Planting native landscapes not easy, but there is help
By M argaret Roach
The New York Times
TURNING YOUR
front yard into something other than a manicured greensward sounds like a bold new idea, even today. Imagine how it felt, in 1992, to see former lawns in Wisconsin that were already many years into their transition to prairie-like spaces, with no turf grass in sight. Positively radical.
I was collaborating on a book called “The Natural Habitat Garden” with Ken Druse, a writer and photographer, traveling across the country to see the vanguard of the native-plant movement. We spent a day north of Milwaukee with Lorrie Otto, an early leader in what became a nationwide push to ban the pesticide DDT and a force in the formative years of Wild Ones, a membership organization promoting native landscapes.
Otto sent us to visit other members’ home landscapes that were wild-ish, like hers — gardens unlike any we had ever seen.
Education is at the heart of the nonprofit organization’s mission, and Otto, who died in 2010, developed some of its earliest programming. The group turned 45 in July; it also just hit 11,000 members, up from fewer than 4,000 before the pandemic.
Those members belong to 125 chapters in 36 states (and both of those numbers have doubled since 2020). Members participate in garden tours and workshops, seed collection and exchanges, and plant sales. They also take on community projects, restoring degraded landscapes including vacant lots, street medians, schoolyards and business-park lawns. All of this falls within the group’s mission: to “promote native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action.”
But one of the most popular programs involves maintaining a library of free, downloadable garden designs for specific regions — available to nonmembers, as well. The designs debuted in 2021 in a
moment of rapid growth, said Sally Wencel, a member of the Tennessee Valley chapter and a past president of the national organization who was instrumental in developing the program. It was meant to answer the question that members were frequently asking: What’s the best way to use native plants?
“We were preaching to the choir,” Wencel said, referring to the group’s native-focused member base. “And they said, ‘Yeah, this is great, but help us with how to use them in the landscape.’ The designs do that.”
The validation: As of January, 84,000 downloads of those designs had been recorded.
Getting started with ecological design
The library currently has 20 designs for various locations, including Tallahassee, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; and Boston. (And, yes, Milwaukee.) Five more are coming soon, each created by a professional landscape designer with expertise in the specific ecoregion.
Preston Montague, of Durham, North Carolina, a landscape architect and artist who teaches at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, in Greensboro, is among them. He contributed the Greensboro design, which he said is appropriate for landscapes between the foothills and the coastal plain of the Piedmont area, from Georgia into Pennsylvania.
The plant lists provided with each design make great cheat sheets for those who want to familiarize themselves with some of the best native choices for their own home landscape. (The Wild Ones website also provides a state-by-state list of native plant nurseries where they can be found.)
Montague’s plan, like those of many other contributors, comes with guidance on site considerations and preparation. He recommends studying the space for a year before planting begins, to record its microclimates and find patches of existing habitat that can be
connected to the new design — “even if it’s simply a small tree by the street,” he said.
Many designers, including Montague, have done webinars to introduce the concepts in their plans, as part of the Wild Ones “Meet the Designers” series. (All are archived on the group’s YouTube channel.)
Plans from Heather McCargo, the founder of Wild Seed Project in Maine, and the prairie-style designer and author Benjamin Vogt are being added this fall. McCargo will kick off hers with a free webinar about the benefit of hedgerows on Sept. 19; on Oct. 24, Vogt will do one about matrix landscape designs — aesthetically pleasing, high-density plantings inspired by natural ecosystems.
Montague said he found the collaboration an especially good fit, and not just because he shares the group’s commitment to promoting native landscaping: “We are both trying to translate very complicated ideas of landscape ecology into an approach that gardeners of all skill levels can deploy,” he said.
Unless gardeners develop
familiarity with their locally appropriate plant palette and get a solid introduction to some foundational principles of ecological design, those goals cannot be realized.
“Native plants assembled according to native community structures and densities can be more complicated, can be a little hairier than perhaps more conventionally organized gardens,” he said.
In a classical bed design, for example, you might put “three
of this here and five of that there, and one big thing here,” he said. But these landscapes are more diverse.
“The conventional planting-design approach reminds me of my approach to acrylic paintings, which distills detail to simply a few layers overlapping,” Montague explained. His approach to oil painting, by comparison, “requires a lot of mixing and has a gradient of colors across the canvas.”
An undated image by Joanne Valek of a pollinator garden in Emmaus, Pa., documented by a member of Wild Ones, an organization founded to promote the use of native plants. The nonprofit group Wild Ones offers a free library of designs, with plants specific to your area — and you don’t have to be a member to use it. (JOANNE VALEK VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES)
Cover photo: An undated image by Wild Ones member Deborah Rees of flowering native perennials, grasses and a serviceberry shrub (Amelanchier) at her home in Elgin, Ill. (DEBORAH REES VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES)
LEE REICH | In the Garden
Local grape-vine information
The native fox grape is not a flavor favorite
THE WORD FOXY has not been complimentary to grapes. It refers to the dominant flavor in one of our native species, the fox grape (Vitis labrusca).
Around 1880, the botanist William Bartram went so far as to suggest that the epithet foxy was applied to this grape because of the “strong, rancid smell of its ripe fruit, very like the effluvia from the body of a fox.” (Others more generously suggested the epithet came about because foxes ate the grapes, or because the leaves resembled fox tracks.)
Although Native Americans ate this grape, early white settlers, well before the time of Bartram, had been unimpressed by the flavor. In 1672, John Josselyn wrote that fox grapes had “a taste of gunpowder.”
Two Dutchmen visiting New York in 1679 recounted how they “went along the shore to Coney Island ... and discovered on the roads several kinds of grapes still on the vines, called speck [fox] grapes, which are not always good, and these were not; although they were sweet in the mouth at first,
they made it disagreeable and stinking.”
Wherever white settlers landed in America, they attempted to establish plantings of the grape with which they were familiar, the European wine or vinifera grape (V. vinifera), which was the grape cultivated in the Old World since biblical times. In America, vinifera culture began as long ago as 1619, when the best vines and skilled growers were brought from France to establish a vineyard in Virginia. That planting and virtually all subsequent plantings in the East failed because vinifera grapes can’t tolerate the cold winters or the insects and diseases to which our native grapes are accustomed.
In spite of repeated, futile attempts at growing vinifera grapes in the East, few people considered growing our tougher, native grapes before the nineteenth century. Only then were superior varieties developed, beginning with Catawba about 1820.
One reason for the delayed interest in fox grapes was because vinifera is the better fruit for wine, and it was not until the nineteenth century that fruits generally were appreciated for fresh eating. (“Wine” recalls another possible source for the epithet foxy; horticulturalist Liberty Hyde Bailey
GARDEN
AGAWAM
suggested in 1898 that the name arose due to “the lively foxing or intoxicating quality of the poor wine which was made from the wild grape.”)
