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Audubon Offers Free Digital Program and Materials for Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Written By Editor on 2/1/21 | 2/1/21
Oberacker Calls for Health Commissioner Zucker's Resignation
CCE Plans Meeting for February 22nd
Sheriff DuMond Reminds Hunters to Beware of Errant Rounds
BOCES Electrical Trades Program Expands to Schoharie
Written By Editor on 1/31/21 | 1/31/21
Roxbury Library February 2021 Hours
DEC Issues Guidance to Avoid Coyote Conflicts
Written By Editor on 1/27/21 | 1/27/21
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today issued guidance to help prevent conflicts between people and coyotes.
"Coyotes may become more territorial during the breeding and pup-rearing seasons, which in New York run from January through March, increasing the risk for potential conflicts with people and pets," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "While coyotes are an important part of New York's ecosystem, New Yorkers are encouraged to be aware of the increased risks for conflicts and follow DEC's guidance to prevent coyote encounters."
The Eastern coyote is found in many habitats, from rural farmland and forests to populated suburban and urban areas across New York State. Coyotes are well adapted to suburban and even urban environments and tend to avoid conflicts with people. However, conflicts with people and pets may occur, particularly during the spring denning and pupping period. If coyotes learn to associate food, such as garbage or pet food, with peoples' homes, these animals may lose their natural fear of humans and increase the potential for close encounters or conflicts.
To reduce or prevent conflicts with coyotes, New Yorkers are encouraged to take the following steps:
- Do not feed coyotes.
- Do not leave food outside. Pet food and garbage attract coyotes and other wildlife and increase risks to people and pets:
- Do not feed pets outside.
- Prevent access to garbage.
- Fence or enclose compost piles.
- Eliminate availability of bird seed. Concentrations of birds and rodents that come to feeders can attract coyotes.
- Do not allow coyotes to approach people or pets. If you see a coyote, be aggressive in your behavior: stand tall and hold your arms up or out to look as large as possible. If a coyote lingers for too long, make loud noises, wave your arms and throw sticks and stones.
- Teach children to appreciate coyotes from a distance.
- Do not allow pets to run free. Supervise outdoor pets to keep them safe from coyotes and other wildlife, especially at sunset and at night. Small dogs and cats are especially vulnerable.
- Fence yards to deter coyotes. The fence should be tight to the ground, preferably extending six inches below ground level and taller than four feet.
- Remove brush and tall grass from around homes to reduce protective cover for coyotes. Coyotes are typically secretive and like areas where they can hide.
- Contact the local police department and DEC regional office for assistance if coyotes exhibit bold behaviors and have little or no fear of people, or if seen repeatedly during the daytime in a human-populated area or near residences. Seeing a coyote occasionally throughout the year is not evidence of bold behavior.
- Ask neighbors to follow these steps to prevent coyote conflicts.
For additional information about the Eastern coyote and preventing conflicts with coyotes, visit the DEC webpages below:
Feeding Wildlife: A Wrong Choice
Audubon Highlights Carbon Reduction via Solid Waste Practices
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Audubon Hosts Naturalist and Photographer, Kyle Dudgeon for a Look into the Life of the Great Gray Owl
Friday, February 19, 2021, 7:30pm - ONLINE
Pre-registration is Required.
By: Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society
For more information contact: Susan O'Handley, Publicity Chairperson, Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, Oneonta, NY; (607) 643-5680; info@doas.us
[ONEONTA, NY; REGIONAL] Of all the birds and wildlife that call the forests and mountains of Montana home, one species in particular leaves an impression on its observer unlike anything else. This species is the Great Gray Owl. After months of searching unsuccessfully for a breeding territory where one had to have existed, nature photographer and writer Kyle Dudgeon finally made his dream come true. He spent several weeks studying, photographing and advocating for a family of owls in the Bridger Mountains near Bozeman, MT. Join us as Kyle takes us through his experiences with dozens of great gray owls over two years in Montana, as well as the story of protecting a nest from the interests of logging.
Please join us online on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 PM for a virtual get-together with the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society. This is a FREE program. Pre-Registration is required.Registration Information can be found at the DOAS Website at
https://doas.us/event/in-search-of-the-great-gray-owl- kyle-dudgeon/
https://doas.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/great-gray- kdudgeon.png
About the Presenter
Kyle Dudgeon is a 23 -year old nature photographer and writer based in Bozeman, Montana. A New York native, photography has led Kyle’s journeys across North America, capturing wild moments in incredible places. With his photographs and written word, Kyle strives to share with his following the power and emotion that the natural world possesses, in hopes of encouraging conservation of species and environments at risk. In 2019, Kyle Dudgeon Creative was founded on an idea to translate a passion for wild things and wild places into a means of visual storytelling. A project involving Great Gray Owls in the Bridger Mountains of Montana was Kyle’s first true introduction into what he hopes will be a long career in the conservation realm.
LTE: Seeking Coaches for Baseball
Audubon joins Hanford Mills Museum for Ice Harvest Festival
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Residents of Federal Disaster Areas Get Second Chance for Medicare Enrollment
If you’re eligible for Medicare, you can enroll and choose a plan any time during the three months before and after the month you turn 65. After that, you usually only have one chance a year: the annual election period (AEP). Also referred to as Medicare open enrollment, AEP runs yearly from October 15 to December 7. Dave Rich, CEO of Ensurem, a Florida-based insurance technology and product distribution firm, says, “In most cases, if you wanted to enroll or change plans for 2021 and didn’t get it done by December 7, you’re out of luck.(1) Or maybe not, depending on where you live.” Medicare-eligible individuals residing in certain states could qualify for special enrollment periods.
