First Wednesday’s Bird Walk

Look for signs of spring on our First Wednesday Bird Walk! Join us at Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown Heights for a March morning of birding through open meadows and woodland margins. We’ll be on the lookout for birds such as Red-shouldered Hawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Swamp Sparrow, with the possibility of Fox Sparrow or Winter Wren. Open to birders of all experience levels, this outing offers a welcoming way to discover a new site while keeping the tradition of our monthly walk.

Wednesday, March 4, 7:30am-9:30am. Level of Difficulty: Easy/Moderate (due to snow, slush and possible patches of ice on the trail). Cost: Free. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Birding By Ear Workshop

Ready to take your birding skills beyond the binoculars? Join naturalist Tait Johansson for Birding By Ear, an engaging workshop designed to sharpen your listening and elevate your field identification skills. Learning to recognize bird calls and songs can be both deeply rewarding and surprisingly challenging. Tait will break down the mystery behind bird vocalizations, guiding you through listening, identifying, and categorizing a wide range of sounds. Perfect for serious birders looking to sharpen their listening skills and take their field skills to the next level. Limited to 8 participants.

Saturday, March 7, 8:00am-11:00am. Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Click the link below to register.

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Project FeederWatch

Join our count! And join thousands of people in watching, learning, and contributing observations about the natural world. Bring your coffee, and spend an hour with Naturalist Tait Johansson as we count the birds we see in and around Bylane Farm.

Project FeederWatch is a community science project that enlists thousands of people across North America to count the birds they see at their feeders, backyards, and local green spaces each winter. The project is a collaboration between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. 

We will be counting for two days every month through April so check out all the upcoming dates.

Sunday, March 8 & Monday, March 9, 9:00-10:00am. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Cost: Free. Email Susan to register for any or all of the counts: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Habitat Renewal Volunteer Session

It’s always the right season to get involved in meaningful conservation work on our sanctuary. Join Naturalist and Board Member Steve Ricker to work in and around the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden and learn how thoughtful habitat management and land stewardship practices directly support birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, while also creating healthier, more welcoming spaces for people.

Participants will lend a hand on several projects currently underway, including a new Accessibility Trail designed to make our sanctuary more inclusive for all visitors. 

Habitat Renewal is a rewarding opportunity to deepen your understanding of local ecology while making a tangible impact.

Saturday, March 14, 11:00am-12:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy/moderate. For more information and to register for this volunteer opportunity, please email Susan: info@bedfordaudubon.org 

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Katonah Library Lecture

Join Bedford Audubon Board President John Hannan for a photographic recap of our incredible 10-day birding journey to Ecuador.

Traveling through cloud forest, rainforest, páramo, and the eastern and western slopes of the Andes Mountains, ten Bedford Audubon members explored one of the most bird-rich regions on Earth. With more than 1,640 bird species recorded nationwide, Ecuador offers unparalleled diversity, including many species endemic to the Chocó region.

John will share highlights from the trip, memorable sightings, and reflections on the extraordinary biodiversity that makes northwestern Ecuador a global birding treasure.

Wednesday, March 18, 7:00pm (refreshments at 6:45pm). Location: Katonah Village Library Garden Room. Cost: Free. No need to register, all are welcome.

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Online Science Presentation

Did you know that 7 of the 12 deadliest pandemics in human history occurred in the 20th and 21st centuries? Zoonoses — diseases that spread between animals and humans — are increasing because of climate change. Bedford Audubon’s new Executive Director, Medha Pandey, invites you to her PhD Dissertation Defense on Zoom, where she examines one important and often overlooked zoonotic pathway: how birds maintain and disperse ticks and tick-borne diseases.

During spring and fall migrations, birds disperse millions of ticks across the Americas, potentially spreading serious diseases. Climate change is also creating new habitats for deer ticks, enabling bird-assisted tick and pathogen colonization. Medha’s research investigates changes in the bird community, in tick phenology on birds, and in pathogen prevalence in bird-borne ticks to help predict future invasions and support more effective strategies to monitor and control tick-borne zoonotic diseases.

Tuesday, March 17th at 10:00 am – 11:00 am on Zoom. To register and receive the Zoom link, please email Susan: info@bedfordaudubon.org 

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Third Thursday’s Bird Walk

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for our monthly Third Thursday’s Bird Walk in Katonah, and you might just catch a glimpse of the Pine Warbler! This warbler is a short-distance migrant and tends to migrate early and will be a hopeful sign of spring! Some other species Tait is hoping for include Bald Eagle, Brown Creeper, Common Raven, and Wood Duck, another early-returning migrant. This popular, easy-going monthly walk takes place in the Cross River Reservoir Dam area in Katonah and is a favorite for birders of all levels.

Thursday, March 19, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register:info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Field Trip to Wallkill NWR & Black Dirt Region

The Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America. With a little luck, we just might see hundreds of them on this month’s Field Trip to Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge and Black Dirt Region with Naturalist Tait Johansson. This area is rich with species of waterfowl, waterbirds, raptors, and songbirds. At this time of year, possible sightings also include hundreds of Northern Pintails, Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, and perhaps Lapland Longspur. Tait also hopes for lingering Rough-legged Hawk and flocks of Snow Geese.

