23rd CD: Dede Scozzafava Drops Out of the Race

In a move that has the potential to shift the outcome of the coming election for the 23rd Congressional District spot once held by fellow Republican John McHugh, Dede Scozzafava has announced that she has suspended her campaign. Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman, has not yet given her support to either of her opponents, Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, or Democrat Bill Owens. A Siena poll released today has Owens at 36 percent of likely voters, Hoffman at 35 percent, and Scozzafava at 20 percent.

"In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be. The reality that I've come to accept is that in today's political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money," Scozzafava wrote in a statement to supporters.

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Galls Revisited: It's Not Hard to Be Humble

When one is a practicing naturalist, one must always be willing to say two things. One, "I don't know." And two, "Hm...I guess I was wrong." Y'see, Mother Nature is always ready to send you down the wrong path by making some identifications tricky. And, let's face it, we can't all be experts at everything. In fact, as a friend of mine once put it, I don't consider myself to be an expert at anything, for an "ex" is a has-been, and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure. So, I'm admitting here and now that I stumbled and fell on the ID of the makers of the cottonwood galls posted 24 October. In fact, thanks to a recent post I read elsewhere, these cottonwood galls are caused by the Poplar Vagabond Gall Aphid (Mordwilkoja vagabunda). So, let's revisit this post and set the record straight.

The clue I should've seen right away is that the galls made by the eriophyid mite occur along the affected stem as well as at the tip of the branch; those created by the Poplar Vagabond Gall Aphid (henceforth referred to as the vagabond) are located only at the tip.

The vagabond actually uses multiple hosts over its lifetime. Its life begins as a black egg, which the female has laid either in old galls or in the crevices of the poplar's bark. Apparently the females have a preference for trees that already have galls on them, a likely indication that these trees are good hosts.

Eggs remain in situ throughout the winter. When spring rolls around, they hatch and the tiny wee nymphs migrate to the tips of their twigs, where new growth is starting to emerge. Here they pierce the tender plant tissue and commence feeding, sucking out the plant's juices as only aphids can. It is this feeding action that ultimately results in the creation of the distorted hollow "thing" that would've normally been new leaves. The nymphs move into this newly formed gall and take up residence while waiting to mature.

Maturation comes with summer, and the now fully-grown adult aphids leave their snug home for greener pastures. While confirmation is still in the wings, scientists think that these aphids possibly spend their summer feeding on the roots of certain grasses. Fast-forward to autumn, and the aphids fly back "home", taking up residence once again within the hollow chambers of the gall.

Some mating must take place here, because soon wingless females are born inside the gall, and by early November the males appear. But perhaps these two generations are produced via parthenogenesis (females reproducing without the aide of males - it's more common than you think). I haven't found any data to confirm either mode of reproduction. Regardless, once we have these wingless females and the males, mating takes place (again?) and little black eggs are once more laid in old galls and the crevices of the tree's bark. The cycle continues.

When the rumply galls are first formed, they are green, no doubt the result of their original goal in life of being leaves for the tree. By winter, however, they have turned brown and are quite hard. These galls persist on the trees for many years, becoming obvious to the eyes of the curious as autumn claims the tree's leaves.

The next time you are walking near some cottonwoods, or quaking aspens, or some other member of the poplar family, keep your eyes peeled. You might even bring a gall or two inside for the winter and see if anything emerges come spring (I'd suggest keeping it in a jar, with a lid). Gall watching can be a fun and interesting experiment for the whole family.

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Weekly Adirondack Web Highlights

• These Americans: Photos of Adk Deer Hunters, 1970s
• Extreme Bumper Jumping in Saranac Lake, 1944
• Upstate Earth: Ghosts of Beardslees Mills
• Adirondack Paddler: Moose River Whitewater Photos
• Huffington Post: Wall Street's Man in the Adirondacks
• VOA News: A Scary Adirondack Halloween Story
• The Landscapist: Politics
• Adirondack Musing: Doug Hoffman for President?
• Walking the Berkshires: "Henry, Get Your Guns"
• Winter Campers: Eddie Bauer-Creator of The Down Jacket
• Holly Goes Lightly: Why I Hate the Adirondack Northway

Each Friday Adirondack Almanack compiles for our readers the week's best stories and links from the web about the Adirondacks. You can find all our weekly web highlights here.

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PBS Stations Picking Up Locally-Made Documentary

The locally-made documentary about the French and Indian War, “Forgotten War: The Struggle for North America,” has been selected for broadcast by more than two hundred public broadcasting stations.

The documentary, which was produced by Plattsburgh’s Mountain Lakes PBS in conjunction with commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the French and Indian Wars, will be seen in three of the biggest markets in the country: New York, Boston and San Francisco, said Janet Kennedy, the executive director of Lakes to Locks Passage, which underwrote the documentary.

Stations in Los Angeles and Philadelphia are considering broadcasts, said Kennedy.

“Mountain Lakes PBS is the smallest public television station in the country, so having one of its productions broadcast nationally is a remarkable achievement,” said Peter Repas, executive director of the Association of Public Broadcasting Stations of New York.

According to Colin Powers, Mountain Lakes PBS’s director of production and programming, for too many Americans, the French and Indian war is still the forgotten war, despite the fact that the 250th anniversary of the pre-Independence War conflict inspired countless new books and films.

Not only do relatively few Americans understand the role the conflict played in shaping the history of the North American continent, the significance of Lake George and Lake Champlain in determining the conflict’s outcome is often lost sight of, Powers said.

To remedy that defect, Powers and a team of producers, directors and writers spent more than two years creating “Forgotten War: The Struggle for North America,” an hour long documentary that will be seen on public broadcasting stations throughout the United States and Canada.

“We wanted to bring the war back to this corridor,” Powers said at the documentary’s premiere, which was held at Fort Ticonderoga. “An epic struggle for the fate of North America was played out right here in our own backyards. For five years—from 1755 to 1760—the battles raged at Lake George, Crown Point, Fort Ticonderoga, and Quebec as France, Britain and the native peoples of North America fought to decide who would control the crucial highway of rivers and lakes between New York and the city of Montreal.”

The film makers succeeded in restoring the primacy of northern New York to the historical narrative, said David Starbuck, the archaeologist who has conducted excavations at Fort George and Fort William Henry.

“They did a great job of putting this area front and center,” said Starbuck, who served as one of the film’s consultants.

According to Powers, the film makers hoped to restore a perspective that many historians felt had been distorted by the PBS documentary “The War that made America,” which was filmed near Pittsburgh.

Much of “Forgotten War” was filmed in and around Fort Ticonderoga, using the 2000 re-enactors who show up every year as extras.

“They’re re-enactors, not actors, so we frequently had to re-stage scenes,” said Damian Panetta, the documentary’s producer and director.

Panetta and associate producer Karin O‘Connell elicited the advice not only of scholars but of the descendants of those who participated in the conflict.

“I was very cognizant of trying to tell a balanced story so I spoke to British, French, French Canadian, British Canadian, Scottish, American, Iroquios, Abenaki, and Mohican peoples,” said O'Connell.

The result, said Colin Powers, is a documentary that gives proper weight to Native Americans and the American colonists.

The French and Indian War is a forgotten war not merely because it has been overshadowed by the War of Independence, but also because it contains so many forgotten stories, said Powers.

According to Powers, ‘Forgotten War’ will be a rich resource long after it has been shown on television.

In addition to the full-length documentary, the producers have created videos that will be available at historic sites, a website with
downloadable content, and educational curriculum that meet state curriculum standards.

“This was a project that took more than two years to complete,” said Alice Recore, the president and CEO of Mountain Lakes PBS. “I hope viewers will feel that it was well worth the time and the effort.”

