Heroes behind the rescue

“It is what we are expected to do,” said Ryan Gildea, Monroe County Wildlife Conservation Officer. Gildea had just responded to a call to rescue a buck that had fallen into the plunge pool of the Upper Buck Hill Falls. That same attitude prompted Andy Andrejcisk, Buck Hill Falls Security Chief; Mike O’Shea, Buck Hill Falls President and CEO; Fred Rubin, a Trustee of The Buck Hill Conservation Foundation; John Styk, Buck Hill Ranger; and members of the Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Department to join Gildea in the successful rescue effort on August 5, 2013.

 

Andy Andrejcisk called John Styk late that morning. “Come down to the falls immediately,” Andrejcisk said. “There’s an emergency.” When Styk arrived, he was surprised to see an 8 point buck, about 170 pounds, frantically struggling in the Upper Falls plunge pool. Styk immediately called Officer Gildea.

It was Gildea’s day off, and he was en route to a personal appointment near Scranton. Gildea attempted to summon another officer, but quickly realized that the other officer would not be able to reach Buck Hill in time. Gildea immediately turned his vehicle around and headed to Buck Hill, arriving around noon.

 

Meanwhile, the Barrett Township Fire Company and Buck Hill officials had quickly responded, assessed the situation, and awaited Gildea’s arrival.

Exhausted from his struggles, the deer had managed to climb onto a rock ledge at the outlet of the Upper Falls plunge pool. Tranquilizing him at that point, however, would likely result in his falling over the Middle Falls and eventually down the Lower Falls—to certain death.

 

The group had quickly formed a plan. The men scared the deer back into the plunge pool, enabling Gildea to fire a dart to tranquilize the animal. Once it was in the deeper waters, they could pull it to safety. Rescue team member [Jon Markovsky] lassoed a rope over the deer’s antlers, just as the animal was beginning to sink in the 15-foot deep pool. The crew pulled the rope to the edge of the plunge pool, where the crew waited at the outlet of the plunge pool, pulling the rope and the deer to the water’s edge. Members had to stand on the brink of the Middle Falls to steady the animal as others pulled on the ropes.

The men pulled the deer onto the Stokes Basket, a fiberglass sled. With some men pulling from above, and others pushing the sled from below, they pulled the deer up the 25 foot vertical slope of the rocky gorge, up to the hand railing that edges the narrow walking path to the upper falls. With much effort, the deer was hoisted over the hand railing and into the pathway.

The deer started to come around. Gildea quickly gave the animal another shot of tranquilizer as the men carried it down the path, 350 feet to the parking area. Resting the sled in a grassy area, they waited for the deer to revive. After over an hour of struggle, the deer finally got to its feet and slowly walked up the hillside at 1:52 PM.

Buck Hill Falls Golf Course honored for nesting boxes

Source: Pocono Record

Buck Hill Falls Golf Course was recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  From left are: Phillip White, district wildlife conservation officer; Stuart Sopko, Camp Club; Tim Stem, golf superintendent; Jack Mitchell, Camp Club; Bill Williams, state game commission officer; John Jose, Otter Creek Environmental Education Services; Jackie Spiecher, Pocono Avian Research Center; and

Fred Ruben, Buck Hill Conservation Foundation.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently presented the Buck Hill Falls Company with a certificate of recognition and a Working Together for Wildlife bluebird print for its successful bluebird nest box project.

The Buck Hill Falls Company along with Otter Creek Environmental Education Services recognized an opportunity for the children of the Buck Hill Falls community, who attend the annual summer camp, Camp Club, to have the experience of playing a direct role in establishing a community-based nature project. The children’s part in the project was the construction of over twenty nest boxes from pre-cut kits provided by the game commission.

With the support of the Buck Hill Falls golf course staff, the nest boxes were installed in pairs (10 in 2010 with 10 more boxes erected in 2011), on the community’s premier golf course. Two additional nest boxes, placed at the Camp Club building, have provided an opportunity for the children to study ecology, particularly the nesting cycle of any bird species occupying the boxes.

Critical to the success of the project has been the commitment of the Pocono Avian Research Center and the Buck Hill Falls Conservation Foundation. They conducted weekly monitoring of the nest boxes on the golf course, over two nesting seasons from April through August. Pocono Avian Research Center also produces an annual report for the project.

