Frank Capuano shared these photos he took of an albino squirrel who is a regular visitor to his yard in Batavia, sharing corn with his friends.

Photographer Debra Reilly had her camera ready in Elba when she spotted a couple of deer.

Photos submitted by Judy Schildwaster.

Birding Walks
Come enjoy a birding walk with a birding guide! Join for Saturdays this spring: April 15 at DeWitt Recreation Area, then April 29th and May 13th at the Genesee County Park & Forest. Birding walks are led by a guide who takes you through forest, meadow and wetland habitats and helps you identify birds by sound and sight. Perfect for beginner and experienced birders. April 15 birding walk meets at Pavilion 3 at DeWitt Recreation Area. Walks at the Genesee County Park & Forest meet at Pavilion A on Raymond Road. Walks are approximately 1 mile long over easy terrain. This program is FREE! Please pre-register by calling (585) 344-1122, walk-ins are also welcome. 

Amphibian Adventure
Listen to the chorus of spring and get to know your small, slimy singing neighbors with Amphibian Adventure at the Genesee County Park & Forest on Saturday, April 15, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm! Meet us at the Interpretive Nature Center to learn how to identify our pest-eating pals. Then we will venture into the wetlands and forest at night to search for amphibians in their habitat! Hear their many calls as they welcome spring, and find out what you can do to help your tiny big-eyed friends! Dress for the weather, amphibians love rainy nights, and this program will go rain or shine! The cost is $5/person, $10/family. Pre-registration is required, call (585) 344-1122! 

Environmental Science Camp 
Registration is open for Environmental Science Camp at the Genesee County Park & Forest! This hands-on outdoor camp is for students entering 7th – 10th grade. Camp meets Monday through Friday, July 17 – 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest. This week-long adventure includes wildlife surveys, field and stream studies, outdoor recreation, a field trip and more! The cost is $95/camper for the entire week. All materials and a camp T-shirt are provided. Transportation is provided from Batavia High School to and from camp each day. Maximum 20 campers, registration deadline is Wednesday, July 5th.

To register, download the registration form from click here.

Return completed forms with payment to:

Main Office
Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center 153 Cedar St.
Batavia, NY 14020

For more information, visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122. 

Guided Dog Walks
Bring your best friend and join us for a guided dog walk through the Genesee County Park & Forest on Saturdays, April 8, May 6, June 3, July 1, and Aug. 5 from 10 to 11 a.m. This guided walk is great for socialization and healthy exercise! Meet at the Interpretive Nature Center. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. A current license or proof of up-to-date rabies vaccination is required. Aggressive dogs will not be allowed to participate. The cost is $5/dog, and all proceeds go to the Genesee County Animal Shelter Volunteers. Call (585) 344-1122 to register, walk-ins are also welcome. 

Sunset has expanded to 5:45 p.m. now, have you noticed? And local organizers are taking every minute of daylight for inspiration to plan beer walks, cookouts, an outreach, trail run, and music in the parks.

First up is Febrewary — no, that’s not a typo, though the computer keeps wanting to edit. With 21 stops throughout downtown Batavia, this event promises a nice sampling of craft brews, ciders and meads, according to Shannon Maute, executive director the Business Improvement District-sponsored event.

The event, set for 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 25, was just picking up steam for a few years when COVID hit, and it was derailed in 2021, resuming the crafty beer fun walk last year.

A close replica to the BID’s popular fall wine walk, Febrewary features tastings at various downtown merchants, many of which will have specials, drawings, and giveaways, Maute said.

Of the featured brewmeisters, 810 Meadworks of Medina, Windy Brew from Sheldon and OSB Ciderworks from Buffalo have been confirmed. Not familiar with a mead? This libation is made with honey, and dates back to Biblical times as “probably the first fermented beverage,” the company’s website states.

“More versatile than liquor, wine, or beer, mead can taste like a refreshing summer shandy, a hoppy IPA, a full-bodied Cabernet, or a fine dessert wine,” it states.

Windy Brew is a Wyoming County-based brewery of craft beers, and OSB’s lineup of ciders will be featuring anything from the crispy bite of homegrown concord grapes from along the Finger Lakes, and Intergalactic Raspberry combined with hibiscus flower, to the Scotch Bonnet Bomber, described as “apple forward with a throat chop of spicy.”

Of course, brewmasters such as Eli Fish of Batavia are also expected to participate, as Maute is seeking out a sour, Belgian witbier, stout, lager and other varieties of craft brew.

General admission tickets are $30 and include a collectible snifter glass, snacks along the way, raffles and giveaways and tastings. VIP tickets are $40 and include all of the regular features plus an extra hour, from 4 to 8 p.m., an exclusive tasting and a food station.