As you might imagine, fruits of vinifera and fox grapes are quite different.
Agawam Garden Club holds October meeting
The next meeting of the Agawam Garden Club will be held Tuesday, Oct. 8, 6:30
p.m. at the Agawam Public Library located at 750 Cooper Street, Agawam. After a short business meeting club member Denise Carmody will present a program on “Forcing Spring Bulbs.” All meetings are open to the public and not restricted to Agawam residents.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
These Edelweiss grapes are hybrids with
He encourages us to embrace this complexity — as if our planting designs were rendered in oil, “using a million strokes,” he said. “Dense and diverse plantings don’t reveal the weeds or gaps in seasonality like simpler, conventional gardens can.”
Providing ecosystem services, beautifully
Art analogies aside, Wild Ones members and the group’s collaborating designers are quick to stress that this is not purely ornamental horticulture. They are striving to create plantings that provide ecosystem services, Montague said, not simply aesthetic pleasure. Although “gorgeous” is an important goal, too.
This dual focus is why he favors shrubs like inkberry (Ilex glabra) and various viburnums that offer resources to pollinators and fruit to birds, while serving as space-defining hedging that responds well to shaping with a string trimmer. He calls such shrubs “plastic,” because their short internodes — the length of stem between nodes, or leaf attachments — make them well adapted to shearing. Similarly, he recommends Cherokee sedge (Carex
cherokeensis) as “a fantastic Liriope replacement and a sturdy all-purpose ground cover in many cases.” Unlike the ubiquitous lilyturf (Liriope), an Asian native, the sedge is a larval host for certain Lepidoptera, and its seed is enjoyed by birds and small mammals.
For maximum ecological benefit, Montague said, more is better; plant density and diversity are required. He advises planting lavishly, using a mix of seed and small plants, or plugs.
“I find that if you supersaturate beds, particularly with seed, and then with a lot of plugs to exercise some design control,” he said, “you may discover that actually the beds begin to sort themselves out based on competition. It takes a few years, but the species that will sustainably thrive in your garden will reveal themselves.”
Don’t start too “strict and clean and tidy,” he advised. “Basically, I want to empower people to make a mess. And then you just manage the mess.”
He encourages us to “stop thinking about plants as discrete objects and really think about plantings as vegetative bodies,” he said, adding: “If we’re not going to be fussy about species composition, then just think about these vegetative bodies as major shapes, and how those major shapes aesthetically organize
You can pick out the difference from the grocer’s shelf today. The fox grape is represented by Concord: Bite into a berry and the thick skin slips off the jelly-like meat, releasing a strong, aromatic, though not excessively sweet, flavor. The vinifera grape is represented by Thompson Seedless: eat the whole berry, tender skin and all; the fruit is sweet, with a more neutral flavor.
All this verbiage isn’t an academic exercise in grape history. If you grow grapes, as I do, survival of the vines and taste of the fruits is important. Vinifera are occasionally grown with success in the Northeast, but 300
a space or produce a reaction when viewed.”
From that viewpoint, it’s all right (and inevitable) for one species to disappear from the mix, and for another to gain territory. “I don’t want people to get too overwhelmed by the whys — just allow,” he said, meaning let things unfold.
Once all that seed and those plugs take hold, “you can just garden by subtraction,” Montague said. But he doesn’t subtract in the conventional sense, by pulling unwanted plants, a practice that backfires, bringing more weed seeds to the surface, where they germinate and compound the infestation.
“Our constant pulling was creating bigger weed problems,” he said. Instead, he “flosses or tweezes” unwanted species with the string trimmer, to give the desired species surrounding them the edge.
“You walk through those vegetative bodies with a string trimmer,” he said, “and if you just zap those species you don’t want, the species you leave alone tend to fill in the gap and dominate.”
Nutsedge, Bermuda grass and crab grass are also on his “just allow” list. “They’re going to be in the matrix anyway,” he said. “If you selectively zap them, flossing them out of the situation, they’ll remain, but in a bet-
years of mostly failure should teach something.
For those gardeners who strive for a grape akin to vinifera, there are hybrids between vinifera and fox grapes. Actually, most grape varieties these days are hybrids of vinifera, labrusca, and often some other species. Hybrids exhibit the full spectrum in flavor, hardiness, and pest tolerance, depending on which varieties were used as their parents.
If you live in an environment inimical to vinifera grapes and you’re interested in growing grapes closer in flavor (or lack thereof, in my opinion) to Thompson Seedless, hybrids such as Himrod and Lakemont are fairly cold hardy and can be grown at favorable sites, preferably south facing slopes in full sun. A bit more
ter-behaved condition.”
It’s all in the re-education of the gardener.
“If I had a big word to underline in bold, it’s teaching people to allow,” Montague said. Allow the looser style to take hold; allow the diversity to return, as in those Wisconsin yards and others that followed their lead over the
decades. But be forewarned: This can be habit-forming.
“Once I got started gardening this way, I got bored to tears with conventional landscape planting,” Montague said. “I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
foxy — unfortunately only fairly cold hardy — is Vanessa, a delectable small berry which is pale red, crisp, sweet and flavorful.
I have grown one vinifera variety, thus far in a large pot in my greenhouse. This one, Perle de Csaba, and I’m sure some other viniferas, does have a distinctive, delicate flavor, besides being sweet and seedless, and wrapped in a tender skin.
Notwithstanding the previous testimony against foxiness in grapes, I happen to like my grapes foxy. And I’m not alone: Ulysses P. Hedrick, who wrote “The Grapes of New York” early in the last century, conceded that many vinifera grapes “are without character of flavor” compared to American grapes, which are “more refreshing . . . do not cloy the appetite,” and make a better
juice. My taste preference is fortunate, because in my farmden, here in the bottom of the bottom of a frost pocket, grapes are particularly prone to both cold injury and disease.
For the past few weeks, I have Elmer Swenson, a dairy farmer and grape breeder who lived near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, to thank for the grapes I am eating. Some of my favorite varieties reflect his skill as a breeder. Swenson Red berries are medium sized, sweet, fairly foxy, and just slightly slipskin. I do wish that another variety, Edelweiss, was not so vigorous, but the berries are deliciously sweet and foxy. Also, delicious and foxy is Brianna. And for a variety leaning towards the vinifera end of the gustatory spectrum, there’s Somerset Seedless. Thanks Elmer.
An undated image by Barbara A. Schmitz of Prairie perennials in Appleton, Wis., at the former home of Loris Damerow, president of the Wild Ones national board of directors. (BARBARA A. SCHMITZ VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES)
terry and Kim kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Wooden barrel is actually a ceramic seat
FOR THOUSANDS OF years, artisans have found ways to make one material look like another. The history of furniture is filled with examples, like wood painted to resemble marble, metal, lacquer or other expensive or exotic materials. Sometimes, other materials are sculpted or painted to look like wood.
