows, which provides minimal benefit both ecologically and for the surrounding livestock or whatever is happening in those surrounding fields, they don’t tend to grow that large, so they’re not really creating shade or wind block for the farm. They don’t tend to have native fruits or nuts or other forage that would be appealing to livestock or wildlife. So you really don’t get much. So the idea of a hedgerow that’s deliberate is to plant native species that will serve a structural role in the farm, meaning it will block wind to prevent fields from drying out, will create shade. And we’ll get to that elevation needed to do that, the height needed to do that, but at the same time providing potential forage for livestock, but at the very least providing native habitat. And species of Prunus and Quercus are the most popular spots for so many of our insects that support so many of the bird life.

So those are the species that we like to plant and a lot of other shrubby things that depending on the wet, how wet it is or what have you. So, you know, dogwoods, fast growing willows, poplar, other things like that that will establish quickly at the lower level of the hedge along with other species that will create more of a canopy.

And you’re not talking about a very wide area. You’re not talking about necessarily taking anything away from the existing farm. You’re enhancing the farm with those benefits that I mentioned, but without actually taking more real estate away from the fields, because those areas already are lost and forgotten. So what you’re doing is rediscovering them.

Now one of the questions is how do farmers actually do this? Because it’s not core to their farm enterprise to do these types of plantings. It’s a significant amount of work. And how do they pay for that? When farms are already struggling with trying to make ends meet on their core focused projects and what they’re growing and what they’re raising. And there are funding sources out there directly intended to establish these types of ecological corridors on farms from NRCS, the Natural Resource Conservation Service of USDA, from private sources of funding.

The DEC has programs as well, the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York, for trees that can be made available very cheaply as well as for other expenses related to planting. That really is essential because there’s an interest among a lot of farmers. There’s a benefit long term to create more shade for livestock and to block a cold winter wind, or to block a wind that might be drying out a field or blowing away a recently tilled field soils.

There are a lot of indirect benefits to these thriving hedgerows, but getting them established takes time, money and focus. So farmers need assistance there and those programs need to be robust to help farmers access those resources.

MF: So it’s not just all about farmers having to make sacrifices in order to help birds, but there’s some benefit to their own operation as well.

DN: That’s right. To enhance the biodiversity in a way and also to create more resilience on the farm from weather events, to reduce the amount of erosion and to hold more water on a farm, not have it run off as quickly in a dry season. All of these things have direct benefits to the water table, to the farms, their commercial enterprises.

The problem is they’re indirect benefits that ecosystem services that take time to establish, time and money to establish before you actually experience the benefit. And the benefit can be subtle over a long period of time. So there needs to be an intention of the farmer to want to do this. It’s not just money. They need to dedicate some time to do it and thinking more long term, as many farmers do. And they need help with the resources to actually put these plantings in place and take care of them until they’re established. Once they’re established, then the benefits come and there really aren’t additional costs.

MF: In terms of birds, these hedgerows would be a place to see stuff like Common Yellowthroats, insect eating birds? What kind of birds did you see particularly around the hedge?

SC: There were definitely breeding Brown Thrashers in some of the hedgerows which, in New York, are designated a high priority species. I would say that a lot of the common stuff like Gray Catbirds, just the typical shrubby birds. I read a study of researchers putting hedgerows in place in Canada and in agricultural settings, and they found that, in general, it did increase the biodiversity of birds. Specifically shrub land birds of course, but also forest birds would come in and forage in these hedgerows.

They did have a few caveats, I feel like you need to assess the whole landscape when you’re implementing these hedgerows, because if you put them in a particular spot in, say, a grassland, it’s a perceived edge to these grassland birds. So it could actually deter them from using that grassland, because it makes the field smaller to them. But with strategic placement, you can definitely avoid that. I guess another thing that can be a concern, if you have high Brown-headed Cowbird pressure, it does encourage them. But for the most part, it’s increasing biodiversity.

MF: I used to see farming mainly as a way to supply goods for our homes and lives, like food and stuff. And industrial agriculture often comes with environmental cost, and for many of consumers, the affordable food would justify those trade offs. So it’s been exciting for me to learn that local farms like Arthur’s Point Farm, not only doing the farm operations for people, but that could also support wildlife. But at the same time I understand that farmers face real constraint from markets or costs and policy. What can as a consumer or a community member can do to support this shift, so that we can support farmers to feel more encouraged and feel supported to incorporate more social and environmental benefits into their operations?

DN: Obviously, we should tell our representatives to make sure the programs that support farmers, and these ecosystem services that they provide should be fully funded. Especially the time right now, where federal funding is being cut all over the place. Make sure that that continues to occur by telling our federal and state officials to continue with those programs. Because they are very important not only to what’s happening on the farm and biodiversity, but our water, our air. They’re very important in our attempt to mitigate the effects of climate change. They have broad impact. So that’s the first thing.

The second thing is, I think, more fluency, I think the more people that pick up a book by Doug Tallamy or someone else that’s very accessible, that talks about how what you do in your backyard matters and what it is, what you can do really would help. What I do in my backyard, as small as it may be or as big as it may be, matters. And I learn and I then talk about that with others. So the idea of putting in ornamental plantings, non-native ornamental plantings, when you have the option of planting natives that will provide food that will provide attractiveness to people and wildlife just the same — this is an opportunity to really expand what we’re doing in this area. And every person that contributes to that will add to the total benefit of what we see in our area in terms of the resilience of the landscape and the biodiversity, the number of birds that we see all over, that’s a public resource.

Private land comes with responsibility. It’s not just that I own it. Everyone that has ownership, however you define that, we’re only here for a little while, right? Then we’re gone. But while we’re here, we can have a big impact, positive or negative, on the landscape.

So with our time, when we are the stewards, the official stewards of a piece of land, we are responsible for that land. And understanding what you do there, big or small, is really important. Everyone can plant native wildflower or two, everyone can cut back an invasive species. It doesn’t need to be grand in scale to have an impact, if everyone’s focused on it, or most of us are focused on it, or many of us are focused on it, or one out of ten of us are focused on it, as long as there’s a critical number of people doing it. And I know there’s a lot of interest.

So how does that translate to what farmers do? Farmers are working really hard to grow the food that we eat and to do it in the most responsible way they can. So putting more burdens on them to bear the needs of society more broadly is difficult. But where there is a win-win in cases where they can plant certain things on their land that will help their farms be more resilient and be more productive and where they can get the support to do those things, those projects, those plantings, then you’re talking about an opportunity for building more value on that farm that really makes sense to the farmer along with the broader community benefits and the broader community that will benefit from that.

So that’s what we should be focused on. I think the individual should do what they can in their backyard and we should help farmers do what they can. Things that they can do that will help build their resilience, the biodiversity on their farms, but also those things that benefit the livestock or the health of the soil, the health of the crops that grow up, the amount of water they can hold on that farm. If you’re talking the language of improved productivity and you can do it in a way where it enhances biodiversity, then we’re talking about common language and common benefits. And we can really align a lot of these efforts.

MF: One of the points you brought up, being more informed in terms of policy. What’s a way to be informed in terms of policy around nature conservation, farmers, what would be the resource you recommend?

DN: There are so many organizations out there that focus on particular areas of policy that are important. Social, environmental, community or organizations, food assistance, food security organizations, poverty organizations. So for every one of those areas, and they’re so broad, even within those areas, there are organizations that focus on policies. So I think if you have an interest in policy, it’s finding those reputable organizations that do that work and then reading their website, reading their newsletter, becoming a member paying attention, making a phone call to your representative and telling them what you think about those policies.

And that works. And we need that, that civic engagement that’s really important. And many of us are either in addition to that or apart from that, there are other things that people can do that are really meaningful. And to the points that we’re making on this call, I think it’s a lot of us here in Columbia county are interested. We’re here because of the land. We’re here because of the abundance of forests and streams and the beauty of the landscape as well as the agriculture that’s here. And a lot of us like to get our hands dirty. And that’s an opportunity, whether it’s in your backyard or it’s through a conservation organization like the Columbia Land Conservancy or someone else.

There are opportunities to volunteer, to plant things, to steward land. And in terms of learning — climate resilient species of trees, for example, the U.S. forest Service has a Climate Change Atlas. I wrote a blog on it, you can check it out on our website. But I don’t know if they’re still funding it. I think they are. I hope they are. That climate atlas looked at many criteria for determining the resilience and the adaptability of dozens over 100 species, eastern forest species, native species in the US. You put your zip code in, or your zone, and it will tell you which trees are most adaptable and least adaptable, which species to plant. That’s a great way to start to say okay, what’s native and what do I want to plant?

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a good resource. That website is very consumer friendly, a lot of information on native plants or the characteristics of plants. They have a lot of non-natives on there too.

And go to your local nursery. Not just Arthur’s Point, there are other nurseries as well. I would love to have you here, come to one of our nursery days, talk to us about what you’re interested in and learn about the native plants that these nurseries are growing in. Demand that the nursery that you go to in your community that they actually sell native plants, true natives, not nativar, which are kind of a hybrid blend of natives and not quite native. Native adjacent.

So anyway, the point is I think everyone can start with something that's manageable. It’s hard if we set the goal at something that seems overwhelming. And to some people it’s policy, and to others it’s planting a wildflower in their backyard or going to a community planting or going to a meeting and learning about these things, or going on a website. Or even better than that, coming to the farm and learning in person, talking to people and seeing these plants.

So we encourage that this summer, starting in May, we’ll have open nursery days a couple days a week. And we encourage you to come by as well. There are a lot of programs in these areas, a lot of organizations that are doing various programs to help educate people as well.

MF: Well, thank you so much.

Related Article

Bird-inspired Music of the Month

Columbia County - Alan Devoe Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutCalendar.htm

SAT APR 11, 2026
WILSON POWELL SANCTUARY w/Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club
Coordinator: Kathy Schneider, 518-248-8665
Meet 8:00 am at main parking lot off Hunt Club Road. Located off County Route 13, one mile southwest of the intersection of CR 13 and the Old Albany Turnpike (Old Chatham Village Square), take Pitt Hall Road, then a left on Hunt Club Road. Sanctuary entrance is on the right. The Sanctuary is owned & managed by the Alan Devoe Bird Club. Over 200 species including 20 warblers, have been recorded for this property.

SAT APR 18, 2026
CHURCHTOWN DAIRY FARM FIELD SKETCH WORKSHOP & WALK
Coordinator: Eric Losh, 304-676-6519
Meet 9:00 am in the Welcome Center, 357 County Route 12, Hudson NY, 12534. Participants will learn the basics of bird drawing and some techniques for sketching in the field. We will then practice our new skills as we explore the property of Churchtown Dairy Farm. The program is expected to last two hours. Bring a pencil and something to draw on, such as a field pad or sketchbook. This workshop is designed for adults; however, children are welcome with adult supervision. Group size is limited so please email eric.losh@gmail.com if interested.

Check out Eric’s website here.

Dutchess County - Waterman Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/field-trips-2/

Wednesday, April 1
Dutchess Rail Trail at Gold’s Gym
Leaders: Ken & Carol Fredericks (845-452- 7619). Meet at the parking lot behind Gold’s Gym, 258 Titusville Rd., Poughkeepsie at 8:30am.

