Buzzing into Summer: June Programs

Gardeners and would-be gardeners needed!
Last year, we planted 650+ native plants in the Bedford Audubon Habitat Garden, and now you’re invited to help it thrive! Please join us for weekly Garden Volunteer Hours where you’ll work alongside professional native gardener Missy Fabel and fellow volunteers to help maintain this beautiful habitat throughout the season. Garden tour guides are also needed… we can train you!
Every Tuesday from 9:00-11:00am. You’re welcome to drop in, or email info@BedfordAudubon.org to add your name to our list of garden volunteers so that you’re always in the loop about all of our garden volunteer work.  We have tools and supplies, but please bring your own gloves if you have them.

Wetland and forested uplands and grasslands all in one day!
Come with us to a designated Bird Conservation Area that has 200+ species of birds including nesting Bald Eagles and Ospreys. Grab your binoculars and join Naturalist Tait Johansson for a full morning of birding on our Field Trip to Bashakill Wildlife Management Area and Shawangunk Grasslands. Bashakill supports wetland-dependent breeding species like Virginia Rail, Sora, Common Gallinule, bitterns, cuckoos, and a large array of songbirds. The National Wildlife Refuge has breeding populations of Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Saturday, June 1, 7:30am-2:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Please email Susan to register.

Birding and gardens go together…
The Friends of Lasdon Park and Arboretum have invited our Naturalist Tait Johansson to lead a guided Bird Walk at Lasdon Public Gardens. Please come! We’ll be looking for Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Towhee, Blue-winged Warbler, and Worm-eating Warbler. Lasdon Park is a magnificent 234-acre property consisting of woodlands, open grass meadows and formal gardens with flower and shrub specimens from all over the world. Wear sturdy shoes, bring binoculars, and dress for the weather (it is a rain or shine event). The walk starts at the conservatory plaza outside the Welcome Center. While this guided walk is free, registration is required and limited to 12 participants – sorry, no walk-ins accepted.
Sunday, June 2, 8:00am-10:00am. Cost: Free.  Level of Difficulty: Easy-moderate. CLICK HERE to register through Friends of Lasdon website.

Wood Ducks are really cool… have you ever seen one?
Here we are again at Dean’s Bridge in Somers, checking on what has arrived, departed and stayed put in the last month, and exploring a variety of habitats including water, wetland, grassland, and woodland areas. Join Naturalist Tait Johansson on our First Wednesday’s Bird Walk as we track the changes of the seasons through the birds we see and hear. Nesting birds will be the main attraction this month: breeders here include Wood Duck, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Indigo Bunting.
Wednesday, June 5, 7:30am-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Please email Susan to register.

Relax in our happy place.
Take a break from your morning routine and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors by joining us for an hour in the peace of the Bedford Audubon Habitat Garden. Join us for Nature Meditation led by local Master Reiki Practitioner Catherine Downs who will lead a seated, guided reiki inspired meditation followed by an immersive slow walk focusing on using the senses to connect to the natural world around us.
Thursday, June 6, 10:00-11:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register.

Learn a little while getting your hands little dirty…
We’ve made great progress over the past year restoring the native habitats surrounding  Bylane Farm but it’s not over. You can help by joining Naturalist and Board Member Steve Ricker for his next Habitat Renewal Day to help enhance the land surrounding our headquarters. Several projects are underway that include transplanting native honeysuckle vines, installing a trellis, preparing a water feature, and/or rescuing native Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) from being smothered by Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) and other invasive species. To start, Steve will provide tips to discern native plants from invasives and will be happy to answer questions as we work. Tools and gloves will be provided, or you can bring your own (loppers and hand pruners are the most used tools). Plants with thorns, and poison ivy may be present.
Saturday, June 8, 11:00am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy-moderate. Please email Susan to register.

A returning favorite field trip with a new twist is coming up!
We’re heading north to the largest state park in the Taconic region – and this year we are adding Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming to the itinerary. Join Naturalist Tait Johansson on a Field Trip to Fahnestock State Park, deciduous and mixed forests that support a diverse group of forest-dependent bird species bird community. We hope to see some of the breeders in this area including Ruffed Grouse, Acadian Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Blackburnian Warbler, and Canada Warbler.
Wednesday, June 12, 7:30am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Please email Susan to register.

NEW! We’re heading upstate for birding and bonding…
Join us for Birding and Brunch on a unique mini excursion to beautiful Dutchess County, NY! Enjoy the feeling of an extended birding weekend away without the lengthy travel and overnight stay. Tait Johansson, our naturalist-in-residence, will provide his expert guidance on this half-day exploration of two distinct habitats: Sharon Station Marsh and other wetlands as well as Buttercup Farm Sanctuary. Our itinerary will include a stop at a local gourmet coffee shop for an optional snack/beverage between locations. And it will be capped off by brunch at an area restaurant, during which Tait will recap all the birds seen and heard and answer any of your questions. Some of the birds we’ll be looking out for include Least Bittern, Common Gallinule, Virginia Rail, American Bittern, Sora, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark.
Saturday, June 15, 7:00am-2:00pm. Cost: $50 (members); $85 (non-members and we’ll credit $35 toward an annual membership). Brunch is included! Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Please email Susan to register and pay by check; purchases ticket online by clicking here. 

Connect with nature through art!
Grab your sketchbook and join us in the garden at Bylane for a meditative morning of sketching! Join Charlotte Holden for Art in the Garden: Outdoor Free Draw/Nature Journaling to work outside drawing or painting anything that inspires you. Instruction and feedback will be available if you’d like it. This is your time to explore the beautiful landscape and create artwork through discovery and maybe learn a little about the flora and fauna that help make up our local ecosystem. So be sure to bring whatever materials you prefer and even your morning coffee if it helps the creative process! Charlotte Holden is a local artist and illustrator who has worked with Bedford Audubon for several years, initially running our first Paint Night while still a student at RISD, and most recently offering a series of introductory drawing and watercolor workshops.
Saturday, June 15, 10am-12:00pm. Cost: Suggested donation of $20, to be collected on the day. Please email Susan to register. 

Back to the dam we go!
Cross River Dam that is, the starting point for our monthly Third Thursday’s Bird Walk. Naturalist Tait Johansson will help us seek out breeders such as colonies of Cliff Swallow and Rough-winged Swallow, the dam’s own Common Ravens, Spotted Sandpiper, Blue-winged Warbler, Pine Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Eastern Towhee. This is a great introductory walk for those new to birding but just as exciting for those with more experience.
Thursday, June 20, 7:30am-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register.

“The forests are the lungs of the world.” – Woody Harrelson
Learn about the health and hope for our trees at our Public Lecture Series: Our Once and Future Forest with Jessica Schuler. Jess will discuss pests, diseases, and climate change issues that threaten our forests. She’ll also share information on hope in the future through partnerships and investments in restoration and long-term management. Jessica Schuler is the Program Coordinator of Natural Resources for the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation, and previously Director of the Thain Family Forest at New York Botanical Garden.
Wednesday, June 26, 7:00pm. No registration is needed; all are welcome. This will be our last public lecture until September so please join us for refreshments in the Garden Room from 6:45pm ahead of Jessica’s presentation at 7:00pm.