The faux bois (literally “false wood”) technique was popularized in France, as its name suggests, in the mid1800s, although its roots go deeper.
Garden furnishings made of reinforced concrete sculpted into tree or branch shapes, which blended into the natural landscapes but were not subject to the rot and wear of natural wood, were displayed at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition. Since then, the fashion for faux bois has grown, and the term can now refer to any material, like ceramic, plastic or metal, painted to look like wood.
This 20th-century ceramic garden seat is decorated to look like a wooden barrel but is better suited to outdoor seating. Estimated at $500 to $700, it sold for $2,394 at DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers in New York, even with a few chips and scratches.
It’s a testament to the continuing popularity of the faux bois style.
Q. I am interested in an appraisal of this hankie along with the letter. The hankie has Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s signature embroidered in one corner along with the words “Happy Days.” The letter that came with it is on stationery from the White House, dated September 5, 1933, and says, “The President asks me to extend his hearty congratulations upon the birth of your son,” who was named Franklin Delano, “and to send you herewith a small memento for his name -
A wooden barrel sold for over $2,000? No, it’s a ceramic garden seat made to look like a wooden barrel. (DOYLE AUCTIONEERS & APPRAISERS)
sake.” It is signed by M.A. LeHand, Private Secretary.
A.Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 and won re-election three times, serving until his death in 1945. “Happy Days Are Here Again,” written in 1929, was his campaign song in 1932. The phrase “Happy Days” appears on some merchandise from his first campaign.
Textiles like bandannas and hankies were popular campaign items and are popular political collectibles today. Yours, along with the letter, would probably be worth about $200 to $350. If the letter had Roosevelt’s signature, it would be worth more.
If you are looking for a formal appraisal or more information, a political collectors’ club, like American Political Items Collectors https:// apic.us/ or an auction house or dealer that handles polit-
century. They are sometimes called “door lights” because, like yours, they were installed in the house’s front door.
These doors were often pressed wood or had shallow machine-carved designs, both of which were innovations of the late 1800s.
At the time, there were two popular ways to create frosted glass: acid etching and sandblasting.
Both methods involved putting a stencil made of a resistant material on a glass pane, then using an abrasive material to etch the exposed parts of the glass, either applying hydrofluoric acid or blasting the glass with sand or other particulate, leaving them with a matte grayish, semi-opaque frosted appearance.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Toy, horse, rocking, painted, red center handle, green rockers, wicker chair back, two-sided, 19 x 39 inches, $35.
Picture, watercolor, landscape, autumn, trees on riverbank, signed, R. Bellitti, frame, 19 x 16 inches, $55.
Furniture, cupboard, jelly, pine, two drawers, wood pulls, over two doors, two shelves inside, backsplash, dovetailed construction, refinished, mid 19th century, 48 x 41 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches, $250.
Durand, vase, cased, opaque white, stylized flowers cut to red, short neck, shoulders, tapered base, slightly flared foot, c. 1927, 10 inches, $580.
ical collectibles or celebrity memorabilia, like Hake’s Auctions www.hakes.com or RR Auction www.rrauc tion.com may be able to help you.
Q. I have a frosted glass window with a picture in the center that was in my father’s front door of his parents’ home when he was growing up. He was born in 1916. I am not sure when it was installed. I would guess probably in the 1920s. It is currently mounted in the framework of the original house door. I carefully disassembled the door frame, stripped the paint and refinished the wood. I used the original wood to reframe the window. I would be interested in your insight on this piece.
A. Frosted glass windows like yours were popular in the late 19th to early 20th
The parts covered by the stencil remained clear and shiny, creating the design. Architectural antiques, including doors and windows, are often sought for decorating or repairs. There are dealers who specialize in architectural salvage. Windows like yours can sell for about $150 to $500, depending on the size and condition.
TIP: Wool weavings attract moths and should be turned twice a year. Some say you should also spray them with moth repellent, or at least put them outside in the sunlight for a few hours each summer and fall.
Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included,
Pottery, contemporary, vase, wedding, cream ground, multicolor grid pattern, signed, Tonita Nampeyo, Hopi, c. 1980, 8 inches, $640.
Watch, advertising, Buster Brown Shoes, open face, silver-tone case, Buster & Tige in center, For Boys For Girls, subdial, fob, leather strap, working, 7 3/4 x 2 inches, $720.
Furniture, desk, George Nelson, Action Rolltop, two plastic lower drawers, lock and key, wall mount, Herman Miller, 15 1/2 x 48 x 24 inches, $775.
Tiffany, inkwell, Pine Needle, round lid, square base, glass panels, gold Favrile, four bun feet, bronze, gold dore, marked, Tiffany Studios, c. 1920, 3 1/2 x 4 inches, $880.
Furniture, dining set, Stickley Bros., oak, round table, stretcher base, four leaves, four chairs, leather seat, brass label, Quaint Furniture, Grand Rapids, Mich., c. 1906, table 29 1/2 x 47 1/2 inches, five pieces, $1,310.
Sampler, family record, flowering vine border, Philemon Draper, silk on linen, frame, 1856, 22 x 22 1/2 inches, $1,875.
we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels. com.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US ticks up to 6.12%
By M att O tt Associated Press
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose to 6.12% this week, the first increase in seven weeks.
The rate ticked up from 6.08% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.49%.
Last week, the average rate slipped to its lowest level in two years, boosting home shoppers’ purchasing power as they navigate a housing market with prices near all-time highs.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixedrate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, increased again this week. The average rate rose to 5.25% from 5.16% last week. A year
Deeds
AGAWAM
A-O-K Realty Trust, trustee of, and Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, to Armando Lopez, 284 South West St., $345,000.
Daryl E. Wojcik and Donna L. Demetrius to Yasin Ozdemir, 78 Norris St., $330,000.
Jessica J. Craig, Jessica J. Nani and Michael Craig to Kevin Pelissier and Maryann Pelissier, 9 Mansion Woods Drive, Unit D, $307,999.
Katie A. Johnson and Daniel J. Sullivan to Nicholas Theodore Hanchett and Hannah M. Hanchett, 102 Lealand Ave., $390,000. Linda C. Gould to Nickolas Shenas, 226 Regency Park Drive, $165,000.
AMHERST
Thomas W. Kornack and Elizabeth L. Foley to Amy E. Watts and Regina A. Watts, 20 Sheerman Lane, $740,000.
Philip B. Torrey and Nancy G. Torrey to Nicholas Day, 1450 South East St., $735,000.