Wednesday, April 8
Stony Kill Farm
Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at the Manor House parking lot (69 Farmstead Ln off Rt.9D) at 8:30am.

Saturday, April 11
Woodcock Watch at Cary/IES
Leader: Mike Fargione. Meet at 6:45pm. Parking area is on the east side of Route 82, approximately one mile north of State Troop K Barracks and the junction of Routes 82 and 44 on the east side of Route 82, across from the Cary Greenhouse complex. Please call Barb Michelin (845-242-2301) if you plan to attend. Bring a flashlight. Rain date: Sunday April 12.

Wednesday, April 15
Bontecue Preserve
Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Meet at parking lot on CR98 (off Rt. 44, Millbrook) at 8:30am.

Wednesday, April 22
Pont Gut
Leaders: Ken & Carol Fredericks (845-452-7619). Meet there (95 Pond Gut Rd, off Gidley Rd., Pleasant Valley) 8:30am.

Saturday, April 25
Dutchess Gables Preserve
Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Must call Janet Allison for time and meeting place. Located on Homan Road in the Town of Stanford. See website here.

Wednesday, April 29
Mills Mansion
Leader: Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476). Meet at Mansion Road parking lot, Staatsburg at 8:30am.

Ulster County - John Burroughs Natural History Society

For more details & to register, or to check out their nature walks focused on non-bird subjects, please visit: https://jbnhs.org/events/list/

SUN, April 12
PHILLIES BRIDGE FARM PROJECT SPRING BIRD WALK
7:00 am - 5:00 pm. The Phillies Bridge Farm Project is a 65-acre blend of agricultural land, forest edge, and wooded habitat with a network of trails that sets up nicely for a morning bird walk. JBNHS trustee Peter Schoenberger will lead this walk. Please email Ella Schwarzbaum (education@philliesbridge.org ) to register or with questions about summer camps, workshops, or the CSA at the farm project.

SUN, April 12
SPRING YOUNG NATURALIST OUTING AT BLACK CREEK PRESERVE
9:00 am - 12:00 pm. A series of welcoming seasonal walks designed to bring together young families in the field interested in exploring and learning more about Ulster County’s natural world. This spring outing will be a timely visit to Scenic Hudson’s recently updated Black Creek Preserve. Spring ephemerals, newly emerging Mourning Cloaks, returning breeding birds (like Louisiana Waterthrush), and even juvenile American Eels (glass eels) are expected signs of spring at this location and in this timeframe. Please make sure to register by emailing JBNHSinfo@jbnhs.org

SAT April 18
SPRING BIRDING WILDCARD
The spring procession of migrants starts in earnest in this time period with new arrivals daily. Depending on recent reports or rare sightings, the destination (or destinations) of this trip will be determined just prior to the outing by field trip leader Peter Schoenberger (pdsis@yahoo.com). Please make sure to register with Peter for meet-up time and location.

SAT April 25
SPRING MIGRATION AT WILSON STATE PARK
7:00 am - 12:00 pm. Much of this walk can be done on paved roads through the pine lined campground and around the alder swamp but a network of trails also provides access to mixed hardwood forest, the Little Beaver Kill, and the park pond. A special attraction for this site is the chance to hear drumming Ruffed Grouse but the first of the neotropical migrants will surely make an appearance. Please register with trip leader Peter Schoenberger (pdsis@yahoo.com ) to participate on this walk.

SUN April 26
SPRING MIGRATION AND WILDFLOWERS IN SAUGERTIES
7:30 am - 12:00 pm. Meet up will be at the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. Participants can carpool and stay for the duration, or drive to each location and leave whenever necessary. Bring binoculars, field guides, and spotting scopes if you have them, and be prepared for wet, muddy trails, and early spring weather conditions. Light rain often makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but heavy rain will cancel the walk. Children are welcome and encouraged, but please do not bring pets. Please contact the field trip leader, Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com) to register and for additional information or directions. This joint ECC/JBNHS Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.

Greene County - Larry Federman

Spring Birding Series at RamsHorn
Friday, April 17th, continuing for 5 Fridays, ending on May 29th
Meet at the RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary parking lot at the end of Grandview Avenue in the Village of Catskill at 7:30am. The cost is $10/pp and a discounted price of $50 if one wants to pay in advance for all 6 walks. Contact lgambon@gmail.com for questions.

Berkshire County, MA - Hoffmann Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit: https://hoffmannbirdclub.org/events/

SAT April 4
Dovekie Day
Join the Hoffmann Bird Club for the second Annual Dovekie Day! Beginning as an April Fools Joke, a wooden Dovekie was carved and set on Smiley’s Pond in Egremont. After a bit of confusion and skepticism, the Dovekie was retrieved and now lives to tell the tale every year. Dovekie Day is a morning of birding in search of the hidden Dovekie. The carved Dovekie will be placed on a Berkshire County water body the evening before the event.

Teams will begin at 8 AM the next morning in a race to be the first to find the Dovekie by 12PM. Teams will get points for when they find the Dovekie and points for every bird they see along the way with a bit of mayhem and jokes mixed in. Dovekie Day can be enjoyed on foot or easily by car and will be followed by a celebration at noon. This is not a typical “birding competition”, this is a morning of fun and laughs. Rules and logistics change from year to year. RSVP here.

SAT April 18
Birding for beginners, Lenox
9 am. New to birding? Not sure where to start? This session will start with a discussion on basic tools, practices, and strategies for identifying birds and connecting with your local environment. We will then take a short walk to put what you’ve learned into practice. For more details and to RSVP, visit here.

SUN April 19
Spring Birding in the Northern Berkshires
7:30 am. Join us as we look for arriving migrants at one or more hotspots in this birdy little town. The trip will consist of visiting 3-4 birdy spots with easy to moderate walking on grass or gravel paths, or along the roadsides. Meet at the Williamstown Public Library, 1095 Main Street at the intersection of Routes 2 and 7. RSVP here.

Berkshire County, MA - Berkshire Bird Observatory

Weekly Spring Bird Walks

Ben Nickley, of Berkshire Bird Observatory, leads a weekly bird walk right in the town of Great Barrington. Come explore GBLC’s wonderful Riverfront Trail with us in pursuit of birds while enjoying the onset of spring in good company.

Our Spring Bird Walk series will run from April through May. Our group meets outside the Berkshire Food Co-op at 5:00 PM each Tuesday. Learn to find, identify and more fully appreciate our migratory and resident birds on these community bird walks. Meet other wonderful people while exploring outside together! Bring binoculars if you have them--if not, we can share. Everyone is welcome! Beginners are especially encouraged to join.

These bird walks are free and open to all. Please consider supporting BBO’s nonprofit work by making a donation here.

Event date/time: Every Tuesday at 5:00 PM (April through May 2026)

Event Address: Berkshire Food Co-op, 34 Bridge St, Great Barrington, MA 01230
Contact us at: ben@berkshirebirds.org
In collaboration with Great Barrington Land Conservancy (GBLC) and Berkshire Food Co-op

Register Here.

The real challenge of learning a language that is not your own is understanding the emotional impact a word or expression carries for native speakers. This is obviously far more complex than reading dictionary definitions. I remember, 15 years ago when I started taking ESL classes, feeling surprised to learn that the word “primitive” did not have a straightforwardly positive connotation in American English, and that I had to be careful using it. To me, primitiveness suggested a source of energy residing in the core of our being.

The same challenge arises when I talk about invasive plants. When I use words like “reflection” and “responsibility,” I only know what they mean to me. I don’t really know how they sound to you.

And that is the long way to integration: bringing different perspectives, different people and species, into how you communicate, into your world, your ecosystem.

I could not have integrated without the help of the people around me. I have been fortunate to have friends who were patient with me and treated me as a real person when my English was pretty much zero. This is what makes me wonder: if I could integrate with enough help, could invasive plants do the same, instead of simply seeing them as invaders who need to be fought off?

Not only my experience of immigration, but the culture I was raised in has had an influence on this perspective. Despite our modernized, Westernized lifestyle, Japanese kids are still familiar with folktales that frequently follow this structure:

1. Human transgression against nature (cutting sacred trees, polluting water, disrespecting spirits)

2. Natural retaliation (floods, storms, curses, disasters)

3. Ritual appeasement (prayers, offerings, replanting, building shrines)

4. Restoration of balance when rituals succeed

Beyond folklore, many works of pop culture repeat this ancient theme. Probably the most internationally recognized example is the 1997 Studio Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. At the beginning of the film, a demon (once a wild boar, transformed by habitat loss) attacks Prince Ashitaka’s village. He confronts it to protect his people, showing his respect for life and his desire to understand and appease the creature rather than immediately destroy it.

“Calm your fury, o mighty lord! Whatever you may be, god or demon, please leave us in peace!”

The wise old woman of the village then kneels before the slain demon, promising it a proper burial and asking it to leave without bitterness. But the burial alone is not enough. It takes Prince Ashitaka traveling far from his home to find the root cause of the curse and seek reconciliation.

Western science often critiques such worldviews on ecology for anthropomorphizing non-human things. I don’t think the Eastern worldview is “superior” or “better” either. It is not one or the other. I believe in additions, not replacement: adding a different perspective, a different take, rather than limiting ourselves to one view.

I’ve experienced the value of holding two approaches. When I was young, I had a severe acne problem, along with other health issues that medical tests couldn’t explain. Antibiotics and steroids cleared the acne quickly. I was happy about it at first, but debilitating side effects meant I couldn’t continue. Later I started seeing a Chinese medicine doctor. She would see me once a week and ask: how are you feeling? What did you eat this week? What did your stools look like? And then, based on my answers, she’d mix the medicine for the week. That’s when I realized how little attention I had been paying to my own body. She never told me to avoid ‘bad food,’ but would explain: because this is the tendency of your body, you want to cut this back. Not because it is ‘bad’, but for the sake of balance. I would later find this idea showing up in regenerative farming and indigenous views. This approach took years, but it eventually resolved the acne.

The habit of regular self-reflection laid the groundwork for me to later start psychotherapy to address the real root cause of my physical symptoms, encouraged by the solution-oriented Western mindset I was exposed to while living in NYC. These two approaches are not mutually exclusive; they supplement each other.

Invasive species management is often urgent, and in Western conservation science, the language of elimination is considered responsible stewardship, not aggression. To Westerners, my inherited views on ecology may read as charming but illogical. But why does Western conservation science apply the logic of eradication to plants and animals but not to human settler populations? Is the Western logical mind for integration, or for eradication?

And here lies the challenge of integration. I will always be in favor of integration and I want to find a language that bridges differences, because confrontation would lead us nowhere. We have to be in this together. But I don’t want to silence myself out of fear of offending people who never question their own position as ‘natives’ or their authority to decide who or what belongs. Sometimes those decisions are necessary. But they deserve to be questioned. I resist the normalization of the language of eradication and demonization when it comes to ‘others,’ human or non-human. As someone who chose to live in a new world where I am the “other,” I feel I have no choice in this matter.

