Greetings to all! Happy New Year! This is my first Kenoza Lake news column for 2021. This was because this was my first year as the recently elected, Town of Bethel Tax Collector. It has been an extremely interesting experience so far. I will write more about that in a future column.

So, I am doing well. Still under “the gun” with deadlines. I committed to writing my news column for this week, so I am fulfilling that commitment. I will write in greater detail, in future columns.

So even though it is currently snowing, spring has been exceedingly early this year. I hope that the apple blossoms do not get out there and get killed by a spring frost.

The nature highlight of the week has to do with something I learned this week. Last week, I saw what looked to be a snapping turtle on his back, on Goldsmith Road last week. Could it be? It is too early to see turtles out and about. But alas, that was true. I stopped. The turtle had been hit by a vehicle. Cracked shell. Still alive. I put him on his belly. Spread out his legs. Do I do a mercy killing? Turtles are difficult to kill. Maybe he will move off the road? Alas, he was dead a few hours later. So sad.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday night. Around 7:00 pm. I am driving east, on Goldsmith Road, right past the dead turtle. There is a truck next to the turtle. I stopped and alas, it was a DEC technician! Are you checking on the dead turtle? Answer: no, the DEC technician doing a study on Woodcocks. Wow! I called up Carl Lindsley, Retired DEC Senior Wildlife biologist. Carl had done this woodcock study for 20 years. I went onto the internet and read about Woodcocks. Fascinating information about their mating game. How they fly at dusk. How a woodcock almost eats enough earthworms daily that equals their body weight. Wow! That is a lot of earthworms. Also learning the verb RODING. So, if you love nature, love birds, check out woodcocks. Fascinating information.

I spoke with Betty Snedeker this morning and asked if The Chicken Coop was open yet. Yes! The Chicken Coop is now open. Open from Tuesdays to Sunday, 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, ice cream only. “Say it ain't so Betty. Sad but true, no fried chicken this year.”

Sorry to say I have not seen any raccoons this year. No Rudy, no raccoons period. Very strange. I hope that Rudy will return sometime. Maybe he has young ones some place and he is being a great dad.

Today, April 22nd is Earth Day. I can still remember the first Earth Day, back in 1970. We have made great progress protecting our Earth. Happy Earth Day! To quote Chief Seattle, “The earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth”.