Fun in the Field: August Environmental Education Events with Bedford Audubon

Join us this August for fun in the field—learning about our butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies! And don’t worry, there’s still plenty of opportunities to go birding with us, volunteer in our native garden, and more!

Through early August, Science in Action: Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship with Naturalist Tait Johansson. Get out in the field with Tait and Krista Botting, our Summer Field Biologist, to observe mist netting and banding song birds in our Hunt-Parker Sanctuary. This is an amazing opportunity to see birds in the hand. There’s just one last session before the monitoring ends for the season. Cost: Priceless! Level of difficulty: Strenuous. Please let Tait know if you’d like to be included on our outreach list at tjohansson@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.232.1999.

Tuesdays through end of October, 9-11am, Volunteer: Leon Levy Native Garden with Garden Chair Liz Stein. Join us for morning of fun the Garden—learn about native plants, observe birds and butterflies in the Garden, and help keep our Garden growing throughout the season. No prior gardening experience necessary, just a willingness to get dirty! Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate. If you’re a first time volunteer with us, please register with Janelle at jrobbins@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.232.1999.

Thursday, August 17, 10am-12pm, Nature Walk: Get to Know the Dragonflies and Butterflies of Hunt-Parker Sanctuary with Naturalist Tait Johansson. Join Tait on a quest to find some of the many species of dragonflies and butterflies that inhabit the wetlands, meadows, and shrublands of the Bylane Farm area. Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.

Sunday, August 20, 10am-1pm, Workshop: Discover Dragons & Damsels with Naturalist Tait Johansson. Did you know that dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects in the world? Tait will lead an intensive workshop on the natural history and identification of our local dragonflies and damselflies. Bring binoculars, ideally close-focusing ones. Cost: $65 for members, $75 for non-members; we’ll credit $30 to your membership if you join Bedford Audubon on the day of the workshop! Includes book and net. Limited to 10 participants. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713 by August 16.

August 25 through November 22, Science in Action: Experience the Miracle of Migration at the Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch. The HawkWatch starts August 25! Join us at the Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch at the Arthur Butler Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road in Bedford Hills every day from 9am to 5pm, weather permitting, to experience the miracle of raptor migration. Our data is combined with other sites across North America to create powerful population and migration analyses that help us better protect raptors and their habitat.

Sunday, August 27, 10am-3pm, Field Trip: Explore Jamaica Bay with Naturalist Tait Johansson.  Join us for high tide at the bay, which sends shorebirds in impressive numbers to the refuge’s East Pond. We will also see herons, egrets, likely Glossy Ibis, and many others! Bring binoculars, lunch, plenty of cold drinks, sunscreen, and boots/footwear you don’t mind getting muddy. Depart Bylane 8:30am or meet at Visitors Center at 10am. Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.