I’ve been working over 15 years to learn your language and bridge our gap so I can understand you. I've been spending hundreds of hours on this Beakuency project that is purely a labor of love: researching, interviewing, and listening to local conservationists whose work I admire and whose perspective is rooted in Western science. Will you try to understand me?

A 2023 paper, Contribution of Indigenous Peoples’ understandings and relational frameworks to invasive alien species management, published in People and Nature by Wehi et al. was a very powerful read. It made me feel not alone in questioning things and doubting my identity and heritage.

Indigenous approaches to managing IAS perhaps differ from some leading approaches because instead of setting up conceptual divisions, such as introduced, alien, nonlocal and native, Indigenous approaches focus on a finer texture of relationships among all species, including humans, in a location and region. We see this as one possible reason why Indigenous management may not necessarily favour eradication as a fundamental approach to alien (human-introduced) species that are becoming invasive.

There is no shortcut in building a common language, and I must keep doing my part. In the meantime, for me, it is probably best to let the materials speak for themselves, to let the plants speak for themselves through art.

Wehi, P.M., Kamelamela, K.L., Whyte, K., Watene, K., and Reo, N. (2023). Contribution of Indigenous Peoples’ understandings and relational frameworks to invasive alien species management. People and Nature, British Ecological Society.

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When you don’t feel alone, and you feel like you have a community you can depend on, when things go wrong, you can get help. [Then] People will be, I think, operating in a little bit less from a place of viewing all these things as destructive, taking money, taking time, and [instead] viewing themselves as just a part of this. Human beings are not this exception, we are a part of this world. And as much as farming is human creation, it takes place amongst all these pests and disease or insects and all these things that exist, invasive things, and you have to work with that. And I think it’s actually a lot harder to work with it when you view them as your enemies, even though it can feel like that’s the only way to view them sometimes. I think, letting go and letting yourself become part of this larger picture, even though it requires some relinquishing of that feeling of wanting to control everything and is really scary. (Interview excerpts)

Upcoming Event

Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties’ Spring Gardening Day 2026
Saturday, March 28 2026
8AM-3:30pm
Location: Hudson Junior High School (215 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY 12534)

Spring Gardening Day is back! Join us for a full day of learning, inspiration, and connection for gardeners of all levels. This in-person event features practical, science-based workshops, a keynote presentation, vendors, and plenty of opportunities to learn from—and connect with—fellow gardeners.

Fee: $45. For more information and to register, please visit here. I will have a table with Birds of Hudson Valley note cards and some invasive plant pigment art. Hope you can join us!

When I visited Rose Hill Farm in February to interview Kevin and Dallas, pruning was underway in the orchard. After the interview, they took me outside to see the site and collected some of the pruned branches for me to take home and experiment with. The piece above was made using pigments extracted from those materials, except for green which is from Common Buckthorn. The apple branches produced colors similar to those of the Toringo crab apple (yellow, orange, reddish brown and dark brown) which I suppose is not surprising, since they are related. Both are very rich in pigment.

The more I learn about plants that are invasive in the US, the more I feel that moral qualities such as “good” or “bad” may not be inherent traits. Invasive plants are only “bad” in relation to a specific ecosystem rather than being inherently evil. And I suppose the concept of morality is a purely human invention to begin with.

The interview with Kevin and Dallas, and their perspective on the surrounding world with a focus on balance, offered great insight into this way of thinking. Talking about weeds, Kevin said, “Weeds, in quotation marks. I have the belief that all plants that come up out of the ground are there for a reason,” and I have been thinking about it ever since. Complete elimination of invasive species is very unlikely. It may be that we need to think about changing the dynamics, our relationship with them. I will be thinking about what Dallas said as I move forward with this invasive plant project: “It’s actually a lot harder to work with it when you view them as your enemies, even though it can feel like that’s the only way to view them sometimes.” I have deep respect for farmers, biologists and gardeners for whom this is not an abstract question. They must come up with a specific solution for each situation. Artists, unlike them, are not accountable to immediate, concrete outcomes. As an artist, what I can do is be a supporter for those who do real work and celebrate their achievements through creativity.

This leads me to think that human actions may also need to be judged by their dynamics with the surrounding environment rather than through a simple “good guys and bad guys” perspective, no matter how much we want to believe there is such a clear line. Similarly, strength and ability may not be entirely individual achievements. Ethics may be less about individual grit and more about the strength of one’s network. I seem to remember news from a few years ago about Western researchers looking at resilience not simply as a trait belonging to a single person, but as something that resides in relationships with others. Everything may be more fluid than it seems. In ancient times, heroes’ powers were often credited to external forces, such as gods or stars, rather than their own achievements. Maybe ancient people were onto something.

I think the risk of fluid thinking like this is setting boundaries. When someone, or something, is clearly causing harm to others, can this fluid thinking be morphed into making excuses for them? Would that make me complicit in enabling them? What may be even more challenging is that this way of thinking asks us to see the problem as our own, rather than something belonging to 'them.'

But rather than going in with a predetermined conclusion, the assessment has to be made every step of the way, for each situation, and setting boundaries accordingly is the realistic path. You cannot decide what team you are on and settle firmly and comfortably, never re-examining the way you operate. I will be following the way of farmers, their ongoing learning, adapting, and changing, as they do at Rose Hill Farm.

It was on Jan 6 when I first scraped the bark of Oriental Bittersweet to test whether dye could be extracted from it. Seeing the soft inner layer with long, thread-like fibers protruding here and there, I thought: with fibers this long and soft yet tough, couldn’t paper be made? Or even fabric?

Oriental Bittersweet is often disliked because it thrives so vigorously that it takes over other plants. Yet seeing its inside, I felt like I’d glimpsed a gentle side to this hated plant. I’m not the most spiritual person around, but it was as if the plant was telling me what it wanted to be.

I was reminded of what Justin Wexler, a local ethnoecologist who founded Wild Hudson Valley in Catskill, had told me when I asked him how, in ancient times, people knew things like the medicinal quality of plants: “Many native people will say that they sometimes learn directly from the plant or animal. So for eastern woodlands people like the Lenape, from my understanding, they live in relationship with the world around them and everything you see can be sentient. Even a rock has sentience and is capable of communicating with you and will appear to you in human form sometimes to communicate with you.”

Oriental Bittersweet vines are still soft and fresh even in bitter cold. I think the yield will be even better with newer, warmer-season growth. Foraging itself is something to figure out and practice. I had always loved seeing the attush robe traditionally made by the Ainu, the indigenous people of Northern Japan. Yet I was not familiar with their harvesting ritual. In the book Textiles of Japan (the heaviest book I’ve ever owned) it says: “when stripping the bark to make the ohyo bast fiber used for this attush robe, the Ainu would thank the tree for giving up its ‘clothes.’ Only bark from one side would be taken and, when the task was complete, offerings of grain and tobacco would be made to appease the spirit of the tree. A strip of bark would then be wrapped around the tree so that it would not lose any more of its ‘clothes’ in the wind.” When I read this, I felt ashamed of myself. I had been thinking only about taking what I wanted. Since then, I greet and thank the bittersweet when I peel their bark. (I have not quite brought myself to offer tobacco yet.)

I have gotten better at harvesting longer fibers. I use a drop-spindle to make them into threads. I taught myself how to weave a simple fabric using a frame loom.

After researching and experimenting for about two months, I still would not say I quite know what I am doing. But I did manage to weave two pieces of fabric. I will use this material as the canvas for my outdoor art installation on the Hawthorne Valley Farm’s Biodiversity Trail.

Upcoming Events

There are a few events where I’ll have a table this month. I’ll be bringing my Oriental Bittersweet fabric piece, invasive plant pigment art prints, and Birds of Hudson Valley note cards. Come say hi!

Saturday, March 7 - Mad Gardeners Annual Symposium

9AM-3PM at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, 246 Warren Turnpike in Falls Village, CT.

The Mad Gardeners 2026 Symposium will feature three terrific speakers: Lee Clippard, Executive Director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, will speak about the center, its native plant database and their research on wildflower meadows; Cassie Banning, the Director of Farm and Gardens at the Mt. Desert Land & Garden Preserve, will speak about the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, a 1920s collaborative design between Mrs. Rockefeller and Beatrix Farrand, and the over 160 annual varieties in its ten-thousand-square-foot border; and Madeline Hooper, creator and host of the public broadcasting series GardenFit, will lead a fun, interactive class on how to use your body to garden without causing aches and pains. For more information, please visit their website. Tickets are on sale here.

Sunday, March 8th - Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties’ Maple Festival 2026

10AM-1pm at Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23 Acra, NY.

Experience a taste of the sweet world of maple sugaring at CCE’s Agroforestry Resource Center. This event will provide participants with the opportunity to tour our own sugar shack, see a demonstration tree tapping, and taste fresh sap. Visit with Taste NY staff and local venders to purchase all things maple. A maple-inspired pancake breakfast will also be available during the event.

Saturday, March 28th - Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia and Greene Counties’ Spring Gardening Day 2026

8AM-3:30pm at Hudson Junior High School 215 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY.

Join us for a full day of learning, inspiration, and connection for gardeners of all levels. This in-person event features practical, science-based workshops, a keynote presentation, vendors, and plenty of opportunities to learn from—and connect with—fellow gardeners. Fee: $45. For more information and to register, please visit here.

Related Posts

They discuss their approaches at the farm and their work with the Farmer Ecologist Research Circle, an initiative of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub and the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program, which studies and acts on topics related to on-farm ecology. They share how this collaboration has deepened their understanding of the bird, plant, and insect species present and helps them track changes in biodiversity over time so they can adjust their practices. Their insights help us see how, through collaboration and community, we can move away from a mindset of conflict, let go of the need for total control, and move toward integration and a reciprocal relationship with the world around us.

Rose Hill Farm website

Farmer Ecologist Research Circle website

Research Circle’s Mapping Flowers, Watching Bugs, & Building Habitat: Rose Hill Farm Report

The Birds of Rose Hill, a report blog post by Will Yandik

Eco-certification

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles (EPA website)

This interview was recorded on February 12th, 2026, and originally broadcasted on Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7FM on February 28th, 2026. The interview and transcript have been edited for length and clarity.

Interview Transcript

Mayuko Fujino: Thank you so much for taking time today to do this interview with me.

Kevin Clark: Sure.

MF: Could you briefly introduce yourselves?

KC: Yes. I’m Kevin Clark, the orchard manager here at Rose Hill Farm.

Dallas Houston: I’m Dallas. I have been working here for five, six years now, on and off, and I’ve done just about every job on here. I’ve worked with the cidery. I’ve done a lot of stuff with the orchard itself, and I run the farm sale in the summer.

MF: Would you also introduce Rose Hill Farm itself?

KC: Rose Hill Farm is located in Red Hook, New York, in the mid Hudson Valley. The farm was established in 1798. So it has a long history, and it’s one of the things that I don’t know everything about. But on a daily basis, I’m thinking about what we’re doing in relation to the history of this land that we have the privilege of working on. It was in the same family, the Fraleigh family, for six generations, and then it was bought by another family at the end of 2015. And I came here in 2017.

