From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 3 09:50:32 2008 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 09:50:32 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] December 3 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <49365668.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery December 3, 2008 Green Holidays Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Green Holidays In between Thanksgiving and the New Year, an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. Enough ribbon is thrown out each year to tie a bow around the earth. Nearly one billion Christmas cards are sent, only to be tossed in the garbage after the holidays are over. Christmas lights make our neighborhoods look festive, but if left on for ten hours a day over only twelve days, they will produce enough carbon dioxide to inflate 12 small balloons. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have caused a dramatic change in the current climate system. More and more people are looking for ways to reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly throughout the year, but particularly during the winter holiday season. Here are some ideas for you to try: ?Send cards only to those people that you won't see over the holidays, or send e-cards or photo cards that people will keep. ?Don't use paper to wrap your gifts, but put them in some type of reusable container, such as a terra cotta planter or canvas bag, either of which you can decorate yourself. ?Buy a live Christmas tree and replant it after the holidays, or recycle your cut tree. ?Give handmade gifts or the gift of an experience (children can create their own "tickets" for a free event such as a family trip to a museum or a promise to wash the car). ?Decorate your home with natural ornaments that you find outside: holly, evergreen, pine cones. ?Make your own garland and use it instead of Christmas lights (you can use cranberries, popcorn, dried fruit slices). The DEC website has additional information about holiday recycling. Send us an e-mail and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery - forward this e-mail! Back to top Family Fun It's in the Bag Want an idea for a "green" present that everyone can use? Decorate a reusable shopping bag with a favorite photo or even your own artwork! To start, purchase a canvas, light-colored reusable shopping tote (many supermarkets and design stores sell them) and some t-shirt transfer paper. After you find a favorite photo or create your own masterpiece, enlarge or reduce the image on a color copier to fit on the t-shirt paper. Follow the instructions on the t-shirt transfer package to transfer the image onto the tote. Have an adult iron the transfer onto your bag. Use the iron's synthetic setting, and only iron the area that the transfer covers. Now you have a useful and personalized gift for just about anyone! An Edible Vase Want to create a gift that is environmentally friendly, beautiful and tasty at the same time? You will need about 40 candy canes, a clean tin can or glass jar, a strong rubber band and some evergreen trimmings such as cedar, pine, juniper or holly. Place the rubber band around the can or jar, about halfway from the top. Begin placing candy canes under the rubber band so that the hooked part of the cane faces outward. After you add all the candy canes, they will stand upright, or you can add another rubber band. Place the evergreen trimmings into the jar or can. If you like, you can hide the rubber bands with a (reusable) wire-edged ribbon tied in a bow. Animal Feast Many people have an evergreen tree in their yard or somewhere nearby. Decorate your tree for winter and help out the animals at the same time by making an evergreen tree feeder. String cranberries, dried or fresh fruit, plain popcorn, small mesh suet bags (suet placed in an old onion bag) and pine cones slathered with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed to decorate an evergreen tree in your yard. To make it more festive, use a cookie cutter to cut holiday shapes out of stale bread. Spread the bread with peanut butter and press it into a tray of birdseed. Check out Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Get Ready for Winter Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 PM Explore the world of winter survival in Stony Kill?s woods and hunt for clues to winter wildlife activity with a Stony Kill naturalist. Light my Fire Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 PM Learn how to start a fire using a variety of methods-ancient, traditional and modern- even under adverse weather conditions. Bring marshmallows for roasting! Guided Nature Walks 10:00 AM every Saturday Join a Stony Kill naturalist and explore trails and habitats together. Meet at the Manor House for this family-friendly program. Walks generally take one to one-and-one-half hours. Hikes will be on snowshoes if there is enough snow cover. More events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#december) Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Night Senses Friday, December 5 at 7:00 PM Learn about how different nocturnal animals cope with the unique challenge of darkness. Evergreens Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 PM Join us on a walk to learn some basic tree identification skill as we search out