Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • October 6, 2010
Allendale
Fyke Nature Association will participate in the Fifteenth Annual Big Sit! to be held at the Celery Farm Natural Area on Franklin Turnpike, Allendale, on Sunday, Oct. 10. Area birders are welcome to participate in this event, which will take place in shifts throughout the day. “Birders gather in a 17-foot diameter circle and count all the bird species they see,” said Carol Flanagan, Fyke’s immediate past president and coordinator of the local Big Sit! “The Fyke Nature Association team, ‘The Celery Stalkers,’ sits for two-hour shifts from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.” Unlike the World Series of Birding, an intense, annual 24-hour birding fundraiser that calls for a good deal of both stamina and travel, the Big Sit! is a more relaxed event. After participants arrive at their designated Sit! location, they literally sit – or stand – within their designated circle and watch the birds that come to them. “You can sit with your friends, discuss the latest sports scores, solve the problems of the world, and eat whatever treats people bring, while counting the birds,” Flanagan explained. “We keep statistics from year to year just to see which species are present each year compared to previous years. Much of this is dependent on the seasonal weather
Celery Stalkers gear up for 15th Annual Big Sit!
patterns.” First held in 1994, the Big Sit! is an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event that was founded by the New Haven, Connecticut Bird Club. The event is now hosted by Bird Watcher’s Digest. Fyke Nature Association has been participating in this event every year since 1995. “The Big Sit! is held during the peak of fall migration with teams from around the country, and even the world, competing,” said Big Sit! veteran Rob Fanning of Waldwick. “It makes one hone in on senses of sight and sound from a fixed location. It is also a pleasant social event, with great camaraderie with fellow birders. One never knows what might be seen during the event. I have participated in the Celery Farm Big Sit! as part of the Celery Farm Stalkers every year since 1995.” Local birders who are interested in participating in the 2010 event may call Flanagan at (973) 423-0420 or e-mail carolflana@aol.com for information and to sign up. Fyke Nature Association is a 501 (c)(3) organization that meets at the Wyckoff Public Library, 200 Woodland Avenue on the fourth Friday of each month, except for June, July, August, and December. Meetings and membership are open to all. Annual dues are $15 for individuals and $20 for families. For more information about Fyke, visit fykenature.org or phone President Mike Limatola at (201) 739-8062.
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The biology research suite at Ramapo College of New Jersey will get a needed renovation with the receipt of a $1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The upgraded biology research suite in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science will enable the college to provide technologically progressive learning opportunities to students. Undergraduates will have the opportunity to conduct experiments involving protein purification, cloning, microbial gene expression, and tissue culture. They will be prepared to move seamlessly into research environments in industry or graduate schools because they will have a solid background using the technology and methods in place in these settings. Among the expected benefits of the NSF grant will be the construction of cell culture rooms that allow for greater organization when handling cells, a bacteria prep room that
Ramapo College receives national grant
permits expanding experimentation to protein expression in bacteria, and a cold room that will improve the efficiency of conducting molecular biology experiments. Angela Cristini, Ph.D., executive director of special programs and a professor of biology, was instrumental in applying for the NSF grant. She said the greatest benefit will be bringing together research students working under different primary investigators. Funds for the extensive renovation of the biology laboratories were awarded to Ramapo College as part of the Obama administration’s economic stimulus program. Based in Mahwah, Ramapo College is one of only 20 small colleges and universities that received an award from this competitive program. The renovation is expected to be completed for the start of the fall 2011 semester.
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