Last week, we put a call out for people to participate in a butterfly count at the Outer Harbor. The results (achieved through Citizen Science) of that count are now in.
Jay Burney and Chris Balboni tallied all of the results, compiled by the following volunteers: Jay Burney, Chris Balboni, David Gordon, Matt Lincoln, Catherine Carr Lincoln, Lynda Schneekloth,, Margaret Wooster, Larry Brooks, Peg Clukey, Carrie Brooks, Jajean Rose-Burney, and Ana Hernandez Balzak.
The July 4th Buffalo Outer Harbor/Times Beach/Bell Slip Count is as follows:
Weather: Sunny, light breeze, temp 80 plus F.
Location: Lake shore, mixed habitats, meadows, pathways, sand barren (Bell Slip).
Species:
Red Admiral (1) Times Beach
Monarch (6) (4 Times Beach/2 Bell Slip)
Eastern Tailed Blue (12) Bell Slip
Great Spangled Fritillary (1) Times Beach
European Skipper (8) Bell Slip
Cabbage White (40 +) Times Beach and Bell Slip
Total Species: 6
Total individuals: 40 plus
Thanks to all of the volunteers that took the time over the holiday weekend to do their part to help preserve butterflies and other pollinators. I spent some time at Times Beach yesterday, and while I did not see any butterflies, I did manage to catch a glimpse of some beautiful birds. The land at Time Beach is incredibly beautiful and surprisingly serene, considering that there was a SABA event at Wilkeson Pointe, with kickball games, food trucks, etc. There were a lot of people partying and playing nearby, but this nature sanctuary was completely removed from the action.
I was surprised to see that relatively few people were taking advantage of the sights and the sounds of the preserve, which is a Catch 22 I suppose. Why? Because if people aren’t paying attention to it and enjoying it, they won’t understand the importance of the lands when the time comes to fight for them (against development issues). At the same time, the lack of people made it that much more enjoyable. It’s so rare to find a place that is so peaceful in the city, or anywhere else for that matter.
If you want to help with this amazing conservation effort, consider supporting the efforts of the Pollinator Conservation Association. A GoFundMe site has been set up, where you can make a donation.
The Pollinator Conservation Association is a Great Lakes/Western New York based organization dedicated to promoting pollinator conservation through developing and providing resources to help governments, businesses, and individuals achieve conservation of valuable resources.