Around New England

Old Christmas Trees A Lifesaver for Goats

Matthew McDonald

A goat-keeper in Amherst, Massachusetts says she's not sure her goats would have made it last winter if it weren't for all the old Christmas trees people left at her farm. She says the goats can eat all the needles and lost of the bark of evergreen trees, and that they are a source of vitamin C and other nutrients that can supplement grain and hay.

Around New England

Audubon Christmas Bird Count Showing Bluebirds Staying Later

Matthew McDonald

Each year the National Audubon Society coordinates the annual Christmas Bird Count, which began in 1900 as a way to encourage people to engage with birds instead of shooting them, as had been a Christmas custom up to that time. A birder in western Massachusetts who participates each year says bluebirds are staying in the area longer in the fall because of warmer weather; she also notes a pair of peregrine falcons have been spotted in Williamstown, which was rare until recently.

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