Gulls are large, approachable birds that gather in open spaces — and yet they're notorious for sending birders running in the other direction. In our Gull ID Workshop + Field Trip to Jones Beach, Naturalist Tait Johansson cuts through the identification confusion with a practical, confidence-building approach.

Part One begins at Bylane Farm, where Tait will guide participants through the key field marks needed to identify gulls with confidence — overall size, wingtip pattern, mantle color, leg color, and head pattern — alongside the structural and behavioral cues (posture, gait, bill shape) that often distinguish species more reliably than plumage alone. Tait will also demystify the complex progression from juvenile to adult plumage, giving participants a practical framework rather than an exhaustive checklist.

Then it's out into the field for Part Two: a trip to Jones Beach State Park on Long Island’s South Shore, one of the region's premier birding destinations and a reliable gathering ground for multiple gull species at once. There, those newly honed skills will be put to the test with species found in the area: American Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Laughing Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and possibly Bonaparte's Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and others.

Saturday, April 4, 8:00am-9:30am (classroom portion), 11:00am-1:30pm (field trip) Cost: $25 members, $40 non-members. Level of Difficulty: Easy. For more information, email Susan: info@bedfordaudubon.org. Register online here: https://bedfordaudubon.org/workshops/ 

Join us for the Opening Reception of an encore presentation of our Members' Photo Exhibit at the Patterson Library! Now is your chance to experience From Near and Far: Celebrating Birds Across the Americas, a selection of bird photographs from across the Americas, captured by Bedford Audubon members. Beyond the birds we see locally, both year-round residents and migratory species, there is a vast array of fascinating bird species we never experience here in New York – almost 11,000 species globally! This exhibit visually showcases some of the most photogenic bird species from all parts of the Americas while answering some of the questions you might have about our migratory birds as they travel along aerial “flyways" extending from North America south to Mexico, Central America, and as far south as the tip of South America: where do “our” birds go when they head south, how far do they travel, and what other bird species do they encounter on their wintering grounds? 

The exhibit will be on display at the Patterson Library from April 1-30 during library hours: Monday through Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm.

Saturday, April 11, 11:00am-1:00pm. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. Cost: Free. Location: Patterson Library, 1167 Route 311, Patterson, NY. Please email Susan: info@bedfordaudubon.org to RSVP.

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 us 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 every month November through April so check out all the upcoming dates: all counts will be at Bylane from 9am-10am.
Level of Difficulty: Easy. Cost: Free. Email Susan to register for any or all of the counts: info@bedfordaudubon.org

• Sunday, November 9 & Monday, November 10
• Sunday, December 7 & Monday, December 8
• Sunday, January 11 & Monday, January 12
• Sunday, February 15 & Monday, February 16
• Sunday, March 8 & Monday, March 9
• Sunday, April 12 & Monday, April 13

An estimated 1 billion birds in North America die each year after colliding with glass – and nearly half of these strikes occur at low-rise residential buildings. What many people don’t realize is how common this problem is. The good news? These deaths are largely preventable when people take action at their own homes.

In Flight Interrupted: Preventing Bird-Window Strikes at Home, Susan Fisher, former board president at Bedford Audubon, delivers a practical crash course in understanding why birds fly into windows, how significant the problem really is, and some simple, affordable steps homeowners can take to create their own bird-friendly windows to stop these deadly strikes.

Susan Fisher is a longtime volunteer with Bedford Audubon. Having experienced many bird-window strikes at her own home, Susan is passionate about raising awareness of this widespread but preventable problem.

Sunday, April 12, 3:00-4:00pm. Cost: Free.

This is a Bedford Audubon program for Lewisboro Library. Please register directly with the Library: https://lewisborolibrary.org/event/flight-interrupted-preventing-bird-window-strikes/

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 us 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 every month November through April so check out all the upcoming dates: all counts will be at Bylane from 9am-10am.
Level of Difficulty: Easy. Cost: Free. Email Susan to register for any or all of the counts: info@bedfordaudubon.org

• Sunday, November 9 & Monday, November 10
• Sunday, December 7 & Monday, December 8
• Sunday, January 11 & Monday, January 12
• Sunday, February 15 & Monday, February 16
• Sunday, March 8 & Monday, March 9
• Sunday, April 12 & Monday, April 13

Event canceled due to predicted rain.

Migration Madness begins at this nearby birding hotspot. The Titicus Reservoir is a crucial component of the New York City water supply as well as a vital, protected watershed for migratory birds and local wildlife. Join Naturalist Tait Johansson as we seek out a variety of species there, including Louisiana Waterthrush, Palm Warbler, Common Loon, and Bald Eagle and many others. 

Tuesday, April 21, 7:00am-9:00am. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Enter the dazzling world of nature's tiny superheroes and discover how your yard can help them thrive. 

Join us and our partner organizations for a free screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar. This beautifully filmed documentary by Sam Jaffe of The Caterpillar Lab invites us to look more closely at a group of creatures we often overlook. Caterpillars are not only remarkably diverse and fascinating in their own right. They are also essential to ecosystem health.In fact, only 2–5 percent of caterpillars survive to adulthood. The vast majority are eaten, making them a critical food source for birds and other wildlife.

After the screening, we will have a conversation about how our own yards and landscapes can better support these important species, and what small changes can make a meaningful difference.

https://www.theextraordinarycaterpillar.com/

Wednesday, April 22, 7:00pm. Cost: Free. Register directly with Katonah Village Library 

The William Clough Preserve in Brewster features a hemlock-dominated forest. Naturalist Tait Johansson will guide you through the preserve and Ice Pond area, which support a good variety of breeding birds and spring migrants. Target species include Green Heron, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Virginia Rail and possibly American Bittern.

Thursday, April 23, 7:30am-12:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.

Garret Mountain State Reservation is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) in Passaic County, with deciduous forests, riparian habitats, and ponds that make it one of the region's premier stopover sites for migratory birds, comparable to Central Park in its ability to concentrate migrants. Naturalist Tait Johansson will guide the group in search of migrating songbirds.

Saturday, April 25, 7:30am-12:00pm. Cost: Free. Level of Difficulty: Easy. Please email Susan to register: info@bedfordaudubon.org.