For more news from Lake George, read the Lake George Mirror

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This Week's Top Adirondack News Stories

• Hundreds Protest at Plattsburgh State
• Leahy Boosts Aid to Bats
• NY Declares Swine Flu Emergency
• Chairlift Wins Planning Board Approval
• NY-23: Hoffman Refuses To Debate
• Local Teacher Resource Center Funded
• Crown Point Bridge Closed Until Spring
• 23rd Candidates Avoid Debating
• Free Ferry Travel For Bridge Users
• Brandreths Insist Shingle Shanty Brook is Closed

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Adirondack Music Scene:Rockin' Halloween Parties, Reggae, Pop

So this my last post for approximately a month. I will miss the North Country and all of the wonderful events I'm sure to hear about when I return in December. I'm headed to Portugal and Normandy. It's sure to be an exciting trip and I already have a planned meeting with a cool musician, Aurel, in Burgundy. Who knows what other musical adventures I shall have in between. (Note to self: find a guitar once there, ASAP). If I were in town I'd be dancing to CIDERHOUSE on Halloween probably dressed as a question.

Thursday, October 29th:

In Potsdam Roots of Creation are playing at St. Lawrence University. These guys play a combo of mostly reggae and jazz and then there is this tune that must be fairly new called "Bulls On Parade". It has some blistering guitar riffs and hip hop mixed in. The show starts at 8 pm. If you don't catch them this time around they'll be at the Waterhole on December 5th.

In Saranac Lake every Thursday, Community Ceili starts at 7 pm. Just want to remind everyone that this very friendly weekly Celtic music-making experience is open to anyone who wants to play or listen. I learned a lot of tunes this way and I improved my group rhythm playing. It's held at the North Elba Town House, which is next to Maddens and Guide Boat Realty.

Friday, October 30th:

In South Colton a Halloween Dance, live band included, will be held at the Raquette Valley Fish and Game Club. The band is called The Generation Gap. The dance starts at 8 pm and ends at 11:45 pm. Admission is $3.

In Lake Placid at LPCA - The Rocky Horror Picture Show! It starts at 11:45 pm, a great kick-off to the holiday weekend. So many great people from the area are going to be singing and dancing in conjunction with the showing of the classic film. I'm bringing a teenage friend for her first time.

Saturday, October 31st:

In Queensbury a Coffee House Open Mic is happening at the UU Church. This event is held every last Saturday of the month from 7:30 - 10 pm. The church is located at 21 Weeks Road. Fruit, beverages and dessert are included with a $4 donation. If you live in the southern end of the park go on out and support these folks.

In Saranac Lake, CIDERHOUSE, which features band members from the Nitecrawlers, Electric Blue and Kozmik Truth. Callie K is their excellent lead singer and I see on their website that she plays "extreme washboard"—now that is something I wish I were in town to see. Always a fantastic Halloween party with tons of dancing and costumes. Often special guest musicians show up and the results are exiting. Music is supposed to start at 9 pm.

In Tupper Lake Abbott Hayes will be performing at Old Northern Pub.
The show starts at 10 pm and there is a $5 cover. They have a tight pop rock sound with good lyrics. I'd go see them if I were around.

Sunday, November 1st:

In Potsdam; an Organ Recital by Rebecca Muir MacKellar will be held at 4 pm. It will be held at the Trinity Episcopal Church.

Photo: Roots of Creation

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Books: Adirondack, Lumber Capital of the World

As you might expect, my desk-side book shelves are heavily burdened with Adirondack books. Guides to hiking, climbing, wildlife, forestry; books of photography sit beside fiction and various technical reports—all here within easy reach. Most are history—general histories, political histories, environmental and cultural histories, books on logging, tanning, prohibition, Native Americans, county histories. Recently I received a tidy volume on Adirondack logging history that focuses on Warren County, Phillip J. Harris's Adirondack, Lumber Capital of the World, which seems to have drawn from them all to good effect.

Harris's book takes on, with incredible detail, the people and places that made the southeastern Adirondacks unique in the history of the American lumber industry. In 1850, New York produced more lumber—about a billion board feet a year from around a half million trees—than any other state in the nation. Southern Warren County was where much of the lumber was milled and where the Adirondack lumber barons reigned. Their names—James Morgan, William, Norman and Alison Fox, Jones Ordway, James Caldwell, John Thurman, Samuel Prime, Henry Crandall, Zenus VanDusen, Jeremiah and Daniel Finch, Augustus Sherman, George Freeman, William McEchron—are found scattered through the county's history books, until now.

Harris's book takes on the large and small, from the first pioneers and their patents, to the lumber camps, jobbers, log drives, log marks, and sawmills. The Delaware and Hudson Railroad is featured in one chapter, the Fort William Henry Hotel in another. In 1865 there were some 4,000 sawmills in New York State, one hundred years later there were fewer the 200, today maybe fewer then 50. One of the bigger contributions Harris makes to the history of the Adirondack lumber industry is in explaining how that came to pass.

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Adirondack Park Re-emerging on Google Maps

The Adirondack Park has not quite returned to Google Maps, but something is taking shape: the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

On October 8 we noticed that the green shape representing “Adirondack State Park” was reduced to a little slice over the Cranberry Lake area. Users let Google know about the error through its “Report a Problem” link. As it incorporates user data, Google is apparently trying to restore the park, but it’s not all there yet.

One commenter suggested that the map distinguish between public and private land, which Google is now doing. It’s good to see state land shaded green, though not all tracts are labeled and Google apparently can't tell Wilderness from Wild Forest. Also missing is the park boundary and the words “Adirondack Park.” (The boundary in the image above was drawn by Adirondack Almanack for context.)

This is a complicated place. Some private landowners and Adirondackers say the “park” label makes the uninitiated think that nobody lives here, or that all land is open to the public. Niki Kourofsky of Adirondack Life had some funny anecdotes in this fall’s Collector’s Issue ("Your Place or Mine?") about residents who've found people picnicking on their lawns, and visitors who ask rangers, “What time does the park close?” Even though it’s not all government land like Yellowstone, this region is still distinct and has been designated a park for 117 years. Tourism-dependent businesses that promote the Adirondack name and conservationists who have invested more than a century in the ecological integrity of both private and public lands would surely like to see "Adirondack" somewhere over this part of the map.

It was also suggested that Google show conservation easements, as this Adirondack Park Agency map does. Conservation easements are voluntary restrictions on use of private land, usually preventing development to retain natural conditions. But since every easement is different and public access is determined tract by tract, another land designation might just confuse things even more. The state and private conservation organizations have acquired hundreds of thousands of acres of easements in the Adirondacks over the past three decades. While so far the legal agreements seem to be keeping timberlands intact and are working well for landowners, from a public recreation standpoint they are a tangle. The writer Neal Burdick put it well a few years ago when he said that instead of the old metaphor of a “patchwork quilt” of public and private lands, the Adirondack Park might better be called a “bowl of spaghetti.”

Map from a Google screen capture; park boundary drawn by the Almanack

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Conifers Have Pine Cones: What's That On My Willow?

About three years ago, while walking the dog along the Hudson River up here in Newcomb, I came across a beautiful pale green cone-shaped growth at the end of a willow twig. I didn’t know what to make of it at the time, since I knew that willows do not produce cones. Cones are found primarily on conifers (“cone-bearing trees"), but I know of at least one hardwood that has cone-like structures: alders. This was no alder; what could it be? A little research turned up the answer: a pine-cone willow gall.