BELCHERTOWN
Jay H. Holtzman, trustee, Rothlyn P. Zahourek, trustee, and 23 Lake Drive Nominee Trust to Elaine M. Cox and Leslie S. Cox, Amherst Road, $13,700.
Kolten Crump and Ashton Crump to Pamela Councilman, 7 Old Enfield Road, $500,000.
Wendy J. Hauswirth, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of
ago, it averaged 6.78%, Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions. That can move the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 3.82% Thursday, up from 3.78% last week.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is down from 7.22% in May, its 2024 peak.
Rates have been mostly declining since July in anticipation of last month’s move by the Federal Reserve to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than four years. Fed officials also signaled they ex-
Wendy J. Hauswirth to William F. Hauswirth, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of William F. Hauswirth, 47 Spring Hill Road, $100.
BERNARDSTON
Lance Hansen and Megan Hansen to AGT Homes LLC, River Street, $50,000.
BLANDFORD
Michael D. Hutchins Jr., and Sonja L. Hutchins to David Dumlao, 52 Chester Road, $518,000.
BUCKLAND
AGT Homes LLC, to Christopher Prondecki, 153 Bray Road, $525,000.
Shelburne Falls Enterprise Center LLC, to Peter Zev Rabinovitz, 50 State St., “aka” 48B State St., Unit B, Bridge of Flowers River View Condominium, $310,000.
CHICOPEE
Arthur N. LaFlamme to JAACD Realty LLC, 50 Elizabeth St., $50,000.
Daniel M .Roberts, Miranda L. Roberts and Miranda L. Pothier to Thomas J. Leonard, 96 Eighth Ave., $424,000.
Daniel S. Ciejek, representative, and Stanley J. Ciejek, estate, to Cheryl A. Wright, 277 Beauchamp Terrace, $323,000.
DH&N LLC, to Arcangel & Jayden Property LLC, 60 School St., $695,000.
Dnepro Properties LLC, to Jona-
pect further cuts this year and in 2025 and 2026. The rate cuts should, over time, lead to lower borrowing costs on mortgages.
Setting aside this week’s rise in the average long-term rate, Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater painted a more optimistic picture for prospective homebuyers.
“Zooming out to the bigger picture, mortgage rates have declined one and a half percentage points over the last 12 months, home price growth is slowing, inventory is increasing, and incomes continue to rise,” Khater said. “As a result, the backdrop for homebuyers this fall is improving and should continue through the rest of the year.”
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose from below 3% in Septem-
than E. Vidaurre Facho and Dalia C. Aranda Segura, 13 Lorimer St., $330,000.
Donald J. Lemelin and Carolyn S. Lemelin to Michelle Amanda Lemelin, 340 Hampden St., $190,000.
Joanne M. White, Joanne M. Pease and Joanne Pease to Felicia Michelle Pepin and Samuel Roger Pepin, 33 Beesley Ave., $342,500.
Judith A. Cadden to Diane M. Wilson, 37 Greenwood Terr ace, Unit 6055B, $225,000.
Livingwater Capital LLC, to Jessica Nichole Grimes, 73 Summit Ave., $475,000.
Mayrena P. Guerrero to Christopher S. Flack and Mildred J. Flack, 141 Waite Ave., $385,000.
Samuel R. Castellano to Jason M. Talbot, 95 Quartus St., $334,000.
Steven C. Reeves Jr., and Sarah B. Reeves to Jason A. Aldrich and Kathleen R. Aldrich, 23 Morgan Circle, $561,000.
Thomas J. Batchelor and Charlene M. Batchelor to Brielle Catherine Ann Trella and Shane S. Wright, 32 Silvin Road, $290,000.
COLRAIN
Newton F. Logan and Karen B. Logan to Daniel J. Dyer and Denise A. Lugar, trustees of the Denise A. Lugar Revocable Trust, Daniel J. Dyer and Denise A. Lugar, trustees of the Daniel J. Dyer Revocable Trust, Van Nuys Road and East Colrain Road, $210,000. Alan Staley to Travis Colgan and Anna Connolly, 73 South Green River Road, $138,500.
ber 2021 to a 23-year high of 7.8% last October. That coincided with the Fed increasing its benchmark interest rate to fight inflation.
When mortgage rates rise they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers. The housing market has been in a sales slump since 2022 as elevated mortgage rates discouraged many would-be homebuyers. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in August even as mortgage rates began easing.
Economists generally expect mortgage rates to remain near their current levels, at least this year. Fannie Mae projects the rate on a 30-year mortgage will average 6.2% in the October-December quarter and decline to an average of 5.7% in the same quarter next year.
DEERFIELD
Pervez Hai to Dustin Brown, 24 Pleasant Ave., $210,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
D R Chestnut LLC, to William M. Martin and Andrea S. Martin, 37 Fields Drive, $700,000.
Edward A. Moses, Monique L. LaPlante and Monique L. Moses to Antonio Fonseca and Lurdes Fonseca, 47 Glen Heather Lane, $20,000.
June L. Fitzpatrick to Amy L. Cohen, 27 Pineywoods Drive, $441,000.
Mario V. Mercadante and Ellen B. Brittle to John R. Boudreau and Suzanne M. Boudreau, 271 Mapleshade Ave., $380,000.
Michael P. McManus and Jennifer T. McManus to Craig A. McRobbie Jr., and Rachel McRobbie, 14 Pine St., $320,000.
Paul A. Teixeira, Gary J. Teixeira and Louisa A. Bushey to Shinny Vedovelli and Kyle Vedovelli, 79 Hanward Hill, $320,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Norwich Properties LLC, to Kyle Barnard Morris and Mariellen Morris, 234 Hendrick St., $1,150,000.
Lisa M. Green to Austin James Anghilante and Cindy Lu, 65 Hendrick St., $335,000.
Mark D. Raymond and Kathleen D. Raymond to Philip P. Smith, 6 Torrey St., $370,000.
Robert A. Smith to Jenny M. Smith, 47 Wilder Ave., $275,000.
Lucas Giusto, trustee, Dominic Santaniello, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust to 113 Maple Street LLC, 27 Ballard St., $275,000.
Megan R. Ison, Megan R. Scott and Jeremy J. Ison to 82 Ferry Street LLC, $386,000.
Jillian E. Damtoft and Jillian E. Plourd to Raishad Glover and Kiyomi Glover, 41 South St., $261,300.
GRANBY
Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Targaryen Realty Trust to Edward R. Sanderson Jr., and Carmen M. Sanderson, 562 East State St., $420,000.
Kevin Gagne and Jennifer Gagne to Kevin Gagne and Jennifer Gagne, 107 West St., $100.
Denis Iushkov and Vera Iushkov to Gary DeAngelo and Christina DeAngelo, 155 Burnett St., $364,900.
GRANVILLE
Josh A. Fraser, Tanya M. Laveck and Tanya M. Lanpher to Josh A. Fraser, 8 South Lane, $100.