evergreens. Backyard Animal Series: Birds Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 PM This family-friendly program will feature a book reading, a craft project and an outdoor walk to look for birds. A fee of $3 per craft maker ($2 FFR member) will apply. Pre-register by Dec. 11. More events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#December) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.intelliclients.com/discovery_center/directions_hours_admission.htm) Nature Signing Tuesday, December 9 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM Wednesday, December 10 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM Learn the American Sign Language signs for many animals, plants and other words related to the Pine Bush in this program for preschool-aged children. Please call 518-456-0655 to register. Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) Soy Candle Making Saturday, December 6 at 11:00 AM Looking for an environmentally friendly gift this holiday season? You will see a demonstration of the candle-making procedure and then you can make your own candle to take home. Cost: $5 per participant. Call to register: 607-674-4017. Decorate a Bag or Bandana Saturday, December 13 at 11:00 AM Be a friend of nature by making a gift that can be used over and over. Decorate a canvas bag or bandana with prints of animal tracks or tree leaves. All ages welcome, but children younger than 6 should bring a helper. Cost: $5 per bag, $4 per bandana. Call to register: 607-674-4017. More events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#December) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. Winter Crafts for the Birds Saturday, December 6 at 10:30 AM Join us to make two bird feeders from natural items found in the woods. Afterwards, we will look to see what birds visit the Education Center bird feeders. For adults and children age 8 and older only. Full Cold-Moon Walk Friday, December 12 at 6:00 PM Enjoy a walk in the woods by the glow of the full moon. Learn about the craters on the moon and the planets that are visible during December. Bring binoculars if you have them. We will use snowshoes if there is enough snow. Cost: Snowshoes can be rented for $2/free for FORNP members. For the Birds Saturday, December 13 at 10:00 AM Find out how to attract birds to your yard in winter and identify them. For adults and children age 12 and older only. More events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#december) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's website for more information and programs Subscribe to the Conservationist magazine? New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy - view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). Having problems viewing this newsletter? 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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 56648 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 17 11:22:45 2008 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:22:45 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] December 17 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <4948E105.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery December 17, 2008 Winter Survival Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Winter Survival Living in the Northeast can mean cold, snowy winters. We can look in our closet to find clothes to match the weather outside. But what do animals that live here need to survive? Some animals hibernate, or sleep through the winter to avoid being out in the cold weather and conserve their energy. Hibernating animals like woodchucks and bats eat more food than usual during the fall so that during the winter, they can rely on their body fat to keep them nourished. Their breathing and heart rate usually slow down as well, and their body temperature drops. Other animals such as bears and raccoons will sleep very heavily during the winter, but may awaken if disturbed. Unlike true hibernators, their body temperature and heart rate do not drop as low. Frogs dig holes in the dirt, find a crack in a log or rocky area or under water, usually laying on top of the mud. Bears may gain as much as 30 pounds per week before winter arrives. They may gather leaves, grass and twigs to curl up with in their den-- usually in a small crevice in rocks, logs or roots or in a hollow tree or log. Other animals adapt to the winter weather. Deer, squirrels and foxes all adjust to the changing climate by eating enough food and nutrients to survive the season. Some animals like deer grow thicker coats to keep them warm. Deer feed during the day to conserve their energy for nighttime and when colder temperatures arrive. Some animals eat different kinds of food as the seasons change. The red fox eats fruit and insects during the warmer weather but survives on small rodents during the winter when its usual food source is not available. Geese and many other birds, butterflies and whales are examples of animals that migrate; that is, they travel to warmer places where they can find food or more comfortable breeding grounds. Mostly, birds migrate in the fall, sometimes traveling thousands of miles to their destination. But what tells the birds and other animals when it is time to leave? Scientists believe that it is a cycle controlled by changes in