With March comes the first day of spring, and countless ways to connect with nature. Join us – inside or out, virtually or in-person  for one (or more!) of the many programs we have on tap this month.

Let your boots do some walking…
Bundle up in your winter gear and join Naturalist Tait Johansson for our First Wednesday’s Bird Walk at Dean’s Bridge in Somers. Birds we may find include Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, and other lingering waterfowl, Red-shouldered Hawk, and early returning spring migrants like Wood Duck and possibly Rusty Blackbird.
Wednesday, March 2, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713.

Bluebirds and More!
Bedford Audubon is thrilled to welcome John Rogers, co-founder of the NYS Bluebird Society for a very special Virtual Public Lecture: Bluebirds and More. This inspiring and informative presentation will include the life history of the Eastern Bluebird, other birds that nest in bluebird boxes, nest box management, and more. While focusing on bluebirds, John will also share his love for the natural world in the hope that participants will take away some broader and deeper messages about nature. The program has variety, feeling, and is inspirational. Sprinkled throughout are wildflowers, butterflies, and other birds, quotes by some of the great naturalists of the past, and more. With beautiful photographs, sounds, and a sincere, enthusiastic presentation style, this program will be of interest to anyone who appreciates nature. More info about John Rogers here>>

Thursday, March 3, 7:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or by calling 914-302-9713. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Let’s tackle invasives before they spring back to life!
Join Mathew McDowell, staff, and board members for an interactive Workshop: Winter Invasive Plant Identification and Clean Up at Bylane Farm. Winter makes identifying plants more challenging, but it’s an excellent time to tackle invasive, woody vines and shrubs. The session will start with a lesson on how to ID and remove some of the invasive plants common to Westchester, then we will put our knowledge to use by identifying and removing some invasives on our property. Please wear outdoor work attire and gloves. We have some shears, loppers, and clippers, but please bring your own if possible.
Sunday, March 6, 11:00am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy-Moderate. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or by calling 914-302-9713.

“Nature became so much more than an escape; it became a life-support system.” – Dara McAnulty
Register for this month’s Bylane Book Club and rediscover the natural world with the multi-award-winning phenomenon and youngest ever major literary prize winner in UK history. Melanie Brocklehurst will lead the discussion of Diary of a Young Naturalist from sixteen-year-old Dara McAnulty, a globally renowned figure in the youth climate activist movement, comes a memoir about loving the natural world and fighting to save it. The book portrays Dara’s intense connection to the natural world, and his perspective as a teenager juggling exams and friendships alongside a life of campaigning. We see his close-knit family, the disruptions of moving and changing schools, and the complexities of living with autism.
Monday, March 7, 7:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or call 914-302-9713. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

What is the smallest dabbling duck in North America?
It’s the Green-winged Teal, and you might get to see scores of them if you join Tait Johansson on his Field Trip to Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge/Black Dirt Region. This area often holds large numbers of waterfowl, including Snow Geese, Northern Pintails, and many open country birds like Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrel, Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, and Eastern Meadowlark. If it’s a warm day, we may also get to hear Atlantic Coast Leopard Frogs calling (this species was only described to science 8 years ago). Register as soon as possible as this trip filled up last year.
NEW DATE! Sunday, March 13, 8:30am-2:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713.

Birdsong and music… what could be better?
You’re invited to a very special Virtual Lecture: Why Make Music With Birds presented by David Rothenberg. David spends a lot of time making music live with birds. From nightingales to lyrebirds, laughing thrushes to catbirds, he believes music can be used to help us communicate across species lines, and create forms of art no one kind of animal could make alone. In this online talk he shows you how it’s done. Bedford Audubon is privileged to co-sponsor this event with all of the Westchester Audubons: Bronx River Sound Shore, Central Westchester, Hudson River, and Saw Mill River.
Tuesday, March 15, 7:00pm. Cost: Free. Please register through Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon at https://brssaudubon.org/ or click here.

Let the birds charm you this St. Patrick’s Day!
Start your shenanigans early with Tait Johansson on his Third Thursday’s Bird Walk. This will be winter’s last bird walk, and with a little luck, we could see Common Raven, Bald Eagle, and possibly some spring migrants like Fox Sparrow and Pine Warbler. This walk is great for beginners as well as experienced birders.
Thursday, March 17, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713.

What do early pollinators eat?
Get ready for spring by joining Mathew McDowell for a Virtual Workshop: Early Spring Plants for Pollinators. Spring can be a challenging time for plants and pollinators alike. The weather is erratic, and hungry pollinators are emerging from hibernation to an uncertain food supply. In this workshop we’ll be covering early blooming plants like native trees and spring ephemerals and their relationships to different insect pollinators. Learn what you can plant to help support bees early in the growing season and get them started on a healthy new year. This workshop is open to everyone, but you must be a Bedford Audubon member to receive a link to the recording.
Friday, March 25,6:00pm. Cost: Free. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Hop to it! **NEW DATE**
It’s our privilege introduce you to long-time Bedford Audubon member Paul Lewis who is returning to lead his popular Nature Walk to Explore Vernal Pools. Vernal pools are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. Under Paul’s leadership, you’ll visit these hidden treasures deep in the forest and learn about the vital importance of these seasonal wetlands as spawning grounds for salamanders and other amphibians. Family friendly for children 10 years of age and older, must be accompanied by an adult.
Saturday, March 26, 1:00-3:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713. Nets will be provided.

A bird walk in the evening? Yes!
It’s time for Naturalist Tait Johansson’s ever-popular Bird Walk: Dance of the Woodcock. If all goes according to play, we’ll witness an extraordinary courtship ritual, where the male American Woodcock “peents”, struts, hurls himself into the evening sky, and glides back down to the ground again, all in hopes of attracting a mate. Register early – this event filled up last year.
Thursday, March 31, 6:45pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. This trip is full. Wait list only. Registration is required by emailing Susan at bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com or calling 914-302-9713.

Photo: Tree Swallow (Pixabay)