October Field Trips, Special Events + Workshops!

Peak migration is upon us. Don’t the let the birds leave you behind!

Enjoy the waning days of summer while sitting outside to read a heartwarming memoir by “one of California’s hardest-working hummingbird rehabilitators… that will leave the average bird lover agog.” – The Washington Post!
With Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrating from our area, the timing is perfect to pick up a copy of Fastest Things on Wings by Terry Masear and join our Bylane Book Club discussion of “a book that will forever change the way you look at these little birds.” – Los Angeles Times. Weather (and Covid status) permitting, this meeting will be held outdoors at Bylane Farm on the patio (or indoors for a very limited number of people) with an option to connect remotely. Sips + snacks will be provided.
Monday, October 5, 6:00-7:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713.

Check out various artists’ interpretation of North American birds threatened by climate change through a VIRTUAL tour of the neighborhood where John James Audubon lived for the last decade of his life.
Bedford Audubon is proud to co-sponsor The Audubon Mural Project: A Virtual Tour together with all of Westchester’s Audubon chapters including Bronx River-Sound Shore, Central Westchester, Hudson River, and Saw Mill River Audubon Societies. Join us to see murals of 300+ birds in the Harlem neighborhoods of Hamilton Heights + Washington Heights. The Project is designed to display the birds’ beauty, but to make us aware of the challenges they face. The 40 murals we will see range from lovely panels that fill in a former window to spectacular murals covering the entire side of a building.
Tuesday, October 6, 7:00-8:30pm. Cost: Free. Registration is required by registering online through Saw Mill River Audubon by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy the early and crisp days of fall with a friendly outing at a local hotspot… it’s a happy way to start your day!
At last’s month’s Third Thursday’s Bird Walk, Tait identified 41 different species of birds including Great Blue Heron, Ring-billed Gull, Raven, Cape May Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and many more. Don’t miss out this month – register now before this popular walk fills up and see what is still around!
Thursday, October 15, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration is limited and required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713.

Come “perch” with us high above I-684 at an unlikely aerie – a platform for counting + identifying thousands of migrating raptors.
Join Naturalist Tait Johansson and Board Member Steve Ricker for a complimentary Breakfast with the Hawks during this fall’s Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch! This much-loved event is timed to take advantage of peak Cooper’s Hawk migration and is perfect for families! (All children must be accompanied by an adult.) Co-sponsored by Westmoreland Sanctuary. Bedford Audubon Counter and Spotter will also be on hand to “show and tell” what they are seeing.
Saturday, October 17, 9:00-11:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration is limited and required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713.

Did you know that by feeding birds in the fall, the migrating (and resident) birds you help can lead to an increase in the size + diversity of winged visitors to your backyard next spring?
It’s true! While it can take a few days for birds to a new feeder, once they do, keeping it filled will help birds imprint on the location of your reliable food source. Not to mention how happy you’ll make resident birds during the colder months as natural food sources get depleted. Still not sure about bird feeding? Join Naturalist Tait Johannson for a NEW Virtual Workshop: Bird Feeding 101. You’ll see a “show + tell” on bird feeder styles, placement, and varieties of seed and suet that attract different bird species. After this workshop, you’ll have the knowledge to set out your feast and be entertained watching your feathered guests dig in!
Wednesday, October 21, 12:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713. Zoom link will be emailed prior to the event.

Wouldn’t you love to see more birds in your yard other than those that flock to your feeder?
It’s not as hard as you think! Let Garden Director Mathew McDowell take you under his wing by registering for his seasonal Virtual Workshop: Beyond the Birdfeeder so you can get started. As the seasons change, birds have to think about where to source food. Bird feeders are fun and easy ways to bring birds to your home and help keep them fed in tough times, but they don’t support all birds equally. We’ll be covering plants for your home and garden that offer different fall and winter foods for residents and migrants alike, supporting bird populations and letting you observe natural foraging behaviors right from your window.
Tuesday, October 27, 12:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration is required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713.

We’re taking a trip to one of the top places to bird in Westchester – and it used to be a landfill!
Join Naturalist Tait Johansson on a Field Trip to Croton Point Park, a capped landfill that is now meadow and a great place for birding. We’ll be in search many species, including these that were logged into eBird last October: Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Merlin, American Black Duck, Great Horned Owl, Northern Harrier, and many more.
Saturday, October 31, 7:30am-noon. Cost: Free. Level of Physical Difficulty: Easy. Meet at the Croton Point Park entrance booth at 7:30am or at Bylane Farm to caravan at 6:45am. Registration is limited and is required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or calling 914-302-9713.

Photo Credits
Top: Yellow-rumped Warbler by John Hannan
Side-bar: American Kestrel by Tait Johansson