Total number down about 8,000 from previous year; Iceland Gull joins the count for first time
Photos courtesy of Celeste Morien: Bird counters spotted a Northern Cardinal, left, and a Blue Jay.
By Celeste Morien, count compiler for Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count
BASOM – The Audubon Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count was held on Dec. 27. Weather was warm for the date, with an actual low (26F) higher than average and an actual high (43F) much higher than average.
The maximum snow depth was 2 inches. Moving water was partly open and marshes were frozen following cold earlier in the week. The day was precipitation free and clear until afternoon clouds moved in over the region.
Forty-one counters found 70 species, two less than last year and just over 12,000 individual birds, almost 8,000 fewer birds than in 2023. Counters logged 49 hours on foot and 57 hours by car. Counters walked 58 miles and drove 494 miles by car.
A celebratory dinner was held at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge after the count. Hearty thanks go out to the many participants who volunteered to devote their day to an assessment of local bird populations. Many thanks to our sponsor, Friends of Iroquois NWR, for graciously providing the meal for all who participated. Special thanks to Iroquois Refuge Staff Manager Tom Roster for providing the venue. Many thanks to Park Ranger/Visitor Services Manager Logan Sauer for managing our arrangements and to Refuge Biologist Paul Hess for coordinating coverage with enthusiastic Fisheries Staff in covering the many diverse areas of the refuge. Last but not least, a big thank you to NYSDEC Winter Raptor Survey Coordinator Elena Greco for coordinating, and raptor survey volunteers for counting on the winter raptor survey team that evening.
Participants made high counts of 16 species and found one new species, Iceland Gull on Glenwood Lake in Medina.
High counts for the following species were Cackling Goose (34), Bald Eagle (32), Sandhill Crane (18), Iceland Gull (1), Rock Pigeon (689), Red-bellied Woodpecker (94), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4), Merlin (4), Blue Jay (283), Common Raven (9), Tufted Titmouse (46), Carolina Wren (14), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Golden-crowned Kinglet (39), White-throated Sparrow (125) and Hermit Thrush (2).
There were 965 Dark-eyed Juncos in the annual bird count.
The lower count of total individuals can mostly be attributed to lack of open water for any lingering waterfowl. A good number of our high counts can likely be attributed to our warming winter temperatures and southern species that have moved northward and successfully adapted.
Here are the numbers for species seen in the count:
ROCHESTER – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday joined University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology leadership at the University of Rochester to highlight the impact of President Trump’s recent attempts to cut National Institutes of Health funding on the universities and the local economy.
The University of Rochester receives hundreds of NIH grants to study cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, allergies, aging, mental health, children’s health, and much more. Slashed funding would force researchers to abandon this critical work and extinguish hope for patients and families looking for cures. This funding cut could also put thousands of jobs across New York State at risk; NIH funding supports roughly 30,000 jobs in New York State alone.
“New York is home to top notch universities that attract the world’s best scientists conducting cutting-edge research,” said Senator Gillibrand. “President Trump’s attempt to radically cut funding for the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, as well as other research institutions, is irresponsible and short-sighted. It will imperil research that saves lives and is guaranteed to hurt our economy and the thousands of New Yorkers employed by local research institutions. These cuts are facing strong bipartisan opposition, and I am working across the aisle with my colleagues in the New York delegation, including Congressman Morelle, to call on the Trump administration to reverse them.”
Last week, the Trump administration announced that it would slash billions in federal funding for research institutions nationwide by imposing a cap on “indirect costs” for research associated with NIH grants. Indirect costs are expenses that are essential for scientific research, and include the construction and maintenance of research facilities, the purchase of costly scientific tools, and support staffing for major research projects.
The University of Rochester is set to lose $40 million in funding for indirect costs, and Rochester Institute of Technology is set to lost $10 million, which would cripple their ability to continue to conduct much of their research.
New York institutions are expected to lose $850 million in total. While a federal judge has temporarily paused these cuts from going into effect, they have created chaos and confusion for the New York institutions that rely on a steady and stable flow of NIH funding.
“I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her leadership in opposing these draconian cuts and for her tremendous and unwavering support to our Rochester scientists, doctors, and patients,” said Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, President of the University of Rochester. “Arbitrarily and abruptly cutting groundbreaking biomedical research that has led to countless breakthroughs and that saves, extends, and improves human lives is no way to make government more efficient. It is detrimental to our efforts to improve health in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region and in the Southern Tier, threatens the future health of all Americans, and puts in jeopardy the nation’s position as the scientific and clinical research leader of the world.”