GREENFIELD
Theresa Whiteman to Douglas S. Creighton and Susan E. Creighton, 44 Highland Ave., $481,000.
Julia della Croce to Patrick J. Grogan and Claire J. Grogan, 24 Myers Farm Lane, Unit 24, Myers Farm Condominium, $315,000. Shahid Habib to NR LLC, 122-124 Conway St., $145,000.
Deeds
Shelly J. Pelletier to Property Advantage Inc., 334 Davis St., $138,500.
Lorraine Kane to Julia della Croce, 10 Myers Farm Lane, Unit 10, Myers Farm Condominium. $350,000.
Superior Realty LLC, to Bridge Primary Real Estate LLC, 55 Federal St., Units 220 & 225, 55 Federal Street Condominium, $205,000.
Quality Realty Partners II LLP, to Bridge Primary Real Estate LLC, 55 Federal St., Units 250, 270 & 290, 55 Federal Street Condominium, $295,000.
Robert J. McMahon to David McMahon, 23 Shattuck St., $63,000.
Rosemarie A. Butcher to EDS Enterprises LLC, 33 Mill St., $100,000.
Gabriel M. Stafford and Lily Helen Stafford to Mark F. Gerrish, 52 Log Plain Road, $301,000.
Samuel H. Kaeppel and Linda M. Kaeppel to Newell Pond LLC, Bernardston Road, $438,000.
John W. Newton and Wendy S. Newton, “fka” Wendy S. Bardwell, to Jamison R. Thiem and Laura Thiem, 38 Munson St., $365,000.
HADLEY
East Street Commons LLC, to Kathleen N. Rowan, 13 East Commons Drive, $474,000.
Montgomery Rose LLC, to Hapco Farms LLC, 319 River Drive and 321 River Drive, $2,420,000.
Jeffrey M. Mackenzie, Kerry J. Mackenzie, Jo Ellen Mackenzie and Molly A. Keegan to Jeffrey M. Mackenzie and Ruth G. Mackenzie, 18 Hadley Place, $168,750.
Dennis Hanno and Susan Hanno to Mark Krause and Sarah Goodwin, Colony Drive, $240,000.
HAMPDEN
Harriet C. Patch, estate, and Joseph F. Lachowski, representative, to June L. Fitzpatrick, 98 Tall Pines Road, Unit 28, $410,000. Hatfield
119 Real Estate LLC, to Maxwell Bartlett, 1 Main St., and 2 Maple St., $789,000.
J. Gregory Petitt and Maria Carl Petitt to Patrick Andrew Boughan and Jennifer Christine Akey, 19 King St., $639,000.
HAWLEY
Thomas F. Bakey, personal representative of the Estate of Harold
Fait, to Drew Powers, 29 Dodge Road and 3 Dodge Corner Road, $395,000.
Thomas S. Justice and Cassandra M. Muniak to Kith & Kin Properties LLC, 86 West Hill Road, $685,000.
HEATH
Joanne G. Katz to Stephen Parker. 148 Taylor Brook Road, “fka” 140 Taylor Brook Road, $125,000.
HOLLAND
Lynne E. Kimball to St. Thomas Realty Associates LLC, 19 Massaconnic Shores, $550,000.
Richard Scaife, representative, and Joan A. Hudon, estate, to Corey Suprenant, North Cottage Road, $200,000.
HOLYOKE
Carmen Rodriguez and Ramon Dejesus to Monica Rahall, 113-115 Brown Ave., $169,000.
Deborah Fairman and Diane Beers to Jeanette Guillen-Morin and Jose Luis Morin, 32 Pinehurst Road, $538,000.
Geralyn M. Bielecki and Michael Bielecki to Rasidi Akodu, 1683 Northampton St., $280,000.
GZS Realty II LLC, to Cesar Ruiz Jr., Rear Woodland St., $70,000.
John Joseph Arena Jr., to Tania Viera Garcia and Emilio Ortiz, 526 Homestead Ave., $316,000.
Michael J. Spaulding and Robin M. Spaulding to Anthony M. Detora, 15 Vernon St., $325,000.
Sunscape Investments LLC, to Nath Ne and Jonathan Rodriguez, 15 Village Road, $380,000.
LONGMEADOW
David J Bryson and Lucy Bryson to Bhavik Jariwala and Kavita Jariwala, 127 Ashford Road, $1,240,000.
David Watkins and Irina Kaarina Watkins to Eric D. Shelley and Brooke N. Shelley, 88 Briarcliff Road, $730,000.
Janine H. Idelson and Robert Scott Cowan to Pag Family Rentals LLC, 1410 Longmeadow St., $1,390,500.
Katherine E. Humphrey to Ella Sussman and Tyrone Obanner, 90 Lincoln Park, $425,000.
Mark F. Shea and Heidi A. Shea to Katherine H. Petrakis, 11 E Greenwich Road, $910,000.
Melissa R. Gillis, trustee, and Declaration of The Joan A. Rogers Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Livingwater Capital LLC, 80 Concord Road, $550,000.
LUDLOW
Adekunle Odugbile to Giuliano Alves Da Silva and Chang Chai Hwi, 120 Edgewood Road, $390,000.
Anlo Realty Corp., to Bretta Construction LLC, Loopley Street, Lot C, $65,000.
Anlo Realty Corp., to Bretta Construction LLC, Loopley Street, Lot D, $65,000.
Anlo Realty Corp., to Bretta Construction LLC, Swan Avenue, Lot A, $70,000.
Anlo Realty Corp., to Bretta Construction LLC, Swan Avenue, Lot B, $70,000.
Daniil Gerasimchuk to Muhammet Turan, 801 West St., $630,000.
MIDDLEFIELD
James C. Rodzik and Jennifer Krassler to Darwin G. Janes, Arthur Pease Road, $30,000.
MONSON
Arthur Manarite and Melissa M. Manarite to Dominique Manarite, 60-62 Main St., $220,000.
Campagnari Construction LLC, to Hedge Hog Industries Corp., Upper Hampden Road, Lot 6, $60,000.
Cheryl L. Denner, representative, and Frank Skomro, estate, to Cody Towlson, 34 Crest Road, $390,000.
Faith Raymond, representative, Elizabeth R. Raymond, estate, and Elizabeth Rose Raymond, estate, to Christine A. Corbett, 38 Robbins Road, $50,000.
MONTAGUE
Dean P. Wonsey and Julie A. Wonsey to Bambi Wonsey, 18 Turner St., Lake Pleasant Road and Turner Street, $350,000.
MONTGOMERY
Dennis J. Page and Joann Page to Sarah Page, 122 Carrington Road, $340,000.