Like galls found the world over, the pine-cone willow gall is the by-product of an insect-plant interaction. The insect in question is Rhabdophaga strobiloides, the pine-cone willow gall midge, and the plant, obviously, is a willow. Although these midges are found everywhere a willow grows, it is not likely you will ever actually see one, for they are rather small. Or perhaps you might see one and mistake it for a small mosquito, for it is often described as closely resembling one.

As with other galls, the growth’s formation begins when the adult female selects a suitable place in which to lay an egg. In this case, the mother-to-be chooses a terminal leaf bud on a willow. She deposits her egg in the early spring and then nature takes over. When the larva hatches, it exudes a chemical that disrupts the normal growth of leaves and branches, resulting in the creation of a cozy home that to you and me looks like a pinecone. The larva, a little pink grubby thing, takes up residence in a chamber in the center of the gall, where it eats its fill and then waits for winter to pass.

Spring rolls around and the larva pupates. Before long the pupal skin splits open and out crawls the adult gnat (or midge, depending on who you read). Soon it will be off to find a mate and continue the cycle, ad infinitum.

Now, if you are looking for an interesting project to entertain some kids, or even yourself, collect a pinecone willow gall or six around about March. Bring them inside. Using a sharp knife, slice the gall in half, lengthwise, just off-center. If you do it right, you will expose the little pink larva in its cozy chamber. If you do it wrong, you will slice the larva in two (or, more likely, mash the larva). Assuming you’ve left the larva unharmed, place the gall (with its larva) in a jar with a bunch of wet cotton – this will keep the larva from drying out and dying. Put a lid on the jar. Now you can watch as the larva changes to a pupa, and a week or so later into an adult. Pretty cool

Meanwhile, stick your remaining galls into another jar with a wad of damp cotton. You might want to pin them to a piece of cardboard or Styrofoam to keep them upright and off the soggy fibers. Wait and see what emerges. You may get our friend the gnat, or you may get a variety of other insects, from parasitic wasps, to other species of gnats, or even juvenile grasshoppers! I suggest you keep a lid on this jar, too.

Fall and winter are prime times to look for galls, for now the braches and twigs of trees and other plants are exposed to the elements. Some galls are round like gobstoppers, others football shaped. Some have shapes that defy classification. You can find them on goldenrod, willows, cottonwoods, oaks, spruces, and blueberries, to name a few of our native plants that are likely to sport these growths. Take along a sharp pocket knife and slice a few open to see what is living inside. If you find a gall with a hole on the outside, it’s possible a bird beat you to the hidden morsel inside! Gather a few and bring them home; a collection of galls is a wonderful addition to any naturalist’s stash of nature’s endless treasures.

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Analysis: The Inevitable Halloween/Election Day Cartoon

Say you're a cartoonist, and you own a bar at the intersection of October and November. And once a year at this season two patrons—Halloween and Election Day—walk in and sit down just a couple barstools apart. They never really talk. They just show up, year in and year out. Despite their vast differences in age, temperament, cultural tradition, and costume, you will inevitably come to the conclusion that these misfits were destined to be together. And for the rest of your career you will devote one day a year to drawing a cartoon that somehow marries the two. Some of these cartoons work out better than others.

This may be a promising year if your bar is located in New York's 23rd congressional district. Few house races in memory can match this year's special election for Halloween parallels. Consider the following features:

• A Democratic candidate who looked a lot more like a Republican before he put on the traditional donkey costume;
• A Republican candidate who looks like a liberal to moderates, and looks like an Elvis impersonator to conservatives;
• A Conservative candidate with a devilish grin;

Throw in a candidate endorsement from former House Majority Leader Dick Armey in a cowboy hat and candidate bodies which mysteriously disappear the day of scheduled debates, and you have good raw material for a frightful cartoon.

Of course, if it doesn't work out, there's always next year.

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Revisiting Halloweens Past, And Future

Three years ago I wrote a diatribe on the trend toward racier Halloween costumes. That post, "Naughty Nurses and the Cult of Halloween Sex," has been a popular one, mainly because of the penchant for folks to search the internet for "Naughty Nurses." What they find when they land there, however, is not exactly what they were looking for. Here's a sample:

According to the Center for Nursing Advocacy the naughty nurse is a cultural phenomenon that sexualizes one of America's most important professions:

Linking sexual images so closely to the profession of nursing--to even the fantasy idea that working nurses are sexually available to patients--reinforces long-standing stereotypes. Those stereotypes continue to discourage practicing and potential nurses, foster sexual violence in the workplace, and contribute to a general atmosphere of disrespect. Desexualizing the nursing image is a key part of building the strength the profession needs to overcome the current shortage, which threatens lives worldwide, and to meet the challenges of 21st Century health care.

Most people today probably don't think the average nurse goes to work in lingerie, looking for sex. But the relentless fusing of lingerie with nurses' work uniforms in popular media images, and the frequent exposure of sexy "nurses'" bodies in these images, still associates the profession with sex in the public mind... Other people may simply see nurses as looking to meet a physician--even an already married one--to take them away from the dead end job of nursing, a horrific stereotype that was actually expressed in late 2004 by Dr. Phil McGraw on his popular television show.

Since it's Halloween week, I thought it might be worth another look.

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Adirondack Family Activities' Diane Chase: Local Halloween Events

By Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Activities™

My son has come home from school with a few new phrases to accompany “trick-or-treat.” It has something to do with feet and sweets and I am wondering why we ever give candy to kids anyway, ungrateful bunch of so-n-sos. I marvel at my inconsistency. I monitor with vigilance the quality and quantity of sugar that my children digest only to throw all the rules aside come October 31st.

For some reason this celebration that originated with seasonal changes and the harvest opens the floodgates in our household for just another excuse to purchase holiday-themed confections. At night my husband and I will squabble over the drawer of treats justifying our behavior with veiled references to dental appointments. I am sure that we are the only couple that robs their children’s candy bag. Hmmm…

Below is a partial listing of Halloween events happening around the Adirondack Park. I am sure there are plenty more activities planned but this is what I was able to unearth in my quest for the haunted, costumed and candied.

October 29
Old Forge Halloween Parade
Held at the Old Forge Fire Department. Refreshments will be served.

Glens Falls Downtown Trick or Treat Walk 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Show off your costumes and trick-or-treat for and with the kids

Haunted Fort at Fort Ticonderoga
This event will be held the 29th and 30th in Ticonderoga and not recommended for children under 10.

October 30
Equine Center Wagon ride at Ausable Chasm 10:30 a.m.
Wagon rides from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Children under 4 free; ages 4-12 $7; teens and adults $9. Call 518-834-9933; for directions or online at

Saranac Lake Trick or Treat 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Saranac Lake. Participating businesses will be identified with a pumpkin sign visible in their window.

Long Lake Halloween Carnival 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Long Lake Student Council will host a Halloween carnival at the school. Costume contest, parade, haunted house, games and prizes. Admission is $1.00.

Plattsburgh Trick-or-Treat on Safety Street - 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.,
The Crete Civic Center will transformed into a Trick-or-Treat haven. They will create a safe neighborhood where children can go from house to house and gather goodies without the worries of cars, strangers or tainted candy.

Tupper Lake Trick or Treat 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Trick or Treat on Park & Main in Tupper Lake. Participating businesses will display a poster. Children are to be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call the Tupper Lake Chamber at 518-359-3328.

Elizabethtown Tour of the Supernatural 4:00 p.m.
The Adirondack History Center Museum in Elizabethtown will host a Tour of the Supernatural. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Warm clothing, walking shoes and umbrellas are recommended. Start with cider and donuts and then visit the Riverside Cemetery and a walk through a haunted wood (Actors present local haunting events so small children beware!) Space is limited so please call for reservations: 518-873-6466.

