Rochester Birding Association

Avon and Lima Rural Tour Field Trip
2018-01-27 15:00 (America/New_York) | Nations Road, 2658-2682 Nations Rd, Avon, NY, 14414, United States
We’ll revisit the Nations Road area to look for Northern Shrike, hawks, Snow Bunting, and other birds of the fields and farmland in winter. We’ll be mostly driving, with frequent stops – carpooling would be appreciated!
Meet at Tops Plaza in Avon — Routes 5 and 20, two miles west of I-390 — at 3:00 p.m. Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.

Beginner Birder Trip: Mendon Ponds Park Songbird Trail
2018-01-20 09:30 | NY
This trip will be a leisurely winter walk featuring some very close looks at our winter passerines! Bring some sunflower seeds and your camera!
Meet at the Visitor’s Center on Pond Road near Clover Street at 9:30 a.m.
Note: This is a field trip for beginners. New birders should feel free to join these trips regardless of experience level: bring binoculars if you have them, and we will share our scopes. The pace & focus of Beginner Trips may not be satisfying for experienced birders. Our Beginner Trips focus on teaching identification skills, learning new habitats, and answering questions. Experienced birders are welcome but may be pressed into service as educators!

Lakeshore Plains West Field Trip
2018-01-14 09:00 | Braddock Bay Park, 199 East Manitou Road, Greece, NY, 14612, United States
A driving tour of the farm fields and open lands to the west of Rochester, this trip will search for Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, Northern Shrike, and hawks in the plains and country roads of western Monroe and Orleans counties. If the weather cooperates, we may venture as far as Golden Hill State Park for a look at the lake and a short walk. Dress warmly in layers, bring a snack and a thermos filled with cocoa, and drive along for a few hours. Barring the possible walk at Golden Hill, this trip should be handicapped-accessible.
Meet at Braddock Bay Park on East Manitou Rd. in Greece at 9:00 a.m. Extra FRS radios would be very helpful.

Annual RBA Winter Dinner: Come Hungry! Saturday, January 13th - Register Now!
2018-01-13 18:00 - 21:00 | Summerville Presbyterian Church, 4845 St. Paul Blvd, Rochester, 4845 St. Paul Blvd, United States
Come to our Annual Winter Dinner Party at Summerville Presbyterian Church, 4845 St. Paul Blvd., Rochester, NY 14617 at 6:00 PM.
To make a reservation, contact Wanda Thistle or call 585-236-1834 to sign up. Wanda will need the following information: your name, the number of people attending, and the side dish you will be bringing. The main entrees this year are Roasted Turkey and Honey Basted Ham. We will be providing the place settings and cutlery. Cost is $5.00 per person. Note: The church requests that no alcoholic beverages be consumed on the premises.
There will be a White Albatross Table. If you bring something for the white albatross table, be sure to price it, and let us know if you want the sale price to go as a donation to RBA or back to you.
There will also be Evening Entertainment. If you plan to give a presentation, please let us know and how long it will take. Artwork, photos, and slides are welcome. Please email Richard Ashworth, who will be coordinating this segment, or phone him at (585) 381-2189 if you will be showing slides.
If you can help with this event, please contact Wanda Thistle 585-236-1834. Many hands make light work!

Beginner Birder Trip: Irondequoit Bay, Lakeshore, and Genesee River Outlet
2018-01-13 08:00 | Irondequoit Bay Outlet, 5000 Culver Road, Rochester, NY, United States
In open areas of water, we’ll look for some of the spectacular waterfowl that visit each winter, and with luck even see a few rarities! The spots we visit feature good, close looks with very little walking. Dress warmly as we may be standing outside for some time. Wear boots with good traction.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in one of the several convenient parking lots on the west side of the outlet at the north end of Irondequoit Bay. Bring your spotting scope if you have one, or share ours in turns.
Note: This is a field trip for beginners. New birders should feel free to join these trips regardless of experience level: bring binoculars if you have them, and we will share our scopes. The pace & focus of Beginner Trips may not be satisfying for experienced birders. Our Beginner Trips focus on teaching identification skills, learning new habitats, and answering questions. Experienced birders are welcome but may be pressed into service as educators!

Durand Eastman Park - Year List Jump-Start Field Trip
2018-01-01 08:00 | Irondequoit Bay Outlet, 5000 Culver Road, Rochester, NY, United States
Get started on your 2018 list! We’ll look for winter finches, waxwings, and resident birds.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in one of the several convenient parking lots on the west side of the outlet at the north end of Irondequoit Bay or at the Lake Shore Boulevard parking area between Log Cabin Road and Zoo Road (Parking Lot D) at 8:45 a.m.
Dress warmly!

