For all those who wonder if rabid animals are crawling over the landscape, consider this: from Jan. 1 of this year until Sept. 30, the state Health Department tested 708 animals from Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties for rabies. Of those, only about 5 percent, or 37, were positive for rabies.

The discovery of a rabid skunk in Cold Spring sent me to the state DOH’s web site and its rabies section. There, you can find tons of data about rabies in the state and learn about how the virus spread across New York.

Rabies in New York State was initially a disease carried by domestic dogs, a problem brought to all of North America by European settlers in the 1700s. With the advent of record keeping in the 1930s, reported cases of animal rabies fluctuated between 20 and 600 annually. Most cases were recorded in domestic dogs although there was also some spillover to livestock. From 1925 until 1944 there were 10 human rabies fatalities, all linked to domestic dog contact.

If you do, a family of barn owls would be happy to stop by for a snack. According to the Audubon Society, researchers found that a family of barn owls (mom, dad and six kids) “ate 1,000 mice, shrews and rats during a three month period.”

Such are the Halloween-related facts and fun on the society’s “Tricks and Treats for a Green Halloween.” page. Tidbits about spiders, owls and bats are available there, along with tips for a more environmentally friendly Halloween.

Carry reusable candy bags such as pillow cases or canvas bags that you and your kids can decorate and use again next year. They are more sturdy than plastic bags too.

New York communities moved a significant step closer to $322 million in federal money to rebuild crumbling water and sewer pipes, with Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, announcing that the money was included in combined House and Senate Interior appropriations bill.
“The federal government has stepped up to the plate to help localities break ground on many of these backlogged projects to maintain and upgrade the local water infrastructure and sewer system,”?Schumer said in announcing the $3.5 billion allocation nationwide. “Making these investments now will create jobs, ensure long-term economic competitiveness, and provide clean drinking water to residents in New York State and across the country.”
Schumer said no less than 30 percent of the funds will be made available as grants instead of loans, to lower local tax impact, and the money could be start to be dispersed by the end of the year.
An American Society of Civil Engineers report has detailed $20.42 billion in sewer and water infrastructure needs for New York.
New York communities outside New York City already have identified $3 billion in water infrastructure projects, according to loan applications to the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation. The Hudson Valley leads the list of regions, with $820 million.
The federal allotment roughly doubles the amount of money Washington approved in its current budget for the nation’s water needs.

General Electric’s dredging of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) finished up for the season early Tuesday morning, with the company removing more than 285,000 cubic yards of sediment since last spring. The amount was well above the Environmental Protection Agency’s goal of 265,000 cubic yards for Phase 1. Barges will continue at work on the river for the next couple of weeks, delivering and placing clean backfill in the areas that were dredged. Then the equipment will be demobilized for the winter. Next spring, divers will be back in the Hudson, replanting the underwater vegetation that was removed through dredging.

A reader from Bedford sent in this account—and a photo—about bobcats in her neighborhood. The photo, she said, was taken on Monday.

My name is Maria Kessel, and I live in a community called Hammond  Ridge in Bedford Corners, NY.  We are surrounded by a nature preserve,  which provides us with a beautiful canvas, not to mention a variety of wildlife. In the past 3 years,  many of my neighbors, including myself, have seen very large Bobcats  roaming around our properties.  Incredibly, my neighbor managed to take this photo just yesterday. We have e-mailed this picture  to our immediate neighbors,  but thought it  was important for you to publish this picture as it’s rare to see such large wildcats in the lower Hudson Valley.
I have more photos of the same Bobcat, and another photo of a large reddish Bobcat that was taken last June in another neighbor’s
driveway!!!!

New York has the distinction of being the first place in the United States where the Asian longhorned beetle was found – Brooklyn in 1996. The beetle is a threat to hardwood trees — maples, oaks, etc. All of that is a lead-in to this story in Smithsonian Magazine, which looks at the discovery of the Asian longhorned beetle in Worcester, Mass. and contains the following, alarming three sentences.

“More troubling, the city sits at the southern edge of the great Northern hardwood forest, millions of contiguous acres stretching to Canada and the Great Lakes. If the beetle escaped into such a forest, it could prove the most devastating arboreal pest we’ve ever known, occasioning more damage than Dutch elm disease, gypsy moths and chestnut blight combined. It could change the face of the New England woods.”

The Friends of the Great Swamp—one of the state’s largest freshwater wetlands that stretches over parts of Putnam and Dutchess County—is hosting its annual art show and celebration this weekend. The event is Saturday (11 to 5) and Sunday (12 to 4) in Pawling.

“FrOGS has invited over 90 artists to show their artistic creations inspired by the scenic landscapes, beautiful plants and intriguing animals that can be seen in the great swamp and its environs. Join us for a special benefit auction of the Plein Air works Saturday evening at 5 PM.”

I spotted a bald eagle this morning perched in a tree along Interstate 84 in Putnam County. The bird was sitting in Kent, not far from the Bowen Road overpass. I got off the highway and circled back to the overpass to make sure I saw what I saw. He’s in the upper right-hand corner of the second photo, the blotch in the tree. That gives you some sense of his perch. It’s the section of highway between exits 17 and 18.

Indian Point will conduct a full-volume test of its emergency alert sirens Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The four-minute test will involve all four counties — Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange — within the 10-mile emergency evacuation zone. There will be an activation of the Emergency Alert System on radio and television stations immediately following the test. No action by the public is required. The siren system may be tested for sound again in the afternoon, at 1:00 p.m., if an additional test is determined to be needed during the morning sounding.

Sucking down an eel, I’m thinking, is like sucking down a giant piece of spaghetti. But then I wouldn’t know, since I’m not this great egret that was trying to have eel for one.

I spotted him during my recent visit to Cape May. I’m not sure if he ever finished his meal. After struggling for a bit and trying to swallow the fish (The birds have a long straight bill, better for plucking fish from the shallows and just swallowing them. There’s usually no biting or ripping of flesh involved.), he flew off with it for a bit of privacy, I’m thinking.

Here’s a video I found of a great blue heron swallowing an eel.