Spring migrants, blooming flowers, and Springathon. What could be better?

For birders and gardeners, spring is a magical time of year. We’re buzzing with excitement about our May line-up, especially our Springathon which runs from May 13-20. This Week of Wonder will be packed with special events including an online auction. Read on for details, and remember to register early for a spot at in-person events.

How would you like to flock with us to a migrant trap that is an “oasis of woodland surrounded by urbanity?”.
If that sounds good, you won’t want to miss our Field Trip to Garrett Mountain Park in Paterson, NJ.  Naturalist Tait Johansson will lead the group on trails around a beautiful pond in search of migrating songbirds, especially warblers. The reservation is comprised of 568-acres and provides sweeping views of northern New Jersey and the NYC skyline.
Sunday, May 2, 7:30am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Email Susan to register at info@bedfordaudubon.org or call 914-302-9713.

There is a salt marsh very close to home, and it’s a migration hotspot!
Join Naturalist Tait Johansson on a Field Trip to Marshlands Conservancy/Rye Nature Center. You’ll look for warblers and other newly arrived songbirds at this 147-acre wildlife sanctuary composed of diverse habitats.
Tuesday, May 4, 7:00am-12:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

The madness continues…
Migration madness, that is. Join Tait for a Bird Walk on Maple Avenue where you’re likely to see Ravens and Swallows around the dam, and if it’s like prior years at this time, up to 20 warbler species!
Thursday, May 6, 7:00-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

What metropolitan oasis crams forested areas, seven bodies of water, meadows, gardens, and much more into less than 1.5 square miles?
You guessed it… Central Park! More than 200 species of birds pass through there on their migratory routes each spring and fall, and leader Tait Johansson hopes to show you many of them when you join our Field Trip to Experience Central Park during Migration. We will stop in the boathouse for lunch if it’s open (or bring your own).
Tuesday, May 11, 7:30am-1:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

Do you want the dirt on native and habitat gardening?
You’ll get the scoop when you lend a hand during Volunteer Hours with Mathew McDowell at our Leon Levy Native Plant Garden at Bylane Farm. Come pitch in, and in the process learn about gardening with native plants, as well as the ecosystem benefits and ecological associations of our native flora.
Every Tuesday beginning May 11, 9:00-11:00am. If Tuesdays don’t work for you, keep an eye out for upcoming weekend volunteer events. All experience levels welcome and appreciated! Bring gardening gloves if you have them. Email info@bedfordaudubon.org with questions or for more information.

S P R I N G A T H O N
Week of Wonder
May 13 – 20

Springathon is a very special week-long celebration of nature to support our mission of connecting people with nature. The keystone event of the Week of Wonder will be our online auction along with programming and special events all week long.

Let’s head north!
Naturalist Tait Johansson for Migration Madness on the North County Trailway, Yorktown. It’s a local hotspot for spring warblers and other songbirds.
Thursday, May 13, 7:00-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

It’s a first!
Join us for our first Live Virtual Celebration and Online Auction Kick-off as our Week of Wonder begins. You’ll be among the first to check out amazing auction items and start bidding and will be entertained by musical performances by Fox Lane students and The School of Rock, interactive games, and a toast to spring with a craft cocktail provided by us*, all hosted by broadcast journalist Ron Ropiak.
Thursday, May 13, 7:00-8:00pm. RSVP HERE by May 10^th to reserve your members’ party kit including a craft cocktail + goodies that will be available for pick-up at Bylane Farm prior to the event. *Party kit available to Bedford Audubon members only.

Migration Madness continues in the county’s largest park.
Join Tait for an exploration of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Many shrubland and forest birds breed here, including Prairie and Hooded Warblers, and the Reservation is also a good spot for migrants moving through.
Sunday, May 16, 7:00-10:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

Celebrate spring with a discussion of plants and cocktails.
If the weather cooperates, the Bylane Book Club will meet in person to talk about The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create the World’s Greatest Drinks by Amy Stewart. Every great drink starts with a plant. Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when a Dutch physician added oil of juniper to a clear spirit, believing that juniper berries would cure kidney disorders. “The Drunken Botanist” uncovers the enlightening botanical history and the fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even one fungus).

With a delightful two-color vintage-style interior, over fifty drink recipes, growing tips for gardeners, and advice that carries Stewart’s trademark wit, this book is the essential, New York Times bestselling guide to botany and booze!

New readers are always welcome! The book is available to borrow from the Westchester Library System or is available to purchase across a variety of platforms in print, electronically and on audio.

Monday, May 17. Cocktails at 6:30pm; discussion at 7:00pm. Registration required by emailing info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713. If the weather allows, we will meet in-person on the patio at Bylane Farm. In the event of inclement weather, a Zoom link will be sent to participants in advance of the meeting.

You’re cordially invited to our house.
We can’t let spring migration slip away without showing off the wildlife at Bylane Farm! Join naturalist Tait Johansson as he leads a Bird Walk in our own sanctuary. In addition to the next boxes that are always occupied by Tree Swallows and Bluebirds, we’ll look for other spring favorites. (Hopefully we’ll find Orchard Orioles and that the Baltimore Orioles that used to nest in the mighty Maple tree that fell last summer will find homes elsewhere nearby!)
Tuesday, May 18, 7:00-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy-moderate. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

Pop over to a local hotspot one more time!
Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for the Third Thursday’s Bird Walk on Maple Avenue in Katonah. Yes, we visit this area often during migration because there is often something special to see! Last year’s was cancelled, but in 2019 we saw 21 species of warblers at this time of year!
Thursday, May 20, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.

Come with us to a special place where everyone goes to find Hooded and Cerulean Warblers.
Naturalist Tait Johansson will guide you on a Field Trip to Doodletown Road which is not only known as the best place in the area to find these breeding warblers but is also a fine spot for many other songbirds, migrants and breeders alike. Enjoy the walk up the rugged trail past the ruins of a “lost civilization.”
Saturday, May 22, 7:30-12:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.