EXTENDED BIRDING WEEKEND TO CAPE MAY, NJ (OCT 2 – OCT 5)

A couple of spaces have opened up for our Fall Birding Trip to Cape May, if you’d like a last minute chance to visit 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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Scan the skies! at chestnut ridge hawkwatch

Each autumn from mid-August through late November, Bedford Audubon staff and volunteers count an average of more than 14,000 raptors soaring over our Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch. Now entering its 44th year of formal fall raptor monitoring, our data contributes to population and migration analyses that guide raptor conservation locally and across the hemisphere. Stop by and meet our Lead Counter Chris Waas, who is happy to answer questions about raptors and the science behind our research.

Takes place daily through mid-November from 9:00am-5:00pm (weather permitting) at Arthur Butler Sanctuary, 265 Chestnut Ridge Road, Mount Kisco. No registration required. For more information, learn about Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch on our website, or email info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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First Wednesday’s Bird Walk

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for our regular First Wednesday’s Bird Walk at Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown Heights. We will be on the lookout for early October migrants like Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Savannah Sparrow, Palm Warbler and possibly Lincoln’s Sparrow as we walk the farm’s open fields and woodland edges. This walk is suitable for birders of all levels and often fills up quickly.

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

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breakfast with the hawks

You don’t want to miss this popular annual event at our Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch Platform! Executive Director Medha Pandey, Lead Counter Chris Waas, and Director of Conservation and Wildlife Management at Westmoreland Sanctuary Steve Ricker will be on hand to “show and tell” the raptors and other avian species flying above, while we enjoy bagels, hot cocoa, and coffee: Cooper’s Hawks, Ospreys, and Sharp-shinned Hawks are all on the move at this time of year. This much-loved event is the perfect opportunity to visit Hawkwatch for a first-time visit, and is great for families (all children must be accompanied by an adult). This event is cosponsored by Westmoreland Sanctuary.

Saturday, October 10, 9:00-11:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate – the trail to the platform is about 1/4 mile, and somewhat steep in parts, with exposed roots and rocks, including some smaller loose rocks in places. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Fall BIRD BANDING DEMONSTRATION

Join Executive Director Medha Pandey, Naturalist Tait Johansson, and our skilled volunteers as they once again bring banding to our own backyard. Watch live bird banding in action; learn what data is recorded; and enjoy a rare up-close encounter with some of our local bird species and possible fall migrants. This demonstration at Bylane Farm is a great opportunity to learn more about our MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship) Station in the Hunt-Parker Sanctuary and Bedford Audubon’s contributions to this important research as Tait and a team of volunteers band birds, explaining every step along the way. This is a family-friendly event, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sunday, October 11, 8:00-10:00am. Cost: Free, but donations welcomed to support our research. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Third Thursday’s bird Walk

Join us for our ever-popular monthly walk at the Cross River Dam area in Katonah. Our Naturalist Tait Johansson will be on the lookout for mid-October migrants such as Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrush, and Winter Wren, and likely a few recently-arrived waterfowl on the reservoir like Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser. This is an easy walk, suitable for beginners and experienced birders alike, so sign up early!

Thursday, October 15, 7:30am-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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WELLNESS AT BEDFORD audubon

As autumn settles over the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden, participants are invited to join Emily Lindquist for a guided mindfulness session to unplug and experience the landscape. This wellness-based program opens with guided sensory exploration – using the sights, sounds, and scents of the garden to help visitors cultivate a deeper connection to nature. Afterward, guests will be invited to journal in the garden, reflecting on themes of seasonal transition. Finally, the program will conclude with a gratitude circle, allowing participants to develop a sense of interconnectedness with one another and the natural world. This event highlights the ecological significance of the fall season in a restorative and grounding environment.

Emily Lindquist is a nature-lover with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. While her background is in early childhood education, she currently finds her passion in exploring the relationship between the natural environment and mental well-being. She hopes to use her love of eco-wellness to encourage people to feel more present and grounded in nature.

Saturday, October 17, 8:00-9:15am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES :
RESTORING SHRUBLANDS: BEDFORD AUDUBON’S WORK TO BRING BACK A VANISHING HABITAT

Why is protecting land not enough? Join us in welcoming new Bedford Audubon Board Member Mike Usai, who will take us behind the scenes of a major habitat restoration project at the Hunt-Parker Sanctuary. Funded by a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Invasive Species Grant, the project will transform areas dominated by invasive species into native shrubland habitat. Learn why active management is necessary, what Bedford Audubon is doing to restore and maintain its sanctuary, and how this work helps support declining shrubland bird species.