Joseph E. Cabana to Michael J. Scuderi, 42 New State Road, $275,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Thomas N. Hazen and John H. Hazen, attorney-in-fact, to Dorothy C. Riggs and Patrick Kelley, 58 Matthew Drive, $330,000.
Ryan Dunn, trustee, and Kathleen A. Dunn 2024 Trust to Matthew R. Bouthilette, 162 Prospect Ave., $317,000.
Matthew Motamedi to Ejja Properties LLC, 167 South St., $205,000.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc., to Greishka E. Brown, 278 Burts Pit Road, $185,700.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc., to Timothy Lamountain and Sara Lamountain-Costigan, 286 Burts Pit Road, $185,700.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc., to Giovanna T. Martinez, 298 Burts Pit Road, $185,700.
EDS Enterprises LLC, to Jesse J. Felter and Sharon Weintraub, 17 Glenwood Ave., $623,000.
Yon LLC, to Jennifer Gould, 36-38 Walnut St., $545,000.
Christopher Callaghan and Kathleen De Los Santos to Rafael De Los Santos and Lisa Davis, 80 Damon Road, $230,000.
Seth H. Gregory and Angela J. Gregory to Ash Berman and Sophia Weiss, 595 Haydenville Road, $600,000.
NORTHFIELD
Abigail J. Churchill to Susan Patterson, 33 Fisher Road, $600,000.
ORANGE
Desiree Sullivan, personal representative of the Estate of Yvette M. Barr, to Christal Cutler, 58 Walnut Hill Road, $149,000.
Waldemar Cruz to Alvania Castillo and Randoll A. Fernandez, 218 East Main St., $350,000.
V&J Real Estate Inc., to Elizabeth Jordan Carr and Alan Scherer, 51 Hamilton Ave., $349,000.
PALMER
Charles W. Russis and Megan Russis to Charline D. Clingman and Lawrence A. Guimond, 4032 Main St., $365,000.
House Hack Helpers LLC, to Leslie Carasquillo, 1089 Pleasant St., $350,000.
Wilbraham Builders Inc., to Jacob Granger, 43 French Drive, $355,000.
RUSSELL
Christopher W. Lagoy and Jennifer Lagoy to Nicole Harmon and Joseph Asta-Ferrero, 8 Old New England Path, $380,000.
Timothy C. Healy to Justin Dunn, 550 South Quarter Road, $314,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Thomas G. Chevalier, Jane Coughlin Chevalier and Jane Chevalier to Kaela C. Konefal and
Brynn C. Chevalier, 3 Dove Hill, $100.
Janice M. Engel and Jeffrey A. Barnett to Cristine J. Brown and Kathryn Brown, 49 Shadowbrook Estates, $440,000.
Pamela J. Mislak, Richard E. Fleury and Steven W. Fleury to Mahlet Kelecha and Ryan Kopper, 11 Country Lane, $357,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Christopher S. Wall and Sarah J. Wall to David Carr and Cindy S. Carr, 107 Strong Road, $479,900.
SOUTHWICK
Fitzgerald Home Solutions LLC, and Fitzgerald Home Solutions to Alexander Liogky and Veronica Liogky, 137 Berkshire Ave., $191,000.
Matthew J. Lamoureux to Cornelia Placinta, 22 Woodside Circle, $410,000.
Patricia J. Welliver to Rachel Weshnak, 46 Miller Road, $324,900.
SPRINGFIELD
Arden J. Green to Amanda M. Lesnick and Jason R. Maley, 70 Olmsted Drive, $371,000. Armando Lopez and Aileen Rosario to Jolana Linares and Luis F. Linares, 64 Duryea St., $245,000. Benchmark Carbide LLC, to Mass Medical Real Estate Partners LLC, 612-616 Dwight St., $1,200,000. Catherine M. Leas, representative, and Marilyn Lois Flynn, estate, to Michael Rodriguez and William Roman, 82 Pinecrest Drive, $280,000.
Cynthia M. Ferris, trustee, and Cynthia M. Ferris Revocable Indenture of Trust, trustee of, to Bismark Ohemeng, 167-169 Savoy Ave., $469,000.
Elaine Stellato to Joshua Stone, 113 Winton St., $340,000. FH Vision Estate Inc., to Luigi M. Marte Guzman and Dinaurys Guzman Nolberto, 139-141 Woodside Terrace, $410,000.
New England Farm Workers Council Inc., to 9-13 Hampden Street LLC, 9-13 Hampden St., $380,000.
New England Farm Workers Council Inc., to North End Housing Initiative Inc., SS Worcester Avenue, $115,000.
James W. Fiore and Darlene Fiore to Maria M. Oquendo, 179 Santa Barbara St., $250,000.
Jesmaniel Bermudez to Moshe D. Xatse, 271 Connecticut Ave., $285,000.
How water damages a flooded house — and which parts can be saved
By A aron Steckelberg, B onnie B erkowitz, A rmand E mamdjomeh, William Neff and L eslie Shapiro
The Washington Post
OFTEN IT’S NOT THE WIND from a hurricane that does the most damage, it’s the water, particularly when a storm lingers and dumps huge amounts of rain over one area. But sometimes, a waterlogged house can be saved.
“A high-water depth doesn’t mean the home is destroyed,” said Claudette Hanks Reichel of Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Center, who has written disaster recovery material for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “But if a house was already structurally compromised by decay, termites or very poor construction, then the flood could be the last straw.”
So, what does a major deluge do to a house?
Deeds
John F. Beaulieu, estate, and Norman H. Beaulieu Jr., representative, to Nadia Nieves, 235 State St., Unit 314, $175,000.
Karen Buoniconti, representative, Todd Klisiewicz, representative, Patricia M. Taft, estate, and Patricia Taft, estate, to Fermino Sousa, 78 Milton St., $320,000.
Katina Ersel Lindsay and Jimmy C. Lindsay Sr., to William J. Barkyoumb, 40 Clydesdale Lane, $315,000.
Kenneth Narvaez and Stephanie A. Rivera to Vilmarie Pacheco, 18 Kensington Ave., $245,000.
Leemilts Petroleum Inc., to Alliance Energy LLC, 2221 Main St., $305,981.
Luis Lizardi to DB Investments & Properties LLC, W/S Gladstone Street, $220,000.
Manchester Enterprises LLC, to Cristy Marie Cruz, 57 Oakwood Terrace, $265,000.
Marlene J. Garbin, estate, and Jill E. Kelly, representative, to Kyla Harris, 220 Gifford St., $255,000.
Michelle Berthiaume and Michelle Berthiume to Matthew S. Berthiaume, 99 Superior Ave., $160,000.
Modern Creative Contractor Inc., to Jennifer Acosta, 17-19 Laurel St., $450,000.
