Bird-A-Thon Roundup
Each spring, Bird-A-Thon brings our community together in a shared celebration of birds, conservation, and the landscapes we cherish. In this collection of personal letters, you’ll hear directly from Bedford Audubon’s members, staff, and Board — each offering a unique perspective on why this event matters to them. From lifelong birders to newly inspired advocates, their stories reflect deep personal connections to the natural world and to Bedford Audubon’s mission, reminding us that every observation, every donation, and every voice helps sustain the work we care about most.
Teaming Up For the Love of Birds and Conservation
As I prepare for my very first Bird-A-Thon this spring, I hope you will join me. You are part of an amazing, vibrant community that I feel privileged to have joined, and I’m motivated by your enthusiasm for birds, education, and conservation. That’s why I’m asking you to join me and support my first Bird-A-Thon.
I’m excited to lead a team for a Big Sit. We’ll be sitting in the Bedford Audubon native habitat garden, tallying all the bird species that perch, fly, and feed there. So join my “Morning Roost” team as we sit back, enjoy the spectacle of spring migration, and raise funds for vital conservation efforts together.
Funds raised will support the restoration of native shrubland habitat at our Hunt-Parker Sanctuary. These precious but declining habitats provide crucial resources for birds like the American Woodcock. You may have heard their iconic buzzy peent call recently and seen their spiraling, tumbling, aerial mating displays at dusk.
Every year, we have at least one Woodcock that calls and displays at the Hunt-Parker Sanctuary, while others display at various locations across Westchester and Putnam Counties. Yet, there are no known nesting sites for this species in either county.
Your contribution will help us expand vital shrublands which provide high-quality nesting habitat for multiple bird populations and support biodiversity at large, so you and I can continue to enjoy these wonderfully bizarre inland sandpipers and their mesmerizing sky dances for years to come.
Writing to you in the early hours of the morning, as light gathers quietly along the horizon and a sing-song dawn chorus of birds begins to fill the air, I am reminded of Alexander von Humboldt, who believed that nature everywhere speaks to us in a voice that is familiar to our soul. I’m certain I’m not the only one who has sat among birds, listened closely to that voice, and felt a sense of peace, calm, or wonder that only time in nature can offer.
If sitting in the garden with me isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other teams and ways to participate. Please see the categories below, including three new ones. Teams are shaping up, and we have spots available in every category you might be interested in joining. You can participate for any length of time, form or join a team and meet up as you’d like.
Participation Categories
Obsessed Birders Teams in this category can travel everywhere and anywhere in the NY/NJ/CT tri-state region.
The Moderate Traveler Teams can travel anywhere within Westchester and Putnam counties.
Big Sit This is a team OR individual category in which participants ID as many birds as they can from a 17-ft diameter circle located anywhere in the state, your backyard, the feeders at your favorite Nature Center, or anywhere you choose.
Extended / International – New! Everywhere and anywhere on Earth.
Carbon Free – New! Teams travel with limited transportation, either by bike or on foot.
Conservation Species Focused – New! Teams seek out priority or rare species and help raise awareness of conservation needs.
Together, you and I can reach our goal of raising $50,000 to protect the habitats and species that make moments like these possible. Your support is not only a gift but also an affirmation that these connections matter and that we can work together to conserve natural spaces for the tremendous economic, recreational, cultural, and spiritual benefits they provide, as well as for the intrinsic value of nature
With thanks,
Medha Pandey, PhD
Executive Director, Bedford Audubon
Birding, Photography, and the Power of Community
Conservation has always been central to my life. I believe birds are powerful harbingers of environmental health — and today, their declining numbers are impossible to ignore. That’s why organizations like Bedford Audubon matter so deeply. They don’t just connect people to nature; they inspire action. Through education, advocacy, and hands-on restoration work, they are making a real difference in protecting and rebuilding habitats that birds — and all of us — depend on. Please consider supporting Bedford Audubon with a donation to the Bird-A-Thon today.
I first discovered Bedford Audubon in 2022 through its photography exhibit, Celebrating the Beauty and Diversity of Birds in Our Region — a perfect intersection of my passions for conservation, birding, and photography. When some of my images were selected for the show, and my Eastern Bluebird photograph was chosen as the cover photo, I felt quite honored. What stayed with me even more than that recognition was the warmth I experienced at the opening reception. Board members, staff, and fellow photographers welcomed me genuinely. It was clear that this was more than an organization — it was a community.
What began as a single event quickly grew into something much more meaningful. I began attending Bedford Audubon’s bird walks, extended field trips, and in-person lecture series. I met new friends and strengthened bonds with old ones, all of whom share my love of birds and conservation. We share laughs, regale in each other’s photographs or sightings, and often form deeper connections. There is a laid-back vibe which is truly special and something that Bedford Audubon fosters every day.
