Program Calendar

Join us for our First Wednesday’s Bird Walk in Somers where we track the changing seasons through the numbers and species of birds we see in the different habitats we explore, including water, wetland, grasslands, and woodland birds. Fall migration will be underway so we will be on the lookout for some early migrants – let us know if you would like to borrow binoculars when you register.

Wednesday,September 6, 7:30-9:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate (there is a steep incline on the walk). Email Susan to register:info@bedfordaudubon.org

New York City issituated directly in the Atlantic Flyway and the city’s parks provide ideal spots for migratory birds to rest and refuel on their epic journeys. Central Park is an 843-acre rectangle and was designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 1988: it is a welcoming place for birds migrating along the East Coast to rest and store up energy for the next leg of their journey. Check out fall migration with Naturalist Tait Johansson on his Field Trip to Central Park. It’s a popular stopover for fall-migrating warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other songbirds.

Friday, September 8, 7:15am-2:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Email Susan toregister: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

The group will meet at7:15am at 72^nd Street and Central Park West, the entrance to Strawberry Fields. We’ll stop at the boathouse for lunch or bring your own.

You’ve been out on a bird walk or had a great bird in your backyard, you got the image but it’s just not perfect.What can you do to make it into the picture you want to frame? Join Bedford Audubon member and photo enthusiast John Hannan for his Workshop: Tips & Tricks to Make Your Birding Photos Stand Out. John will lead you through the steps to pick the right image; tweak light, color, sharpness, and noise options so the image pops; and then crop and size for best subject placement. Whether you use a Mac or Windows machine, free or paid software, this workshop will give you the tools to start making your best images ”picture-perfect” and save those frustrating “almost perfect” shots into great photographic memories.  

John Hannan works forBirdLife International, the world’s largest partnership of bird conservation organizations, and is a Somers resident, long-time Bedford Audubon member and past President, and an avid naturalist and amateur photographer.

Saturday, September 9, 10:30am-12:30pm. Cost: Free.Registration is required with Somers Library: https://host5.evanced.info/somers/evanced/eventcalendar.asp

One of the most fun and challenging aspects of hawk watching is identification. Learn how to tell the difference between various raptors by joining Tait Johansson for a new two-part Raptor Identification Workshop.The program will begin with an information session at Bylane Farm during which Tait will guide you through various traits and behaviors of raptor families that will help you identify them in flight. The group will then head to a viewing platform at the Nature Conservancy’s Arthur Butler Memorial Sanctuary where you can put your new skills into practice. This event is timed to coincide with the peak migration of raptors such as Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, Osprey, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. Don’t miss this exciting event!

Sunday, September 10, 9:00am-2:00pm. Cost: $20 (members)/$25(non-members) and includes a packet material to take home including a laminated raptor ID cheat sheet. Level of Difficulty: Moderate (due to the hillside trail tothe viewing platform). Registration is required.

Take an hour out of your busy schedule for our September Nature Meditation with Master Reiki Practitioner, Catherine Downs. We start with a seated, guided reiki inspired meditation, and finish with an immersive slow walk focusing on using the senses to connect to the natural world around us.

The session will takeplace in the garden at Bylane, or in the lower part of the Hunt-Parker Sanctuary, so sturdy shoes are recommended, plus layers of clothing depending on the weather and maybe a hat. Participants should also bring something to sit on – a blanket, cushion or beach/camp chair.

Tuesday, September 12, 10:00-11:00am. Cost: Free. Levelof Difficulty: Easy-Moderate (may include an incline on the trail). EmailSusan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Returningafter a summer break, our Monthly Lecture Series will resume with a timely presentation on the state of our forests. Bedford Audubon is pleased to welcome back Westchester County Parks Recreation Supervisor Taro Ietaka to Katonah Village Library for a presentation on the challenges our trees are facing from invasive species and disease. 

What are the biggest threats that Westchester’s forests are facing and what is being done about them? This presentation will describe the impact of pathogens suchas Beech Leaf Disease, adapting to climate change, and the actions that individuals and organizations are taking to ensure healthy forests in ourfuture. 

Taro Ietaka is the supervisor of Mountain LakesPark, a professional naturalist, certified arborist, and past president of the Connecticut-Westchester Mycological Association. 

Wednesday,September 13, 7:00pm.  Free and open to all: no registration isrequired.

Come visit with us at Hawkwatch! Join us for the peak of Broad-winged Hawk migration at Chestnut Ridge, when we sometimes see thousands of hawks in a day. Lead Counter Rich Aracil, Interpreter Adam Bradley, and of course Naturalist Tait Johansson will be on hand to give you all the details from a viewing platform that is perched high above I-684 with spectacular views at the Arthur Butler Sanctuary. 

Friday, September 15, 10:00am-12:00pm. Cost:Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate (due to the hillside trail to the viewing platform). Email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org