We have apples, peaches, plums, cherries, blueberries, apricots, quince, medlar. We have 225 different varieties of apples. And all of the fruits we have, not that big of a number, but we have a lot of varieties of all the various fruits.

MF: I read about how you approach growing fruit, and there was a mention of holistic orchard management. Would you describe what the idea is?

KC: Sure. It’s a very broad term, holistic, and it’s used by many different people and groups in various ways. When I personally think of holistic orchard management, it’s taking the whole bit of the land into consideration when we’re making decisions: what to leave feral, what to do with this field, that field, etc. And it’s really taking into account the entirety of the property. One reason for that is, how we interact with this land here goes beyond the fence and we have neighbors and a community and the people that visit here. It’s much bigger than just us. How we interact and treat this land has broad, broad impacts.

MF: I learned from Will Yandik (Green Acres Farm) that tree fruits, especially apples, are among the hardest crops to grow organically. But your approach is to foster a diverse, nutrient rich environment by building levels of organic matter in the soil, promoting a rich fungal under-story for our trees, a quote from Rose Hill Ferment website, rather than applying synthetic fertilizers. What is it made of when you say rich fungal under-story, exactly? Are they dead trees, or fallen fruits, or mulch, or …?

DH: A lot of places will use herbicide to manage weed growth. Something you have to think about, especially because we open up the orchard to pick-your-own. So we have a lot of people walking out there, and we can’t let weeds grow as high as maybe some places that don’t have that. We have to manage that a little bit more precisely than a lot of places. Herbicide often is turned to, and you’ll see a desert-like looking floor around trees. That’s going to discourage a lot of what we’re talking about in the rich under-story. And that will create a cycle in which you have to fertilize because you’re not letting a lot go back to the soil around the trees, and you’re having to add a lot of fertilizer to make up for that.

Our management practices, as someone who’s been out there engaging with it, relies heavily on weed whackers letting what we’d whack remain there, break down and return to the soil. So it’s a bit of a labor intensive method, but it’s well worth it. As far as the fallen fruit, we try to pick that up mostly. And that is another strategy to manage disease and in turn we have to use less chemical management because fallen fruit can sometimes act as a vector for disease if left. And so that’s another thing that we try to go and do by hand as opposed to relying on chemicals to either dry out and kill any disease that may be in those fallen fruits or have to manage the diseases that come up.

So it’s a lot of personal touch out there to try to do things that would happen naturally that would encourage a rich soil, that would also encourage a rich interaction with mycorrhizal, you know, all sorts of networks there which you want to facilitate because that’s going to allow a lot of nutrients to get spread, all these things shared. So it turns into a lot of extra labor that’s well worth it. And when you’re out there doing it, I think you’re very aware of it. Those are kind of the methods that we use to foster that.

KC: I would just add on, not all the trees and bushes here get wood chips, but all of the younger stuff that we’ve planted here since 2018, we put wood chips underneath the trees that break down into organic matter and feed that cycle, the mycorrhizal cycle. We spend a lot of time doing that. One, it helps to suppress the weeds. Weeds, in quotation marks. I have the belief that all plants that come up out of the ground are there for a reason. They tell us something about the land or how we’re managing that land. And part of why I like the weed whacking process is, you know, we’re sending that plant back into the ground and there’s a reason for that.

When I’m looking at the health of an orchard or health of a tree or what have you, and it goes back to the use of the word holistic, it’s like you’re stepping back and looking at a – hate to say bird’s eye view, but – you’re looking at the whole cycle of things underground, working with the things above ground.

I’m looking for life, you know, and whether that’s the life of the plants, the life of the insects. Bird life. And I think more life on the farm — and that even goes to human life – it’s very important how we, as an orchard, interact with the land. When the public comes on the land too. It just brings life to the orchard, you know?

We collaborate with the Farmer Ecologist Research Circle. It’s really a great group. And this will be coming up on the third year of it, and usually have meetings in the winter. Conrad wrote a beautiful thing about what the circle is all about, kind of the goals of the Circle. But in essence, it is like farmers that are interested in ecology. And then the ecologists are looking for farms where they can do research on. And so we put together projects, and then Conrad and Claudia, Anne and Will do work during the growing season and then report back and give feedback. It’s really interesting. I mean, those people are incredibly smart and fascinating. Two seasons ago, Will did a pretty extensive bird survey here just to get a baseline of what plants and what insects, what birds are found at Rose Hill Farm.

There’s a website called research-circle.org. They put blogs together, and then many of their findings were published. Conrad and Claudia, just a couple weeks ago, finished the report. I’ve scanned through it, and it’s gonna take me sitting down for an extended period of time and with focus to dissect it. And then they’re gonna come and dissect it with a seer. And then off of that information, you can think more broadly about the land and what you want to do or not do with certain areas. I think there can be, like, very practical conclusions from those data sets.

One of the reasons why I like working with the Farmer-ecologist Research Circle, or going on bird walks, or master naturalists walking around with us, is learning to identify things. And I think the more we’re educated on naming and knowing how these creatures or plants, what they’re doing, it educates us on how we do what we do. And it’s this reciprocal relationship that’s happening between farmer and land and people on farms and animals and birds and plants on a farm. It’s just life, it’s all happening.

DH: When you go to an orchard that doesn’t manage things necessarily with biodiversity in mind or with keeping a healthy soil in mind, keeping the fungal life going, you won’t see much of anything other than the trees alive, a lot of times. Kevin, you’ve talked about going to some places and some orchards that manage more conventionally use herbicides, and you don’t really see many birds at all.

And while that maybe seems like a good thing to someone who would say, well, I don’t want the birds eating the fruit anyways, you’re kind of stuck in this cycle of you are having to play the role of Mother Nature, you are having to do these things that happen naturally by adding synthetic fertilizer, by doing these things.

The bird presence here would be significantly reduced if we were to use certain management methods that are common — or were more common — because it discourages all the things that he just talked about, which birds rely on. They are an indicator of a lot of things. They’re like having eyes out in the orchard. And if you’re willing to learn the lessons that we’re learning from Claudia, and from people like her who are trying to come here and do surveys, trying to teach us what these things mean that we see out there, and what they’re trying to tell us, there’s actually a lot to learn about the health of your orchard — lessons that I think people sometimes don’t take the time to learn, because X, Y and Z, there’s a lot of reasons. It’s a hard thing to do to manage an orchard.

But the birds, their presence tells you a lot about the health of things. Or even the presence of specific birds can tell you a lot. And if you’re able to take the time and learn what those things may be, you can actually benefit so much and learn so much about your orchard from that. And so, super grateful to have people like Claudia, who we’re working with, because that kind of invaluable information. And we’re still at the beginning stages of learning from these experts. But it’s remarkable every time you realize how much the insects and the birds, what they have to say, if you’re willing to actually listen.

MF: What birds do you get here, and why are they here?

KC: We saw the Bald Eagle this morning. I would say there’s a variety of birds. Sometimes on our bird walks, we’ve, in an hour, seen over 20 species of birds.

DH: What’s cool about the birds here is we have both year round birds that live here and we have migratory birds that just stop by. And for both of those, as far as the kinds of year-round, we get a lot. There’s a huge presence of woodpeckers, which obviously are going to be both stuff that we have to deal with because they’ll sometimes cause damage to the bark, like sapsuckers. But they’re also literally taking insects out of that tree. That’s something I’ve done myself. You have to sometimes remove an insect from a tree, you know, they’ll bore into the bark of a tree and cause trouble. And so, you have a woodpecker out there doing your job in some respects. Obviously it can go both directions.

We have hawks. There’s a kestrel overwinters here. We have a Northern Harrier that we’ve had a long relationship with. Pheasants, turkeys, all sorts of birds that are the same one that we see all year. So we know we have these kinds of permanent residents. And then there’s a stopover year after year for so many migratory birds. And I think it’s the more you see what you’re supposed to see, what’s supposed to be in the area, the better.

We see this huge spectrum of things that are supposed to be here this time of year. These are the migratory birds that are coming here this time of year. And they choose to come here, they choose to make this a stop, which, I would consider a privilege, because they have a lot of options. And they have a long journey and it’s a very hard life, you know. So they give a lot to us. And we try to give a lot back to them. I’m a birder, I love birds, so it’s a pleasure just to see them here. But it’s not just because they’re beautiful that we love to see them here.

MF: Some of those birds that you just mentioned seem to feed on the ground a lot. It must have something to do with the way you manage the ground?

KC: Sure. And one reason we really appreciate the hawks and those types of birds is that voles can be a real problem in orchards.

MF: Do they chew on trees?

KC: Yeah, they eat the bark and can girdle the tree and kill the tree. And we rarely see damage from voles. And I think a big credit of that is predatory birds eating them.

MF: I learned in a report by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Research and Extension programs that American crows, House Finch and European Starlings are common problems for orchards. Are they around your farm a lot as well?

KC: Yes. And our philosophy has been – birds do like, say the blueberries, take a fair percentage of blueberries. And when we go down to the blueberries, a lot of times we hear the birds on the perimeter almost angry that we’re in their food. You know, it’s quite comical. And even the last couple years, we’ve seen damage on the peaches and the plums, we’ve been able to balance, being able to have the birds. At some point, we may entertain bird exclusion netting over certain areas. It wouldn’t be the whole thing, but they can do quite a bit of damage. They love cherries, sweet cherries. And I’ve been out there in the evening and just see them rise out of the tree, and you can’t even begin to count how many. And that’s how you know the fruit’s ripe. (laughs)

DH: They know, yeah. They wait until it’s perfectly ripe and then they have some. Yeah, we have quite a bit of a starling presence here. I see them every day, out there right now, too. They’re actually on the ground, plucking any fruit that we left up. They’re trying to get to that along with the deer. We always assume we’re going to lose some of the birds, and we don’t want to lose too much, but we’re okay with that on some level, especially because — and this kind of goes back to the word “holistic” — the cider operation we have allows us to use damaged fruit. Even if there’s a little bit of damage on the fruit, it’s not gone to waste. We’ll harvest that and we’ll put it into our cider. Ultimately nothing goes to waste in that way. And so that’s reassuring.

MF: Do you think having this biodiversity management in your land somehow controls the starlings or crow population a bit? On some farms, you see a massive flock of starlings.

KC: Don’t see things in excess. I’ve never seen starlings in huge, huge flocks of them.

DH: Yeah. Not hundreds. You know, we’ll see groups of 30 to 50. You know, right now there’s a nice group that’s hanging out. That’s about 20 to 30 starlings that I’ll see on a daily basis. They’ll start chattering. But I think the diversity of the birds that we have actually helps keep that in ring because we have these hawks that are present, we have these larger birds that are present. They’re fighting their own battles, that we don’t even know about, with each other. But this is their domain in a lot of ways. And so no one thing can take over. And I think that’s an important balance. That balance will strike itself. We don’t have to force that. As we nurture the land, we try to leave a lot of areas unfarmed. That balance should strike itself. That, I think, is kind of what you’re getting at a little bit. I think if you had a situation in which you didn’t have birds of prey present, you didn’t have a large diversity of birds, you might have an overpopulation of starlings. They might come in and say, this is a great place for us. We don’t have to worry about anything. We’re not in any kind of territory. So I think, absolutely, it keeps things in check and the balance.