Fright Fest at The Great Escape (Friday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m, Saturday: 12:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
Decorated for Halloween, The Great Escape has all the usual fare plus costume and scream contests, a Haunted House and Trick-or-Treat Trail. The Haunted House is an extra $5.00 per person and not recommended for children under 12. The park is “less scary” from noon – 4:00 p.m. because ghouls come out at night. If you purchase tickets online there is a $10 saviings.

Halloween Hayrides (7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m)
Ellms Family Farm · 448 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020,
Throughout the month of October on Friday and Saturday evenings. The hayride is designed for all ages especially for those up to age 9 (not haunted!)

Ticonderoga Safe Trick or Treat 3;30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Montcalm Street will be closed to traffic to host and safe trick or treat sponsored by downtown merchants.

October 31
Inlet Trick-or-Treat Night 5:00 p.m.

Old Forge Halloween Parade 5:00 p.m.
at the Old Forge Fire Hall on Lamberton Street.

Indian Lake’s Halloween Parade and Party 3:00 p.m.
Those in costume are invited to parade down Main Street to the Fire House for a holiday party.

The Adirondack Corn Maze

Dr. Morbid’s Haunted House
Open all year this house is meant to scare you witless so unless you plan on having your children co-sleep forever use your good judgment on bringing young children.

Chester-Horicon Halloween Parade and Haunted House
Youth Commission to help out in presenting the group's annual Halloween Parade (4:00 p.m.) & Haunted House (Non-scary 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Scary from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)

Boo!
by Diane Chase

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Hamilton County's Long-Standing Sheriff Retires

Hamilton County Sheriff Douglas A. Parker has announced his retirement, ending a history of Parkers serving as the county's top cop that stretches back to 1964; just three men have filled the post since 1946. The Long Lake resident, now 67, has spent 40 years with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department. He was appointed to the position of Jailer by his father Arthur E. Parker in 1964 after a short stint about and anti-submarine aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, he was elected Sheriff on his father's retirement in 1983.

Parker is being lauded by locals for his approach to rehabilitation of those that find their way into the county's criminal justice system. "I'd describe Doug as one of those rare individuals that can project authority, that isn't questioned, and still has the ability to listen and empathize, almost like a social worker," Hamilton County Board of Supervisors Chair William Farber (who has known Parker all these 40 years) told the Schenectady Gazette. "He's seriously going to be missed. We have a department that's second to none in how they handle people," Hamilton County Judge S. Peter Feldstein told the paper. "More young people get turned around because of their interactions with the department, and that's all because of him." Some 250 people showed up at the Oak Mountain Ski Center lodge in Speculator for Parker’s retirement party last week.

While serving as Jailer (and living above the jail with his wife), Douglas Parker was put in charge of serial killer Robert F. Garrow when he was held in county lock-up in Lake Pleasant (part of which was built in 1840) for nine months in 1973-1974. He immediately doubled the guard (to two), but still felt uneasy about his charge, calling the experience "a nightmare." "We didn't trust Garrow to take a shower. He took a bath in a kiddy pool." he recently told the Gazette, "He was never out of his cell, but that there were two deputies with him."

Douglas Parker's father Arthur E. Parker was elected Long Lake Town Clerk in 1939, and then served 19 years as Long Lake Town Supervisor before being appointed by then New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller when then sheriff Merritt Lamos died in office in 1964.

Hamilton County is the most rural and least populated county in the state, and also, at 1,700-square-miles, one of the largest. The county's year-round population is about 5,400, which rises to an estimated 55,000 during the summer. The Sheriff's department includes a staff of six including dispatchers.

The county is considered the most consistently Republican of the entire state. The Republican candidate has lost the county only once over the last 23 Presidential elections (Barry Goldwater). John McCain carried Hamilton County by 27% margin over Barack Obama - the highest margin of victory of McCain in the state.

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Commentary: On Leaving Behind Backcounty Boats

My neighbor came to the door last week in a fit of outrage over a new DEC regulation that made it clear that leaving your gear in the backcountry was against the rules, except in certain cases. He read about it in the Adirondack Journal, a free Denton Publications paper that appears—whether we like it or not—in our mailboxes each week. "Best pack out your boat" was the title of the "Outdoor Tales" column by Denton Managing Editor John Gereau.

Gereau is upset that he can no longer store his boat on state land. His interpretation of a previous DEC regulation (despite Gereau's claims, we're not talking about a "law" but an administrative regulation), which made it clear that storing "camping equipment" on state land was against the rules, conveniently did not apply to him and his gear. His boat, he apparently believes, is not gear.

I contacted DEC Region 5 spokesperson David Winchell, who sent me the wording of Part 190 of the State Land Use regulation, which after a public comment period was revised in May to make clear that no personal property should be left on state land: "No person shall erect, construct, install, maintain, store, discard or abandon any structure or any other property on State lands." I've included the full reg below.

While some may have thought they had a special right the rest of us didn't have, what Gereau calls "a time-honored tradition to leave boats and canoes on the shore of backwoods ponds," the regulation has been clarified for them. No, folks, you can't just leave your stuff wherever you like—even if it is hard to carry it in and out and would be more convenient for you.

And why not? If we all followed Gereau's rules, what might be called the "convenience interpretation," what's to keep me from getting my buddies to help me haul my 21 foot speedboat to some back country waterway that allowed motorized boats and just leave it there? Why couldn't I just leave my boat at the state access point—state land after all—on any lake I please? That would sure save in docking fees and be a heck of a lot more convenient for me.

There's another argument I'd like to head off as well. What I like to call the "poor old folks" argument. Here's how Gereau states it: "I know of many older folks who would not have the ability to get out on the water if the boat had not been there for their use." Not only does it wrongfully label old timers as invalids, it's also wrong in fact. There are something in the neighborhood of 2,760 individual lakes and ponds larger than a half acre in the Adirondack Park—about four percent of the total area of the park (almost a quarter million acres)—claiming you can't get to one of them is ridiculous.

And besides, if it's that back country (ahem, wilderness) experience that those who make the "poor old folks" excuse are after, then they should also be ardent supporters of the quiet waters movement, the major goal of which is increased opportunities to experience the back country they seek.

Here's the full text of the revised regulation:

The specific citation is 190.8(w)

w. No person shall erect, construct, install, maintain, store, discard or abandon any structure or any other property on State lands or subsequently use such structure or property on State lands, except if the structure or property is authorized by the department or is:

1. a geocache that is labeled with the owner's name and address and installed in a manner that does not disturb the natural conditions of the site or injure a tree;

2. a camping structure or equipment that is placed and used legally pursuant to this Part;

3. a legally placed trap or appurtenance that is placed and used during trapping season;

4. a tree stand or hunting blind that does not injure a tree, is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number, and is placed and used during big game season, migratory game bird season, or turkey season; or

5. a wildlife viewing blind or stand that is placed for a duration not to exceed thirty (30) days in one location per calendar year, does not injure a tree, and is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number

Other new provisions of the regulation were added regarding the use of tree stands.

190.8(x) On State lands, no person shall erect, construct, occupy or maintain any structure that is affixed to a tree by nails, screws or other means that injure or damage the tree except as otherwise authorized by the department.

and

(y) No person shall erect, construct, maintain, occupy or use any tree stand that is used, operated, accessed or reached by methods or means which injure or damage a tree on State lands, and no person shall gain access to any structure in a tree on State lands by means that injure or damage the tree.