Mike has worked in natural resources management, policy, and research for more than 30 years with the New York City water supply. He advises senior leadership on emerging scientific and policy issues surrounding natural resources and watershed management and directs programs in forest and wetland science, aquatic ecology, invasive species, and ecological restoration. A former wildlife biologist, he has served on national and state advisory committees on topics ranging from ornithology, invasive species, water reuse, and ecological flows. He holds a Master of Philosophy in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the CUNY Graduate Center, and a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College.

Wednesday, October 21, 7:00pm. Cost: Free. Location: Katonah Village Library Garden Room. No registration is needed, all are welcome. Please join us for refreshments from 6:45pm ahead of Mike’s presentation at 7:00pm.

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HABITAT RENEWAL VOLUNTEER SESSION

Help make a tangible impact on bird habitat at our sanctuary — and learn how to apply what you learn to your own garden or yard. Join Bedford Audubon Board Member and Naturalist Steve Ricker for Habitat Renewal Day, a workshop session during which Steve will teach you how to identify and remove invasive plants and why this practice is so vital to the ecosystem.

Tools and gloves will be provided, though you’re welcome to bring your own (loppers and hand pruners are especially useful). Please note that thorny plants and poison ivy may be present.

Saturday, October 24, 9:00am-10:00am. Location: Bylane Farm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy.  Please email to register:  info@bedfordaudubon.org

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SPARROW ID Workshop + FIELD TRIP

Do sparrows confuse you? You’re not alone. With their strikingly similar appearances, sparrows can be tricky to identify — even for seasoned birders. Back by popular demand, Naturalist Tait Johansson can help you distinguish these “little brown jobs” from one another in this two-part Sparrow Identification Workshop and Field Trip. In the first part, Tait will provide information on how to identify these under-appreciated birds, from field markings, behaviors, and vocalizations; in the second part, we’ll take a field trip to Allen’s Meadows Park in Wilton, CT, a sparrow “hot spot,” to practice identifying them in the field. We’ll be on the lookout for Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and others. *Space is limited on this program so register early if interested.  

Saturday, October 24, 7:00am-11:30am. Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. 
Level of Difficulty: Easy. Click below to register online by credit card. Please email with any questions, or to register and pay by cash/check: info@bedfordaudubon.org. 

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birding and bagels with bedford riding lanes

Join us for our second collaboration with Bedford Riding Lanes Association for Bagels and Birds.

Enjoy a guided bird walk along one of Bedford Riding Lanes Association’s beautiful private trails with Naturalist Tait Johansson, who will lead us as we take in the fall foliage and search for sparrows, kinglets, and late-season warblers making their southward journey to warmer habitats. Event includes bagels & coffee. *Space is very limited for this event

Sunday, October 25, 7:30-9:30am. Location & details to follow upon registration. Cost: $35 for all participants. Level of Difficulty: Easy. 

You must register directly with BRLA  – please click below to register via the dedicated event page.

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Photography Workshop (RESCHEDULED FROM SEPT 26 DUE TO WEATHER)

We still have a couple of spots left on this in-depth 4-hour photography workshop, Better Bird Shots: A Conceptual and Technical Approach to Improving Your Bird Photography, led by Dr. Loren Merrill, is designed for anyone interested in improving their bird photography skills, from beginners to experienced photographers.

The workshop emphasizes classroom learning and covers both Loren’s conceptual approach to bird photography and the technical elements needed to create impactful images. He will discuss preferred camera settings for different scenarios, with particular attention to photographing birds in flight under varying environmental conditions. Toward the end of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to put these techniques and settings into practice, photographing birds at the feeders and elsewhere on the Bylane Farm grounds.

Dr. Loren Merrill is a photographer and science writer with a doctorate in avian ecology, animal behavior, and physiology. His deep knowledge of bird behavior informs his photography and teaching. An award-winning instructor and mentor, Loren works closely with participants to help them achieve their goals.

Saturday, October 31, 8:00am – 12:00pm. Cost: $200 per person. Class size limited to 10 people. For more information, email: 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!