April 17th is International Bat Appreciation Day  International Bat Day is a great time to appreciate New York's nine bat species. When spring temperatures become warm enough, bats will leave their hibernation sites and may be seen flying in search of insects. Unfortunately, many species of bats, including little brown bats, have faced severe population declines due to White-nose Syndrome.
Some bat facts: - They are insect-eating machines, eating thousands of mosquitoes and other flying insects in a single night!
- Bats use echolocation (rapid pulses of sound that bounce off an object) to detect and catch insects.
- Bats are more closely related to primates than to mice.
- They are the only mammal that can fly.
To view bats, check out your local park or forested area, especially near water and along trails. Even your own backyard can be a great place to view bats if you have trees near your home!
Learn more about bats in Bats of New York State (PDF). Photo by Al Hicks.
Spring is a Great Time to Explore the Outdoors  With the snow melted, increasing day length, and warming temperatures, there's a lot to discover. Head to your local trout stream and wet a line. Begin scouting for the spring turkey season. Look for American woodcock at dawn and dusk exhibiting their distinctive call and display flight. Search for antlers shed by that buck you saw in the fall. Listen for spring peppers and wood frogs calling in wetlands or seasonal pools. Look up and see birds migrating back to the area. It's a great time to explore the outdoors!
Photo of Mallards by Barbara Kraft.
DEC Hosted 14th Annual National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament  DEC recently hosted the 14th annual state archery tournament for New York schools participating in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®). Twenty-two schools from 16 counties participated in the 2022 tournament held at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
A total of 407 students competed from their home schools in one of three divisions: high school (grades 9-12); middle school (grades 6-8); and elementary school (grades 4-5). Anthony Marino from St. Joseph by the Sea in Richmond County had the top overall score and placed first among male archers in the High School Division with a score of 292 out of 300 possible points. Gabryelle Dezalia from Schroon Lake Central School in Essex County was the top overall female archer, earning first place in the High School Division with a score of 278. Both winners will receive a trophy and a New York Champion Genesis bow and bow case. Awards were also given in each of the three divisions for first through tenth places. St. Joseph by the Sea in Richmond County was the first-place team in the High School Division for the 8th year in a row. The first-place team in the Middle School and Elementary School Division was Arkport Central School in Steuben County. For the full list of tournament results and information on how schools can become involved in NASP in New York, visit DEC's website. Individuals who placed in the top 10 in their division, and teams that placed first in each of the three divisions, qualify to compete and represent New York State at the National NASP® Tournament held in Louisville, Kentucky from May 12th-14th. For additional photos of the event, check out our Flickr album. | 
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