All of the changes to the State Land Use regulation may be found on the DEC web site at: www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2359.html Look under the heading "Recently Adopted Regulation"

The full set of Part 190 regulation may be founds at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/4081.html

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Top Mountains of Initial Ascent for Adirondack Forty Sixers

As many know, Adirondack Forty-Sixers, or just Forty-Sixers, are people who have climbed the 46 mountains of New York State traditionally considered to be at least 4,000’ in elevation. Membership numbers took nearly a half century to grow from the club’s first recorded member on June 10, 1925 to 1,000 in 1974. Since then, numbers have increased dramatically to 6,385, according to the Forty-Sixer website’s last roster update. Perhaps you too have contemplated exploring the peaks but don’t know where to begin. A good guidebook and some research help, but footprints from the past may also serve as a guide.

Numbers based on the membership roster yielded the four most popular peaks for first ascent:

1. 1,370 or 21.5% people began with Marcy.
2. 1,097 or 17.2% began with Cascade.
3. 593 or 9.2% began with Algonquin.
4. 588 also about 9.2% began with Giant.

Cascade is the most conservative choice for those unsure about their performance over an extended distance. It’s still a challenge with a five-mile round trip covering 2,000’ elevation gain. Porter Mtn. sits alongside and can be added to the day for a minimum of effort. Giant is a rugged and unrelenting round trip of a bit over five miles from Chapel Pond. Elevation gain is over 3,000’ vertical. A side venture to Rocky Peak Ridge can add another high peak to the day, but costs a good bit more in effort. Algonquin jumps to an eight-mile roundtrip over about 2,400’ in ascent. A side spur ascent up Wright or trek over Boundary to Iroquois can make the Algonquin trip either a double or triple header high peak day with multiple choices for descent. Marcy weighs in at about fifteen miles in total with over 3,100’ vertical. Various other destinations can be added if you’re particularly fit and up for the challenge.

All four choices boast open summits with stunning 360 degree views. Marcy is 5,344’ in elevation and overlooks a large percentage of the high peaks being the highest and nearly centered in the grouping. Cascade climbs to 4,098’ with views of Whiteface to the north and most of the peaks from the McIntyre Range over to Big Slide. Algonquin is the second Highest Peak at 5,114’ and is placed a bit to the west. It offers views of numerous mountains including the remote Wallface, Marshall and Iroquois as well as a breathtaking view of Mt. Colden’s incredible slide array down to Avalanche Lake. Giant is aptly named at 4,627’ and delivers views spanning from Lake Champlain and beyond as well as the Dix Range to the east. Each peak is equally rewarding.

So, in deciding how to begin, it’s nice to reflect upon past statistics as well as current sources. Once you’ve wet your feet on Adirondack trails, perhaps you’ll have a taste for more explorations and even more difficult challenges. Stay “tuned” for more on the High Peaks, including one of several ways to accumulate over 10,000 vertical feet in a day hike.

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Public Meetings This Week on Lake Champlain Bridge

NYS DOT has announced a schedule of public meetings about repairs to the Crown Point Bridge and interim lake crossing options. The first meeting is tomorrow on the Vermont side. There will be a meeting in Moriah Wednesday. Details are available at this Web site the state established to provide updates about the bridge, and in a DOT press release, below:

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Vermont Agency of Transportation will host two public information meetings regarding available transportation alternatives for crossing Lake Champlain and the plan to repair and reopen the Lake Champlain Bridge spanning from Crown Point, New York, to Chimney Point, Vermont.

The first meeting will be held Tuesday, October 27, at the Addison Central School located at 121 Vermont Rte. 17W, Addison, Vermont. The second meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 28 at the Moriah Central School located at 29 Viking Lane in Port Henry, New York, and will be attended by representatives from New York’s State Emergency Management Office. Both meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Both schools are accessible to persons with disabilities. If a sign language interpreter, assistive listening system or any other accommodation is required to facilitate participation, please contact James Boni, P. E., Project Manager, at (518) 388-0239, write to NYSDOT Region One Design, 328 State Street, Schenectady, N. Y. 12305 or submit an e-mail to R01-LakeChamplainBridge@dot.state.ny.us. (NYS Department of Transportation press contact Charles Carrier, 518-457-6400.)

This story in today's Press-Republican quotes Crown Point supervisor Dale French saying he heard Gov. David Paterson might attend Wednesday's meeting in Moriah.

Here's a story about economic hardship caused by the bridge closure from NCPR's Brian Mann this morning.

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The Last Days of John Brown: Prisoners And Fugitives

Ten men were killed during John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia in October 1859. All but two were buried in a common grave on the Shenandoah River, across from Harpers Ferry. The body of Jeremiah Anderson, who was bayoneted in the final storming of the engine house, was handed over to a local medical school - his last resting place remains unknown. Watson Brown's body was given over to Winchester Medical College where it remained until Union troops recovered it during the Civil War and burned the school in reprisal.

Many of the locals at Harpers Ferry, taking advantage of what had become an unofficial holiday for them, had been drinking all day. When Colonel Robert E. Lee arrived at Harpers Ferry his first action was to close the town's saloons.

Locals failed to report retaliatory attacks on African Americans for their support of the raid, but one man allegedly drowned while trying to cross the river and another died in jail during the days after the raid. Recent research by Jean Libby and Hannah Geffert indicates others may have fought and died during the raid.

Five men were captured alive. Aaron Stevens, having been shot several times was suffering horribly. Edwin Coppoc, along with African Americans John Copeland and Shields Green were relatively unharmed. John Brown, bleeding heavily from several head wounds and from being stabbed with a sword, was not expected to live.

Seven men initially escaped. Albert Hazlett and Osbourne Anderson fled to the Kennedy farm and then from a hill above saw the battle at the engine house. They waited until the militia arrived before fleeing north to Pennsylvania. When Hazlett became incapacitated with blisters on his feet then men separated. Hazlett was captured on October 22nd in Newville, Pennsylvania.

The other five men - John Cook, Barclay Coppock, Francis Merriam, and Charles Tidd - led by Owen Brown, went overland toward Pennsylvania through the mountains. Chased by bloodhounds, the men waded in streams, traveled at night and built no fires; they arrived safe in the north after 36 days. All that is, except Cook who was captured by fugitive slave hunter Daniel Logan near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Of the five who made it north to freedom, all but Owen Brown served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Two died during the Civil War: Barclay Coppoc and Charles Tidd. Francis Meriam served as a captain in the Third South Carolina Colored Infantry and died suddenly in November of 1865 in New York City.

Osborne Perry Anderson, the only surviving African-American member of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, survived the Civil War (although Owen Brown lived to be the last surviving member). Anderson penned a memoir about the raid entitled A Voice From Harper’s Ferry in which he wrote:

"The first report of the number of 'insurrectionists' killed was seventeen, which showed that several slaves were killed; for there were only ten of the men that belonged to the Kennedy Farm who lost their lives at the Ferry, namely: John Henri Kagi, Jerry Anderson, Watson Brown, Oliver Brown, Stewart Taylor, Adolphus Thompson, William Thompson, William Leeman, all eight whites, and Dangerfield Newby and Lewis Leary, both colored. The rest reported dead, according to their own showing, were colored."

Although seven more would be executed by the state, here is a list of those identified as being killed in the actual attempt to free the slaves of Harpers Ferry, Virgina.

Dangerfield Newby
Shot and killed in the retreat from the Potomac Bridge, the first of John Brown's men to to die. His body was mutilated and thrown to the hogs.

John Kagi
Shot in the back while trying to cross the river with John Copeland and Lewis Leary.

Lewis Leary
Shot in the back while trying to cross the river with John Copeland and John Kagi.

William Thompson (of North Elba)
Captured while under a flag of truce and then tortured and murdered by a mob of locals who threw his body into the river when they were done with it.

