First Wednesday Bird Walk

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson at our First Wednesday Walk location at Hilltop Hanover Farm, an oasis of open fields and woodland edges in Yorktown Heights. Rather than focusing on finding as many species as possible, Tait will guide us as we take time to pause, listen, and observe familiar birds with fresh eyes and ears. Whether you’re new to birding or an experienced observer, this welcoming walk offers an opportunity to slow down, sharpen your observation skills, and experience a familiar landscape in a new way.

Wednesday, August 5, 7:30am-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Dragonfly and Damselfly Workshop

Dragonflies and damselflies are among the most ancient and accomplished aerial predators on Earth. Inhabiting wetlands, streams, ponds, and marshes, these insects play an important role in freshwater ecosystems and serve as valuable indicators of environmental health.

In our new Dragonfly and Damselfly Workshop, Naturalist Tait Johansson will introduce participants to the diversity, identification, ecology, and life history of the dragonflies and damselflies found in our region. This two-part workshop begins with an indoor session at Bylane Farm, where Tait will cover the key characteristics, behaviors, habitats, and evolutionary history of these remarkable insects. Participants will then head into the field with Tait to put their new knowledge into practice, honing their identification skills while exploring the wetland habitats these fascinating insects depend on.

Saturday, August 8, 10:00am-1:00pm. Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Register by clicking below, or emailing: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Field Trip to Jamaica Bay

Take a trip birding with Naturalist Tait Johansson to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, one of the Northeast’s most productive birding hotspots, where an exceptional diversity of habitats, including salt marshes, mudflats, open water, and upland areas, supports an impressive variety of birds throughout the year. This trip is timed to coincide with high tide when the marshes of the open bay are submerged, but the East Pond mudflats are not tidal, providing foraging and/or resting areas while the waters are high outside. Wear rubber boots, or old sneakers and a change of footwear for later, as we’re expecting mud possibly up to above the ankles while we search for Glossy Ibis, Great Blue and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Osprey, egrets, and possibly flocks of hundreds of sandpipers and plovers of many species.

Friday, August 14, 8:00am-1:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Third Thursday Bird Walk 

Naturalist Tait Johansson leads our popular, easy-going Third Thursday walk, which takes place at the Cross River Reservoir Dam area in Katonah and is a favorite for birders of all levels. The reservoir and surrounding woodlands, wetlands, and open areas attract a wide variety of species, making each walk a unique experience.

Thursday, August 20, 7:30am-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Garden Volunteer Sessions

You don’t need to be a gardening expert to join native garden volunteer and educator Beth Metzger and other volunteers as we work in the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden at Bedford Audubon. We rely on volunteers of all ages and abilities, and volunteering is a great way to get hands-on experience with cultivating native plants and gardening techniques, and learn about the birds, butterflies, and pollinators that call the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden their home. Tools and gloves are provided, but you can bring your own. Plants with thorns as well as Poison Ivy will be present. Volunteer sessions take place on Wednesday mornings.

Wednesdays, 8:30am-10:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Cape May Extended Birding Weekend

Registration is now open for our fall birding trip to Cape May, one of North America’s premier migration destinations! Join Naturalist Tait Johansson as we explore a variety of habitats across the Jersey Shore during the height of fall migration. This trip offers the chance to see more than 100 bird species, including Peregrine Falcons, American Kestrels, Ospreys, dozens of warblers, spectacular flocks of Tree Swallows, and an impressive diversity of shorebirds and seabirds.

Friday, October 2 – Monday, October 5. The program fee for this trip is $165 for members, $200 for non-members (and we’ll credit $35 toward an annual membership).

Register now by clicking the link below, or email us to find out more: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Memberships Matter

Bedford Audubon memberships help make all of these programs possible. To become a member, just click the box below. Do you have questions, suggestions, or other thoughts? Call the office at 914-232-1999 or email info@bedfordaudubon.org. We’d love to hear from you!