A Message from Member Linnet Tse

by May 14, 2021News0 comments

C A L L   T O   A C T I O N

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Here at Bedford Audubon, we are grateful for the wonderful people who make up our community of nature lovers. Whether you interact with us through bird walks, garden events, workshops, research, or in any other way, it means we’ve fulfilled our mission of connecting you with nature. Long-time Bedford Audubon member Linnet Tse is often present on our bird walks with camera (and binoculars!) in hand, and it’s thrilling when she shares her beautiful bird photos with us. Linnet shares her connection to nature and Bedford Audubon here. We hope you enjoy the read!

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Dear Friends,

Never has the beauty and restorative power of nature been more evident than during the pandemic. And, never has the need to protect our precious environment and its wild inhabitants been more urgent. With people much more likely to fight to protect the things they know and love, the role Bedford Audubon plays in fostering a love of nature is more critical now than ever before.

Bedford Audubon needs our help to continue keeping open spaces available for all to enjoy.

My love of the outdoors, and of wildlife, particularly birds, developed over time. I grew up in a small town in upstate New York.  My parents weren’t outdoor enthusiasts, but we enjoyed taking walks in the woods, picking wild blueberries, and observing our backyard birds. When I was an adult and living in Los Angeles, a UCLA extension course in Ornithology happened to catch my eye and thus began a more serious, but still casual, interest in birds. Then, as a parent of two active boys, our family gravitated towards vacations involving the outdoors and wildlife, but parenting left me little time to bird!

It was after we became empty nesters that I rediscovered birding, thanks in large part to Bedford Audubon and its outstanding naturalist-in-residence, Tait Johansson.

With Bedford Audubon, I found a welcoming community of people with similar interests. And, I found an incredibly knowledgeable and patient teacher in Tait, who welcomes birders of all levels. For the past six years, I have regularly joined Tait’s bird walks, exploring natural areas both near and far, from local early morning walks to multi-day outings further afield such as the Cape Ann, MA trip, where we were enthralled by sightings of three species of owls and several life-birds, including close-up views of the irresistible little Dovekie (look it up!).

Beyond the bird walks, Bedford Audubon members can observe and/or participate in important research initiatives, as I’ve enjoyed doing.  Opportunities include EagleWatch, a winter roosting survey of Bald Eagles along the lower Hudson River; HawkWatch, which collects scientific data on the fall raptor migration from a site in Mount Kisco; and the MAPS bird-banding research project which provides data collected on Bedford’s Hunt-Parker Sanctuary to the Institute for Bird Populations.

Bedford Audubon relies on the support of individuals like you to maintain bird-friendly communities in their sanctuaries and beyond.

Although my connection to Bedford Audubon has primarily been through birding, it offers a broad range of activities aimed at connecting people with nature in a variety of ways. Besides its birding walks, it offers informative lectures, book group discussions, art workshops, gardening classes/trips, and nature walks. At its Bylane headquarters, the John Bull Library is a great resource for books about ornithology and other natural history topics and visitors can also enjoy the Leon Levy Native Garden and walk the trails in its sanctuaries.

When you make a donation to Bedford Audubon you are providing an opportunity for others to experience, enjoy, and be inspired by nature! Please join me in supporting Bedford Audubon today!

Thank you,

Linnet Tse
Bedford Audubon Member

Photo Credits: Linnet Tse took the featured photo of a Canada Warbler on Tait’s trip to Central Park in May, 2021.

Photo on right is Linnet birding in Honduras with husband John an dsome friends.

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