Will Leeman
Murdered while surrendering by George A. Schoppert while attempting to cross the river for reinforcements. His body was used for target practice by locals.

Stewart Taylor
Killed in the afternoon fighting.

Dauphin Thompson (of North Elba)
Bayoneted to a wall in the final storming of the engine house.

Jeremiah Anderson
Bayoneted in the final storming of the engine house.

Oliver Brown
Wounded in the afternoon fighting. He is believed to have died during the night before the final storming of the engine house.

Watson Brown
Shot and killed while under a second flag of truce (during which Aaron Stevens was wounded). He laid wounded in the engine house and was carried to a bench afterward where he died the next morning.

Photo: The prisoners in an illustration from Harper's Weekly, Nov 12 1859.

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Downhill Ski Centers Get Ready to Open

Skiers can get a preview of improvements at Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg at an open house November 8. Click on the graphic for details. Also, Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, launched a beautiful new Web site last week. Opening day there and at Gore Mountain, at North Creek, is tentatively set for Friday, November 27.

The resurrected Big Tupper, in Tupper Lake, is getting its permits and has posted season rates at its Web site. Opening day is expected December 26. McCauley Mountain, in Old Forge, has also posted season rates. Royal Mountain, in Caroga Lake, has just completed three years of snowmaking and grooming upgrades and will have an open house Sunday, November 1. Mt. Pisgah in Saranac Lake is in the midst of a capital campaign to replace its T-bar.

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DEC Region 5 Forest Ranger Report

These DEC Forest Ranger reports are to good to pass up. They are a slice of the Adirondack experience that is almost never reported, and since the last one was so popular, we offer you the October 21st report in its entirety:

Essex County

Town of Keene, High Peaks Wilderness Area

On Wednesday, September 30, at approximately 7:28 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call reporting an overdue hiker from Mount Marcy, Table Top and Phelps Mtn. James Cipparrone, 29, of Berlin, NJ, was last seen at approximately 4:15 pm Monday, September 28, departing the lean-to at ADK Loj to camp in the interior. Last known contact with Mr. Cipparone was on Tuesday, September 29, in a phone conversation with his father he stated that he was on top of the mountain, but eight miles from his group. Based on the description of the gear the he was carrying, it was decided that he could spend one more night out. On Thursday morning several DEC forest rangers responded and checked all lean-tos in the Marcy Dam, Avalanche Camps, Lake Colden/Flowed Lands and Johns Brook Valley areas. The networks of trails around Mount Marcy, Table Top and Phelps were also checked. No sign of Mr. Cipparone were located, so plans were formulated to continue the search Friday morning. On Friday morning personnel began rechecking the trail system and drainages off Mt. Marcy. At 11:58 AM Mr. Cipparrone was located in good health by an assistant forest ranger on the Hopkins trail, just below the junction with the VanHovenburg trail. He was escorted out to the ADK Loj. New York State Police Aviation Unit, DEC interior caretakers, and summit stewards participated in the search. DEC Forest Rangers remind hikers to always stay with their group.

Town of Wilmington, McKenzie Mountain Wilderness

On Friday, October 2, at approximately 3:30 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call reporting a hiker with an injured knee on the west side of Whiteface Mountain. DEC Forest Rangers and members of Search and Rescue of Northern Adirondacks responded by boat across Lake Placid to Whiteface Landing where they hiked up to meet Ariame Gaudreau, 34, of St .Paul, Quebec. She was carried back to the landing, transported across the lake by boat and, at 8:10 PM, transferred to a private vehicle at the DEC Lake Placid Boat Launch. She was transported to a hospital by the private vehicle.

Town of North Elba, High Peaks Wilderness

On Saturday, October 10, at approximately 10:27 AM, DEC Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 reporting that someone had placed a cell phone call and stated he had a dislocated shoulder. Michael Tourville, 34, of Quebec, Canada reported he was ten minutes from the summit of Algonquin Mountain. A DEC forest ranger and a summit steward responded, located the subject and assessed is condition. They reduced the shoulder dislocation, stabilized Mr. Tourville and escorted him back to the ADK Loj. Arriving at 2:38 PM, Mr. Tourville denied any further medical attention, stating he would seek own medical attention when he returned to Canada.

Town of Wilmington, McKenzie Mountain Wilderness

On Saturday October 10, at approximately 10:27 AM, DEC Dispatch received a call reporting a person in the water at Wilmington Notch. A DEC forest ranger arrived on scene first and determined that Mark Minor, no age obtained, of Moorhead, KY, had fallen approximately twenty feet off a ledge and landing in the water. Mr. Minor was able to get himself out of the water, but no further due to the head, shoulder and rib injuries sustained in the fall. DEC Forest Rangers and members of the Wilmington Fire Department and Ambulance Squad rappelled to the Mr. Minor and stabilized him. DEC Forest Rangers rigged a rope system and, with the assistance of fire department personnel, did a high angle retrieve. Mr. Minor was transported by ambulance to the parking lot of the High Falls Gorge where he was transferred to State Police Aviation Unit helicopter for transport to Fletcher Allen Hospital in Vermont. It was determined Mr. Minor and his wife stopped at the New York State Highway pull off, at the top of Wilmington Notch, to observe the scenery. They had walked to the edge of the ledge over the Ausable River, where he then stumbled and fell over the edge.

Town of Keene, Hurricane Mountain Primitive Area

On Sunday October 11, at approximately 4:12 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call from Karl Teh, 50, of Greenfield Center, NY, who was having difficulty breathing. Mr. Teh stated that he was at the summit of Weston Mountain on the Nun-Da-Gao Ridge trail, approximately three miles from the trail head. The DEC dispatcher advised him to sit and rest and eat something. The dispatcher then requested a DEC forest ranger to contacted Mr. Teh. The DEC forest ranger contacted Mr. Teh and learned that he had cold induced asthma. After a brief rest he stated he would continue down the trail. Forest rangers and emergency medical technicians from the Keene Emergency Medical Squad began walking in to his location. The rescuers did a visual and verbal assessment of Mr. Teh when they met up. He denied any medical attention, stating he would follow up with his doctor. The rescuers escorted him back to the trailhead. DEC Forest Rangers remind people to not take strenuous hikes when they are ill.

Essex County, Town of Keene, Dix Mountain Wilderness Area

On Sunday, October 11, at approximately 11:30 PM, DEC Dispatch received a report of overdue rock climbers on the cliffs near Chapel Pond. Ashleyann Pendleberry, 27, of Lebenon, NJ, Sandra Viriyayuthakorn, 27 and Keith Hatcher, 26, both of Bridgewater, NJ, had gone rock climbing at approximately 11:00 AM, and planned on climbing until dark and then returning to New Jersey. New York State Police checked the area around Chapel Pond and located the group’s vehicle. DEC forest rangers responded and were able to make contact with the group initially by signaling with a flashlight. They then moved close enough to make voice contact. The group stated they were fine, but all their flashlights were dead. Rangers reached the group and assisted them down and back to their vehicle. DEC Forest Rangers remind hikers and climbers to be sure that their flashlights have fresh batteries and to always carry extra batteries.

Essex County, Town of Keene, Dix Mountain Wilderness

On Tuesday, October 13, at approximately 7:25 AM, DEC Dispatch received a call from Adirondack Mountain Reserve Security stating that a man was there reporting a stranded hiker. Katherine Frey, 86, of Cropseyville NY, was on the trail to Round Mountain and could not proceed due to fatigue. Mrs. Frey and her son had spent the night on the trail after darkness fell and they were without a flashlight. When daylight arrived the son walked out to seek assistance. DEC forest rangers, a paramedic and members of the Keene Valley Fire Department responded. The rescuers located Mrs. Frey conscious but suffering from mild hypothermia. She was carried two miles to an awaiting ambulance. At 11:20 AM she was transported to the Elizabethtown Community Hospital. DEC Forest Rangers remind hikers to know their physical abilities and the length and difficulty of a hike before undertaking it. Also, always carry a flashlight and extra batteries.

