THE FLX TED PODCAST - CHRIS LAJEWSKI, MONTEZUMA AUDUBON CENTER

Bald eagles, photo by Greg Craybas

 

In this episode:

• A recent bald eagle census in the Montezuma wetlands showed one of the highest populations ever, including what appears to be a breeding pair near the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah.
• We got some winter bird feeding tips, including a reminder to keep our feeders clean.
• Our species spotlight this month was the American Black Duck. 
• A second Onondaga Lake bald eagle and birding excursion has been set for this Saturday, January 21st.
• Montezuma Audubon Center has been partnering with the NY State Canal Corp. for snowshoeing (or walking if there's not enough snow) excursions along the canal. Sign up right away, because many of the trips have already sold out.

Our theme music is "Sugar Zone" by Silent Partner. You can find their music and other copyright-free music here.

 

 

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THE FLX TED PODCAST - AUBURN CITY CLERK CHUCK MASON

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

In our latest weekly conversation:

• There was a public hearing at this week's City Council meeting on the Restore NY grant application for work at the former bank building at 120 Genesee St. and the former Bombardier rail car plant at 151 Orchard St.
• Mayor Quill issued a Dr. Martin Luther King Day proclamation, calling for a day of service. There will be an MLK church service Sunday at 3PM at the Apostolic Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, 103 Fitch Ave.
• The council discussed issuing a resolution calling on the state to take action on proposed regulations for the Owasco Lake watershed.
• The new State Senator representing Auburn, Rachel May, will attend next week's council meeting.

Our theme music is "Sugar Zone" by Silent Partner. You can find their music and other copyright-free music here.

 

 

 

You can subscribe to my podcasts on Google Podcasts, Anchor and Spotify.

THE FLX TED PODCAST - GENEVA TOWN SUPERVISOR MARK VENUTI

Used under a Creative Commons license

  

In this episode, we discussed:

• The Town Board passing a resolution opposing Seneca Meadows' plan to stay open beyond the 2025 deadline set by the town of Seneca Falls in its Local Law 3.
• The town awarded three contracts for work on its multi-town water project to increase capacity.
• The town has joined the NYClass program, which allows communities to pool their funds to get a higher rate of return.
• There was no comment at a public hearing on the awarding of federal Community Development Block Grants to CCMI and Real Eats.
• The Supervisor explained why it's necessary to pass a tax cap override, even though the town doesn't charge a local tax.
• He attributed the progress the town has made in the past year to a good Town Board and engaged residents.

Our theme music is "Sugar Zone" by Silent Partner. You can find their music and other copyright-free music here.

 

You can subscribe to my podcasts on Google Podcasts, Anchor and Spotify.

SENECA LAKE PURE WATERS ASSOCIATION PARTNERS ON RUNOFF CONTROL PROGRAMS

The Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association has recently completed a pair of runoff control projects with the Schuyler and Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation Districts. 

Association Director Kaitlin Fello says the Sediment, Nutrient, and Pollution Reduction program (SNPR) was established in 2021 with an eye toward making a noticeable improvement in the water quality of the lake.

Sediment and nutrients in water running into the lake are believed to be one of the causes of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).

Common stormwater management techniques include:

Diversion away from polluted areas with culverts and stabilized ditches, vegetated and dry swales, bioretention and settling ponds, and more.

Erosion control measures include:

Cover crops and crop rotation, conservation tillage, stream bank plantings, vegetated strip plantings, riparian buffers, to name just a few.

Implementing stormwater management practices and sediment and erosion controls allow pollutants to beneficially settle, and soil to stay in place and out of the water that sustains us and our way of living.

You can listen to my full Flx Ted Podcast with Kaitlin Fello below.

YOU CAN ADD LAKE-FRIENDLY LIVING TO YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

 

As you begin observing your New Year's resolutions, don't forget to add lake-friendly living to your list. 

The Lake Friendly Living Coalition of the Finger Lakes has published a list of monthly things you can do to preserve the health of the Finger Lakes. The resolution for January is to be lake-friendly in your snow and ice removal.

Resolutions by Ted Baker on Scribd

Kaitlin Fello of the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association says the coalition was formed a few years ago by members of several lake associations. 

 

The group now includes members from nine watershed organizations. You can hear my full Flx Ted Podcast with Kaitlin Fello below.

ONONDAGA LAKE CONSERVATION CORPS HOLDING BIRDING EXCURSION

Bald Eagle soaring over Onondaga Lake. Photo: Greg Craybas

SYRACUSE, NY (December 30, 2022) – Join the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 10 AM – 12 PM for a half-mile excursion along the shore of Onondaga Lake to explore newly restored habitats that attract thousands of waterfowl, dozens of Bald Eagles, and other wildlife during the winter months. Participants will learn from Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon staff and volunteers about birds, wildlife and the importance of wetlands in supporting the Onondaga Lake watershed.

Onondaga Lake is an Audubon Important Bird Area that provides habitat, food and water sources that many bird species depend upon for survival during the cold winter months. Some of the most abundant bird species that rely on Onondaga Lake are the Bald Eagle, Common Merganser, American Black Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Mallard, Redhead, and Ring-necked Duck.

“Onondaga Lake is home to the largest Bald Eagle roost in New York,” said Chris Lajewski, director of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps and Montezuma Audubon Center. “The resurgence of the Bald Eagle and Onondaga Lake as a community asset is a testament to conservation efforts that have restored habitats for birds, other wildlife and people in Central New York.”

The walk will be along a flat, paved trail that might be snow covered. Binoculars, spotting scopes and field guides will be provided.

The event will begin at the Onondaga Creekwalk trail under Hiawatha Blvd. near Destiny USA in Syracuse, NY. Space is limited and registration is required. Register at https://act.audubon.org/a/onondaga-lake-conservation-corps-bald-eagle-program-january-21-2023. Call 315.365.3588 or email montezuma@audubon.org with questions.

The event fee is $10/person, $30/family.

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The Corps is an expanding organization of community volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating, improving, and monitoring wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed and sustaining its value as an Audubon Important Bird Area.

The Corps was founded in 2012 by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program. Additional Corps supporters include Parsons, Anchor QEA, RES, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Central New York Community Foundation and Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact montezuma@audubon.org, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, www.instagram.com/onondagalakecc, www.youtube.com/onondagalakecc, or call 315-365-3588.