In 2011 with the initial 10 nest boxes, 30 eastern bluebirds and 26 tree swallows were fledged. Many more swallows and bluebirds fledged from the 20 boxes on the golf course this year. The collaborative nature of this project, with all of the project partners working together to bring it to fruition, has been an essential element in its success in enhancing the community and its natural resources.

Out and About with Plants and Flowers

Source: The Breeze, pg. 14

By Fred Ruben on behalf of the Buck Hill Conservation Foundation

There are some striking plants and flowers in our midst here in Buck Hill Falls. They really deserve some mention, so three of these are the topic for this brief article. My attention was drawn to these while on nature hikes sponsored by our Conservation Foundation. The plants are easily seen as we drive around our community, play golf, or simply attend to our yards.

The first one is the Common Mullein. It inspired me seeing the plant, nestled behind the 8th green on the White Course (see photo), nearly 7 feet tall. Majestically located just below the cart path, you could mistake it for a small tree. Not many weeds reach this height. A biennial plant, it produces a rosette of leaves the first year of growth. Leaves are large, up to 19 inches in length. The second year a large unbranched stem appears and tiny yellow flowers grow mainly at the top. By the end of summer seeds appear on the stem and are shed. The dried stem can persist through the winter, looking like a flagpole. Common Mullein grows in all our states, and in the West it is known as Cowboy Toilet Paper!

The second plant is the Milkweed. I’ve observed naturalists say how happy they are to see milkweeds. They are a nectar source for bees, and also for monarch butterflies. The seed pods are particularly interesting because they have filament-like hairs known as silk or floss, that blow away when the pods open. The floss has had many uses. During WWII it was a substitute for kapok (used for stuffing mattresses), and more recently as a hypoallergenic filling for pillows. Its nectar has a high dextrose content that Native Americans have used as a sweetener.

It’s also a poisonous plant if ingested. The flowers have a wonderful fragrance making it a nice garden plant. Personally, I like the fact that it supports monarch butterflies. That we have milkweed plants scattered around Buck Hill makes our community a butterfly destination. The milkweed photo was taken on Long Road next to the lovely stone wall.

Lastly, I’ve chosen the Foxglove or Digitalis plant. It is also tall and stately, but has the added beauty of gorgeous purple, white, pink, or red flowers along the stalk. I’ve known about digitalis as a heart medicine from my career as an internist. Many patients have benefitted from treatment of their failing hearts with digitalis medicine. It is rarely used today because of much less toxic and safer heart drugs becoming available. We have Digitalis purpurea growing as a weed in the next yard. I’ve tried transplanting without success, but it is so widespread in Buck Hill that simply driving around one can see foxglove in abundance. Don’t eat this plant as it is poisonous. Foxglove season is almost gone, but look for it next spring and summer. My photo was from the road beside my house.

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to:http://buckhillfalls.com/uploads/thebreeze/BH-12Sept.pdf

 

The Buck in the Falls – An Amazing Rescue

When Lisa Oster (Bill and Linda Potter’s daughter) planned a tour of the Falls for her visiting Canadian cousins, Luke and Veronica Grant-Sedore and their children Kiera and Emma, she might have expected that the group would see a trout jumping for its breakfast.  But, as the family walked away from the gated observation area at the Upper Falls on the morning of August 5, Lisa was surprised when 11-year-old Kiera said “There’s a deer stuck under the falls over there! It doesn’t look like it can get out! How can we help it?”

Curious, Lisa returned to the observation area and spotted an eight-point buck struggling to find a way out of its predicament, attempting to climb a nearby rock ledge but continually slipping back into the dangerous plunge pool below. Lisa would later learn that Kiera had actually witnessed the buck fall into the water from the high ridge above, sometime after 10AM.

With limited cell phone reception, Lisa was headed to her car to drive for help when she met Fred Ruben out for a jog.  Fred, a fellow Conservation Foundation Trustee, offered to run the distance to alert security.  The incredible chain of events that ensued is retold below by John Styk, our Foundation’s Ranger, avid woodsman, and lifelong resident of Barrett Township. As usual, John knew exactly what to do!