Washington County

Town of Dresden, Lake George Wild Forest

On Saturday, October 10, at approximately 5:30 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call from the Washington County Sheriff reporting a hiker lost on Black Mountain. Christina Pelletier, 37, of Albany, NY, had become separated from her hiking group and became lost. While DEC Forest Rangers were responding, Ms. Pelletier’s boyfriend located her 1.5 miles south of Black Mountain Point on the shore of Lake George. However, they only had one small flash light, so they decided to stay put until forest rangers arrived. The two were located and escorted safely out of the woods by 8:30 PM. DEC Forest Rangers remind hikers to always stay with their group and to carry always carry a flashlight with extra batteries.

Warren County

Town of Warrensburg, Private Lands

On Sunday, October 11, at approximately 6:00 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call from Ron DiDonna, 62, of Glenville, NY stating that he and his wife, Mary DiDonna, 56, were lost off of East Kelm Pond Road. The couple had left their vehicle to inspect a property for possible purchase, but became lost on the property’s logging roads. A DEC forest ranger responded to the search while Warren County 911 obtained coordinates from the cell phone. The forest ranger located the DiDonna’s vehicle and, using the coordinates provide by Warren County 911, attempted to locate them by various means without success. A second forest ranger was dispatched to assist with the search. At 10:30 PM the couple was located on the backside of a large ridge, approximately one mile from their vehicle. They were safely escorted back to their vehicle by 11:00PM. DEC Forest Rangers remind people to know the terrain they explore and to always carry a map and compass when going into the backcountry.

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Cottonwood Galls: Aesthetic Eyesore or Fascinating Formation?

I was out exploring a nature trail with a group of young students recently. We gathered acorns and their caps (they make great whistles), milkweed pods, dried rabbit-foot clover flowers (they are so very soft), and collected bunches of flowers to take home. It seems like everything that could be picked or picked up was. Most of their findings I could identify with relative ease, but there was one item that left me wondering.

Freddy (not his real name) brought me a stick with this wrinkly dark brown thing attached to the end. Since there were some gardens nearby, I thought it was an old dried-out cockscomb flower, but the stick was all wrong: it wasn’t a flower stem, it was a twig. I looked closer and said, “Hm. It’s a gall of some kind.” I glanced around, saw a couple cottonwood trees, and, based on the twig, determined they were the source of the sample. Beyond that, I had no idea, for it was a new gall to me. By then several of the kids had found sticks with wrinkly galls on them. I told them I would look it up when I got back to work and let them know what I found out.

It took some searching, but it turns out it is indeed a cottonwood gall of a type made by cottonwood gall mites (Eriophyes parapopuli), aka: poplar bud gall mites. These mites, which are so tiny that it would take five, lined up end to end, to stretch across a 12-pt. period, can be found on other members of the poplar family, too, not just cottonwoods. One of the things that I discovered in my research that I thought was rather interesting is that these mites, unlike the overwhelming majority of mites and spiders, have only four legs. Not four pairs of legs (spiders and mites), but four legs…period. That’s just wrong. Despite their small size, and obvious lack of appendages, these miniscule pests travel very well, thank you. How do they get around? By wind, water, insects, birds and yes, even people. They are extremely fertile, producing up to eight generations in a single year (thank goodness they only live about a month as adults).

There are hundreds of species of these eriophyid mites, each causing its own form of damage on plants, from stem and bud galls, to rusts and blisters. These wee pests are very host specific, not only to the plant they feed upon, but also which part of the plant they choose. Some species prefer leaves, others buds, and others stems or flower petals. But in the end, they all do the same basic kind of damage: they enter the plant’s cells and suck the life out of them. Literally. They suck up the cell’s contents. It’s the plant’s reaction to this attack, however, that creates the gall, or blister, that you and I see.

When galls are formed, the plant is reacting to growth regulators that the mites injected into the plant’s leaf or stem tissues. These growth regulators stimulate the tissue into abnormal growth patterns and rates. The end result is a pocket formed around the mites, in which they happily feed and reproduce.

Cottonwood gall mites take up residence at the base of a bud, preventing the development of normal leaves and stems. Instead, these wrinkly, lumpy, irregular growths appear on one side of the twig, eventually covering the entire base of the bud or shoot. At first the galls are green, for they are fresh and new. As they age, they turn red, then brown, and overtime they end up a grey-black color. If you look closely, you can see the holes through which the adults emerge when they are ready to move on to a new host.

Individually these galls are merely an aesthetic problem, but if enough of them form on your tree, the tree could become rather stressed, making it susceptible to other problems. But in general, they are not considered to be a serious problem. If you keep a close eye on your plants/trees, you can detect deformities before they get out of control. Look for discoloration or swellings at the base of leaves and buds. Just prune off the infected twigs and leaves. These can then be burned or bagged and taken to the dump. Pruning, by the way, is best done in the spring before the tree breaks dormancy. If you have a heavy infestation, you can try applying horticultural oils right after the buds break in the spring. This won’t get rid of existing galls, but it may prevent the spread of the mites and development of future galls. Alternatively, you can consider the galls to be interesting modern art, courtesy of Mother Nature.

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Weekly Adirondack Web Highlights

• Adirondack Museum: Let’s Eat!
• Rochester Turning: Legalizing Medical Marijuana
• The History Blog: 19th Cent Glens Falls Armory For Sale
• NYLCV: Vote Yes On Proposal #1 On November 3!
• Winter Campers: Winter Campsite Selection
• LA Times: Carl Reiner's Big Break [Allaben Acres Resort]
• Ben and Carrie Tracks: Marten Research Season Begins
• Herkimer Co. Progressive: State of The County Economy
• Old Salt Blog: Naval Defeat That Saved The Revolution
• Ephemeral New York: The Rustic Cabins of Manhattan
• NY History: Hyde Collection To Present Andrew Wyeth
• Via Negativa: How to Be a Tree in the Adks

Each Friday Adirondack Almanack compiles for our readers the week's best stories and links from the web about the Adirondacks. You can find all our weekly web highlights here.

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Scope of Lake George Mercury Study Expanded

The discovery of elevated levels of mercury in the spiders and songbirds of Dome Island has led the Nature Conservancy of Eastern New York and the Dome Island Committee, the organizations responsible for the island’s preservation, to test for mercury contamination on Crown Island and protected shorelines.

That will help the groups determine how pervasive mercury and its toxic form, methylmercury, is in Lake George, said Henry Caldwell, the chairman of the Dome Island Committee.

Researchers from the BioDiversity Institute of Gorham, Maine, which conducted the original studies of Dome Island’s birds and spiders, returned to Bolton Landing earlier this week to begin the broadened study.

“No one expected to find mercury pollution at these levels on Lake George,” said Caldwell. “Working with the Nature Conservancy of Eastern New York, which is the island’s owner, we decided to take the next step and look beyond Dome Island.”’

In July, the Dome Island Committee received a draft of a study by the BioDiversity Institute of Gorham, Maine, that found that “mercury concentrations in spiders from Dome Island represent some of the highest recorded in the Northeast.”

That study followed one conducted in 2006, which concluded that “mercury levels in songbirds sampled on Dome Island rank among the highest in New York and across the region.”

The island’s spiders, which the birds feed upon, may be the source of the elevated mercury levels found in birds, the scientists surmised.