“NIH-funded research forms the backbone for scientific innovation in medicine, driving discoveries that improve lives and strengthen our nation’s global leadership in healthcare and related technologies,” said David C. Munson, President, Rochester Institute of Technology. “To remain competitive, universities must have the resources necessary to support groundbreaking research, including the associated indirect costs, such as laboratory facilities and infrastructure, compliance, and administrative assistance. Indirect costs are not optional; they are fundamental to sustaining a research environment where faculty, staff and students can focus on advancing knowledge and solving the world’s most pressing challenges.”
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced two free snowmobile weekends for all out-of-state and Canadian snowmobilers to rev their engines and explore what New York has to offer.
New York State will waive registration fees for out-of-state snowmobilers Feb. 28-March 2 and March 7-9, encouraging out-of-state visitors to come ride the more than 10,000 miles of snowmobile trails in New York State.
“New York is home to more than 10,000 miles of snowmobile trails, making it the perfect place to explore everything from snow peaked mountains and endless forests to pristine valleys and the Great Lakes,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of the beauty our state has to offer, and we’re making it easier with free snowmobiling weekends for adventurers to see it for themselves.”
During the weekends, the registration requirement in New York is waived for already properly registered and insured out-of-state snowmobiling enthusiasts. Participants in these free snowmobiling events must operate a snowmobile that is registered in their home state/province and must carry any applicable insurance as required.
Outside of this promotion, out-of-state and Canadian snowmobilers are required to register their snowmobiles with New York State before hitting the State’s trails — from the Hudson Valley to the North Country to Western New York.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2025 at 8:28 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – There are 65 teams playing indoor soccer Friday and today at the Ben Kirby Memorial Tournament. The top photo shows McKinley Knight of Albion trying to get the ball past a Brockport player in the high school gym.
There are teams from Albion, Attica, Batavia, Brockport, Buffalo, Canandaigua, Holley, Newark, Pavilion and Warsaw in the tournament. That is approximately 500 players from grades 3 and 4 up to adults in the open division. With other spectators, well over 1,000 people are expected for the tournament, which also includes games at the elementary school gym.
Some of the volunteers at the tournament include from left Peter Borello, Kyler McQuillan, Wendy Kirby, Stacey Braley and Nisi Beltran Roblero.
Borello coaches and coordinates the tournament. He said Albion’s location in between Rochester and Buffalo helps bring in the out-of-town teams.
The Albion Soccer Club organizes the two-day tournament which honors the memory of Ben Kirby of Albion. He was a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology when he died in a car accident on Nov. 6, 2017. He was 21 at the time, in his senior year majoring in software development. Kirby played youth soccer for Albion and also on the school teams.
Some of the proceeds go towards a $500 Ben Kirby scholarship given to a student nominated by one or more of the teachers in the Albion High School. Three of the scholarships are awarded each year.
The tournament includes sponsorships from Kirby’s Farm Market, A & J Kirby Farms and Oak Orchard Health.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2025 at 9:48 pm
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a winter weather advisory for Orleans County from 10 a.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. on Monday.
There are 4 to 7 inches of snow and sleet expected and ice accumulations around three tenths of an inch. Winds will gust as high as 50 miles per hour, the Weather Service said.
Much of upstate New York is under a weather advisory for the weekend.
The high and low temperatures in the forecast in the coming days include 32 on Saturday with an overnight low of 29, followed by a high of 3 3on Sunday with a night-time low of 15. On Monday, the high is forecast to be 20 with an overnight low around 8 degrees. Tuesday will get up to 16 with a low around 8.
BATAVIA – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) continued his annual Valentines for Veterans program this Valentine’s Day, connecting local students with veteran residents at The New York State Veterans Home at Batavia.
Hawley collected handmade valentines from students at Jackson Primary School and personally delivered them to the veterans.
“This event is a great opportunity every year to show my appreciation for our veterans and all of the sacrifices they have made to keep us free,” said Hawley. “As a veteran myself, I know the hard work and dedication these brave men and women have given over the years, and I hope events like this can serve as a way to give back.”
Hawley’s day began at Jackson Primary School, where he visited Mrs. Vaccarella’s Kindergarten class, discussing veterans and the six branches of the military before thanking the students for their heartfelt cards. He then visited a joint classroom for Mrs. Wolff and Mrs. Conroy, where students also created valentines and performed a special Valentine’s Day song for the veterans.
Finally, Hawley delivered the valentines to the residents of the NYS Veterans Home at Batavia, personally thanking veterans for their service.
“This program connects students with our veterans, and in turn, our veterans receive messages of gratitude, such as ‘Thank you for your service,’” Hawley added. “It’s a truly rewarding experience for everyone involved.”
OSWEGO – Four students from Orleans County have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at SUNY Oswego. These students have attained grade-point averages between 3.3 and 3.79 while carrying at least 12 academic credits.