Right now, Bedford Audubon is leading an important shrubland restoration project at their Hunt-Parker Sanctuary. This work will directly support biodiversity and create critical habitat for vulnerable bird species. It will also serve as a model for conservation in our region — demonstrating what’s possible when a community comes together with purpose.
I invite you to be part of that impact. Your support helps make projects like this possible — ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty of birds and the richness of a thriving natural world.
By participating in this year’s Bird-A-Thon, I’m doing my part to support Bedford Audubon’s conservation efforts and help raise awareness for birds that need our protection. Inspired by friends I’ve met through Bedford Audubon, I’m excited to join the Bird-A-Thon as part of John Hannan’s Harpy Eagles team. I’m especially looking forward to the challenge and thrill of birding over a 24-hour period, and to documenting an incredible diversity of species through my photography. I hope to capture images that celebrate these birds and help raise awareness for those most in need of protection.
Together, we can make a difference — for birds, for habitats, and for the community that brings it all to life.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kara Mason
Bedford Audubon Member
A Major Grant and the Momentum to Match It
I want to share incredible news. Bedford Audubon has just been awarded a $40,820 grant from the NY State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to advance our critical shrubland restoration and resiliency project across our Hunt-Parker Sanctuary.
This funding is an important investment in protecting and restoring one of New York’s most rapidly declining habitats — but to unlock its full potential, I also need your help.
This grant requires $12,440 of matching funds from individuals like you and me. Bedford Audubon Board members have stepped forward and are leading the charge with gifts totaling $5,000. Now I am asking if you can help us get over the finish line with a gift to Bedford Audubon today.
Every contribution will directly support on-the-ground restoration work, ensuring that this opportunity can be fully realized. You can also help raise these matching funds by participating in Bedford Audubon’s annual Bird-A-Thon, but no matter how you decide to do it, I need your help today.
Shrublands are vital to a variety of wildlife, including species such as American Woodcock, Prairie Warbler, Blue-wing Warbler, and Brown Thrasher, many of which are experiencing population declines due to habitat loss. With this funding, Bedford Audubon will continue to restore nesting habitat for these species and increase their populations across Westchester and Putnam counties.
This project will also expand Bedford Audubon’s role as an educational resource, enhancing our sanctuary as a “living classroom.” By sharing what we learn — our methods, challenges, and results — we will inspire and guide other conservation organizations and landowners interested in effective shrubland restoration. We look forward to engaging our members, partners, and the broader community throughout this process.
Being selected for this grant in a highly competitive field underscores the strength of Bedford Audubon’s conservation plans and the importance of this work. Support from the DEC affirms that this project is both impactful and achievable. Now, with your help to match these funds, this momentum can be transformed into lasting conservation impact across the region.
Please act today, your support will play a direct role in bringing this restoration effort to life, helping to revive essential habitats while promoting healthier ecosystems and greater biodiversity across the region. Gifts of any size bring Bedford Audubon closer to meeting the match and putting this project into action.
Thank you,
Medha Pandey, PhD
Executive Director, Bedford Audubon
Slowing Down to Protect the Birds We Love
As Chair of Bedford Audubon’s Program Committee for the past five years, I have been involved in bringing members so many exciting opportunities through our slate of walks, field trips, workshops, bird counts, lectures, and more. But this is my first Bird-a-Thon. During this Earth Week, please consider supporting my team — Morning Roost — with a donation to Bird-a-Thon today.
For some, birding is a steady accumulation of a life list, the chance to travel to new places, and the opportunity to add a new species. For others, it’s a competition, the thrill of the chase, trying to see as many birds as possible, traveling far and wide in their quest.
For me, it’s about stepping outside the routine, taking time to walk away from the business of life, and connecting with nature. Participating in our monthly Project FeederWatch count and annual Great Backyard Bird Count has taught me to savor the ordinary, the birds we see and hear around us every day. To slow down, listen, and watch — which is why I hope you will join me for a Big Sit during our Bird-a-Thon. I will be teaming up with our new Executive Director, Medha Pandey, as we undertake our inaugural Big Sit in the native habitat garden at Bylane.
Through my work on the Program Committee, my goal has been to educate and help others find a connection with nature, going beyond the bird walk to encourage others to access nature in whichever way suits them — book clubs, art classes, lectures, meditation. And now, through our Big Sit, you can perch with Medha and me for a while, enjoy the beauty of Bylane, and learn a little about the birds that call our backyard home. All while helping us raise funds to preserve and restore the habitat that our birds need to survive and thrive.