The balance that strikes, you know, we don’t have to force any balance. The balance that exists in the world happens here, because we let it happen here. And I think that is a huge factor, definitely.

KC: Owls. I forgot we have owls.

MF: Barred owls? What kind of owls?

DH: Definitely Barred. We have a master birder who we’re friends with, who comes and blesses us with a lot of knowledge. I think Screech Owls were mentioned.

MF: I read somewhere else about hummingbirds, that they can eat the insect that comes specifically to blueberries, bats and hummingbirds.

KC: We see a lot of hummingbirds, bats here in the evening. There was actually a hummingbird visiting regularly outside the farm stand for quite a while.

MF: So they must be benefiting from those insect populations.

DH: Absolutely, yeah. We have amazing displays of Barn Swallows. We’ll have an incredible presence of swallows in the summer that will feed over certain blocks of trees. And they’ll be, I don’t know, it’s hard to even know the number. It’s an incredible thing to watch. They’re getting all these insects that are above the trees they’re feeding. And those insects are there because of the rich plant matter that we’ve cultivated. And it helps us too, because you’re getting mosquitoes, they’re getting all sorts of things. So it’s this thing that continues to benefit. And that’s one of my favorite things to watch every summer. It is those displays of just incredible feats that provide a lot of pleasure too. But definitely, like the hummingbirds, we have yearly visitors that return that are just like, so incredible to see.

MF: There was a mention on the website that the Rose Hill Farm decided to adopt a practice that promotes biodiversity at one point in its history. I’ve been feeling like it’s kind of easy to forget talking about why, because we think, like, why not? But when you talk to people out there who are not necessarily interested, they don’t share that same feeling of why we have to do this. Why do you do things the way you do?

KC: I think the owners and us, we wanted to nurture and manage the land as best as possible, Want to honor the land, honor the land’s history, honor the people that took care of the land before us and also, you know, looking forward as well if we’re doing the best we can on any given day and year and whatnot. It all adds up, and will serve the current community as well as the future generations. Hopefully that there will be a place, you know, it’s kind of this continuum of wanting to, not just have a production farm, but have a piece of land that has production on it. But we’re also nurturing and taking care of in a way that encourages biodiversity, encourages people to come here taking care of it the best we can.

In 2018, we had full intention of managing the farm and becoming an organically certified farm for all the fruits. We cut out synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, cold turkey, 100%. In that year, in some sense it was an epic failure. We learned a tremendous amount because, any insect infestation or any disease, we saw everything here and in abundance. Cedar, apple rust, apple scab, leaf blotch, all the leaf diseases. By fall, a good percentage of the orchard was defoliated, the fruit was rotten, anything that remained was small. And we ended up closing early, and lost a significant amount of money. So we backtracked a little bit and re-calibrated what was practical in terms of some of the management decisions here.

Last year we became Eco-certified and we follow very, very rigorous IPM practices. I think in doing that, it offers customers some assurance, we’re answering to a protocol and a body of other like-minded people that are trying to have an orchard or perennial system, and do the best we can when it comes to management decisions. So it’s something concrete that we can offer and people can dive into the protocol as much as they want. It’s a transparent program.

DH: Yeah, I would add to that that I think the reasons for doing, the reasons for managing things the way that they have been managed are always evolving, as we learn. You know, that year, I wasn’t here that year, but I’ve heard a lot about it and it served as a huge learning opportunity.

And I think that continues to be the case. The Eco-certification was a huge step, and I think it’s a great program. I highly recommend people check it out, because like you mentioned, it is incredibly hard to have an organic orchard here. And I think there are other things that you can do that get to the same goal that are practical, and it doesn’t have to be organic or non organic, black and white.

And so we’re always trying to get into that gray area and work as much as we can to promote the health of the trees, to promote the health of the land, and to also have a successful orchard and try to balance those things with the full knowledge that we are at the whim of weather, we are at the whim of these trees. You can’t ever predict what’s going to happen. The only thing you can do is try to respect it the best you can. And it has rewarded us. That’s what’s rewarded us, is doing that. So I think that feeling comes later, you know, once you’ve worked with the orchard a while, you start to have other reasons for doing what you’re doing that continue to evolve and deepen.

MF: Well, that’s a philosophy that can be applied to any other part of life. You see a lot of people who would say, like, why bother? I could say because I like birds. But there's so many people on the side of nature conservation who talks about their love of nature in such a hateful manner where they, you know, vilify the other party who don't see the importance of holistic approach to management or anything. But I can’t really always be harsh on those people, because some people would be like, ‘I’m trying to bring food to my table. I can’t care about anything more.’ How do we talk to those people and say this is why it’s important? It’s just so hard to answer—why bother?

DH: To other farmers, it’s almost harder to ask that question sometimes. Or to have them answered.

MF: And again, I can’t blame them because like you were saying earlier, the schedule is so crazy at farms, I can’t blame anybody for not caring about birds when they’re running such a difficult business.

KC: It goes back to like the whole, you know, it’s like birds are part of the whole, insects are part of the whole humans, everything. A mentor of mine, and I repeat what he taught me several years ago: Orchards are one of the places where culture and nature intersect very, very strongly. You won’t go out into a wild forest and see an orchard. It’s a man-made creation. So how we interact with an orchard and nature at the same time is fascinating. Challenging the whole nine yards, I guess. But I think about that all the time, culture and nature and, and how we fit into all of that.

DH: Yeah. And I’ll say for what you were saying, I think things like what Claudia and Conrad are doing are the way to kind of change that conversation. Because it’s very hard to farm anything, and when you feel like you have support, and when you feel like you have the resources to maybe open yourself up to accepting the birds, or accepting the things that might seem like it’s you versus this. I think it’s phrased a lot as it’s farmers versus pests, versus birds, versus disease. These are things that have always been here. And it can feel really overwhelming if you don’t have a network and support and information. And they’re doing that, they’re laying that groundwork and they’re having those conversations with farmers. And so they are doing that really, really incredible work.

And I think that through things like that, the conversations will actually start to change and people will open themselves up to that, once they feel like it’s not just me alone trying to manage this thing that feels so hard to manage and my livelihood is so dependent upon it. That will always be the case.

When you don’t feel alone, you feel like you have a community you can depend on. When things go wrong, you can get help. People will be, I think, operating in a little bit less from a place of viewing all these things as destructive, taking money, taking time, and viewing themselves as just a part of this. Human beings are not this exception, I think, we are a part of this world. And as much as farming is this human creation, it takes place amongst all these pests and disease or insects and all these things that exist, invasive things, and you have to work with that. And I think it’s actually a lot harder to work with it when you view them as your enemies, even though it can feel like that’s the only way to view them sometimes. I think, letting go and letting yourself become part of this larger picture, even though it requires some relinquishing of that feeling of wanting to control everything and is really scary.

And I think the only way people are going to do that is to have people like Claudia and Conrad in these communities, in these conversations that will provide support when you’re doing something scary and you’re not alone in this. So I think they are doing what has to happen. That’s the beginning of those conversations. And I truly think the work they’re doing will result in that change.

MF: And thank you for doing this work, too, and being part of that conversation and the developments.

KC: Thank you so much for having us.

MF: Thank you so much for this.

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Bird-inspired Music of the Month

Columbia County - Alan Devoe Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutCalendar.htm

SAT Mar 14
VOSBURGH SWAMP WMA w/HMBC (Greene County)
Coordinator: Alan Mapes, 518-817-1512. Meet 8:00 am at the Four-mile Point Preserve parking lot on Four Mile Point Road. From Mansion Street in the Village of Coxsackie, go South on State Route 385 (Washington Ave), approximately 2.5 miles to a left turn onto Four Mile Point Road. Proceed to the bottom of the hill – parking area is straight ahead where the road takes a 90-degree bend to the right. We will look for resident birds and early migrants, Eastern Phoebe, Brown Creeper, Kinglets, and Fox Sparrow. The trail also provides access to views of the Hudson River and ponds for waterfowl.

SAT MAR 21
COPAKE LAKE (postponed from Mar 7, weather dependent)
Coordinator: Marian Sole, 203-710-9096. Meet 9:00 am at the intersection of County Route 7 and Lake view Road (Copake Lake). We will search for spring migrant waterfowl. Common Loon, Grebe, Mergansers, Teals and others are potential species.

Columbia Land Conservancy - Columbia County

THU MAR 19
Timberdoodle Trek at Siegel-Kline Kill
7pm. “Timberdoodle” is a common nickname the American Woodcock. During this guided walk, led by experienced birder Spencer Crawford, we will enjoy the sunset and hope to see the Timberdoodle’s unique mating ritual and its distinct sky dance.

For more information and to register, visit here.

This program is weather-dependent! In the event that the weather on March 19 does not cooperate, it will be re-scheduled for April 2. Please be sure to check your email the day of the event.

Dutchess County - Waterman Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/field-trips-2/

Wednesday, March 4, Mills Mansion – Leader: Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476). Meet at the Mansion parking lot, Old Post Rd., Staatsburg at 9am.

Wednesday, March 11, Bowdoin Park – Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at the upper-level parking area (127 Sheafe Rd. Wappingers Falls) at 9am.

Wednesday, March 18, Vassar Campus – Leaders: Ken & Carol Fredricks (845-452-7619). Meet at the greenhouse parking lot (106 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie) and park at the south end of the lot at 9am.

Saturday, March 21, Dutchess Gables – Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Call for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, March 25, Buttercup West – Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Meet at parking lot (Stissing Mt. Ln. & right onto 22 Mountain Rd., Stanfordville – off Rt. 82) at 9am.

Ulster County - John Burroughs Natural History Society

For more details & to register, or to check out their nature walks focused on non-bird subjects, please visit: https://jbnhs.org/events/list/

Sun, March 8
EARLY MIGRANTS ON THE RONDOUT
10 am. Enjoy a brisk, late morning, winter walk identifying woody plant by bark, structure, and bud. This Kingston Land Trust (KLT) preserve has two short trails that access the old quarry of approximately 20 acres in the Wilbur neighborhood of Kingston. Trip leader Tom O’Dowd is not just our expert guide but can share news and happenings as the KLT Land Stewardship Coordinator. Please register with Tom (tkodowd@gmail.com or 914 213-7079) for this outing as parking is limited.

FRI, MARCH 20
VERNAL EQUINOX WOODCOCK WALK
6:00 P.M. Celebrate the Vernal Equinox with one of the year’s great natural history events. Please register with trip leader Christine Guarino (chrissy.guarino@gmail.com) for an evening stroll in the Shawangunk Grasslands to hear and possibly see male woodcocks perform their courting flights. We should hear early amphibians and maybe an owl or two also. Meet at the refuge entrance on Hoagerburg Road (Ulster Cty. Rt. 18), field party will make the short walk to the east (and the main refuge parking lot).