Nancy C. Godbout, conservator, and Dorothy C. O’Connell to Joseph Rodriguez, 190 West Weymouth
Cracks
the foundation
Serious foundation damage is common in areas where the soil is mostly clay and where most homes are built on concrete slabs. Many coastal areas fit this description. Saturated clay expands unevenly and lifts parts of a slab, causing it to crack or break. Embedded pipes can rupture, exterior walls can crack, the roof can sag. As the soil dries and shrinks, it all gets worse. Sometimes, moving water erodes the soil from below the slab, and a poorly secured house will simply float off its foundation. No one should enter a house that looks cracked or off-kilter before a structural assessment.
Jams (or breaks)
windows and doors
Jean-Pierre Bardet, a geotechnical engineer and dean of engineering at the University of Miami, said one of the first signs of foundation damage
St., $233,000.
Nelson J. Ehle and Sarah G. Ehle to Joshua Encarnacion, 297 Fountain St., $310,000.
Oliver H. Layne Jr., and Zulma Layne to Melvin Coleman, 44 Border St., $365,000.
Roberto Lopez and Paulo Villegas to Linval Lee, 15-17 Wellesley St., $489,000.
Sean G. Ross and Diana Ross to Juanita Diaz, 168 Ellsworth Ave., $325,000.
Spectra S2 LLC, and Fifty 50 Realty LLC, to Five Star Property Holdings LLC, 89 Kensington Ave., $695,000.
Springfield Gardens II LP, and Schweb Partners-Springfield LLC, to RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, 0 N S Mill Street, $5,525,000.
Springfield Gardens II LP, and Schweb Partners-Springfield LLC, to RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, 0 W S Coomes Street, $75,000.
Springfield Gardens II LP, and Schweb Partners-Springfield LLC, to RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, 10 Marengo Park, $5,805,000.
Springfield Gardens II LP, and Schweb Partners-Springfield LLC, to RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, 140 Belmont Ave., $505,000.
Springfield Gardens II LP, and Schweb Partners-Springfield LLC, to RBT Enterprise LLC, and H P Rum LLC, 18 Coomes St.,
is that doors and windows won’t open or close because their frames have become distorted by the shifting house, sometimes so much so that the glass twists and breaks. Glass could also be broken by floating debris.
Weakens drywall
Water weakens regular drywall, and the paper facing provides food for mold. If drywall is soft, crumbly or moldy, it has to be replaced. Plaster and other materials may dry, but walls and ceilings that were in contact with water still need to be gutted down to the framing so that the insides can be cleaned and dried to prevent mold.
Soaks insulation
Most insulation used in homes is made of fibers or foams that hold water, so it has to be replaced if it gets wet. But other types, such as closedcell foam, don’t absorb water and can survive a flood.
$690,000.
Surtan Realty LLP, trustee, Wallace St. Realty Trust, trustee of, Suresh Kachwaha, trustee, and Tanya Kachwaha, trustee, to Dorcas Abimaje and Oloruntoba Ogundein, 29 Wallace St., $390,001.
Thorsten E. Behrens to Brianalyss L. Negron and Tyler Z. Morales, 26 Vale Circle, $395,000.
Todd W. Keeler to JJJ17 LLC, 507 Dickinson St., $160,000.
Veteran Stan LLC, to Jean H. Platel and Marie J. Lherisson, 52 Monmouth St., $400,000.
William F. O’Connell, executor, Nina A. O’Connell, estate, and Barbara Day to Barbara Day, 18 Eureka St., $100.
WALES
Andre A. Bouchard and Madeleine Bouchard to JNB Property Investment Inc., 88 Stafford Holland Road, $10,000.
Carolyn M. Haley to Sarah Fernandez, 21 Sichols Colony Road, $258,760.
WENDELL
Gerald J. Romelczyk and Carolyn Anderson Romelczyk to Michael M. Cutler and Amber L. Carr, 3 Stone Road, $165,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Cheryl L. Koski to Manchester Enterprises LLC, 546 Kings Highway, $250,000.
Degrades sheathing
Many common types of structural sheathing — the large panels between the framing and the outside of the house — are a composite of wood chips or other porous material. Those will absorb water, swell and lose strength. Plywood sheathing probably will be fine after it dries out.
Temporarily swells framing
Here’s some good news: Most homes are framed with solid wood lumber, which usually withstands flooding quite well unless it sits in water for weeks or was already damaged. Even if the wood soaks up some water and swells, it should return to shape and maintain its structural integrity.
All framing has to be cleaned thoroughly and dried quickly to prevent mold, which flourishes in warm, moist areas.
Christopher M. Newbrough to William Bryant and Samantha Bryant, 101 Nelson St., $300,000.
Delores O’Rourke to Hussein Karam, 44 Rockland Drive, $312,000.
Kevin Gaffney, trustee, Noreen Aylward, trustee, and Gaffney Special Family Trust, trustee of, to Tyler J. Czupryk and Taylor M. Czupryk, 917 Dewey St., $410,000.
Ryan N. Tellier to Ryan D. Gasparini and Lisa A. Okscin, 91 Amherst St., $425,000.
WESTFIELD
Brian Seibert and Sarah Kannas to Steven Amlaw, 0 Family Lane, $210,000.
Carl D. McKenzie and Catherine C. McKenzie to Mohammed Al-Jarah, 11 Foch Ave., $415,000.
U S A Housing & Urban Development to Amanda Marie Circe, 289 Granville Road, $309,000.
Lise M. Letellier, trustee, and Letellier Family Trust, trustee of, to Habibullah Fazli and Zia Gul Fazli, 22 Otis St., $190,000.
Little River LLC, and Danielle M. Sanville to Wade Brock, Off Lois Street, Lot #2, $250,000.
Paul P. Shannon to Annalin Holland, 324 Russell Road, Unit 214, $155,000.
Susanna L. Prosser, estate, and Kirk Prosser, representative, to Enyoc Investment Properties LLC, 929 Shaker Road, Unit A-3, $415,000.
U S Bank Trust, trustee, and Bun-
galow Series IV Trust, trustee of, to Anton A. Yunikov, 10-12 Ford Ave., $289,950.
WILBRAHAM
Jeffrey M. Gurski, trustee, and Jeffrey M. Gurski Family Trust, trustee of, to Raffaele Vincenzo Albano and Katelyn Albano, 10 Victoria Lane, $720,000.
Nicholas Phillips and Amanda Phillips to Leticia L. Alonso and Darrell D. Strother, 20 Devonshire Drive, $360,000.
Nirvan Nieves to Nicholas J. Dimauro, 75 Washington Road, $305,000.
Sophia Pariseau, representative, and Sima Pariseau, estate, to Amoy Hosang, 851 Main St., $410,000.
Sousa Fermino to Chestnut Hill Homes LLC, 16 Dudley St., $185,000.