The students from Orleans County include:
Brandon X. Boyce, Medina, majoring in psychology
Miles W. Hartway, Medina, majoring in wellness management
Alex E. Stahl, Medina, majoring in operations management and information systems
Isabella R. Zasa, Knowlesville, majoring in public relations
Official photos for Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and President Donald Trump.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day Holiday Establishment Act to officially designate June 14 as a federal holiday to commemorate President Donald J. Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day.
Born on June 14, 1946, President Donald J. Trump’s birthday coincided with Flag Day, which is observed annually and recognizes the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official US flag in 1777. This legislation would permanently codify a new federal holiday called “Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day” on June 14 to honor this historic day.
“No modern president has been more pivotal for our country than Donald J. Trump,” Tenney said in a news release. “As both our 45th and 47th President, he is the most consequential President in modern American history, leading our country at a time of great international and domestic turmoil.
“From brokering the historic Abraham Accords to championing the largest tax relief package in American history, his impact on the nation is undeniable. Just as George Washington’s Birthday is codified as a federal holiday, this bill will add Trump’s Birthday to this list, recognizing him as the founder of America’s Golden Age.
“Additionally, as our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, we should create a new federal holiday honoring the American Flag and all that it represents. By designating Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day as a federal holiday, we can ensure President Trump’s contributions to American greatness and the importance of the American Flag are forever enshrined into law.”
Provided photo: Matthew Sweeney, Roy-Hart Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, welcomes retired Ag teacher from Barker School, Matt Costello, and his wife Fran, at the recent Roy-Hart Ag Foundation Pancake Breakfast at the Middleport Fire Hall.
MIDDLEPORT – At Middleport High School, the first Future Farmers of America (FFA) Club began during the 1939-1940 school year, when an addition was built onto the school which opened the agricultural field of study to the high school students.
The chief purpose of the club was to carry on studies and experiments supplemental to the agricultural course. The Middleport yearbook states, “Thus the F. F. A., newly formed this year, has made remarkable progress, and has created a field of diverse activity for Middleport students from rural communities, and so promises to become one of the school’s leading organizations.”
Despite protests from district farmers and community members, the Agriculture classes and FFA were eliminated from the school’s curriculum in 1987. In 2016, Agriculture classes were reinstated with Matthew Sweeney as the teacher and FFA advisor.
In 2020 the Royalton-Hartland Agriculture Foundation was established as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit entity to support the rapidly expanding agricultural education program benefiting students from K-12. The foundation conducts fundraising events and seeks donors to support the program.
Over the last nine years, the Roy-Hart students and Sweeney have had great success in community service work, honors and awards at the local, district, state and national level.
It was 85 years after the first Roy-Hart Agriculture class was taught, and with the support of the Roy-Hart Board of Education and administration, Royalton-Hartland Agriculture Foundation and Roy-Hart school community, groundbreaking for the first outdoor learning lab was held.
Jill Heck, Superintendent of Schools stated, “This is a three-year journey and reaching agricultural excellence has been designed to help hundreds of K-12 students who are exploring and learning about agriculture.”
Royalton-Hartland is the sole Niagara County school-based agriculture education program. Many of the accolades from the 2024 school year were on display at the Pancake Breakfast which featured local grown and produced foods. Over 700 people were served and more than 80 baskets/cards contributed to the success of the 3rd annual Pancake Breakfast to support Roy-Hart Ag Education.
Program being offered in Orleans for first time since 2019
Photos courtesy of CCE in Orleans County: The MFP Training course is a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on preservation activities.
Press Release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County CCE is offering a free Master Food Preserver Training from March 18 to April 6 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoons from 12 to 4 p.m.
The Master Food Preserver Core Training has not been offered in Orleans County since 2019. The goal of the training course is to obtain new volunteers in Orleans County who are passionate about home food preservation and motivated to extend their experience and education to the public.
Colin Butgereit, a Master Food Preserver volunteer, explains how to safely use a pressure canner.
In the past, this training course has only been offered by CCE statewide educators who travel around the state, leading the training in various counties each year. Host counties typically needed to charge participants a higher fee to offset the cost associated with contracting with those educators and to cover the cost of the supplies and materials used in the class.
This year, the course will be taught by the Orleans County CCE Master Food Preserver (MFP) Volunteers Karen Desjardin, Colin Butgereit, Eileen Sorochty and Kate Hardner, with CCE Horticulture Educator and MFP Coordinator Katie Oakes overseeing. The instructors offering the course this year have a combined 45 years of experience within the CCE Master Food Preserver program.
In addition to utilizing local instructors, Orleans CCE secured a nutrition-based grant that will cover the cost of all materials and supplies. Because of those advantages, Orleans County CCE is able to offer this training for the first time at no cost to participants.
