The first of April often brings silliness, but this month’s line up is no YOLK! We hope you join us for one (or many!) of our EGGciting programs – your FRONDS at Bedford Audubon would love to BEE with you! 

Come to a place where birds meet art…
Join us for a Field Trip: Audubon Mural Project Tour. Led by licensed tour guide Leigh Hallingby, we’ll spend the morning checking out the works of the Audubon Mural Project, a public art initiative meant to draw attention to birds threatened by climate change as informed by National Audubon’s report, “Survival By Degrees.” The murals can be found mainly in the northern Manhattan neighborhoods of Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights where the great naturalist John James Audubon lived the last 10 years of his life; they range from lovely panels that fill in a former window to spectacular paintings covering the entire side of a building. In addition to seeing at least 30 murals during the walk, we’ll visit John James Audubon’s impressive grave site in the Trinity Church Cemetery.
Sunday, April 3, 10:30am-12:30pm. Cost: $25 for members/$30 for non-members. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Tickets may be purchased online by CLICKING HERE. If you have questions or prefer to pay by check or cash, please email Susan.

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 plan, 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.
Tuesday, April 5, 6:45pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. This trip is full; to be placed on a wait list, please email bedfordaudubonsociety@gmail.com.

What’s your guess… will we see over or under the 32 species identified on this walk last month?
We’re talking about Tait’s First Wednesday’s Bird Walk at Dean’s Bridge, of course. Monthly walks like this are perfect for tracking the changing of the seasons based on the numbers and species of birds we see. Join the fun as spring migration starts to heat up – who knows what you’ll see? (Maybe a Pied-billed Grebe like we saw in March.)
Wednesday, April 6, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

Can you tell the difference between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers?
Learn simple tricks for identifying birds in our Birding 101 Workshop and Tutorial. First, Naturalist Tait Johansson will show you what to look and listen for using during an info session at Bylane Farm. Then you’ll head outside where Tait will guide you in identifying the plethora of birds in our garden and fields using your new-found skills. We’ll look for early April migrants like Eastern Bluebird and Field Sparrow. This workshop is perfect for new birders (including kids!) and for those who want to further their skill.
Saturday, April 9, 9:00am-1:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

Our April read is a New York Times bestseller: the enthralling true story of the rise and reign of O-Six, the celebrated Yellowstone wolf, and the people who loved or feared her.
Join the Bylane Book Club this month to discuss American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee. Before men ruled the earth, there were wolves. Once abundant in North America, these majestic creatures were hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states by the 1920s. But in recent decades, conservationists have brought wolves back to the Rockies, igniting a battle over the very soul of the West. With novelistic detail, Nate Blakeslee tells the gripping story of one of these wolves, O-Six, a charismatic alpha female named for the year of her birth. American Wolf is a riveting multi-generational saga of hardship and triumph that tells a larger story about the ongoing cultural clash in the West—between those fighting for a vanishing way of life and those committed to restoring one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.
Monday, April 11, 6:30pm. Cost: Free.  Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713. We look forward to seeing you back at Bylane Farm!

Dig in and you’ll make the earth smile!
Learn from experience at our monthly Interactive Workshop: Invasives ID + Clean Up at Bylane Farm. Professional naturalists will be on hand to teach you how to identify and remove invasive plants. In some sessions, we’ll be replanting native plants. Please wear outdoor work attire and gloves. We have some shears, loppers, and clippers, but please bring your own if possible. Plants with thorns will be present. This is a great and fun way to get some exercise, fresh air, and contribute to our community’s wild animals and plants.
Saturday, April 16, 11:00am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

Have you ever confused a warbler with a thrush or a sparrow?
It’s easy to do when you are looking at a Louisiana Waterthrush! This migrant forages primarily on the ground near water and eats insects, small fish, and small frogs. If anyone can spot one, it’s Naturalist Tait Johansson as he leads his Third Thursday’s Bird Walk on Maple Avenue in Katonah. Tait will also be on the lookout for Palm Warblers and Pine Warblers. This is a popular walk for beginner and experienced birders, not to mention a great way to start your day!
Thursday, April 21, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

Here’s the dirt… we need you this Earth Day weekend!
Join Mathew McDowell for a Native Planting Session at Bylane Farm. Together we’ll celebrate Earth Day while planting 100+ new native shrubs and perennials into our native garden. Plus, Mathew will explain about the beauty and wildlife benefits these unique plants provide. It’s a win-win!
Saturday, April 23, 10:00am-12:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

We’re looking for YOU!
There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day than participating in local festivals! We’ll have the weekend covered by having booths at two festivals on this special spring weekend. Stop by with your family and friends to say hello and learn about our work, upcoming programs, membership. We’ll have swag and will be raffling off a beautiful bird feeder.
Saturday, April 23, 11:00am-3:00pm: Earth Day Everyday Festival, Pound Ridge Square.
Sunday, April 24, 12:00-4:00pm:  Earth Day Festival, Bedford Hills Train Station

Make no bones about it – we’re searching for birds this Earth Day weekend!
Join Naturalist Tait Johansson on a Field Trip to Oakwood Cemetery for a peaceful exploration of open woodland habitat near a Red Maple swamp. We hope to discover late-April migrants such as Blue-headed Vireo, Black-and-White Warbler, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. What a perfect way to start your day. Best of all, you’ll be able to visit folks from Bedford Audubon at the Bedford Hills Earth Day Festival!
Sunday, April 24, 8:00-10:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

The Eastern Hemlock is one of the best wildlife shelter trees in the US, and many birds depend on it for winter survival and nesting.
When you join Naturalist Tait Johansson on a Nature Hike at the William Clough Preserve in Brewster, you’ll walk through a mostly-hemlock forest! Putnam County’s Clough Preserve and Ice Pond area hold a nice variety of breeding birds and spring migrants. We’ll be on the lookout Green Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and many others. And there’s a good chance of hearing Virginia Rail!
Tuesday, April 26, 8:00am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” – Tait Johansson
Join Tait for Migration Madness on Maple Avenue in Katonah as the migration floodgates start to open. It’s the perfect time to look for Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, and Scarlet Tanager other species before the trees fully leaf out.
Thursday, April 28, 7:00-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan to register or call 914-302-9713.

Photo: Black and White Warbler (AdobeStock)