Nature Hike On Chestnut Mountain

Source: The Breeze, pg. 11

By Fred Ruben on behalf of the Buck Hill Conservation Foundation

On a sunny Saturday in early April our Conservation Foundation sponsored a hike, led by naturalist Rick Koval, through a trail on Chestnut Mountain. Twenty Buck Hillers, including Jock Miller, Frank May, and Tom Widing, enjoyed hiking two or three miles in this forest. Some highlights identified by Rick show just how worthwhile it is for a hiker to enjoy this splendid environment. Trees were in the earliest state of emerging from winter. Beech trees, large and small, were dominant, some with beech nuts still uneaten by animals, and some with beech “drops” or small stick plants found only at the base of the beech trees. Ironwood, yellow birch, and black cherry were among the other trees identified for us. We saw the occasional giant black cherry tree that escaped the timber cutting, but we also saw areas that had been clear cut. There were old grape vines that climbed to great heights and, in summer, provide cover for owls and food for birds. In an open space there was Common Mullein, dried up for winter but up to six feet tall. During the summer Mullein resembles tobacco plants.

Among the shrubs were Spirea, Multifloral Rose, Moosewood, and patches of Barberry. Out of the ground grew Princess Pines, green Christmas ferns, Garlic Mustard, and Common Blue violets. Red Berry Elder was seen growing between rock cracks. On the ground was lovely Turkey Tail lichen and Stag horn Club moss. The latter, in season, produces spores that can explode when ignited and, in the remote past, were used for flash photography! One area, even with the current dry period, had standing water. Rick demonstrated in this vernal pool the egg mass of the Spotted Salamander lying amid “salamander algae”. In the coming weeks tiny salamander tadpoles will emerge.

There was the log foundation of a trapper shack, once used by Jock Miller and his friends. The shack was more akin to a lean-to. Jock said it once had bunk beds. He also showed where a hammock had hung between two trees.

We heard the Morse code sounds of a Sapsucker bird, and near a ridge we saw hawks and a vulture soaring as they looked for food below. On the trail were fresh turkey feathers, all remnants of a meal likely enjoyed by a resident coyote. Further on the trail were coyote droppings including some bone remnants.

Re-acquiring Chestnut Mountain has been a labor of love for Buck Hillers like Frank May. We will learn more about this forest in the coming years.

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to: http://buckhillfalls.com/uploads/thebreeze/BH-12June.pdf

Conservation Foundation News

Source: The Breeze, pg. 10

On May 3rd through May 5th, The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, an organization composed of some eighty conservation organizations, held its tenth annual meeting at nearby Pocono Manor. The Conservation Foundation was pleased to be one of the sponsoring members of this year’s conference and hosted a hiking tour of Red Rocks, Jenkins Woods and the Falls. Some twenty enthusiastic hikers marveled at the natural beauty of Buck Hill and applauded our efforts to preserve it.

The hike was followed by a luncheon served at the Tennis Tea. Candi and her crew did their usual great job with the catering. Thank you to Mike O’Shea and Jack Trapani for their help in facilitating the transportation.Before returning to Pocono Manor, the guests were given a driving tour of Buck Hill residences and amenities. Everyone was impressed.

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to: http://buckhillfalls.com/uploads/thebreeze/BH-12June.pdf

At press time…Chestnut Mountain Update

Source: The Breeze, pg. 2

 

The Buck Hill Conservation Foundation is very pleased and proud to announce that its very ambitious drive to raise funds to purchase Chestnut Mountain has reached its goal of $750,000.

Thanks to the generous support of its members and friends of Buck Hill, and thanks to a grant from Monroe County for $300,000 we were able to raise the $1.3 million dollars required for the purchase of 478 acres of land. The County grant was largely made possible by the conveyance of a matching conservation easement on the adjacent 400-acre Spruce Mountain by the Buck Hill Falls Company. We wish to thank the Directors and the Shareholders for helping to make this acquisition possible.As we go to print, the required due-diligence has been performed and a survey is being completed. It is our expectation that closing on the property will occur mid-May. There will be much to do after the acquisition is completed including a comprehensive forest management plan and the re-creation of the trail network. As everyone can appreciate, our reserves have been depleted and anyone who have not as yet made a contribution towards this effort is encouraged to do so. There is still time to be recognized as a participant in this historical achievement by the Foundation and the Buck Hill community.

Checks can be mailed to “The Buck Hill Falls Conservation Foundation” at P.O. Box 350, Buck Hill Falls PA 18323.

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to: http://buckhillfalls.com/uploads/thebreeze/BH-12June.pdf

Barrett Township purchases Mt. Wismer Preserve through Open Space Funding.