SAT, MARCH 21
SIGNS OF SPRING NATURE WALK
8:00 A.M. The Esopus Creek Conservancy and John Burroughs Natural History Society are co-sponsoring a guided nature walk to observe early signs of spring in a variety of ecologically rich habitats in the Town of Saugerties on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Depending on available time, conditions, and participant interest, we will visit The Great Vly Wildlife Management Area, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, Falling Waters Preserve, and/or the Saugerties Lighthouse peninsula on the Hudson River. Meet in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. Participants can stay for the duration, or drive to each location and leave whenever necessary. Bring binoculars, field guides, and spotting scopes if you have them, and be prepared for wet, muddy trails, and early spring weather conditions. Light rain often makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but heavy rain will cancel the walk. Children are welcome and encouraged, but please do not bring pets. Please register with field trip leader, Steve Chorvas (schorvas@gmail.com) and for additional information or directions. This joint ECC/JBNHS Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.

SUN, MARCH 22
TIVOLI BAYS BIRDING
8:00 A.M. We will explore the tidal marshes and upland habitat of this DEC property. Bald Eagles, waterfowl, and other early migrants (like Rusty Blackbird) are reasonable expectations on this walk. Please register with trip leader Jessica Cukrovany (procolinos@gmail.com). Field party will meet at the Bard College parking lot on Gatehouse Drive just north of sharp turn on Dutchess County Rt.103 and Cruger Island Road. The group will walk down Cruger Island road to the bays and the causeway and trails will surely be muddy. Please consider this and choose proper footwear (like muck boots).

Berkshire County, MA - Hoffmann Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit: https://hoffmannbirdclub.org/events/

Mon, March 9
March Meeting: Jonathan C. Slaght – “Owls of the Eastern Ice; A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl”
7:00pm-9:00pm. Jonathan C. Slaght, Regional Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Temperate Asia Program, will present: “Owls of the Eastern Ice; A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl”. Zoom only – Request Link and for more information, please visit here.

Sun, March 15
American Woodcock, Greylock Glen, Adams
6:30 pm. We will be listening to their nasal “peent” calls and hopefully will see the amazing aerial displays of the American Woodcock in the evening. Estimated time is 6:30 PM about ½ hour after sunset. Meet at the parking lot of the Greylock Glen Visitor’s Center, Gould Road, Adams. We will be walking on a level gravel path up to the meadow area. RSVP here.

Sun, March 22
Spring Waterfowl Search
7:30AM. Spring is a great time to look for waterfowl on our local lakes, wherever there is open water. This trip will involve driving to multiple lakes and wetlands. There is limited walking. Meet at Farnams Causeway (off of Rte. 8) on Cheshire Lake. RSVP here.

Sat, March 28
Game Day: Wingspan
1:00 pm. Back by popular demand! Join us for an afternoon of playing the board game Wingspan! Table space is limited. RSVP required, visit here. Light refreshments will be provided. Never played before? That’s okay, we’ll teach you! Meet at the Berkshire Athenaeum, Athenaem Room on the 2nd floor balcony.

This piece above was stencil printed with pigments from Oriental Bittersweet branches (pink) and berries (light orange), Common Buckthorn berries (green), and roots of Toringo Crab Apple (light yellow). It’s a batch that came out pale, so I decided to paint them on a dark background and see what happens. It turned out to be tricky. When I painted, the pigments became invisible for a few minutes. Then some parts began to show their brightness, while others remained invisible. I was completely puzzled by this, tried it on a couple more pieces of paper, and they kept behaving oddly. In the end, I thought this experiment was a failure. (I should have taken a picture then.)

The next morning, I saw that all the colors had come out as shown above.

This whole experience resembles what people encounter when they are tricked by foxes in Japanese folktales, so I titled this piece Bewitched by Foxes.

For this project, I’ve been digging into contemporary and historical documents about these Asian plants. While they often cause serious ecological damage here in the U.S., they have been beneficial to people in their homeland. I thought it would be interesting to use this project to highlight the gentler side of these plants. I’m collecting information from books and the online archive of the National Diet Library of Japan, which is a pretty fun rabbit hole.

For example, the image above is from an exhibition catalog put together by 神宮徴古館農業館 the Jingu Agricultural Museum, Japan’s first industrial museum established in 1891 to promote the divine virtues of 天照大神 Amaterasu Ōmikami (the sun goddess) and 豊受大神 Toyouke Ōmikami (the goddess of food and grains), with the theme of “how the products of nature can be useful.” The image is a page of the third edition published in 1934 where Toringo Crab Apple is listed as one of the common dye plants.

Working with plants to process them into materials makes you feel close to them. Looking at these invasive plants in my hands, I sometimes wonder, “What are we doing here, why are we here, on the other side of the globe?” Even though I am happy living in the Hudson Valley, I feel a sense of loss inside, because I will not go back to live in the place where I am from. But here are these plants that I would see if I lived in Japan. They feel like a link to that world with not only natural elements but also numerous small shrines people have erected to honor them. There are no shrines here, only these plants and me. There is a small, strange comfort in this lonesome togetherness.

道の辺の　うまらの末に　這ほ豆の からまる君を　はなれか行かむ

Like creeping bean vines at the tip of the Multiflora Rose by the roadside, you cling to me. How could I ever leave you behind?

— 丈部鳥（Hasetsukabe no Tori）、万葉集 巻二十 4352 Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry compiled around 759 AD.

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This project is a strong example of bringing wisdom together to find practical solutions that benefit both the environment and a farm’s productivity, which Anne pursues throughout her work. Her words inspire environmental optimism, encouraging individuals to build empathy for nature through observation and to believe in the possibility of a positive relationship between humans and the land.

Hudson Valley Farm Hub https://hvfarmhub.org/

Applied Farmscape Ecology Program
https://hvfarmhub.org/applied-farmscape-ecology/

What can I do to help birds - Hudson Valley Farm Hub https://hvfarmhub.org/what-can-i-do/

Bobolink Beer https://www.zerogravitybeer.com/short-fills/bobolink

This interview was recorded on March 31, 2023, and originally broadcasted on Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7FM on Apr 22, 2023. The transcripts have been edited for accuracy and clarity, with minor additions made in collaboration with the interviewee.

Interview Transcript

Mayuko Fujino: Thank you for taking time to speak with me today. Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Anne Bloomfield: I’m Anne Bloomfield. I’m originally from Albany County, New York, about an hour and a half north of here. My background is in wildlife biology with a focus on birds. I also enjoy hunting, fishing. I really enjoy raising chickens at home and gardening. But , as far as my work here, I’m the Applied Farmscape Ecology program manager here at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub.

MF: Could you tell us what the Hudson Valley Farm Hub is?

AB: The Farm Hub is an education and demonstration farm. It’s about 1,600 acres located in the Hurley Flats in Ulster County. And we could spend probably a whole show just talking about that one question, but I’ll say quickly that, we have a variety of programs centered around agronomic research, education and training, and food access, and then the Applied Farmscape Ecology Program, which my colleague Teresa Dorado and I run.

We do about 35 acres of mixed vegetables and then about 1 to 200 acres each of grain, corn, soybeans, dried beans and small grains. We transitioned from a multi generation conventional sweet corn operation to an organic, diversified operation. Next year will be our 10 year anniversary as the Hudson Valley Farm Hub here in Hurley.

MF: It took me a little while to understand the bigger picture of the operation, and I still don’t think I fully understand it. But that American Kestrel habitat management in the hop field, one of the case studies you posted on your website, I think it helped me at least understand part of your mission and operation. So I wanted to ask you about that particular project. I thought it would be helpful for the listeners who don’t have much knowledge in farming like myself. And so the kestrels, first of all, the population is declining.

AB: In the Northeast and New England, both populations are in a slight decline, and also, interestingly, kestrel body size is decreasing, which there’s some theories as to what’s causing that, but not a definitive answer.

MF: And this case study is to help kestrel conservation.

AB: Yes, with the idea being, how can we provide nesting habitat for kestrels, recognizing that nest cavities alone aren’t going to solve larger issues, but they’re one tool in the toolbox that puts us in the right direction.

MF: So I want to start with some super, super basic questions. Such as, what are hops?

AB: Previously to the Farm Hub, I was a field biologist. I didn’t have a background in agriculture. I had a little horticultural experience working with flowers, and I like to garden at home, but it’s been a really important and significant learning experience. So, it might seem like a basic question, but when I arrived at the Farm Hub, I didn’t know how hops grew. I will do my best to articulate what I now know. Hops are — Gosh, there’s so many things to say about hops, but basically they’re a climbing, vining plant, and they have a beautiful, citrusy, piney, floral aroma.

And they’re most commonly known for their use in the bitterness in beer brewing. They also have some medicinal qualities, but when people think of hops, they mostly think of beer brewing. And they can grow 20 ft in a year. And so in order to grow them, you have to have these big poles or posts, and then some sort of twine or line infrastructure that the vines can climb as they’re growing.

They’re this bright green color. They’re actually closely related to cannabis. The hops themselves are the flower, and they’re these bright green, fragrant, sticky flowers.

MF: So this hop field would already have those poles, and that’s where the idea came from, that you can install a nest box for kestrel on top of those poles.

AB: Yeah. And I can’t really move forward with the story without introducing Jayne Henson. Jayne was growing the hops. An aspiring birder, also a musician. She has an amazing ear. And when she first started learning bird songs, she would instantly hear a bird once and then remember it. To this day, I don’t think she truly realizes what a gift that is. But I wouldn’t say Jayne is a birder. She’s a farmer. Also one of my hunting buddies. We hunt turkeys together.

Jayne was a farmer trainee here at the Farm Hub in our educational program. And at the time, each of the trainees had a crop project, and she was growing hops for her project. It really took her agricultural knowledge and my ecological knowledge together to pull the project off. Farmers already have what they need to get high to grow the hops. They already have a way to get up to the top of the post to do the work, to secure the lines, and so on and so forth. So we thought, well, would it make sense in the Northeast for people to put kestrel boxes in a hop yard to provide nesting sites? — I should also mention kestrels are cavity nesters — so the nest box kind of looks like what you would think of, like a bluebird house would look like, but bigger. Cavity nesting birds put their nests in natural cavities like holes in trees. But they will also use artificial cavities like a bird house.

So, we thought, can’t we put nest boxes at the top of hop poles and provide nesting habitat? But there are a lot of other questions, like, what activities happen in the hop yard, and are those going to cause disturbance at the wrong time? Any organic pesticides that are applied, are those going to impact the kestrels? Is that going to be at the wrong time? When is harvest time? There were all these questions that we had to troubleshoot before we could push the project forward. So, we talked with toxicologists about pesticides. We sat down and had meetings about the timing of activities in the spring and summer, when kestrels are nesting. And so we figured all of that out, crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s, and said, yeah, let’s try to do this.

MF: So the idea for this kestrel habitat management project is that, if you’re growing hops, you already have this structure. And you can just operate in more bird-friendly farming practices.

AB: Yeah. For growers interested in farming with birds in mind.

MF: I’m imagining it to be very empowering for whoever is already running commercial private farming and wants to do better in some way. But I think people are so busy trying to make ends meet.