Friday, March 20, 8:30am-1:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Vernal Pools Nature Walk

Vernal pools are critical, ephemeral “incubators” for salamanders and wood frogs — life literally begins in these temporary fresh-water ponds for these species. Don’t miss your chance to search for this life on our Exploration of Vernal Pools Nature Walk led by Naturalist Tait Johansson. In this family-friendly program. Tait will guide us to these hidden treasures deep in the Hunt-Parker sanctuary and will talk about the vital importance of these seasonal wetlands as spawning grounds for salamanders and other amphibians. Family friendly for children 10 years of age and older, must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday, March 21, 12:30pm-2:30pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Sunday in the Park with Bedford Audubon

Back for spring! Join us at Bedford Hills Memorial Park to rediscover the beauty of our local birds and wildlife. Whether you’re new to birdwatching or a seasoned birder, this event offers something for everyone. We’ll have binoculars to lend you and a viewing scope on hand so you can get a closer look. Naturalist Tait Johansson will lead a guided walk to help you see familiar birds in a whole new way – and maybe even spot some unfamiliar ones. Bilingual volunteers and educational materials in English and Spanish will be available. Bring your family and friends, and meet us in the park for an afternoon of nature, learning, and connection!

Sunday, March 22, 1:00pm-3:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. For more information and to register, please email Susan: info@bedfordaudubon.org 

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Bylane Book Club

Join Melanie Brocklehurst at Bylane for our March read, Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by author, renowned actor and National Audubon Society Board Director Lili Taylor.

Through a series of beautifully crafted essays, Taylor shares her intimate encounters with the birds that have captured her heart and imagination—from tracking flitting woodpeckers through oak trees to spotting majestic blue jays perched on a Manhattan fire escape; from the exhilaration of witnessing a migratory flock  from the top of the Empire State Building to the quiet joy of observing a nest of hatchlings in her own backyard. “By turns introspective, inquisitive, and funny, the book is a love letter to nature and the solace it can provide” – The New Yorker.

Monday, March 23, 6:30pm. Cost: Free. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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Dance of the Woodcock

The American Woodcock can usually be found on the ground – but not at dusk when its dancing begins! Join Naturalist Tait Johansson together with the folks from Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, for Dance of the Woodcock at the reservation. In this rare evening walk, we’ll be in search of the American Woodcock, a secretive early migrant that performs a quirky courtship ritual in the hopes of attracting a mate. You’re sure to be amazed at this bird’s extraordinary display during which male woodcock “peents”, struts, hurls himself into the evening sky, and glides back down to the ground again. This trip is so popular that we’re offering it twice this year. Better sign up fast before it fills up!

Tuesday, March 24 and Friday, March 27, 6:45pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org. Please be sure to let Susan know which date you will attend when emailing. This program is co-sponsored by Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.

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Virtual Garden Workshop

Take part in our virtual workshop, Creating a Bird-Friendly Lawn, and learn how your lawn can support birds while remaining a functional, enjoyable green space for people. Our Native Habitat Garden team will highlight practical elements you can incorporate into your existing lawn that benefit birds and explore how small adjustments in mowing habits, soil care, and plant selection can have a lasting impact. The workshop will also guide you through gradually reducing traditional lawn areas and adopting healthier yard care practices.

Whether you’re making a few simple updates or considering a larger transformation, you’ll gain practical tools and fresh inspiration for cultivating a vibrant, lower-maintenance landscape that supports birds throughout the year.

Thursday, March 26, 7:00pm-8:00pm Location: Virtual/Zoom. Cost: Free for Bedford Audubon members: email Susan to register and receive the Zoom link info@bedfordaudubon.org, a $10 donation to support the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden is requested for non-members (click link below to register/donate). 

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Bird Walk at Deans Bridge

Do you know which North American bird species is experiencing the most rapid decline? According to Cornell Lab’s All About Birds, it’s the Rusty Blackbird, whose population “has plunged an estimated 85–99 percent over the past 40 years.” On this local walk with Naturalist Tait Johansson, spotting one of these elusive birds is a real possibility.

As we explore the diverse habitats in the Dean’s Bridge area of Somers, we’ll also be on the lookout for early spring migrants like Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Palm Warbler, along with waterfowl such as Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, and Pied-billed Grebe. This is a wonderful opportunity to welcome spring and discover the rich birdlife of our local landscape.

Tuesday, March 31, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate (there is a steep incline on the trail). Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

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Voices of Bedford Audubon

Explore these heartfelt letters of support from members of our community. Each one tells a deeply personal story — a spark of discovery, a growing connection to nature, or a lifelong commitment to conservation — that led them to support Bedford Audubon.

We’ve gathered these testimonials in one place for you to enjoy. Click the button below to hear from community members and discover the impact of Bedford Audubon through their voices.

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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!