Designated drivers will be able to partake of the specials, raffles, snacks and non-alcoholic tastings for $10.

There were a total of 600 tickets available and 25 for designated drivers. They may be purchased at Event Brite, and there will be a limited number of paper tickets available at Adam Miller Toy & Bicycle shop on Center Street and Yngodess on Main Street, Batavia. For more information, go to BID Febrewary.     

Care-A-Van Ministries is planning to have a series of cookouts at 5 p.m. every Thursday at Austin Park in Batavia. The event, led by Paul Ohlson, is set to run in June, July and August, and include a cookout of hotdogs, hamburgers, a variety of sides and live music each week. This is event is free to the public.

Living Waters Apostolic Ministries has also mapped out an event at Austin Park, to run from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 16. Organized by Pastor Timothy Young, the community outreach is to include games, food, music, a sermon, prayer, and “showing love to the community.” This event is free to the public.

Beginning the last Wednesday in June, music lovers will find live music at Centennial Park for several Wednesdays throughout the summer. Batavia Concert Band is set to take the grassy stage at 7 p.m. on June 28; July 5, 12, 19, and 25; and Aug. 2 and 9. These concerts are free and open to the public. Patrons are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and or blanket.

The Association for Conservation Of Recreational and Natural Spaces (better known as the ACORNS), a county parks volunteer organization, is planning its third annual music in the park event, however, has requested to use DeWitt Park this year to make it more accessible to folks. Batavia Concert Band is slated for a performance on Aug. 5 at the park on Cedar Street, Batavia. 

The ACORNS have also asked to use the Genesee County Park and Forest for its 11th annual 5K/10K trail run and walk fundraiser, set for Oct. 1. The event is expected to be approved by the county Legislature at a future meeting.

File Photo of Acorn run at Genesee County Park by Howard Owens.

Malcolm K. made his personal best catch at DeWitt Recreation Area on Monday, a 43-inch, 21-pound Northern Pike.

Submitted photo.

Capture a summer day with a visit to the butterfly meadow and a journey into the world of Monarch Butterflies with the Watching Monarchs program at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. 

See how butterflies are tagged and released as part of a nationwide Monarch Butterfly conservation project.

This program is recommended for ages 4 and up. Kids explore the meadow with nets and bug catchers!

The cost is $5 per person or $10 per family. Pre-registration is required; call 585-344-1122 to reserve your spot.

Photo submitted by Jeff Maniace.

Press release:

Scout Dimick was happy to add a new microlite fishing pole with a 6 to 1 ratio reel and cork grip to his outdoor gear. This is the third pole in his collection. He started his collection after earning his Fishing Merit Badge at an Iroquois Trail Council Camp Dittmer Merit Badge weekend where he caught three fish in one, a fish inside a fish, inside a fish.

This year's Polaris Fishing Derby took place at Ellicott Creek Park in Tonawanda. The event took advantage of a DEC free fishing weekend. Scouts and guests were welcome, hosted by Greater Niagara Frontier Council's Troop 824 out of Sanborn, NY. The event provided lunch, bait and had BSA Merit Badge Counselors available to answer fishing questions and assist participants.

The Polaris Fishing Derby was scheduled on a DEC free fishing weekend so parents, grandparents and siblings age 16 and older could participate with youth competitors without purchasing a fishing license. The Derby provided seven competitor prizes consisting of fishing poles, reels and a 4th edition copy of Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in Western New York. A non-Scout (guest) won the door prize of a brand new bicycle. First place went to a Cub from Pack 193 for a 17" Rudd.

The Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in WNY book was donated by a local Cheektowaga chapter of Trout Unlimited. The book is a compilation of almost thirty fishing enthusiasts, detailing several WNY waterways maps, mayfly hatchings, water depth contour maps, twenty fishing flies, and a slew of fishing and conservation information. Trout Unlimited works to maintain the health of our waterways to protect the future of WNY fishing. The organization conducts presentations and classes about fishing to groups, including Scouts.

Scout Dimick was able to identify his catch using the free annual NYS Freshwater Fishing Guide booklet that is available at many outdoor equipment sales counters, local municipalities or directly from the DEC at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. Sept. 24th & Nov.11th are the two remaining NYS DEC 2022 free fishing days.

National BSA awards require additional Scout accomplishments beyond earning specific merit badges. Participating in the Polaris Fishing Derby meets Scout Dimick's award requirement for the prestigious BSA Angler Award. The award also requires completing the Fishing, Fly Fishing and Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badges.

Camp Dittmer will be offering the Fishing Merit Badge this summer at Merit Badge Weekends. Information can be obtained by calling the Iroquois Trail Council at (585) 343-0307. Camp Dittmer offers family camping throughout the year.

Submitted photos.