Start the New Year by Getting Outside: January Environmental Education Events with Bedford Audubon

January 1 starts a fresh year, and a new bird list! You can start adding to your list right away by joining Bedford Audubon for a winter walk this month! We welcome new and experienced birders and lovers of nature– if you need to borrow binoculars or a field guide, just let us know. Can’t wait to see you on the trail!

January Programs

January 1, 2019 Pawling, NY (Hidden Valley) Christmas Bird Count- Contact Compiler Carena Pooth for details and to sign up at: pawlingcbc@watermanbird club.org.

Wednesday, January 2, 7:30am-9:30am, First Tuesdays Bird Walk: Dean’s Bridge, Somers.  Note that this month’s “First Tuesdays” Bird Walk has been moved to Wednesday. Meet at the eastern end of Dean’s Bridge Road in Somers where it dead-ends at the old bridge. Cost: Free. Level of Physical Difficulty: Easy-moderate. Register with Susan Fisher at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914-302-9713.

Wednesday, January 9, 7pm, Lecture: Kevin Hils, Ornithology Collection Manager at the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo at the Katonah Village Library.  Join us  to hear Kevin share some interesting stories about the amazing collection at the Bronx Zoo and the staff that cares for these creatures. Kevin will also be speaking about his time in Bolivia where he worked with flamingos along with some fun stories about the Animal Planet “The Zoo” series.  No need to register—we’ll see you at 7 for refreshments and the lecture will begin at 7:30. Please bring a reusable mug to reduce your ecological footprint.

Starting January 10: Thursdays in January & February, 1 hour before sunset, Science in Action: EagleWatch. Naturalist Tait Johansson and his team from Bedford Audubon and Saw Mill River Audubon will monitor roosting Bald Eagles within the Lower Hudson Valley Important Bird Area (IBA). If you’re interested in this citizen science project please email Tait at tjohansson@bedfordaudubon.org or call 914.232.1999.

Monday, January 14th, 6:30-8pm, Bylane Book Club: Bylane Farm, Katonah.  Join us for a lively book discussion led by Melanie Brocklehurst on this month’s selection, The LIfe List of Adrian Maldrick by Chris White.  Cost: Free.  Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914-302-9713.  Refreshments at 6:30; discussion begins at 7:00.

Thursday, January 17, 7:30am-9:30am, Third Thursdays Bird Walk: Maple Avenue, Katonah.  Join Naturalist Tait Johansson at this local hotspot at Maple Avenue on the third Thursday of every month. Cost: Free.  Level of Physical Difficulty: Easy. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914-302-9713.

Friday, January 18-Monday, January 21,  Special Field Trip: Cape Ann/Plum Island Winter Birding Weekend with Tait Johansson. The coast of northeast Massachusetts is the winter home to a spectacular array of seabirds. Our masterful Naturalist will guide this special trip around the region in search of such stunners as Harlequin Duck, King Eider, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red-necked Grebe, Rough-legged Hawk, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, Purple Sandpiper, Black Guillemot, Black-legged Kittiwake, Razorbill, and Snowy Owl. It’s also possible to see Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, and Eastern and Short-eared Owls. Add these to your year (or life) list this month! Cost: $100/members, or $130/non-members and we’ll credit $30 to an annual membership; travel, lodging, and meals not included. Note: The fees for this trip help support environmental education so we can continue to deliver high-quality programs for free. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.

Sunday, January 27, 10am-12noon, Nature Walk: Winter Tree Identification at Muscoot Farm with Naturalist Tait Johansson. Co-sponsored with Friends of Muscoot Farm. Join Tait to learn how to use a tree’s structure, bark, and other clues to ID it even after the leaves have fallen. Family friendly, but all children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy. Dress warm. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.

Photo Credit: Tufted Titmouse by Susan Fisher.