the amount of daylight and weather. Check out DEC's website for additional photos of animals in winter. Send us an e-mail and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery--forward this e-mail! Back to top Family Fun Fattening Up for Winter Many animals that remain in the Northeast during the winter build up an extra layer of fat to keep them warm. Birds eat suet, a high-energy formulation of animal fat and other ingredients. Suet is a quick source of heat and energy for birds and is a good substitute for the insects that birds usually feed upon but are not plentiful in cold weather. To make a log suet feeder, find a thick tree branch with shorter branches attached. With an adult, cut the shorter branches to about three inches long to serve as the bird's perch. Have an adult drill one-inch holes above the "perch" branches. Fill the holes with suet, and hang your log suet feeder from a pole or tree (you will have to attach an eye-hook to the top of the branch). You also can spread some stale bagels with peanut butter or shortening, roll them in bird seed and hang them from a branch. Down and Out Have you ever wondered how birds keep warm in the winter? They have a layer of down?fine, fluffy feathers found under their tough, spiny quills. Down provides insulation against the cold. Wrap yourself in a down jacket or bedspread (get permission first) and head outside during a cold winter day. Remain outside for a few minutes. Now go inside and change into a regular jacket, or wrap yourself in an ordinary cotton blanket. Feel the difference? It's Cold Out There! Even downy feathers or thicker winter coats cannot keep animals completely warm during a stormy winter night. They must find shelter that is warm enough for them to survive. Try this experiment: get four glass jars and thermometers and various insulating materials such as leaves, dirt (or potting soil if you can't get to the dirt) and dry grass or twigs. Fill the jars with warm water. Record the temperature of the air, and put a thermometer in each jar to record the water temperature. Now pile dry leaves around one jar, twigs or grass around another and dirt or potting soil around the third. Leave one jar uninsulated. Every five minutes, record the temperature in each of the jars until all the jars drop to the same temperature as the air. Which jars had the fastest drop in temperature? Which material would you choose to make a bed or nest in if you were an animal? Check out Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Welcome Winter! Saturday, December 20 at 2:00 PM Join us in a celebration of the winter solstice. Learn about the astronomical, cultural and ecological significance of this turning point in the natural year, and make your own sundial to take home. Holiday Hike Saturday, December 27 at 2:00 PM Burn off some of those holiday calories with an invigorating hike on one of Stony Kill?s more challenging trails. Holiday Open House Tuesday, December 30 from Noon to 4:00 PM Bring the whole family for a festive day at Stony Kill. Learn how DEC Bureau of Wildlife staff track and locate coyotes. Join a Stony Kill naturalist for an animal-tracks walk. Make your own wildlife-track cast or holiday craft to take home. Visit the animals in the barn. Listen to live holiday music in the Manor House, and enjoy refreshments and decorations by the Verplanck Garden Club. Guided Nature Walks 10:00 AM every Saturday Join a Stony Kill naturalist and explore trails and habitats together. Meet at the Manor House for this family-friendly program. Walks generally take one to one-and-one-half hours. Hikes will be on snowshoes if there is enough snow cover. More Events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#december) Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) The Natural History of Christmas Trees Saturday, December 27 at 10:00 AM Join us as we go over the meadow and through the woods to explore our conifer stands for tracks, dens, chewed cones and other signs of wildlife activity. Not a Creature Was Stirring Saturday, December 27 at 2:00 PM Animals have but one problem going into winter--how to survive it. Happily, critters can cope with the season in many different ways. Join us on an outdoor study of winter survival strategies and see how various animals manage to get by. More Events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#December) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.intelliclients.com/discovery_center/directions_hours_admission.htm) Winter Solstice Night Hike Saturday, December 20 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM Daylight has waned to a minimum on the shortest days of the year. What better time for a night hike through the Albany Pine Bush Preserve? Walk with us along the trails without light and test your senses at night. Our hike will conclude with hot cocoa around a campfire. Cost: $2 per person/$5 per family. Please call 518-456-0655 to register. CSI Pine Bush: Critter Scene Investigation Tuesday, December 30 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM How are your detective skills? Do you have what it takes to be on a team of nature investigators, solving Pine Bush mysteries, by examining evidence? Our trek will be on snowshoes if enough snow is available. Cost: $2 per person/$5 per family. Please call 518-456-0655 to register. Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) 109th Annual Christmas Bird Count Saturday, December 20 throughout the day Count the birds in the Sherburne area with Rogers staff and the Chenango Bird Club for some or all of the day. Remember to bring binoculars if you have them. Call to register, 607-674-4017. Guided Nature Walk Saturday, December 20 at 1:30 PM Breathe in fresh air and stretch your legs on a trail walk with Rogers Center staff. Then, enjoy hot chocolate back at our winter ski lodge. Hikes will be on snowshoes if snowcover is at least eight-inches deep. Signs of Animals Trail Walk Friday, December 26 at 10:00 AM Walk the trails with us to search for tracks and traces of animal activity. If there is enough snow, we will snowshoe. Call to register, 607-674-4017. Snowshoe the Boundary Trail Saturday, December 27 at 10:00 AM Winter is a great time to get out and explore nature. Birds are easier to see in leafless trees, and snow creates a blank page for natural mysteries to be discovered. Grab some snowshoes or use ours and explore the Boundary Trail with us. If there is not enough snow, we will walk the trail instead. Call to register, 607-674-4017. More Events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#December) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. Recycled Holiday Crafts Saturday, December 20 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM Drop in any time between 1:30 and 3:30 to make a simple holiday craft using recycled materials. No registration is required for this program. Solstice Stroll Saturday, December 20 at 6:00 PM Come celebrate the winter solstice, which signifies the return of increasing daylight. On an evening walk in the woods, learn why we experience this earthly phenomenon. Night Hike Saturday, December 27 at 7:30 PM Get away from the holiday stress and enjoy Reinstein Woods at night! We will be using snowshoes if there is enough snow. For adults and kids age 12 and older. Registration is required for this program. Family Snowshoe Walk Tuesday, December 30 at 10:00 AM Had your fill of holiday celebrations? Get outside and try our snowshoes! Snowshoe rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. More Events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#december) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's Website for More Information and Programs Subscribe to the Conservationist magazine?New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy--view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). 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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 17539 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Mon Dec 22 11:18:57 2008 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:18:57 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] December 31 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <494F77A1.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery December 31, 2008 Winter Tracks Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Winter Tracks Have you ever been on a walk in the winter, come across animal tracks and wondered what kind of animal made them and what they were doing? Mammal tracks show various gaits and patterns because different animals have different ways of traveling. Walk - Mammals that walk leave behind alternating, evenly spaced prints in parallel rows. They often put their hind foot in the same spot where their front foot stepped. Walking is a slow way to move, but it's very energy efficient. Trot - Some mammals trot, which is a faster way to get around but still energy efficient. During trotting, two diagonal feet move at the same time--for example, the left front and the rear right. Gallop - Galloping is the fastest way for a mammal to travel, but it requires a lot of energy and can be done for only short periods. When an animal gallops, all four feet leave the ground at the same time during one stage of the activity. Jump - Jumping requires the most energy. Although it's slower than galloping, it also includes one stage when all four feet leave the ground at the same time. Rabbits, squirrels, mice and rats are all jumpers. Take the following posters on your next hike to help you do your own animal tracking: Tracks poster - Part 1 Tracks poster - Part 2 Send us an e-mail and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery--forward this e-mail! Subscribe to Conservationist magazine?New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Back to top Family Fun Tracks: Only Part of the Story You can tell by animal tracks whether they were made by a deer foraging for food or a bobcat chasing prey. Did an animal stop for a drink? Are there many tracks in one spot, meaning an animal was looking for something to eat? What are some other signs of animal life that tell a story? Scat - Scat (a fancy name for animal poop) tells us what an animal has been eating. Some animals use scat to mark their territory. Fur and Feathers - Animals may lose their fur or feathers when they rub against something (to leave scent or scratch an itch) or when attacked by another animal. Look for fur stuck to lower branches or along the ground to tell you where animals have been. Chew Marks - Animals such as deer, rabbit or beaver leave chew marks on the vegetation they eat. Chew