Sincerely,
Melanie Brocklehurst
Bedford Audubon Board Vice President
From Casual Interest to Conservation Champion
If you have been on a Bedford Audubon outing with me, you know that I have developed a passion for birding and connecting with the natural world. That’s why I’m proud to be participating in the Bedford Audubon 2026 Bird-A-Thon — my third year with Team Harpy Eagles — supporting an organization that has had such a meaningful impact on me. I would be grateful for your support in helping me reach my fundraising goal this year.
My personal goal is to raise $2,000, and the good news is that I’m already 25% of the way there. With a little help from you, I can get over the finish line — supporting the vital restoration of shrubland habitat at Bylane Farm. Work that will include:
- Restoration of 12 acres that will increase nesting and migratory stopover habitat for vulnerable birds such as the Prairie Warbler and Brown Thrasher.
- Expand development of the Accessible Garden, providing additional habitat for the birds while making viewing them more inclusive and accessible for all.
- Support our Summer Field Biologist and Garden Intern, who will do much of the work on these efforts while receiving training to be the next generation of conservationist leaders.
My journey would likely not have taken the path that it has if not for Bedford Audubon. Bedford Audubon has helped me understand the importance of this restoration work, while making it fun and easy to learn along the way.
I still remember the first time I participated in a bird walk with them. A local walk where their naturalist, Tait Johansson, helped me see my first Indigo Bunting and American Redstart. What was a casual interest of mine prior to that day soon became something more meaningful and worth pursuing in a deeper way. As this interest grew, so did my appreciation for birds, their habitats, and the interconnectedness and importance of conserving and protecting them.
Bedford Audubon’s mission to preserve and protect birds and their habitats is more important than ever. My involvement in their programs — from local bird walks and lectures to travel experiences in Central and South America — has shown me firsthand how education and conservation inspire lasting stewardship and a deeper connection to the natural world.
I would be truly grateful for your support. Every donation — no matter the size — directly contributes to protecting critical habitats, advancing education, and ensuring that future generations can experience the joy and wonder of birds.
Thank you for considering a donation and for helping make a meaningful difference.
With gratitude,
Debbie Burke
Bedford Audubon Board Member
Ten Teams, One Goal, and the Birds That Need Us
Great news — our Bird-A-Thon is really taking off! With help from many members, I’m happy to share that we’re 65% of the way to our $50,000 goal, which will support restoration of critical shrubland habitat at Bylane. Can you please help me reach our target today?
It’s been fun organizing this friendly competition, and I’m proud of the impact we’re making together. Every dollar raised helps bring once-common bird species back to the region, and it’s exciting to see our community step up in such a meaningful way. Here’s how the ten teams that have signed up so far are building their strategies:
- Baygulls – Scouring the hotspots of Westchester County
- Connecticut Warblers – Focused on Connecticut’s best birding sites
- Fledglings – Wandering across the mid-Hudson Valley
- Harpy Eagles 1 – Keeping their locations a secret!
- Harpy Eagles 2 – Leaving no bird unfound from Westchester forests to CT coastline
- Loonatics – Going carbon free in Westmoreland Sanctuary
- Morning Roost – A Big Sit at Bylane Farm
- Sparrow Seekers – Youth team launching from Dutchess County
- Velociraptors – A marathon sprint from West of the Hudson wetlands to LI beaches.
- West Beach Oystercatchers – Focused on SE Connecticut’s coastline
Captains are already scouting their birding hotspots as migratory birds return to our region, and team chats are buzzing with excitement as members map out their Bird-A-Thon routes.
Everyone at Bedford Audubon is deeply grateful to our dedicated teams and their ambitious species-counts and fundraising goals. Our wonderful community is also rising to the challenge — one generous member has even pledged $10 per species in support of the Connecticut Warblers — so let’s cheer them on as they aim to spot as many birds as possible. Every bit of support is helping restore the 12 acres of critical shrubland habitat at Bedford Audubon’s Hunt-Parker Sanctuary.
As our Habitat Management Task Force prepares to launch the first phase of these shrubland restoration efforts, we’re excited to report back on how bird species react to the habitat improvements. Recently, we’ve observed a second Brown Thrasher — likely part of a breeding pair — at Bylane, and their frequent visits to the feeders have become a lively interruption during staff meetings. I am very grateful for your support for this project so we can welcome more priority species like the Prairie Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, and American Woodcock.
And remember, it’s not too late to join a team! Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just starting out, there’s still time to jump in, be part of the excitement, and make a meaningful impact. Our Bird-A-Thon is a wonderful way to celebrate migration, connect with fellow bird lovers, and support Bedford Audubon’s work protecting birds and their habitats.
With thanks,
Medha Pandey, PhD
Executive Director, Bedford Audubon