CDTA Bus Stop #10595

The bus stop at Delaware and Cherry Avenue, near the Valero Station which offers a shelter and some landscaping. To this day, they have yet to fix the bus stop so it’s paved between the shelter and the road.

Meet The Invasive Insect That Is Changing An Entire Forest Bird Community

Meet The Invasive Insect That Is Changing An Entire Forest Bird Community

"In an unusual role reversal, one tiny invasive insect is controlling the species composition and architecture of a large community of forest birds along the East Coast of the United States."

"Throughout the eastern United States, forests of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, are under attack by a tiny invasive insect with an insatiable appetite for these giant trees. This attack is causing the decline of eastern hemlock and as a consequence, it is driving the disappearance of a variety of birds that are specialized to them, according to a recent study. This study also found that birds that live in habitats not dominated by eastern hemlock are expanding into these dying hemlock forests, and this is diminishing avian biodiversity. Remarkably, in an unusual role reversal, this less diverse bird community is apparently due solely to just one invasive species of insect."

July 19, 2018 Night

Good evening! Clear and 71 degrees in Delmar. Calm wind. The dew point is 53 degrees. A very pleasant evening after another insanely crazy day at work. The crash on Interstate 787 hauling construction debris to the Rensselaer Landfill didn’t make it any better.

Tonight will have patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, clear 🌞 , with a low of 52 degrees at 5am. 10 degrees below normal. Maximum dew point of 54 at 12am. Calm wind. Finally can sleep with the fan off. In 2017, we had mostly cloudy skies, clearing in the early hours of the next day. It was humid. It got down to 68 degrees. The record low of 49 occurred back in 1974.

Tonight will have a Waxing Gibbous Moon 🌔 with 54% illuminated with the moon setting at 12:42 am. The moon will set at 1:00 am. The Buck Moon 🌕 is next Thursday with heavy rain expected. So much for enjoying that. Might make getting packed for vacation difficult too. The sun will rise at 5:35 am with the first light at 5:02 am, which is 55 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 Tonight will have 9 hours and 8 minutes of darkness, an increase of one minute and 42 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny 🌞 , with a high of 86 degrees at 3pm. Three degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 58 at 6pm. Warm but pleasant. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 88 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1991.

Right now, a split verdict on the weekend. πŸ˜• Saturday, sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Maximum dew point of 59 at 5pm. Going to be a beautiful day. Sunday, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Maximum dew point of 70 at 5pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 83 degrees.

In four weeks on August 16 the sun will be setting at 7:54 pm,🌄 which is 33 minutes and 11 seconds earlier then tonight. In 2017 on that day, we had partly cloudy skies and temperatures between 83 and 60 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 81 and 60 degrees. The record high of 97 degrees was set back in 1936.

I am pretty much packed for camping this weekend except for the cooler and personal products. I didn’t go shopping as I only need a few things tomorrow. Might do it before work or maybe after. 👜I’m undecided. Kayak is on the roof of the truck cap and ready to go.

I’m so happy that I found the wireless headphones that I really like. 🎧 Last week I bought another pair which are water-resistant – perfect for using in the potholers but I don’t like them as much as the other pair. I guess keep both charged and swap out as needed.

Changed the VMS display sign I built in my bedroom to shut off at ten o’clock rather than eleven as lately I’ve been going to bed earlier and the sign is very distracting. 🕘 Saves more energy that way and if I’m up late I can always just use my phone for the time. Most the time I’m up late in the summer at any rate I’m at home.

Looking ahead, State Primary Day 🗳️ is in 8 weeks, November 🥧 is in 15 weeks and Thanksgiving 🦃 is in 18 weeks.

Good night. Sleep well. 💤💤💤

July 19, 2018 Morning

Good morning! Happy Thursday. With today’s forecast you will be happy unless you are planning to spend it at the beach, where it might feel a bit cool. Sunny and 63 degrees in Delmar. 🌞 Calm wind. The dew point is 51 degrees.

I was running a bit late but I took a quick shower and skipped breakfast and caught the earlier bus downtown. 🏦I have a nine o’clock meeting so I couldn’t afford to be late this morning. β˜•I’ll get some coffee when I get into the office I guess and have an early lunch.

Today will be sunny 🌞 , with a high of 82 degrees at 4pm. Typical for today. Maximum dew point of 51 at 8am. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 86 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1904.

The sun will set at 8:28 pm with dusk around 9:01 pm, which is 47 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 At sunset, look for clear skies and75 degrees. The dew point will be 50 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 14 hours and 52 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 42 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be clear 🌃, with a low of 58 degrees at 4am. Seven degrees below normal. Maximum dew point of 54 at 5am. Calm wind. In 2017, we had mostly cloudy skies, clearing in the early hours of the next day. It was humid. It got down to 68 degrees. The record low of 49 occurred back in 1974.