marks are different for different animals because of their tooth structure and their eating habits. Food Caches - Some animals such as squirrels collect and store food to eat during the winter. Homes - Animals live in holes high in trees or near the ground, in leaf or twig nests in branches and in thick brambles. Some live in caves, burrows or dens. Deer and coyote leave well-worn paths from traveling the same trail over and over again from their homes to their feeding areas. Do You Snowshoe? Snowshoes have been used for transporation for thousands of years. Hunters of long ago needed to feed their families but found it difficult to get around in the deep snow. They watched animals like snowshoe hares move across the snow easily and created a design similar to the animal's feet. The first snowshoes were made of twigs and rawhide. Today, people snowshoe for fun and exercise; not too many rely on snowshoes for transportation in winter. Each of DEC's education centers has snowshoe trails and snowshoes to rent. So pick a sunny winter day, strap on some snowshoes, and go for a walk back in time. Track Station How can you track animal prints if there's no snow? Make your own track station. Get a 3' x 3' piece of plywood and some sand, flour or cornmeal. Find a level spot that's in the open but near trees or shrubs where animals might find food. Put the board flat on the ground and sprinkle flour, cornmeal or sand over the entire surface. Come back the next morning to check for footprints on your track station. How many different kinds are there? Use the posters offered above to help you identify your nightime visitors. Check out Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Animals in Winter Saturday, January 3 at 2:00 PM Where does wildlife go in winter, and how do they survive? Enjoy a visit with our cows, sheep, chickens and pigs, and compare what they eat and how they stay warm with the wild creatures of the forest and fields. Feederwatch Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 PM Learn the ins and outs of birdfeeding--what kinds of food and feeders attract which bird species. Also, learn how you can add your own observations of birds at your feeders to the citizen-science effort called Project Feederwatch. Guided Nature Walks 10:00 AM every Saturday Join a Stony Kill naturalist, and explore trails and habitats together. Meet at the Manor House for this family-friendly program. Walks generally take one to one-and-one-half hours. Hikes will be on snowshoes if there is enough snow cover. More Events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#january) Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Annual New Year's Day Bird Count Thursday, January 1 at 9:00 AM Come help us ring out our old annual bird list and ring in the new as we search high and low for our fine feathered friends. In the 28 years of this annual event, 69 different species have been found at Five Rivers on New Year's Day. Bring binoculars and dress warmly. Winter Tea Saturday, January 3 at 2:00 PM Learn about plants that have been used as traditional winter teas, then come indoors and create your own tea bag and warm up with a cup of nature's tea. Full Moon Walk Friday, January 9 at 7:00 PM Enjoy the beauty of a winter night and a magnificent full moon. Even if the sky is cloudy, the moon will provide enough light for our walk. Warm up afterwards with hot chocolate. Snowshoeing Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 PM Whether it is snowy or not, we will discuss the ancient sport of snowshoeing. More Events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#January) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.intelliclients.com/discovery_center/directions_hours_admission.htm) Star Party with the Dudley Observatory Saturday, January 10 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Explore the skies with the Dudley Observatory on the official kick-off date for the International Year of Astronomy at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center. Cost: $2 per person/$5 per family. Please call 518-456-0655 to register. Snowshoe Adventure in the Pine Bush Sunday, January 11 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Have you ever tried snowshoeing? The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is a great local place to try this sport out! Cost: $2 per person/$5 per family. Please call 518-456-0655 to register. Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) New Year Wildlife List Saturday, January 3 at 10:00 AM If your New Year's resolution is to see more animals, you're in luck. We'll get you started and offer tips on when and where to look. 31st Annual Winter Living Celebration Saturday, January 10 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Come to our Winter Living Celebration, and see what all the excitement's about! There will be snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and other activities (except for ice skating). If you get chilly, come inside and take a look at our exhibits, and listen to storytelling and live music. Remember to bring your Christmas tree for recycling into chips for our trails. More Events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#January) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. New Year?s Day Bird Count Thursday, January 1 from 9:00 AM to