“We have such great volunteers already in the program who have so much experience, but our volunteers can only give so much of their personal time to offering workshops to the public,” said long-time Master Food Preserver volunteer Colin Butgereit, “The demand is there in the county for these types of classes, and we would love to expand what we can offer.”
Each year, the Master Food Preserver volunteers offer workshops to the public that offer in-depth education on a wide-range of food preservation topics. The classes fill quickly and often have waitlist of ten or more people hoping a spot will open up.
“We are hoping to increase our Master Food Preserver volunteer base so we can better serve our county residents who are interested in improving this important skill of home food preservation,” explained Eileen Sorochty, another long-time Master Food Preserver volunteer. “More certified Master Food Preserver volunteers will mean more educational opportunities for our community members.”
Following the core home food preservation training, participants log and document 40 hours of diverse food preservation experience (usually done on personal time using information learned in the training), complete long-term volunteer paperwork including background check, and then receive certification to extend research-based food preservation education to the community as a CCE Master Food Preserver volunteer.
The overall goal of the Master Food Preserver program is to help more Orleans County residents gain experience in preserving their own food at home, an important skill for those interested in relying less on traditional food systems.
“What we are trying to do is help people shorten the food chain and be more self-sufficient in their homes and kitchens,” said Kate Hardner, a MFP trainee who completed the course in Niagara County in 2022.
The Master Food Preserver training will be held at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 State Rt 31, Albion, NY – in the Education Center of the Orleans CCE office building on Tuesday and Thursdays and in the Trolley Kitchen for the Sunday hands-on classes.
To be considered for the class, please complete the Orleans County MFP Training Intake Application (found on the Orleans CCE website). Application deadline is Feb. 21 and participants will be notified if they are accepted into the course by March 1. Class size is limited, and preference will be given to those who are intending to serve as long-term volunteers through the Master Food Preserver program in the future.
Call 585-798-4265 ext 125 or email klo54@cornell.edu for more details. Once accepted, participants will be expected to attend all nine class sessions.
Participants in the 2019 MFP Training prepare tomatoes for preservation.
Local historians love to hear the phrases “We found these in the attic” or “We found these in the barn.”
Many charming Valentine’s Day cards from the 1920s were discovered in the attic of a home near Kenyonville Road and were donated by Duane and Pat Payne of Medina. One cannot but marvel at the fact that they survived critters, weather and time.
“Ephemera” is the term used to describe paper items that have short-term usefulness – receipts, bills, cards etc. We can appreciate why these cards were not thrown out, they have a lasting visual appeal and no doubt they held a sentimental value for the person who put them aside.
According to the Greeting Card Association, Valentine’s Day is second to Christmas as the most popular holiday for people to send greeting cards. The city of Worcester, Mass. became, by chance, the center for the printing of commercial Valentine cards after Esther Howland was inspired by European lace-layered cards in the 1840s. She used her father’s printing business to create her own multi-layered card creations and developed a very successful business.
The cards in this donated collection were produced by the Whitney Valentine Company, also located in Worcester, Mass. In the late 19th century, George C. Whitney purchased Howland’s firm as well as other Valentine card companies. He developed mass-produced greeting cards which were very popular.
Valentine postcards from the Payne collection.
Valentine’s Day postcards were also popular and just required a 1-cent stamp. The design and verse were on the front, message and mailing address on the back. The sender’s message could be read by everybody. The handwritten message on one postcard written by Joyce and sent to Ronald reads “If you think a lot of a person, why isn’t Valentines Day a good time to say so?”
But where could you purchase cards to mail to your Valentine? Stationery supplies were sold at drugstores. The 1903 Directory of Orleans County lists the following suppliers under the heading Stationery:
BISHOP, FRANCIS M. – Public Square, Holley
CENTRAL DRUG STORE – Main St, Albion
MILLENER, WILLIAM S. – Public Square, Holley
WRIGHT & ROSS – Main St., Lyndonville
Generally, the images and greetings were polite, this one is a little saucier.
Do you save cards? If you read this column, chances are you do! Why not put some aside in an attic or barn to tantalize future generations?
CORTLAND – Four students from Orleans County are on the Dean’s List for the fall semester at SUNY Cortland. The Dean’s List is the highest ranking for undergraduate students in their respective academic areas of the university. Students must earn a minimum 3.3 grade point average for the semester to make the list.
The following from Orleans made the Dean’s List:
Paige Derisley of Waterport – Major: Physical Education K-12
Olivia Morrison of Albion – Major: Anthropology
Xander Payne of Medina – Major: Sport Management
Nathan Sherman of Medina – Major: Business Economics
Local historians love to hear the phrases “We found these in the attic” or “We found these in the barn.”