Source: The Village View, pg. 10

The Barrett Township Board of Supervisors, together with the Barrett Township Open Space Advisory Committee, is pleased to announce the purchase of an approximately 94 acre property to be known as the Mt. Wismer Preserve. The property adjoins the Gravel Family Preserve, consisting of approximately 170 acres, which was acquired in 2006. The two properties will be managed by the Township as one 264 acre preserve for wildlife and natural resource protection, and passive recreation by the general public. According to Frank May, Open Space Committee Chairman, the new acquisition will provide pedestrian access off of Route 447 to the top of Mt. Wismer, which affords spectacular views of Gravel Pond below and the Delaware Water Gap and Kittitany Ridge to the South and West.

The Preserve was acquired for a purchase price of $350,000, which was funded through Township Open Space monies, and donations from The Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, Concerned Citizens of Barrett Township and the Weiler Family Foundation. Matching grants were obtained through the Monroe County Natural Areas/Passive Recreation Lands program, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the Keystone Fund.

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to: http://www.thevillageview.com/webstore/May12Web.pdf

Crows: Birds we take for granted

Source: The Breeze, pg. 14

By Fred Ruben on behalf of the Buck Hill Conservation Foundation

Most of us have seen crows all our lives and never paid them any attention. We all love our songbirds, and the colorful birds seen here in summertime. I’ve watched hummingbirds for hours and enjoyed every moment. Sighting a bald eagle is cause for telling anyone willing to listen. Crows, on the other hand, seem to be unnoticed or at other times to be a bother. I grew up in eastern North Carolina, a tobacco-growing center, and remember that my high school athletic teams were called The Blackbirds. Our emblem was a blackbird with a cigar held in its beak!

The first time I gave any real thought to crows was in 1999 when birds in New YorkCity began dying from infection with West Nile Virus. The virus, spread by mosquitoes carrying the virus and feeding on birds, multiplies in the birds, which then die. Mosquitoes feed on infected birds, and the cycle continues. John Serrao, here in the Poconos in 2009, wrote that numbers of crows were greatly diminished by West Nile, but added that our crow population is still abundant. On a positive note, West Nile has lead to new research on crows and their biology. Crows live in family groups, mate for life, and can live up to 14 years. They roost in trees with large nests. Their range for food can be up to 16 miles. They are omnivores.

I have seen crows eating dead squirrels, acorns, and even the bird seed scattered from my feeders. Crows are exceptionally squeamish. They will scatter from my driveway by my merely tapping lightly on my kitchen window. They make a very loud vocal call that sounds like cah cah (think of a Bostonian saying car), but can mimic other bird sounds as well.

We are fortunate that crows live year round in Buck Hill. They are a constant reminder of our closeness with nature. They are highly intelligent making one wonder what they are up to as they call each other. Jackie Speicher, of Pocono Avian Research, says “that when you hear several crows squawking, then you should take time to find out what is going on. It is usually a wonderful surprise, such as a hawk or an animal that poses a threat to them.”

To see the complete issue that this article originally appeared in go to: http://buckhillfalls.com/uploads/thebreeze/BH-12Spring.pdf

The Buck Hill Falls Tree Trails

Source: The Breeze, pg. 13

Along three of Buck Hill’s well-traveled paths, approximately 100 trees have been labeled with small plexiglass identification tags. These specimens are all located within a few  feet of the paths so that the labels can be easily read. Thirty different species of trees are represented, including 26 that are native to this Pocono region of northeastern  Pennsylvania (the four non-native species—Norway spruce, Scotch pine, European larch, and weeping cherry—were planted as ornamentals). The Tree Trails is a project of the Buck  Hill Conservation Foundation and was completed by naturalist, John Serrao.

The longest, wildest path starts at the pool’s lower parking lot and enters the forest toward the Falls and Jenkins Woods. It bears to the right at the first bench and then

makes a sharp right at the steep cliffs above the Falls. Then it continues past the fenced Deer Enclosure to a set of steps down to the Falls Road leading to the Falls parking  lot. Here it stays along the top, stopping at the Upper Falls. The return route to the pool parking lot bypasses the steps and stays on the main Falls Road, where additional  trees are labeled.

The second Tree Trail is the path from the Camp Club to the Golf Course, paralleling Golf Drive (Cresco Road). The third Tree Trail is on the opposite side of Golf Drive and starts across from the Flower Garden, also ending at the Golf Course.

These three paths provide great opportunities to learn how to identify many of our area’s most distinctive and familiar trees—in any season.