WILLIAMSBURG
Valerie J. Botter and Thomas Britton Percy to Valerie J. Botter, trustee, and Valerie J. Botter 2024 Trust, 108 Nash Hill Road, $100.
WORTHINGTON
Patsy A. Knapp and Grant M. Knapp to Marie Lynn Haas and Nicholas Anderson Haas, 280 Old Post Road and Harvey Road, $467,600.
Patsy Ann Knapp and Grant Knapp to Marie Lynn Haas and Nicholas Anderson Haas, Corbett Road, $158,000.
Outside lights are deadly to birds, especially this time of year
By Jessica Damiano
Associated Press
AS GARDENERS, WE spend a lot of time observing nature up close When will my tomatoes turn red? What’s eating my hosta?
What’s that white stuff on my peonies? and we react as needed to ensure our plants survive and thrive.
But there are other, sometimes overlooked, garden residents that need our help, too: birds.
A recent study jointly conducted by scientists at Fordham University, the NYC Bird Alliance, the American Bird Conservancy and Stony Brook University in New York found that collisions with windows kill more than 1 billion birds annually in the U.S., mostly at homes and other lower buildings.
That number is likely even higher because birds can hit a window, become injured and fly away, then die elsewhere or be taken by a predator, said Connie Sanchez, program manager for bird-friendly buildings at the National Audubon Society.
But small changes by homeowners and renters can make a big difference.
Many of the collisions are the direct result of “light
pollution,” the use of artificial lighting, such as from street, building or porch lights.
“Birds are drawn to light, and artificial light is drawing them off of their migratory paths and confusing them as they get closer to the light, so they collide with buildings and windows,” Sanchez said. “Or they’re led to circle in confusion, call out (in distress) and then land, drained of energy.”
The number of window strikes soars during the seasonal spring and fall periods, when birds migrate to and from their breeding homes. Sanchez said. That’s because they rely on “celestial cues” light from the moon and stars to navigate the night sky. And night-migrating small songbirds, like sparrows, warblers and thrushes, are at the highest risk of collisions.
Light pollution isn’t unique to downtowns with lighted skylines
“Surprisingly, research shows that 56% (of all bird collisions occur) at low-rise buildings just one to two stories (tall), 44% at residences and less than 1% at high-rise buildings,” Sanchez said.
Almost all the bird strikes occur at “homes, schools and
places of business outside of downtown areas, where homeowners or renters can make a difference by assessing their own windows and looking at their own lighting.”
First, turn off unnecessary lights
The National Audubon Society’s Lights Out Program encourages residents, businesses, building owners and managers “to turn off excess lighting during the months migrating birds are flying overhead… to provide them safe passage between their nesting and wintering grounds.”
At my suburban New York home, that means turning off landscape lighting and keeping the porch light off overnight between mid-August and mid-No -
Contaminates furniture
Wrecks (some of) the electrical system
Hurricanes can cause flooding from two types of water: freshwater (rain) and saltwater (storm surge).
Electrically speaking, rain is better, because saltwater is corrosive. Any outlets and switches that were underwater need to be replaced regardless.
But some of the wiring may survive, pending a building inspector’s approval.
Ruins appliances
Reichel said that insulated appliances, such as refrigerators and ovens, are almost never salvageable because water would have penetrated their insulation. Washers, dryers and microwaves may be usable after they are examined by a professional.
Most upholstered furniture, mattresses and draperies should be tossed. Floodwater from a storm is a nasty soup of microorganisms from sewage leaks, chemical spills and everyday contaminants. Properly cleaning all but the most valuable pieces would probably cost more than replacing them. Soaked particle board furniture will fall apart, but pieces made of hardwood, metal, concrete, plastic and glass should be fine after they are thoroughly cleaned.
Spoils (some) flooring
Any carpet and padding that was covered in water will have to go because it’s just too hard to clean. Laminate flooring will usually peel apart.
Hardwood floors may survive with a lot of TLC, such as removing a few boards here and there to let the others expand so that they don’t
vember, and especially during October, when fall migration is at its peak here.
Migration in other regions will peak at different times — visit the BirdCast bird migration dashboard to find migration periods windows in your county.
“We can make the skies safer for birds by reducing the amount and intensity of exterior lighting and using only what’s necessary,” Sanchez said.
She recommends pointing landscape lights downward, using timers and sensors, and shortening their duration.
Indoor lights can be an issue, too
Interior lighting that’s visible through windows also poses a
warp. Some tile may just need to be cleaned, but even usable flooring may need to be temporarily removed to clean and dry out the subflooring.
Homes that took the brunt of a hurricane’s winds or were caught in fast-moving floodwater are likely to be damaged beyond repair.
However, some flooding involves relatively calm water that simply rises higher and higher until homes are inundated but not destroyed. This means many homeowners will have to do a painful calculus: Is the house worth saving?
“The deeper the water, the more extensive and expensive the restoration project,” said Reichel. “It’s not just the cost, it’s the ordeal, and the time and competing for contractors and materials. It’s a horrendous, stressful situation.”
People who choose to fix their homes have a chance to make their houses more resistant to future floods. Here
threat. Close blinds or shades at night and turn off lights when they’re not needed, Sanchez advised.
Put visual markers on windows
Birds don’t perceive glass as a barrier but instead see the reflection of their habitat or the sky.
“We need to help them see there’s a barrier (by providing) visual markers as cues,” Sanchez said.
Patterns, for example, can be created on window glass with tape, stickers or washable tempera paint. Perforated vinyl film, which makes the glass appear opaque from the outside, and FeatherFriendly marker-pattern tape are also effective defensive barriers, she said.
“The key is to ensure the patterns or artwork are densely spaced so a small bird, like a hummingbird, won’t try to fly through,” Sanchez said.
Physical barriers, like screens installed outside windows, also provide visual deterrents.
“This is a bigger problem than we realized,” Sanchez said.
“We don’t necessarily see birds dying on a regular basis, but it is happening. So, whatever we can do in our own homes, in our own spaces, would really be very helpful.”
are a few recommendations from the LSU AgCenter:
Rebuild the house at least two feet higher off the ground than the area’s zoning requires. (It is also pricey but possible to raise an existing house.)
When restoring walls, use closed-cell foam insulation and flood-damage resistant sheathing and wallboard. Leave drainage space so that water or mud can be cleaned out without tearing up the walls.
Choose flooring for the first level of the house that is made of ceramic tile with water-resistant mortar, interlocking tile, concrete or other nonporous material. Elevate important items, such as major appliances and HVAC components, off the ground.
Reichel said these measures cost more initially but can save money and headaches if another flood occurs. “If you can’t afford to do everything,” she said, “anything you do will reduce your damage next time.”
An example of anti bird collision stickers on the window glass. (ADOBE STOCK IMAGE)
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