Join Melanie Brocklehurst for our latest book club discussion of We Should All Be Birds: A Memoir by Brian Buckbee, a book about finding healing and meaning through an unlikely friendship with a rescued pigeon, while battling a debilitating, mysterious chronic illness and grief after losing his partner. Published in August 2025, the memoir chronicles how Buckbee, isolated in his Montana home, transforms his life by caring for the bird, which leads to a deeper exploration of love, loss, and resilience, contrasting his former life as an athlete with his new reality. 

Monday, May 11, 6:30pm. Cost: Free. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Naturalist Tait Johansson will lead us along Washington Road in Carmel, which sits within the forested and wetland-rich landscapes of Putnam County along the Atlantic Flyway. In spring migration, mixed habitats such as roadside woodlands, small ponds, and brushy edges provide essential stopover resources for  songbirds moving north, where they rely on insects and sheltered cover to rest and refuel. Tait will be searching for Spotted Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Cliff Swallow, and migrant warblers, possibly including Bay-breasted.

Tuesday, May 12, 7:00am-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Join Naturalist Tait Johansson at Rockefeller State Park, a major regional birding hotspot, with over 200 recorded species supported by its diverse mix of forests, meadows, wetlands, and lakes. The park is notable for its historic network of more than 55 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads. It has been designated a National Audubon Society “Important Bird Area." During spring migration, “waves” of warblers and other songbirds pass through these varied habitats, making it an important stopover site. Note: $6 fee for parking.

Thursday, May 14, 7:00am-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

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, May 23rd, 9:00am-10:30am. Location: Bylane Farm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Join Bedford Audubon Executive Director Medha Pandey and Naturalist Tait Johansson, along with our skilled volunteers, as they bring banding to our own backyard during our Bird Banding Demonstration at Bylane Farm. 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. This demonstration 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. 

Sunday, May 24, 8:00am-10:00am. Cost: Free, though donations are encouraged to help support this important research. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org. To learn more about our MAPS banding station, click the button below.

Come explore the birdlife and wildlife of Bedford Hills Memorial Park with us! Naturalist Tait Johansson will lead a guided walk that will help you discover new perspectives on common birds — and maybe even encounter something less common, like the gorgeous pair of Osprey, currently nesting in the park. We’ll provide binoculars for borrowing and set up a viewing scope so you can enjoy an up-close look. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just curious, all ages and skill levels are invited. Bring your friends and family and spend a relaxing afternoon connecting with nature and your community. Educational materials in English and Spanish will be provided. This event is co-sponsored by the Town of Bedford Department of Recreation and Parks. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are always welcome.

Head north with Naturalist Tait Johansson to the Maybrook Trailway in Brewster, which cuts through some of the most ecologically productive terrain in Putnam County, making it a rewarding May birding corridor. The trail encompasses a mosaic of habitats — open water at Tonetta Lake, Atlantic White Cedar swamp, marsh edges, and upland woodlands — that together act as a powerful magnet during spring migration. We will be on the lookout for Brown Creeper, Northern Waterthrush, Blackpoll Warbler and others.

Tuesday, May 26, 7:00am-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Explore a 654-acre preserve with Naturalist Tait Johansson on this field trip to Angle Fly Preserve in Somers. The location offers a range of habitats, including wetlands, shrublands, and woodlands. This diversity draws a wide variety of migrants moving north along the Atlantic Flyway in May and allows us to explore multiple habitat types in a single outing. Tait will be seeking out multiple species including Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Hooded Warbler and more.

Thursday, May 28, 7:00am-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org

Step into nature and see your landscape in a whole new way. Join us for a guided hike where you’ll explore native trees and plants, discover the pollinators they support, and learn how to tell native and non-native species apart.

Along the trails and in and around Bedford Audubon’s Native Habitat Garden, you’ll gain practical tips and inspiration to make your own yard more vibrant, ecological, and alive.

Led by Bedford 2030 Rooted Solutions Coach, Missy Fabel, and Bedford Audubon Educator Steve Ricker, this immersive experience blends learning, walking, and connection with the natural world.

Saturday, May 30th, 10 to 11:30 am at Bedford Audubon, Bylane Farm.

Space is limited, so register now! Email Susan, info@bedfordaudubon.org