Today is going to be a really nice day. You better get out and enjoy it because the big sign in my bedroom is flashing out that there are only 15 weeks until November. 🐸 A week from now when I go on summer vacation it will feel like summer is basically done by the time I return. But in the mean time I’m looking forward to this weekends trip and then summer vacation the following weekend. Depending on the weather and my work schedule, I hope to leave from work next Friday and head out to Brookfield the first night before heading down to the Finger Lakes via Montezuma and US 20 on Saturday – just like last year.

I am a bit concerned with the 8-14 day outlook showing cool wet weather to push in for the end of the month, but I’ll try to have a good vacation regardless of the weather. 💦 Maybe the pattern will change again back to hot and dry but I’ve been concerned that I might have a bad week for vacation ever since it was so hot and dry to start out August. Everything has to balance out to the averages after time it seems. 📉 Like last year, I think I will spend the balance of the week in the Finger Lakes although I guess I could still change my mind as the week progresses. 😎

On this day, there was the Great New York City Fire of 1845: The last great fire to affect Manhattan began early in the morning and was subdued that afternoon. The fire killed 4 firefighters, 26 civilians, and destroyed 345 buildings. 🚒Always be careful with matches, in densely packed urban areas with lots of wooden buildings.🔥

Looking ahead, there are 8 weeks until State Primary Day 🗳️ when the sun will be setting at 7:08 pm with dusk at 7:36 pm.β˜‘ Good that the sun sets relatively late on that day because that makes it easier to get to the polls on the only election that really matters in Albany County or New York State for that matter. Casting protest votes in November is fun but it doesn’t really matter. On that day in 2017, we had rain, fog, shallow fog, patches of fog, mist, mostly cloudy skies and temperatures between 79 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 73 degrees. We hit a record high of 92 back in 1948.

July 18, 2018 Morning

Good morning! What day is it? Two weeks to August 🌻. NY then my summer vacation will be nearly halfway over. Hopefully I will have nice weather for that. This morning is just delightful. Partly cloudy and 69 degrees in Delmar. β›… There is a north breeze at 7 mph. πŸƒ. The dew point is 58 degrees. No complaints about that.

Feeling a bit better this morning but I’m still a bit tired and my eyes are a bit irritated. πŸ‘€ But I’ll see how I feel once I get to the office and I can always turn around and head home.

Today will be mostly sunny 🌞 , with a high of 82 degrees at 4pm. One degrees below normal. Maximum dew point of 58 at 8am. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. It might even feel a tad bit cool at least next to the pool with the breeze. That said I’m working making money for better tomorrow.πŸ’Ό A year ago, we had cloudy skies, clearing in the afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 86 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1953.

The sun will set at 8:28 pm with dusk around 9:02 pm, which is 45 seconds earlier than yesterday. πŸŒ‡ At sunset, look for clear skies and 73 degrees. The dew point will be 51 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 8 mph. It should be a nice evening. Bring a long sleeve shirt? Today will have 14 hours and 54 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 38 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌞 , with a low of 52 degrees at 5am. 10 degrees below normal. Maximum dew point of 51 at 6pm. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph. In 2017, we had partly cloudy skies with more clouds in the early hours of the next day. It was sticky. It got down to 69 degrees. The record low of 47 occurred back in 1875.

Today is the 200th Day of Year. Only 165 days remain. Time sure goes by quickly.

Still thinking about heading north for the weekend. So much to do in so little time. 😎 But it should be a nice weekend. Summer is rapidly heading to its logical conclusion, especially with August coming so quickly. Scheduling summer vacation for the last week of July always makes summer a blur.

I am going to see about reserving a replacement mini inverter at Walmart for the truck cap today. I should also replace the leaky propane line before summer vacation but lately I’ve not used the lantern much at camp because electricity is just easier. ⚑I should fix the short and the bare wire on the melted cable for my flag lamp before I either shock myself or damage another inverter.

It should be nice to hang up the hammock and use it for Hammock Day on Saturday. It should be nice laying back on the hammock especially during summer vacation. 😴 I have a few things to do before vacation like checking the oil and windshield washer fluid and cleaning out the truck but nothing major. After vacation I will take it up to DeNoyer Chevy and with the coupon I have get it changed for less than I normally do it myself at the auto parts store.

On this day in 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts drives his car off a bridge and his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, dies. Don’t drink and drive, especially if you are a senator. Police officers also should not drive drunk as that sets a bad example, especially when they are not arrested. And in 1984, there were McDonald’s massacre in San Ysidro, California: In a fast-food restaurant, James Oliver Huberty opens fire, killing 21 people and injuring 19 others before being shot dead by police. After that, California implemented strict new gun control in that state, and there have been no more mass shootings. You can quote me on that. I still think the solution to crime in our country is incineration and less review of crime where the facts are obvious and there are multiple witnesses.

As previously noted, there are 2 weeks until August 🌻 when the sun will be setting at 8:15 pm with dusk at 8:46 pm. On that day in 2017, we had mostly sunny skies and temperatures between 87 and 62 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. We hit a record high of 101 back in 1933.