AB: Yeah. So, how can we find easy ways together that work for everyone? As a wildlife biologist, I wouldn’t expect a commercial grower to sit down with some long management plan and sift through hundreds of pages and then figure out the right dimensions for a nest box. It really, truly is a team effort. For example, in this case I needed to understand how to grow hops.. And then bringing my knowledge to the table: “here’s the right dimensions for the nest box. Here’s the times you want to avoid disturbance.”

And I find that in my writing, this comes up over and over. I’ll be writing a piece for our newsletter or whatever it might be, and somehow my conclusion always circles around this idea of people bringing their own knowledge to the table and coming up with solutions together. And it’s one of the most powerful things about working here.

A good example is grassland breeding birds like Bobolinks that nest in hay fields. The textbook wildlife biologist reply might be — don’t mow your hay field until after July or August. That’s a non-starter for farmers. Because a lot of farmers, especially dairy farmers who need high nutrient hay, are haying in May and June, right when the Bobolinks are nesting. And so, you know, the farmer might say, well, I can’t wait until July or August. By that point, the nutrient quality of the hay has started to decline.

And then the biologist might say, well, but the Bobolinks are nesting then. So, yeah, I guess prior to the Farm Hub, I sort of worked in these circles where there was tension between some of these strategies. But the further I get along in my career, it’s clear that we can’t operate that way. We all have to come to the table with our wisdom. I’m not a farmer and I don’t pretend to be, but I need to do enough learning so that I can get to the point to understand where those pinch points are and how we can work together to find them. And it’s hard. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s not always easy.

MF: I think even for consumers too, people have a lot of things going on in their lives, so sometimes to do the right thing is not easy. But when there’s a specific plans or steps or one action that you can take. It’s better than no action. To take that one simple action if you can, makes a lot of difference.

AB: Yeah. And you know, there’s a lot going on here at any given time and we work towards these goals. Whether it’s grassland breeding birds in the field here that we’re sitting next to, or the kestrels, or our turtle project, we just keep moving forward. And sometimes, it’s hard and we take a couple steps back and we falter, but then we just regroup. But what’s important is we keep moving forward and keep working towards it together. And sometimes it’s just incremental steps. And I think that sometimes we want to feel like we can solve these issues overnight. But yeah, it’s important to just keep chipping away at it.

MF: Well, we just drove by the former hop field and we saw one pair of kestrels, luckily for me. So would there be one nest box for all of this field?

AB: Yeah. When the hop yard was still in the location we drove by, there was just one nest box. And then, we have a second nest box further north of here that is on a post. It’s not associated with a hop yard or any structures. We have two nest boxes now at the Farm Hub.

And actually prior to us having nest boxes, the kestrels would come through, but they wouldn’t stay. And at the time, I was talking with a raptor biologist, Zach Smith, and he thought, you know, it’s got to be your lack of natural cavities. He thought if we put cavities here, the kestrels would stay. And he was absolutely right. The second we put nest boxes up, both of them were occupied, which, sometimes, it can take time for that to happen. But they really…

MF: … needed housing. I can relate.

AB: Yes. (laughs)

MF: You know, it just occurred to me. So Jayne, she’s growing hops for a specific brewery.

AB: Yeah, Arrowood Brewery in Accord. They are a brewery, but they also grow hops on site. And Jayne is now managing the hop yard there. And then her farm, Transgenerational farm, is right next to that. She’s doing a lot of awesome stuff over there. And they actually have bluebird boxes in their hop yard over there at Arrowood. I think for where the hops are there, they wouldn’t get kestrels because of the shape and size of the field. But yeah, that’s another idea, you could put Eastern Bluebird or Tree Swallow boxes.

MF: There are a lot of microbreweries, it seems like it’s trending. I wonder if they’re growing their own hops. I’ve been hearing lots about bird-friendly coffee. I haven’t heard of bird friendly beer just yet.

AB: Well, when Jayne and I got the idea, I went to look for a case study because I thought someone must have done this before and we couldn’t find anything. If there’s anyone out there that knows of someone else putting kestrel boxes in hop yards let us know. I feel like I looked this up, and there might be one other place. It was after we did our project.

If there’s other folks out there interested in putting up a kestrel box to see if they have success, it does take a little bit of, like I said, thinking through, like pesticide materials and timing of activities.

MF: If a listener is running a microbrewery in New York State, they can maybe reach out to you?

AB: Yeah, totally. I can’t say I have all the answers because like I said, we didn’t get enough years of understanding the disturbance questions before the hops were removed. But I could definitely point them in the right direction of things to consider where to get the right kind of box, things like that. So yeah, for sure.

MF: That’ll be interesting. I would love to have some local bird friendly beer.

AB: Well actually, Noah Perlut is a researcher here in the Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative. He studies a grassland bird called Bobolink in the field we are sitting next to. He is involved in another project, which is not in New York State but also focuses on Bobolinks. He has a relationship with a brewer that makes a Bobolink beer. And it’s delicious. Just as a side note, I think some of the proceeds from the purchase of that beer help to go towards grassland bird conservation work. So it could be a thing for kestrels. You never know.

MF: I’ve been reading a book called “Birding in the Hudson Valley” by Kathryn Schneider. She mentioned that the grasslands of the Hudson Valley are not natural. They exist because humans cleared the forests for agriculture. So, to learn that the landscape we see here now has been shaped by human activity over centuries, it really made me understand how much influence we actually have as a human being. And I thought the lack of understanding of our own impact can be a source of short-sighted actions, like, even littering. You don’t think you matter, what you do matter, if you don’t know how much impact you actually have. Also I’m thinking, maybe it relates to how so many people feel they are powerless, that there’s nothing we can do about it.

So it was really inspiring to read about the process of your very specific approach, and the sense of optimism that you wrote about in your article that you felt from working with one another. So I wanted to ask you to speak about this optimism, where you get it and how you keep it going.

AB: Yeah, it’s a great question. And there’s a lot there. I’m reminded of a scene from the book Braiding Sweetgrass — that’s a great book if you haven’t read it — where the author is asking her students something along the lines of, do you think humans can have a positive impact on the land?

And her students say, well no, of course not. Look at all of this destruction that humans have caused to the Earth and how extractive we’ve been and how damaging. The author Robin Wall Kimmerer is a Potawatomi botanist and the director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Anyway, basically she’s asking her students to imagine a world in which humans do have a good relationship with the land or even a beneficial relationship with the land. And she goes on to explain in the book how humans haven’t always been this, extractive, damaging species.

There are cultures that still exist and times in our history where people did have a positive impact on the land and a different kind of relationship to the land. And so, step one is imagining that it’s possible, imagining that it’s even possible to think about things differently and thinking, how do we get there?

How do we put our wisdom together to get where we need to go? I was just talking to my coworker Andrew Casner this morning that works in the field crops team here, and we were talking about how we have crops planned for some fields here at the Farm Hub, where some of the timing of the activities to grow small grains are not super compatible with the nesting season for turtles. And so, you could say, “oh, this is a terrible idea. We can’t have this crop here. It’s going to be terrible for the turtles. There’s nothing that we can do.” But if instead you kind of flip that narrative and say, okay, this is the crop that’s going to be here. This is the situation we have. You have your knowledge, I have mine. This is when the turtles are going to be nesting. What can we do? And sometimes it’s really hard, keeping your optimism going when we live in a world where there’s a biodiversity crisis and a climate crisis and all these things, habitat loss and yeah, I’m not here to pretend that I am optimistic all the time. But for the field of study that I’m in, I feel surprisingly optimistic. And it’s a great question. I don’t honestly know where it comes from because a lot of the news about wildlife, especially birds, insect-eating birds and grassland nesting birds and the declines we’re currently seeing as well as habitat loss is very depressing.

But if we don’t have our optimism, what do we have? What, we’re just gonna stand by and say, well, I guess there’s nothing we can do. That’s terribly depressing. All we can do is, imagine and believe there’s a different way and work together and fight hard to get there.

And I think sometimes we underestimate here at the Farm Hub, how just demonstrating how we work together that way seems powerful to people. I think we sometimes don’t notice it here until someone notices it and calls it to our attention. But I do believe that, even ecologically, that biodiversity is resilience. Whether it’s ecological biodiversity or it’s diversity of languages or culture or experiences or professions, that makes us more resilient in the face of change. It makes us better suited to overcome challenges. I’ve been a language learner here at the Farm Hub. I started almost eight years ago. I’m not fluent in Spanish yet, but I’m getting there. Being able to break down barriers, whether it’s language or your knowledge of farming or any of these things, is just so powerful. If we just stay in our little bubbles and only think about our experience, we’re missing a lot.

There’s a lot that we’re not seeing or hearing when we don’t push ourselves to break down some of those barriers. I suppose that’s a long answer. I don’t know where my optimism comes from, but I think it has something to do with it.

MF: I think that means you’re doing real work here.

MF: What’s the ongoing bird habitat study at the Farm Hub?

AB: I started at the Farm Hub in 2015, and because it was a private commercial farm for many generations, there wasn’t a lot of access for birders. So, for example, for the Christmas Bird Count, there’d be some species lists from along the road here. But there wasn’t historic bird data about the interior parts of the farm, and there certainly wasn’t habitat use data. And there’s a lot of focus on breeding habitat in the world of bird conservation, but there’s also, overwintering habitat and migratory habitat. And so I was really looking to contribute to the — Oh, my gosh, I’m so distracted by these robins that are surrounding us right now. I’d love to watch a robin for an hour now. We’re surrounded. (laughs)

But, yes, I wanted to contribute to the body of work around our regional understanding of bird habitat use on farms specifically. There are six bird survey routes throughout the farm. So, with the help of two volunteers, Bob Miller and Dixon Onderdonk, we survey those every month, year-round and we record the species that we see, the number and what habitat they’re in.

There’s quite a few things that you could use these data for. I did have one idea recently that I haven’t shared with anyone, but I thought, well, why don’t I just share it on the radio? Now that I have data going back to 2016, I was thinking of making an open-source data browser potentially called the Agricultural Avian Habitat Use Explorer where anyone could access habitat use information of birds on farms.

For example, we have a semi-perennial grain here called Kernza® that we’re trialing for the Land Institute. There’s not really a lot of data on bird use of Kernza, but it’s interesting because it’s harvested late and the Bobolinks here like to nest in it. So it’s potentially compatible as a bird friendly crop. Now, I have a number of years of basically a species list of who and when and how often the Kernza gets used by birds.

For Noah Perlut’s project that I mentioned before, studying Bobolinks, we have tracking devices on those birds so we can see when they go, where they go. But sometimes it’s hard when you’re only looking at the bird’s position on a map to tell what specific habitat they’re using. And it’s often agricultural areas, which is interesting. So I thought, wouldn’t it be cool for people doing habitat use work for birds if you really could know what habitats were in that geographic area and what birds were using them and when.

There are several other reasons why those data could be useful, but that’s kind of the direction I’m hoping to go, making it open-source, publicly available and then also use that information to potentially create this kind of a farmer bird guide that’s sort of like, here’s the quick easy ways that farmers can incorporate birds into their operations with those data being a platform to understand what birds are using which habitats, and when.

