Naturalist and Bedford Audubon board member Steve Ricker will lead this month's volunteer session in which we will be working in the sanctuary to restore vital bird habitats. The session will be conducted entirely outside on our sanctuary and grounds. This is a great way to get some exercise, fresh air, and contribute to our communities’ wild animals and plants. Tools and gloves are provided, but you can bring your own. Loppers and hand pruners are the most used types. Plants with thorns as well as Poison Ivy will be present. 

Saturday, September 12, 9:00am-10:30am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for a special two-part Fall Warbler ID Workshop and Field Trip designed to help birders of all levels sharpen their skills in identifying warblers during the unique challenges of fall migration. As these colorful songbirds make their southbound journey, they trade their bright breeding plumage for more subtle hues, making identification tricky, even for experienced birders. During this workshop and field trip you will learn tips and tricks to recognize fall warblers in the field. Workshop at Bylane Farm, field trip the next morning on Reservoir Road in Katonah. Workshop limited to 10 people; register early.

Wednesday, September 16, 10:00am - 12:00pm (workshop at Bylane Farm) and Thursday, September 17, 6:30am - 7:30am (field trip to Maple Ave/Reservoir Road). Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Register by clicking https://bedfordaudubon.org/workshops, or emailing: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for a special two-part Fall Warbler ID Workshop and Field Trip designed to help birders of all levels sharpen their skills in identifying warblers during the unique challenges of fall migration. As these colorful songbirds make their southbound journey, they trade their bright breeding plumage for more subtle hues, making identification tricky, even for experienced birders. During this workshop and field trip you will learn tips and tricks to recognize fall warblers in the field. Workshop at Bylane Farm, field trip the next morning on Reservoir Road in Katonah. Workshop limited to 10 people; register early.

Wednesday, September 16, 10:00am - 12:00pm (workshop at Bylane Farm) and Thursday, September 17, 6:30am - 7:30am (field trip to Maple Ave/Reservoir Road). Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Register by clicking https://bedfordaudubon.org/workshops, or emailing: info@bedfordaudubon.org

The Lewisboro Library Fair will be held rain or shine, on Saturday, September 19th from 10 am to 4 pm at Onatru Farm Park (99 Elmwood Road, South Salem, NY). The Library Fair is one of the largest community events in Lewisboro and truly has something for everyone – a car show, great music, a fun filled kids’ zone, food trucks, dunk tank, a beer and wine garden and tons of shopping at the Book Sales, Attic Treasures and vendor booths!

Once again, Bedford Audubon is proud to be a Community Partner and we will have a table at the fair so come and say Hi as you explore the Fair.

The Fair is free and open to everyone.  For more information and to plan your day, check out the Fair website: https://www.lewisborolibraryfair.com/

Join our team for a Field Trip to the Hawkwatch Platform and see what’s moving through the skies above our area. Naturalist Tait Johansson and Hawkwatch Counter Christine Waas will be on hand to help identify and explain the birds we see and provide some context for our observations. We’ll be watching for kettles of migrating raptors, along with other birds passing overhead, from this high vantage point above I-684, with sweeping views across the Arthur Butler Sanctuary and beyond to Long Island Sound. Learn how hawk migration is monitored and why long-term observations like these are important for understanding raptor populations and migration patterns. Come see if we can top last year’s numbers!

Saturday, September 19, 11:30am-2:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Moderate – the trail to the platform is about 1/4 mile, and somewhat steep in parts, with exposed root and rocks, including some smaller loose rocks in places. Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Explore the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden at Bylane Farm during Westchester Pollinators’ Open Garden Tour and see ecological beauty in action. Designed to bring conservation to life, our garden demonstrates how thoughtfully planned native landscapes can support wildlife, strengthen ecosystems, and inspire people. While you’re here, enjoy a sneak peek at our new Accessible Garden and Path and learn more about this exciting addition to our sanctuary. Docents will be on hand to answer questions and share tips for creating a vibrant, bird-friendly habitat in your own yard!

Arrive at 1:00pm to Discover the Fascinating World of Bees during our free, 30-minute educational mini-workshop and walk. Learn about bees’ essential role as pollinators while separating fact from fiction about these remarkable and often misunderstood insects.

Sunday, September 20, 1:00pm-4:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. No registration required, open to all. Questions? Email: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

This year, every Sunday afternoon from May 1 – October 31 (rain or shine) homeowners will open their yards to share their journeys to inspire you to create more nature-friendly landscapes. 

Bedford Audubon's Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden will be on the tour on Sunday, September 20 from 1:00-4:00pm. 

All of the gardens that will be open for this year's tour can be found here: https://www.healthyyards.org/tour

Join guest leader, Nadav Snir-Zelniker, for a Pop-Up Bird Walk on Tuesday, September 22, at the Marshlands Conservancy and the Rye Nature Center. Cornell's bird migration forecast is off the charts for the next few days (see the map below) with over 300 million birds estimated to be migrating over the United States each night. While these numbers don't reflect the quantity of birds on the ground in the morning, they mean that an immense number of birds are moving through the habitat, so the next few days are a great time to get out there and see which feathered friends have arrived. 

September is the peak of fall migration in North America, with the greatest diversity of warblers moving through during the first half of the month. The diverse habitats at Marshlands Conservancy and Rye Nature Center make for a good stopping point for these birds to refuel, so get ready to flex your warbler ID skills and hit the trails with us!

Tuesday, September 22, 7:30 – 9:30 am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. For more details and to register, please email us ASAP: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Sharpen your raptor identification skills and pick up expert tips in this two-part Raptor ID Workshop and Field Trip with Naturalist Tait Johansson. The program will begin with an info 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 the Chestnut Ridge viewing platform at the Arthur Butler Sanctuary in Mount Kisco to put 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. Workshop limited to 10 people; register early.

Friday, September 25, 9:00am-2:00pm. Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Level of Difficulty: Moderate (the trail to the platform is somewhat steep in parts). Please email to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.