Wednesday April 24, 2024 
Poestenkill Annual Rabies Clinic
The Rensselaer County Health Dept. in connection with the Town of Poestenkill will be holding their annual RABIES CLINIC on Thursday, June 6, 2019, at the Sullivan Jones Post Pavilion located on Veterans Street.
Cats will be vaccinated from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. and they must be in carriers. Dogs will be vaccinated from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. and must be leashed. A record of rabies inoculation is requested in order to obtain a 3 yr. booster. A DONATION IS REQUESTED TO HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF THE CLINIC.
If you have any questions, please contact Sue Horton, Town Clerk, at 518-283-5119.
Don’t Get Ticked on the Farm
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County
Program, Don’t Get Ticked on the Farm, will be held on Monday, June 3rd, at 6:00 PM.
Avoiding Lyme and other tick-borne diseases requires avoiding a tick bite! Join NYS IPM’s Ken Wise and Joellen Lampman as they talk about the different ticks in our area, their biology, the diseases they carry, and how to protect yourself and your livestock from being bitten. Free tick removal kits will be offered to attendees willing to participate in a short survey. This 2-hour program will take place on Monday, June 3rd, starting at 6:00 P.M at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County’s Office (61 State St., Troy, NY). There will be a $5 registration fee. Walk-ins are welcome, but to register in advance, please call the CCE of Rensselaer County’s Office at 518-272-4210. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Programmer and Employers. If you have any special needs to participate in this program, please indicate them at the time of registration.
DEC Urges New Yorkers: If You Care, Leave It There
Photo by Gert Federici
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is reminding New Yorkers to enjoy wildlife and their young from a safe distance and resist the urge to touch or pick up newborn fawns and other young wildlife. Human contact with wildlife can carry unintended consequences detrimental to wildlife safety and development.
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “New York’s amazing natural wonders come alive during the spring and summer seasons, offering exciting encounters with wildlife in fields, forests, and even your own backyard. If you see a fawn, baby rabbit, or a just-fledged bird, I encourage you to enjoy the encounter from a distance and not attempt to approach or touch the animal. Remember, if you care, leave it there.”
At this time of year, animal sightings and encounters are not unusual. Young wildlife quickly venture into the world on wobbly legs or are unable to fly on their own. While most young wildlife learn survival skills from one or both adults, some receive little or no care. Often, wild animals stay away from their young, especially when people are present. For all these young animals, the perils of survival are a natural part of life in the wild. Unfortunately, well-intentioned individuals may attempt to care for young wild animals they believe to be abandoned or in need of assistance. However, human interaction typically does more damage than good.
White-tailed deer fawns are a good example of how human interaction with young wildlife can be problematic. Most fawns are born during late May and early June. Although fawns can walk shortly after birth, they spend most of their first several days lying still in tall grass, leaf litter, or sometimes relatively unconcealed. During this period, a fawn is usually left alone by the adult female (doe), except when nursing. People occasionally find a lone fawn and mistakenly assume it has been abandoned, which is rare. Fawns should never be picked up. If human presence is detected by the doe, the doe may delay its next visit to nurse.
A fawn’s best chance to survive is to be raised by the adult doe. Fawns nurse three to four times a day, usually for less than 30 minutes at a time, but otherwise the doe keeps her distance. This helps reduce the chance that a predator will follow her to the fawn. A fawn’s protective coloration and ability to remain motionless help it avoid detection by predators and people.
By the end of its second week, a fawn begins to move about and spend more time with the doe. It also begins to eat grass and leaves. At about 10 weeks of age, fawns are no longer dependent on milk, although they continue to nurse occasionally into the fall. During August, deer begin to grow their winter coats and fawns lose their spots.
In addition, young wildlife are not pets. Keeping wildlife in captivity is both illegal and harmful to the animal. Wild animals are not well-suited for life in captivity and may carry diseases that can be transferred to humans. Resist the temptation to take them out of the wild. Those who observe sick-acting wildlife or wildlife acting abnormally should keep people and pets away and contact their DEC regional wildlife office. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about young wildlife, visit DEC’s website.
Pine Bush Big Birding Morning
Saturday, June 1, 8am-1pm, Suitable for teens and adults.
Join one of our four experts and birdwatch with us from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. Four teams will divide and conquer the Albany Pine Bush Preserve hiking trails in all regions. Your eyes and ears will help give us a snapshot of the birds in the preserve during the breeding season. We’ll regroup at noon at the Discovery Center for a light lunch to discuss our findings and see who saw the most birds, the most interesting bird, etc. We will begin at the Discovery Center but will be caravanning to the different trailheads for the surveys. This opportunity is free! Reservation required for all attendees (regardless of age). Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited so please reserve your spot for this Community Science opportunity at www.albanypinebush.org/ events
or call 518-456-0655.