For example, at the Farm Hub later in the summer, we start to see a massive influx of Indigo Buntings in our grain corn. I don’t think when you’re seeing an Indigo Bunting at a field edge or a forest opening during the breeding season, you’re necessarily in your mind imagining that it’s going to go to someone’s grain corn field. But that is the case here. We see so many Indigo Buntings in our grain crops here at the farm. So, yeah, there’s a lot of really interesting info on birds and their use of on-farm habitats, whether it’s during migration or the nesting season or the winter.

MF: I was looking at the “What Can I Do?” list on the Farm Hub’s website. I really like “Make observations at home about the creatures you see in your backyard.” Could you elaborate on the idea behind that suggestion?

AB: Yeah, I like that you put focus on the “What Can I Do?” List. We put that together for an event once, and people have really grabbed onto it. And I think it just speaks to how people are hungry to take action, to figure out how they can help.

And so, yeah, that particular recommendation to just spend time observing birds, I mean, there’s a couple things there. One, it’s just fun to spend time with and observe things in your backyard. Secondly, I think it’s really important that people build empathy and understanding for some of these creatures or beings that are in decline, oftentimes at the hands of human activity.

So the more you can kind of put yourself in the… I would say shoes, let’s just say shoes (laughs), the shoes of a bird or any other creature, the more you can understand them and build empathy for them. And I think the field of wildlife biology is moving in this direction where we realize that there’s a sociology and a human component to how we look at wildlife.

And you can’t separate the human component from the wildlife component. They’re very interconnected. So it’s definitely more of a philosophical art or maybe like, a qualitative way of thinking about wildlife conservation. But I do think that, you know, even if you just throw some crumbs in your backyard and you watch ants for an hour because the ants come and take your breadcrumbs away, it helps form those relationships. Building empathy for creatures like ants that you might not normally pay much attention to is a really important relationship to have. You know, for some people it’s ants. For some people it’s birds. What Peter Schoenberger said in the last show you did really resonated with me where he was kind of like, “I didn’t really have a choice. I just had this experience with birds and it gripped me. And I’ve been looking at them ever since.” You never know when for someone it’s going to be that moment. And so, yeah, taking the time to spend time with ants or birds or whatever it might be. It shouldn’t be underestimated. I think it’s really important.

MF: Yeah. Well, that was the last question. I stopped asking people what their local favorite birds are. I have been asking the question and, Peter, you heard Peter saying, this is, like, an impossible question.

AB: I do actually have a favorite bird.

MF: Oh, tell us about it!

AB: Growing up in New York State and spending a lot of time in the north country, I have to say, hands down, my favorite bird is a Common Loon. Their coloration and just hearing a Common Loon over a still mountain pond in the evening, I think is just one of the best things in the world. So, yeah, I have a definitive favorite bird. (laughs)

MF: So maybe I’ll bring back this question. (laughs) Thank you so much.

Related Articles

To learn more about the American Kestrel in our area:

To learn more about Bobolink in our area:

Bird-inspired Music of the Month

Columbia County - Alan Devoe Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutCalendar.htm

SAT, FEB 14
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT with Columbia Land Conservancy
Meet 9:00 am-11:00 am at Ooms Conservation Area (480 Rock City Road, Chatham). CLC will lead this local count established by National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 1998 as the first online citizen-science bird project. RSVP here.

SAT, FEB 21
EICHYBUSH –SHRIKESEARCH
Coordinator: Coordinator: Drew Hopkins, 518-653-4387
Meet 9:00 am at Lindenwald parking lot on Route 9H. We will look for Northern Shrike on Eichybush Road in Kinderhook. Northern Harrier and Rough-Legged Hawk are more likely than Northern Shrike. A juvenile shrike was sighted on Eichybush during 2020’s Christmas Bird Count.

Dutchess County - Waterman Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit:
https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/field-trips-2/

Wednesday, February 4
Stony Kill Farm
Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at the Manor House parking lot (69 Farmstead Ln off Rt.9D) at 9:00am.

Sunday, February 8
Greig farm
Kate Shaughnessy (845-242-3476). Call for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, February 11
Mills Norrie Point SP
Ken & Carol Fredricks (845-452-7619). Meet at the Education Center parking lot (Old Post Rd., Staatsburg) at 9:00am.

Wednesday, February 18
Vassar Farm
Leader: Ernie Welch (razor06bill@gmail.com). Meet at new parking lot just off the traffic circle at 9am.

Saturday, February 21
Rye Playland
Leader: Ernie Welch (razor06bill@gmail.com). Contact him for time and meeting place.

Wednesday, February 25
HVRT/Ameni
Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Meet at parking lot at the crossing of Railroad Avenue and Mechanic Street at 9am.

Ulster County - John Burroughs Natural History Society

For more details & to register, or to check out their nature walks focused on non-bird subjects, please visit: https://jbnhs.org/events/list/

Sun, February 8
WONDER OF WOODY PLANTS AT RED FOX RAVINE
10 am. Enjoy a brisk, late morning, winter walk identifying woody plant by bark, structure, and bud. This Kingston Land Trust (KLT) preserve has two short trails that access the old quarry of approximately 20 acres in the Wilbur neighborhood of Kingston. Trip leader Tom O’Dowd is not just our expert guide but can share news and happenings as the KLT Land Stewardship Coordinator. Please register with Tom (tkodowd@gmail.com or 914 213-7079) for this outing as parking is limited.

Fri, February 13 - Mon, February 16
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT ULSTER COUNTY STYLE
Kenco Outfitters invites all Attendees of GBBC outings and events for a complementary binocular fitting.

2/13 9:00 AM GARDINER LIBRARY BIRDING
Nick Martin nicholas.martin@parks.ny.gov

2/13 1:00 PM BACKYARD BIRDING UPTOWN
email Mark DeDea forsythnature@aol.com

2/14 8:00 AM WINTER WILDCARD BIRDING
email Peter Schoenberger pdsis@yahoo.com

2/14 9:00 AM KINGSTON WATERFRONT BIRDING/CHICORY NATURALIST VISIT
email Wendy Tocci wtocci@gmail.com

2/15 8:00 AM ESOPUS BEND N.P. BIRDING
email Steve Chorvas schorvas@verizon.net

2/15 8:00 AM BACKYARD BIRDING MIDTOWN
email Mark DeDea forsythnature@aol.com

2/16 8:00 AM SOJOUNER TRUTH S.P. BIRDING
email Mark DeDea forsythnature@aol.com

2/16 8:00 AM THORN/WITTMAN PRESERVES BIRDING
email Dixon Onderdok dixononderdonk@gmail.com

2/16 9:00 AM NYQUIST-HARCOURT BIRDING
email Deb Weltsch dweltsch13@gmail.com

KENCO OPTICS DEMOS/CLINICS
email Wynter Kennedy: wynter@kencooutfitters.com

Please email JBNHSinfo@jbnhs.org with questions about future programming and field trips, to receive email notifications, or to join our Ulster rare bird alert.

Berkshire County, MA - Hoffmann Bird Club

For more details & to register, please visit: https://hoffmannbirdclub.org/events/

Sun, February 1
Hinsdale Breakfast and Winter Birds
8:00 am Free We will start at Ozzie’s Restaurant at 8:00 AM for breakfast. We will then look for wintering birds around Hinsdale and nearby towns. Mostly roadside birding. Meet at Ozzie’s Restaurant, 26 Maple Street, Hinsdale, at 8:00 AM for breakfast. Limited to 8 vehicles. RSVP here.

Mon, February 9
February Meeting: Sarah Kendrick – “Tracking Migratory Songbirds to Inform Conservation Action”
7:00 pm. Zoom only – Request Link. Sarah Kendrick, Migratory Bird Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Columbia, Missouri will present: “Tracking Migratory Songbirds to Inform Conservation Action”
For more information and to RSVP, visit this page.

Sat, February 14
Shawangunk Grasslands for Short-eared Owls
12:00 pm. Take a day trip with the Hoffmann Bird Club to the stunning Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge in Ulster County, NY, to search for Short-eared Owls, Rough-legged Hawks, and more! Shawangunk Grasslands is a massive expanse of managed grassland that often hosts many Short-eared Owls in the winter. You can sometimes get close views of them dancing and even calling!

Registration is required. Please RSVP here.

Sat, February 28
February Social: Wander Berkshires
2:00 pm. Join Hoffmann Bird Club at Wander in Pittsfield to catch up and socialize with other Hoffmann members and friends. Wander is an alcohol-free space, and offeres a selection of coffee and tea drinks, zero-proof cocktails, and a wide assortment of non-alcoholic drinks. Wander has a rotating selection of pastries and food items for sale. For more information and direction, visit this page.

Whether we like it or not, invasive species are (most likely) here to stay. We can’t dismiss their real ecological harm, but viewing them as abstract “enemy aliens” does not address the underlying reasons for their presence. I have felt that a more nuanced, multi-dimensional understanding of these species is needed, because short-sighted decisions in the past that failed to consider the complex dynamics of ecosystems are the very reason for their arrival and persistence.

There is no shortcut to “solving” the issue of invasive species. Instead, we can begin by reflecting on our mindsets that demand quick answers or easy labels, so we don’t make similar mistakes in the future. Hate and fear of any kind need to be replaced with a productive, experimental relationship.

This is the theme I am pursuing through this project for the Hawthorne Valley’s Biodiversity Trail. I’m happy to find a positive use for these plants, many of whom share the homeland with me, no matter how small. This is a further development of my experiment with non-native plants from 2023.

There are so many things you can do with these plants and many variations to experiment with. I am excited to continue working with them and am looking forward to the final result: an outdoor installation along the Biodiversity Trail which will be installed in spring 2027.

Related Article

A new art project for Hawthorne Valley Farm’s Biodiversity Trail using invasive plants, inspired by the farm’s living ecosystem, and 100-year-old poems.

The inspiration for the stencil painting above came from birding there on December 16th.

As I was walking toward the woody part of it, I felt that there might be a Pileated Woodpecker in there. At first it was quiet, but eventually chickadees and titmice started to call.

Then a group of juncos and bluebirds appeared. I heard a White-breasted Nuthatch laughing. And then drumming: two Red-bellied Woodpeckers, two Downy Woodpeckers, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I waited a bit longer, and sure enough, a Pileated Woodpecker arrived.

I think I may have started to understand what intuition is made of. All the rich information you receive through your five senses, if your brain is not attuned to it, would be filtered out as unimportant. But when you learn the meanings of subtle cues, your brain can make sense of them. There’s something humorously over the top about the Pileated Woodpecker, both in the way it calls and drums. My ears must have received its sounds from afar, combined with the habitat my eyes were seeing, culminating in this vague feeling of “there must be a Pileated Woodpecker in here.”

Some other birds’ signals are often more subtle than those of the Pileated Woodpecker, and I imagine that the more experienced you are, the more such cues your brain can pick up before you can verbalize them. You get the feeling. That seems to me to be what intuition may be.

And perhaps that also explains many mysterious moments I remember from Japanese folklore, where the supernatural speaks to humans, warning, breaking news, etc. People in the old times must have been more attuned to the natural world than we are, as their lives were depending on it. I’m reminded of a story, The Magical Listening Hood, that allows a man to understand what wild animals say. I wonder if it was explaining what intuition is, in the language of folklore.