Nature's Notebook

 A lovely Carolina wren has been visiting our bird feeder the past few weeks — not to mention singing from the nearby shrubbery. A little larger than a chickadee, with a long, slightly down-curved bill and a short tail, this vivacious songbird is brown on top and has warm russet tones on its underparts. Its song is suprisingly powerful for such a diminutive bird, a ringing series of triplets: tea-ket-tle, tea-ket-tle, etc. Despite its name, this species has made a steady march northward over the past four decades, most likely as a result of mild winters.

 Local gardener Hatsy Taylor writes an engaging and informative online column of natural and horticultural observations, entitled "Weeds and Wisdom" (weedsandwisdom.com). In it she recently raised the question of whether it is safe and appropriate to continue feeding birds through spring and summer. Based on the consensus of most ornithologists, the answer is "yes."

 The most common notion about supplemental feeding in spring and summer is that birds will become "dependent" on human handouts and therefore lose their "natural" feeding ability. There is no evidence to suggest that this is the case, and common sense suggests that birds that have been successfully foraging in the wild for millions of years will not suddenly forget how.

 In summer, most songbirds (with the exception of some finches) change their diet mainly to insects — essential nutrition for their young. Supplemental feeding, as its name suggests, can help provide some extra "fuel" for the difficult job of parenting, but it does not replace natural foods.

 Similarly, for spring migrants, feeding can provide a helpful boost for birds that have made the long journey northward, but there is no evidence of an adverse effect, such as "overdependence." A possible exception is the feeding of hummingbirds in fall and winter, which may be partially responsible for lingering rarities. But few would argue that this is an undesirable result.

 There are some reasonable cautions about spring and summer feeding. Greater heat and humidity increases the risks of seed spoilage and disease, so it is advisable to change the seed and clean the feeder more often. Bears attracted to feeders are an obvious hazard in summer and especially fall, and feeders should be pulled at the first sign of a bear’s presence.

 On the other hand, spring and summer feeding offers the opportunity to attract colorful species in novel ways. In addition to placing a nectar feeder for hummingbirds, slices of oranges and other fruit can be used to attract orioles, an occasional tanager, and other birds.

 Lori Fredenburg of East Canaan reports that, "one evening after dark, my boys were outside playing when they noticed something in the birdfeeder. My son, Zachary, was able to take a picture. We looked it up on the internet and found it was a southern flying squirrel... The next evening, we kept a watch and found it had brought along a friend!"

 Fred Baumgarten is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at  fredb58@sbcglobal.net . His blog is at thatbirdblog.blogspot.com.

Latest News

Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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