Noon Help us record the first birds of the new year. After we are done counting, we will enjoy refreshments in the center. Cross-Country Ski Tour Saturday, January 3 at 10:00 AM Bring your own skis or rent a pair (limited sizes), and glide through The Woods on a guided tour. Ski rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. After School Escape Thursday, January 8 at 4:00 PM Enjoy a fun outdoor experience to encourage children to play and interact with the natural world. For kids in kindergarten through fifth grade and their caregivers. No registration required. Full Wolf-Moon Snowshoe Walk Friday, January 9 at 6:00 PM Join a group walk along our trails as the moon lights the way. We also will look at snow with a magnifying glass to see the crystals that make up a snowflake. Snowshoe rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. Not There Snowshoe Walk Saturday, January 10 at 10:00 AM Enjoy learning what animals you won't see on a winter walk, and find out how they spend winter. Moonlight Cross-Country Ski Tour Sunday, January 11 at 6:30 PM Ski by the light of the moon. Bring your own skis or rent a pair (limited sizes). Ski rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. More Events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#january) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's website for more information and programs Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy - view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). Having problems viewing this newsletter? 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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 12938 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 17 14:16:12 2008 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:16:12 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] December 31 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <494909AC.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery December 31, 2008 Winter Tracks Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Winter Tracks Have you ever been on a walk in the winter, come across animal tracks and wondered what kind of animal made them and what they were doing? Mammal tracks show various gaits and patterns because different animals have different ways of traveling. Walk - Mammals that walk leave behind alternating, evenly spaced prints in parallel rows. They often put their hind foot in the same spot where their front foot stepped. Walking is a slow way to move, but it's very energy efficient. Trot - Some mammals trot, which is a faster way to get around but still energy efficient. During trotting, two diagonal feet move at the same time--for example, the left front and the rear right. Gallop - Galloping is the fastest way for a mammal to travel, but it requires a lot of energy and can be done for only short periods. When an animal gallops, all four feet leave the ground at the same time during one stage of the activity. Jump - Jumping requires the most energy. Although it's slower than galloping, it also includes one stage when all four feet leave the ground at the same time. Rabbits, squirrels, mice and rats are all jumpers. Take the following posters on your next hike to help you do your own animal tracking: Tracks poster - Part 1 Tracks poster - Part 2 Send us an e-mail and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery--forward this e-mail! Subscribe to Conservationist magazine?New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Back to top Family Fun Tracks: Only Part of the Story You can tell by animal tracks whether they were made by a deer foraging for food or a bobcat chasing prey. Did an animal stop for a drink? Are there many tracks in one spot, meaning an animal was looking for something to eat? What are some other signs of animal life that tell a story? Scat - Scat (a fancy name for animal poop) tells us what an animal has been eating. Some animals use scat to mark their territory. Fur and Feathers - Animals may lose their fur or feathers when they rub against something (to leave scent or scratch an itch) or when attacked by another animal. Look for fur stuck to lower branches or along the ground to tell you where animals have been. Chew Marks - Animals such as deer, rabbit or beaver leave chew marks on the vegetation they eat. Chew marks are different for different animals because of their tooth structure and their eating habits. Food Caches - Some animals such as squirrels collect and store food to eat during the winter. Homes - Animals live in holes high in trees or near the ground, in leaf or twig nests in branches and in thick brambles. Some live in caves, burrows or dens. Deer and coyote leave well-worn paths from traveling the same trail over and over again from their homes to their feeding areas. Do You Snowshoe? Snowshoes have been used for transporation for thousands of years. Hunters of long ago needed to feed their families but found it difficult to get around in the deep snow. They watched animals like snowshoe hares move across the snow easily and created a design similar to the animal's feet. The first snowshoes were made of twigs and rawhide. Today, people snowshoe for fun and exercise; not too many rely on snowshoes for transportation in winter. Each of DEC's education centers has snowshoe trails and snowshoes