Free Presentation on the New Berkshire Bird Banding Station

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Hoffmann Bird Club of Berkshire County announced a presentation free and open to the public on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at 7:00 PM, at the Guardian Life Insurance Company, 700 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.   
 
The program, "Berkshire Bird Observatory: Origins, Current Projects and Tales from the Field" will be by Ben Nickley, Founder and Director of "Berkshire Bird Observatory."  
 
This is also the Monthly Meeting of the Hoffman Bird Club.
 
Nickley will discuss Berkshire Bird Observatory's (BBO) origins, aims, current research projects and future endeavors.  He'll also show pictures of birds in hands and relate stories from our pilot Spring, Summer and Fall seasons at Jug End State Reservation.
 
Nickley is a researcher with a passion for birds and the natural landscapes they inhabit.  Over the past several years Nickley has traveled across North America to do field studies in many places, mixing in college and grad school along the way. 
 
Of all the places they've been--from the Cypress swamps of the Southeast to the high meadows of the Sierra Nevada--they love nothing more than the Northeastern Deciduous Forest. 
 
BBO contributes data to Green Berkshires' four-year South Taconic biodiversity mapping project.  Nickley hopes to garner continued support from the Berkshire community to ensure the longevity of BBO as a social, scientific and conservation institution in this wonderful region.
 
For further information, see the Club's Website at: www.hoffmannbirdclub.org

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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