Medicare special enrollment periods (SEPs), Rich explains, are available to residents of Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared disaster areas. While the special enrollment periods apply only to residents of these areas, a significant number of seniors may nonetheless be eligible.
This SEP gives individuals the opportunity to enroll in, disenroll from, or switch Medicare health or prescription drug plans and is open to those who:
- live (or lived at the start of the incident period,) in an area for which FEMA has declared an emergency or a major disaster (fire, flood, hurricane, etc.); and
- had another Medicare enrollment period at the time of the incident period (such as AEP, October 15-December 7); and
- did not enroll or make a change during that enrollment period.(2)
The special enrollment opportunity, notes Rich, runs for four full calendar months after the declaration of emergency. This means, residents of an area declared a disaster zone by FEMA as long ago as October will still be eligible to enroll or make a change in their Medicare plans for 2021 up until February, and in some cases, even March.
“Given the disruption and challenges of 2020,” he says, “this opportunity may be of interest to Medicare-eligible individuals who for one reason or another did not enroll in Medicare or change their plans during the annual enrollment period and would like to do so now.”
States containing FEMA-declared disaster areas in which SEPs may be available from January to March, for example, include Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas and Wyoming.(3)
Medicare-eligible individuals residing in these states and wishing to know if their particular county is part of a FEMA-declared disaster area can contact Medicare or FEMA directly. For those looking for quicker answers, there is an alternative:
“As specialists in Medicare insurance, we are aware how confusing it is to navigate the Medicare landscape, especially with these FEMA exceptions which go unnoticed by most beneficiaries. At Ensurem, we are on top of all Medicare news, changes, and processes,” says Rich.
Ensurem is up to date on this information and willing and ready to verify anyone’s eligibility for this special enrollment period. They can be reached from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET at (800) 729-5109.
About Ensurem:
Ensurem, headquartered in Clearwater, FL, is a leading technology and product distribution company serving carriers and consumers within the massive U.S. senior market. The company provides end-to-end solutions for carriers, including product development, digital marketing and consumer-centric front ends and back end. For more information, please visit Ensurem.com.
1. “Medicare Enrollment Periods: When to Sign Up.” Medicare, medicare.gov/blog/medicare-enrollment-period-2020.
2. Guidance Portal, hhs.gov/guidance/document/special-enrollment-period-sep-individuals-affected-fema-declared-weather-related-emergency.
3. “Declared Disasters.” Declared Disasters | FEMA.gov, fema.gov/disasters/disaster-declarations.
Enjoy Virtual Ice Harvest Festival events at home, February 2-6
Learn about the 19th century ice trade, find out where to view eagles, test your knowledge in trivia games, watch new videos about ice harvesting and the science of ice, take part in a winter scavenger hunt, and watch online programming from Hanford Mills educators. Some events are scheduled, other resources and activities are available for you to enjoy when you choose. For the latest information, go to our Ice Harvest webpage.
Scheduled Events
Tuesday, February 2, 7 pm
Birding for Bald Eagles
The Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) will offer a special online presentation to highlight the region’s Bald Eagle population. DOAS Co-President Andy Mason and DOAS Director and Research Coordinator Tom Salo will discuss the history of eagle conservation in New York State, eagle identification, and a new self-guided driving tour and map, developed by DOAS, that will allow people to independently visit sites that are good for eagle viewing. Register for the free program at doas.us.
Thursday, February 4 at 7 pm
Winter’s Coolest Crop: Ice Harvesting History and Culture
Andrew Robichaud, Assistant Professor of History at Boston University, joins HMM staff Liz Callahan and Kajsa Harley for a free online presentation. Robichaud’s book-in-progress, tentatively titled On Ice: Transformations in American Life, is a history of climate, ice, and the ice trade in North America, and explores the cultural and economic ice age in nineteenth-century America. Along with a discussion of the history of ice harvesting in the Northeast, they will discuss how Hanford Mills celebrates the historic community tradition of ice harvesting. Register in advance at http://bit.ly/
Friday, February 5, 7-9 pm
Science Trivia Night with the Science Discovery Center
The A.J. Read Science Discovery Center and SUNY Oneonta Planetarium are hosting a three-round online trivia game on Zoom. Participants can play as a team (2-5 people) or play solo. The trivia will be “ice” themed, from glaciers, to ice planets, to the history of ice and refrigeration. Register in advance at https://suny.oneonta.edu/
Saturday, February 6, 11 am
Ice Harvesting and Ice Houses Family Program
Luke Murphy, Hanford Mills education coordinator, will offer a family-friendly online presentation. Learn how ice houses work and experiment with different materials to determine what insulates ice the best. The program is free and you can register in advance at https://bit.ly/
Enjoy a Winter Tradition in a New Way
Our goal for the 2021 virtual Ice Harvest Festival is to offer a fun and rewarding shared experience that many of us are missing these days. We will be premiering three Ice Harvesting videos, created by the Cooperstown Graduate Program, that explore the ice harvesting process, the science of ice and ice houses, and the water cycle and climate change. A Winter Scavenger Hunt will be posted here, as well as other winter crafts and activities you can enjoy.
We've come up with a Virtual Ice Harvest Festival Playlist on Spotify, give it a listen! Let us know if you have a song to add.
Have a question about ice harvesting? Ask Hanford Mills, and we'll answer on our website or Facebook.
We also encourage you to submit your Ice Harvest photos and memories, which we are sharing on our Facebook page.
Buy Local
Please support the restaurants that have provided soup at past Ice Harvests, and also the local businesses, farmers, and artisans that have exhibited at Ice Harvests. Here is a list of who came to the February 2020 Ice Harvest. Treat yourself to some delicious take-out as you enjoy the virtual Ice Harvest Festival.
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