From Crown Island and a site on the mainland, researchers will collect spiders of the type sampled on Dome Island and subject them to mercury tests, said David Buck, an aquatic biologist with the BioDiversity Institute.

The researchers will also test crayfish, Buck said.

“Crayfish reflect mercury in their immediate surroundings and provide a useful yardstick for comparing mercury levels throughout a specific watershed,” said Buck.

Results of the studies should be available by next spring, Buck said.

“I’d be surprised if we found that mercury contamination was limited to Dome Island,” said Buck.

Additional studies will permit scientists to assess the environmental impacts of mercury pollution on Lake George, said Buck.

The Dome Island and Lake George studies will become part of more comprehensive studies of air pollution and its impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity in the northeast, said Mark King of the Eastern New York Nature Conservancy.

“Our focus should be making people aware of how widespread mercury contamination is,” said King. “We have an opportunity here to show how mercury moves through the ecosystem; Dome Island and Lake George are pieces in the big picture.”

For more news from Lake George, read the Lake George Mirror

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This Week's Top Adirondack News Stories

• John Brown Exhibit at NY Historical Society
• Johnsburg Residents Pan APA Zoning Proposal
• No Bids For Historic Armory
• Hiker Rescued After Fall Off Bald Mt.
• Profile: 23rd CD Candidate Dede Scozzafava
• NY Declares Disaster at Champlain Bridge
• Profile: 23rd CD Candidate Bill Owens
• Saratoga Tourism Chief Resigns
• 160 Warrensburg Students Out Sick
• Crown Point Bridge Closed Indefinitely

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Adirondack Music Scene:Open Minded Mic, Songwriters, Jam Bands and "Aida"

Sarnac Lake wins for musical events this weekend. I'll be attend every one of them. I'd also love to get to Potsdam to see Aida on the big screen.

Tonight, October 22nd:

In Saranac Lake at BluSeed Studios, open minded mic night is back. Sign up is at 7 pm and The Dust Bunnies host, starting at 7:30. This is the best open mic I've ever regularly attended. Musicians and attendees alike are truly supportive amidst originals, cover songs and poetry.

Friday, October 23rd:

In Saranac Lake at the Waterhole Upstairs Music Lounge, Rachel Van Slyke returns. She charmed us all this past spring with her lovely voice, solid guitar playing and haunting lyrics. Another musician I admire was riding by and actually whipped his bike around upon hearing her voice—he never got to where he was going. The song "Where I Want To Be" is a real pretty one, and I like the video that accompanies this version. She filmed most of it herself while biking around the country. According to her myspace page she starts at 6 pm.

Saturday, October 24th:

In Potsdam, the Met Live in HD is being played at the Roxy Theater and begins at 1 pm. The Verdi opera Aida is about an Ethiopian Princess who is captured and brought to Egypt as a slave. The Pharaoh's military commander falls in love with her and must choose between his love for her and for his leader. As if this wasn't heavy enough, the Pharaoh's daughter is in love with him. This is one of the most popular operas in history—only La Boheme has been performed more by the Met. If you check out this link you'll find details about fantastic meals you can get in conjunction with these performances.

In Glens Falls the band Live Without Annette is playing at the Full Moon Bar and Grill. They are a cover band that's been voted best party band by the Post-Star for a few years in a row. You can check out some of their covers on youtube. I like their sense of humor. They start at 9:30 pm.

In Saranac Lake , celebrate Devito's Birthday with two jam bands at the Waterhole in Saranac Lake. Jatoba and Raisinhead! The first is acoustic and the second reminiscent of the Grateful Dead, both are a lot of fun. As usual there will be a special cocktail hour at 9 pm to get everyone in the dancin' mood, and some of the best bartenders are coming out of retirement for this special occasion.

Sunday, October 25th:

In Potsdam, The Met's Encore presentation of "Aida" in HD is at the Roxy Theater. It will begin at 1 pm and end at 5 pm, just in time for dinner.

Photo: Rachel Van Slyke

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Backyard Bird Feeding Aids Science

The summer green has faded to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, soon to be followed by the dull browns and cold grays of our late Adirondack autumn. Alas, the missing cheery sounds of the robin will leave us wanting, but soon new bird sounds will fill the woods, fields, and our own backyards. So dust off the feeder and set it up outside the kitchen window. The winter birds will be looking for your daily fillings of sunflower seed, Nyjer (thistle) seed, and fattening suet!

For millions of us, bird feeding has become an annual event that brings to mind the joys of winter when we see bright red cardinals, sky-blue blue jays and a whole host of other colorful winter finches. Birds and bird feeders adorn Christmas cards, note cards, and many holiday wrappings. This might give us all a sense of warmth and good cheer throughout the winter season but take a second to think about the birds and their daily lives in the sub-zero temperatures of the Adirondacks.

Bird feeding stations can be a good supplement to the various wild seeds, fruits, berries, insects, and nuts that birds will feed on in winter. Many of our year-round resident birds need to maintain a good layer of fat to keep them alive on those bitterly cold winter nights. And how soothing is it when you see playful chickadees, cardinals, and woodpeckers out your window on a snowy morning?

For many years now the Adirondack Park Visitor Interpretive Centers at Paul Smiths and Newcomb have put together wonderful bird feeding stations just outside their very spacious windows. This allows many visitors to come in, relax and watch the almost therapeutic coming and goings of the birds.

Well, now that you're convinced on setting up your own bird feeding station you can aid in the world of bird study science . . . even while sitting there at your kitchen table drinking that second cup of (fair trade, shade grown!) coffee.

The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology(CLO) has been actively rounding up birdwatching citizens to participate in Project FeederWatch: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/ This citizen-science project allows CLO to gather some much-needed data on where birds go in the winter and how many birds visit bird feeders, among many other questions.

CLO says, "Project FeederWatch begins on November 14 and runs through early April. Taking part is easy. Anyone can count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders and enter their information on the FeederWatch website. Participants submitted nearly 117,000 checklists last season. Since 1987, more than 40,000 people from the United States and Canada have taken part in the project."

We all know that many bird species fly south for the winter but there are dozens of species that will stay and endure the harsh winters of the Northeastern U.S. Current data shows a gradual increasing trend in some species and decreases in others. Why? Well that's what CLO wants to figure out, and with your input of weekly sightings, it may help reveal the answers they seek.

There is a small cost involved but the resource information you get back when you sign up is well worth the small fee. If you would like to see the Project FeederWatch in action, then visit the Paul Smiths Visitor Interpretive Center sometime this winter and see how the staff and volunteers conduct their counts.

It should be noted here that bird feeding in winter is a great resource for both birds and humans and should be encouraged. However, as we proceed into spring and summer it would be a good idea to take down those feeders during the warmer months (April to October). Black bears, raccoons, and rodents can destroy many feeders left out in summer. Besides, birds can find plenty of high-protein insects (which they prefer) during the Adirondack summer season.

Photo of Gray Jay by Milt Adams

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Two Adirondack Almanack Debates You May Be Missing

We often have some outstanding discussions here at Adirondack Almanack, debates that carry on long after the story has left the main page. I thought I'd take a moment to point readers to two active and interesting debates that have recently slipped off the main page.

The first involves Mary Thill' s October 8 post "Posted Signs Do's And Don'ts" which has 21 insightful comments on navigation law, trespass, private property and paddlers.

A second post also generating a lot of discussion is the recent announcement I made about a planned North Creek to Tahawus Rail Trail on October 14. There you'll find nearly a dozen comments on the subject of abandoned railway easements and the Forest Preserve. Both discussion are enlightening—take a moment to check them out.

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