Suumer is almost here....

You can tell its getting to be Summer when the front porch walls come down here at Tifft...

Backed Up Photos

Some Photos from the past couple weeks... with explanations of course... Otherwise that would just be silly and you would just be looking at random photos.



Close up of Beetle tunnels that would be under the bark of a tree had this tree been still alive.



In an effort to see how many geese nests are on the island on Beth Pond, we pulled ashore and explored. Plenty of bones from Deer rest atop.



Monster Snapping turtle basking in the shallow water off the island. Right near yet another beaver lodge. They just keep popping up.



View of cargill from the island



Goslings which are everywhere right now.



For no other reason... than I just wanted to show a woodchuck in a tree.



Look at him go!



Crabapple tree in bloom off the deck.



Green Heron.... from far away and enhanced through photoshop.. My camera doesn't have the greatest zoom.



Misty Morning Marsh... alliteration!!



Fungi waves


Thats all I have for now... remember the photo contest is in full swing right now at Tifft! If you need any info or would like to participate we still have spots open! E-mail tifftfriends@yahoo.com or come in the cabin and pick up a flier.

Turtle Turtle Turtle

On Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15, 2009, McKinley High School Aquatic Ecology students in Mr. Liss’ class, visited the preserve and set turtle traps at the south blind to learn first hand about turtles at Tifft. Everyone donned chest waders and headed south into the marsh at the south blind. Using smelly fish as bait, several midland painted turtles were caught in the hoop traps. Midland painted turtles can be identified by their yellow plastron with dark blotch in the center. After examining the turtles, they were all released unharmed back into the marsh.
















Photos courtesy of Lauren Makeyenko

Upcoming Events

MAY 2009

Celebrating Birds in Culture
Saturday May 9
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd. Buffalo, NY 14203
Join us in celebrating the 2009 International Migratory Bird Day at Tifft. Start early at 8AM for a Spring bird count or join us in Tifft’s Visitor Center at 10AM and test your bird IQ with a game of Jeop-Birdy, make a bird mask, take the Great Migration Challenge or use a balloon to understand how birds make sound. Learn more about our feathered friends and their importance throughout the world! Pre-registration required -call 716.896.5200 x338 to register. Free.

Nature’s Circle: Drip, Drop, Splash
Tuesday, May 12
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd. Buffalo, NY 14203
Read a story and have some fun during outdoor circle time at Tifft. Silly songs, games and lots of fun help little ones engage in a natural setting. Let’s learn to enjoy nature together. For children ages 2-3 and their caregivers. Pre-registration required. Please call Robin at 716.896.5200 x338. Buffalo Museum of Science Members: $3 per child & adult, Non-members: $4 per child and adult.

Learn To Bird
Sunday, May 17
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd. Buffalo, NY 14203
The Audobon Society has designated Tifft as an “Important Birding Area”, so what better place to learn to bird than at Tifft? Join one of Friends of Tifft’s experienced birders to teach you how to use binoculars and your ears to locate and identify birds by sights and sounds.

Pint-Sized Naturalist: Drip, Drop, Splash
Tuesday, May 26
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd. Buffalo, NY 14203
It’s discovery time at Tifft Nature Preserve! Crafts, games, hiking and a snack will all be part of the fun as we explore the wonders of nature. For children ages 4-5 and their caregivers. Pre-registration required. Please call Robin at 716.896.5200 x338. Buffalo Museum of Science Members: $4 per child and adult, Non-members: $5 per child and adult.

Species Survey Safari
Friday, May 29th 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, May 30th 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Fees: FREE
Registration: Pre-registration required
More Info: For more information or group registration call 716-825-6397
Come learn about the diversity of life at Tifft Nature Preserve. Activities will include an evening nature walk to listen for nighttime wildlife (Friday), bird watching nature walk, dip-netting for pond insects, crafts and activities for the whole family, and more!

Nesting Season!

Its nesting season for Canada Geese in the preserve. You may see some goslings soon. If you see a nest or see an odd acting bird please leave it alone. Male geese are known to hiss and attack unsuspecting passer-bys who get too close to their babies or mates. This goes for outside of the preserve as well.

Here are a few photos of a trip Me, Dave, and Brandon took in the marsh the other day counting geese nests...



This one had a few goslings it was protecting...



These eggs were in the middle of hatching



This is Brandon and I posing for Dave. Despite the hat you see on my head, I got sunburned that day.

Snap Crackle and Pop

Have you seen these guys here...??





These are Snapping turtles! They are the state of New York reptile. As the weather warms up, you will be seeing more and more of these guys. One word of advice, please don't touch wildlife... especially these guys... They can take off a finger with their jaws if you get too close. You may think turtles are slow, but they can move surprisingly fast if they want to.

Also, please don't take wildlife from the preserve.. this results in a sizable fine, an arrest, and possible banishment from the preserve. Do you really want a criminal record for illegally stealing wildlife? Thank you.

Volunteering does a body good

Tifft Nature Preserve is always looking for volunteers. We welcome anyone with a love of nature and a willingness to donate their time to help make Tifft a place people want to visit. There is no set job for a volunteer here at Tifft. We have a wide variety of positions that are open to you, your friends and family's...

Tour Guide
Cabin Greeter
Photographer
Gardener
Librarian
Trail Steward
Outreach Ambassador

If any of these sound good to you, then please call us at 825-6397 or email nature.tifft@gmail.com for more information and descriptions.

As you may have noticed, we have a friends group called Friends of Tifft Nature Preserve. They help us out greatly and are comprised of a wonderful board of directors who are always willing to do what they can for us. You can thank them for the effort they made in making Tifft open to the public again. They work with the Buffalo Museum of Science to provide renovations, volunteers and more. If you would like more information about Friends of Tifft or would like to become a member please e-mail tifftfriends@yahoo.com

Along with Volunteers and Friends of Tifft, local boy scounts and cub scouts are always looking to help us out. Eagle Scouts who have an idea or plan they would like to do here at Tifft are welcome to e-mail nature.tifft@gmail.com or call 825-6397.

Recently we had an Eagle Scout wrap trees on the Northern side of Beth Pond, and here are some photos..






If you think Volunteering is for you, then contact us today!

Clean Up

On Saturday April 18th we had a clean-up to help us get prettied up for summer. Our fence line along Furhmann Blvd was especially hard hit. It was sponsored in part by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers as part of their shore line sweep. We had plenty of volunteers and a nice day to boot. Thank you to Air and waste Management Association of the Niagara Frontier Section for help making this day possible.

Here are some photos of people giving their time and effort to help us here at Tifft.

Here are a few "Before" photos....



All that winter trash



Windblown trash collector





We needed a make over!



Ta Da!! All clean and green!



Ed The Earth Day Buffalo came to supervise our clean-up

Here are some volunteers who helped us out:



Group of Canisius College Students doing good work and posing for the camera



Two hard workers taking a well deserved break



We had another group helping us pull up some Japanese Knotweed



Our lovely sign-in staff



50 bags of trash and just under a ton of garbage! We not only made Tifft look better but lighter!

Thanks to all that came out and helped!