Rattlesnakes on the Ridge, Reviving the American Chestnut, Citizen Science in the Hudson Valley and Raptors on the Ridge will be the topics of this year’s series. Lectures are held each Thursday in February at 7 p.m.; three at SUNY New Paltz and one at SUNY Ulster.
Of the ten first-magnitude stars in the heavens, eight of them will surround the Moon. You’ll notice that the star directly below the Moon is also the very brightest. This blue gem is the famous Dog Star: Sirius. It also happens to be the very closest star we can ever see from New York State.
FDR sent in the Civilian Conservation Corps to build a camping area and a restaurant at Norrie Point called the Point Inn, which served diners from 1937 to the 1960s.
“Backwoods Basics” will be Saturday, Jan. 20, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and “One Night Alone: Winter Survival” on Saturday, February 24, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., both at the Phoenicia Library.
When Jane Goodall went to work for paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey in Tanzania in 1957, her only academic background was secretarial school. She approached her work in Africa with no preconceived notions, and ended up turning the field of primate biology on its head.
Some thoughts on what the rest of the winter will hold for the Hudson Valley, plus what’s new with the popular local weather service.
Got some holiday poundage to lose and a New Year’s resolution to become more physically active, but no network of outdoorsy buddies on hand to lend support and encouragement? You’re not alone; the ADK has plenty of organized outings to offer, even in the dead of winter.
Saturday, Jan. 13: Author/artist Barbara Bash will talk about the year she spent with little brown bats, learning how they give birth, raise their young, fly, hunt with echolocation (catching 600 mosquitos an hour) and gather at bat “conventions” before going into hibernation inside the caves before reemerging in spring.
After John Jacob Astor’s death on the Titanic in 1912, Ferncliff Farm was inherited by his son, William Vincent Astor. In 1959, Vincent died, leaving Ferncliff Farm to Brooke Astor, who was later persuaded by Homer K. Staley Sr., president of the Rhinebeck Rotary, to donate 190+ acres to the Rotary for a forest preserve and game refuge. Her deed stipulated that the land must remain forever wild.
Venus, Mars and moonless meteors will pay us visits in the coming year.