to rent. So pick a sunny winter day, strap on some snowshoes, and go for a walk back in time. Track Station How can you track animal prints if there's no snow? Make your own track station. Get a 3' x 3' piece of plywood and some sand, flour or cornmeal. Find a level spot that's in the open but near trees or shrubs where animals might find food. Put the board flat on the ground and sprinkle flour, cornmeal or sand over the entire surface. Come back the next morning to check for footprints on your track station. How many different kinds are there? Use the posters offered above to help you identify your nightime visitors. Check out Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Animals in Winter Saturday, January 3 at 2:00 PM Where does wildlife go in winter, and how do they survive? Enjoy a visit with our cows, sheep, chickens and pigs, and compare what they eat and how they stay warm with the wild creatures of the forest and fields. Feederwatch Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 PM Learn the ins and outs of birdfeeding--what kinds of food and feeders attract which bird species. Also, learn how you can add your own observations of birds at your feeders to the citizen-science effort called Project Feederwatch. Guided Nature Walks 10:00 AM every Saturday Join a Stony Kill naturalist, and explore trails and habitats together. Meet at the Manor House for this family-friendly program. Walks generally take one to one-and-one-half hours. Hikes will be on snowshoes if there is enough snow cover. More Events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#january) Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Annual New Year's Day Bird Count Thursday, January 1 at 9:00 AM Come help us ring out our old annual bird list and ring in the new as we search high and low for our fine feathered friends. In the 28 years of this annual event, 69 different species have been found at Five Rivers on New Year's Day. Bring binoculars and dress warmly. Winter Tea Saturday, January 3 at 2:00 PM Learn about plants that have been used as traditional winter teas, then come indoors and create your own tea bag and warm up with a cup of nature's tea. Full Moon Walk Friday, January 9 at 7:00 PM Enjoy the beauty of a winter night and a magnificent full moon. Even if the sky is cloudy, the moon will provide enough light for our walk. Warm up afterwards with hot chocolate. Snowshoeing Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 PM Whether it is snowy or not, we will discuss the ancient sport of snowshoeing. More Events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#January) Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) New Year Wildlife List Saturday, January 3 at 10:00 AM If your New Year's resolution is to see more animals, you're in luck. We'll get you started and offer tips on when and where to look. 31st Annual Winter Living Celebration Saturday, January 10 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Come to our Winter Living Celebration, and see what all the excitement's about! There will be snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and other activities (except for ice skating). If you get chilly, come inside and take a look at our exhibits, and listen to storytelling and live music. Remember to bring your Christmas tree for recycling into chips for our trails. More Events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#January) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. New Year?s Day Bird Count Thursday, January 1 from 9:00 AM to Noon Help us record the first birds of the new year. After we are done counting, we will enjoy refreshments in the center. Cross-Country Ski Tour Saturday, January 3 at 10:00 AM Bring your own skis or rent a pair (limited sizes), and glide through The Woods on a guided tour. Ski rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. After School Escape Thursday, January 8 at 4:00 PM Enjoy a fun outdoor experience to encourage children to play and interact with the natural world. For kids in kindergarten through fifth grade and their caregivers. No registration required. Full Wolf-Moon Snowshoe Walk Friday, January 9 at 6:00 PM Join a group walk along our trails as the moon lights the way. We also will look at snow with a magnifying glass to see the crystals that make up a snowflake. Snowshoe rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. Not There Snowshoe Walk Saturday, January 10 at 10:00 AM Enjoy learning what animals you won't see on a winter walk, and find out how they spend winter. Moonlight Cross-Country Ski Tour Sunday, January 11 at 6:30 PM Ski by the light of the moon. Bring your own skis or rent a pair (limited sizes). Ski rental of $2/pair; free for FORNP members. More Events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#january) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's website for more information and programs Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy - view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). Having problems viewing this newsletter? View it on the DEC website (http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/43355.html). To unsubscribe (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 61277 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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