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Our House is on Fire…

We appreciate all of the hard work our Volunteers have done over the years and continue to do at Reinstein Woods. We would normally have our Volunteer Appreciation Picnic at this time of the summer. We are going virtual this year. Please enjoy the Virtual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic video below created by Ginger. Volunteers are welcome to make a dish to enjoy while watching the video.

House wrens have short wings, a curved beak, and a long tail that is often raised. They also have faint barring on their wings. They have a constant bubbling call, 9 to 11 times per minute during the breeding season. This bird prefers open forests and forest edges, and is also common in backyards. House wrens are cavity nesters, nesting in old woodpecker holes or bird houses. Males build several nests to entice a mate. In Western New York they begin building their nests in the middle of May and lay eggs in early June. Their nest is a built-up pile of sticks with a cup lined with feathers, grasses, and spider egg sacks. Their eggs are just over a half inch long and are usually pinkish white with reddish brown blotches. The female will incubate the eggs for 12-15 days. Both parents feed the nestlings. Baby house wrens aren’t picky eaters. Their parents bring them spiders, harvestmen, caterpillars, centipedes, moths, worms, potato bugs, crane flies, and more. Not only do they feed the huge appetites of these young birds, but they also remove their waste. The baby house wrens are very vocal once the parent enters the cavity with food. Fledglings will leave the nest between 12-18 days after hatching. House wrens are noisy little birds with a huge appetite for insects. A birdhouse and brush pile are all you need to attract this cavity nester.

Program Will Benefit Maryvale, Buffalo After-School Programs

 Friends of Reinstein Woods has received a $57,325 grant to support a new “Watershed STEM in the Schoolyard” program, one of 29 Watershed STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Education Partnership Grants awarded across the country. The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) awarded the grant in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Education.

Starting in Fall 2020, Reinstein Woods will engage students and educators at 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)at Maryvale Intermediate School and Buffalo Public Schools 45 and 93. These learning centers provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The centers help students meet state and local standards in core academic subjects while providing enrichment activities that complement their regular academic programs.

In the “Watershed STEM in the Schoolyard” program, students in grades 4-5 will collect weather and water quality data, explore STEM careers, and complete stewardship projects in their local watershed. The program is designed to develop students’ environmental literacy and leadership skills as they improve their communities.

Additionally, in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Reinstein Woods will train staff at each site to conduct water-related activities appropriate for an after-school setting. The program will be tailored to meet evolving partner and community needs at each site.

“Water flows through our communities often unnoticed, and yet that water is vital to all living things,” said Meaghan Boice-Green, DEC Education Center Director at Reinstein Woods. “We are excited that this partnership will connect area educators and students to their local water resources in a fun and engaging way.”

Friends of Reinstein Woods President Terrence Boyle said, “All students should take part in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences at some point in their childhood. These experiences go beyond normal classroom learning to empower students to take meaningful action to protect water quality. Above all, it will encourage them to pursue STEM careers.”

Diantha Watts, Executive Director of Buffalo State’s Educational Pipelines Initiative Office said, “We are thrilled to have our students at International School #45 engaged in science programming that will stress literacy and math skills while encouraging parent involvement. Moreover, the professional development training will help our instructors make better use of our outdoor spaces for learning and fun.”

Kim Luce, Vice President of School-based Services at Best Self Behavioral Health echoes that excitement, adding “Southside Elementary is located adjacent to the Buffalo River. This program will provide place-based STEM learning that complements our programming and is relevant to our students.”

Elizabeth Giangreco, Assistant Superintendent at the Maryvale School District states, “We are pleased to partner for the first time with Reinstein Woods, which is only five miles from our school. We are eager to learn more about how we can use the outdoor space in our schoolyard and help our students discover how to care for their local environment.”

The Watershed STEM Education Partnership Grants are part of eeBLUE, NAAEE’s effort to build collaborative partnerships that support the mutual STEM education goals of NOAA and the U.S. Department of Education. Funding for these grants is provided by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by NAAEE.

Dragonflies are an insect with two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs. Many species have large compound eyes that cover most of their head. They also have very small antenna. These insects are harmless and won’t bite or sting. At rest dragonfly wings are usually off to their sides, while damselflies, a close cousin, holds their wings over their back or abdomen. Dragonflies bodies are stout compared to slender damselflies. Some species like green darner will migrate while others spend most of the year in ponds or streams as nymphs emerging as an adult during summer. Dragonfly nymphs usually emerge from the water while it’s still dark to inflate and dry their wings. They are very vulnerable at this stage, so they come out before birds are active. Each species has unique color patterns and behaviors that help you to identify them. Many male dragonflies will patrol their section of a pond and will actively chase away intruding males. They choose a territory that is ideal egg laying habitat for their mate.  Some like areas with emergent vegetation like cattails, others like floating vegetation like water lilies and some prefer submerged vegetation. Hawking is a behavior where the dragonfly perches on a stick or branch and quickly swoops up to grasp an unsuspecting insect for lunch. They usually will return to rest on the same perch to munch on their prey. Dragonflies feed mostly on flying insects, even mosquitoes. Adult dragonflies may fall prey to larger dragonflies, fish, birds, and also frogs. June and July are the best months to enjoy Dragonflies in Western New York.

Created by Mike Adriaansen

As summer approaches, cottonwood seeds begin to float through the air. Flowering Dame’s rockets attract many pollinators such as hummingbird clear wing moths, red admiral and tiger swallowtail butterflies. You will also find a variety of bee visitors. Dragonflies are emerging from the ponds and will increase in numbers through July. The vibrant common whitetail cruise along the pond edges coming to rest on a stick protruding from the water. Ash trees, black locust, and wild grape vines are flowering. The “Gunk” calls of green frogs fill the air with an occasional jug o rum call of the bullfrogs.  The melodic whistle of the Baltimore oriole is a frequent sound around the trails. Look for their hanging woven nests above the trails. Great blue heron wade through the water lilies (in full bloom), stealthily spearing unsuspecting fish. Sunfish and blue gills hover over their gravel nests fanning it with their fins. Black swallowtail butterflies may be seen laying their eggs on wild carrot leaves. Keep an eye out for snapping turtles laying their eggs in early morning. They will sometimes travel a fair distance to find a suitable place to lay their eggs. With Monarch butterflies returning, look for them to be laying eggs on common milkweed plants.

Goats recently visited Reinstein Woods to help control an invasive plant. Reinstein Intern Nick Morelli prepared this video to explain why our furry friends were needed, and chatted with the goat’s owners to learn more. Click on the picture to view Goat Video.