Little Lakes Christmas Bird Count – Saturday, December 23rd, 2017
2017-12-23 06:00 - 17:00 | NY
This year marks the 118th count nationwide and the 66th count for the area. The count day is Saturday, December 23, 2017. Birds seen during the count week of December 20 to December 26 may be called in to the leaders for inclusion in the tally. The center of the 15 mile diameter circle is the outlet of Hemlock Lake, at the north end of the lake. The circle includes all of Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, and Honeoye Lakes and large area to the north. The dividing line between the lakes is the height of land between the lakes. It is important for the coverage in each of the 5 areas to be as consistent as possible, year to year, for meaningful evaluation of the count area. Your participation in this worthy endeavor would be greatly appreciated. New birders can be paired up with experienced birders. If you are interested, contact one of the leaders.
The afternoon compiling meeting will be held at 4:30pm at the American Hotel, located at the SE corner of Routes 5 & 20 in the village of Lima. As an expression of our appreciation for letting us meet at this location, please order something from the menu. They are known for their tasty soups.
Pat Martin, Compiler.
Home: 582-2761, Cell 301-5485
Little Lakes CBC areas and leaders are as follows:
Conesus Lake – Jim Kimball 243-0316
Hemlock Lake – Bill Howe 505-238-1908
Canadice Lake – Phil Opdycke 385-6189
Honeoye Lake – Bob Spahn 671-5690
Northern Area – Greg Lawrence 730-2553

Rochester Christmas Bird Count – Sunday, December 17th, 2017
2017-12-17 06:00 - 17:00 | NY
This is your chance to participate in Citizen Science and enjoy the company of other birders.
Count day, December 17th, time TBD (ask leader for details)
Join us for the 118th Christmas Bird Count of the National Audubon Society and the 114th Rochester CBC. New observers will be paired with experienced birders. Lots of eyes make for a better count!
In the evening of the count day, December 17th, we will gather at Newport Yacht Club (on Seneca Road in Irondequoit) at 6:00 PM for pizza followed by a species tally. The tally will start about 7:30 PM. We will be finished by 9:00 PM. Even if not coming to dinner, join us for the tally. There will be $5 charge to cover costs. Self-serve wine and beer will be available for $1. Pot luck dishes would be appreciated. Please reply to Norma Platt at 585-260-5221 by Tuesday, December 12.
To participate in the count, call an area leader. Be sure to ask your leader for details.
Rochester CBC areas and leaders are as follows:
Braddock Bay to Long Pond Road – Bob and Susan Spahn 671-5690
Long Pond Road to Dewey Avenue – Greg Lawrence cell 730-2553
Dewey Avenue to Charlotte Harbor – Kimberly Sucy 503-2534
Summerville to Culver Road – Dominic Sherony 223-7353
Culver Road to Baker Road (Webster) – Tom & Nancy Poeth 872-5344
Highland Park, Genesee Valley Park, Mt. Hope Cemetery – Shirley Shaw 385-3907
Seneca Park – Andrea Patterson
Maplewood & Turning Point Parks, Holy Sepulchre & Riverside Cemeteries – Kim Hartquist
Area west of Rochester-Monroe County Airport – John Boettcher
Norma Platt, Compiler 585-260-5221
If you cannot get out to bird in the field, watch your feeder and phone results to the area leader.
Note: Birds seen during the count week is December 14 to 20 may be called in to the area leaders.

December: Alan Singer - "Arthur Singer - My Father, His Artwork, and the Culture of the Times in Which He Lived."
2017-12-14 19:00 - 21:00 | The Clover Center of the Arts and Spirituality/The Baptist Temple, 1101 Clover Street, Rochester, NY, 14610, United States
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Alan Singer, the son of famous bird and wildlife artist, Arthur Singer, talk about his father!
Speaking from his experience, Alan grew up in this family of artists, and his father, Arthur, had been a child prodigy. Arthur had artwork published by the time he was a junior in high school. Arthur was noticed by curators at The American Museum of Natural History in NYC, and by the administrators of the Bronx Zoo.
Alan’s father had his first exhibition there at the zoo in 1942. After World War II he had the great fortune to work with some of the greats in mid- 20th century ornithology, and was employed by book publishers and magazine publishers who served the public with books and articles that he illustrated. Arthur loved nature, he was an ardent conservationist, and later in life he was awarded the kind of recognition that few ever achieve.
Alan will show examples of his father’s art, and speak about his life and times. Alan was fortunate in having the chance to collaborate with his dad on a number of projects like the Birds and Flowers stamps, and also the revision of his famous Golden Guide to Birds of North America. They worked together for nine years towards the end of Arthur’s career, and those years proved to be very important in the scope of his work.
Alan Singer is an artist, writer, and professor at the School of Art at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. “Both of my parents were working artists, and I learned the most from watching them create. Along with painting and printmaking, watercolor is one of my favorite mediums, and I now teach all of this and more at R.I.T.”
Alan Singer studied at the Art Students League, and The Cooper Union where he received his BFA. Graduate study began at Cornell University for his MFA,
and he won scholarships to attend Yale University at Norfolk, CT, Boston University at Tanglewood, MA, and The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, ME.
In 1982, he designed and illustrated an award winning series of U.S. postage stamps honoring the 50 State Birds and Flowers with his father, the noted wildlife artist, Arthur Singer.
Alan has worked with publishers as an illustrator including The National Geographic, Delacorte Press, Putnam’s, Random House, and Reader’s Digest. He has written and designed publications: State Birds, for Lodestar Books, and Botanica 2000 for Sonnenberg Gardens. in 1999, Rockport Press published his book “ Wildlife Art”, and he is currently developing “ Studio Practice “ a book devoted to interviews and practical advice for working artists in America.
His writing has been published as well in Arts Magazine, American Artist, Step-by-Step Graphics, American Ceramics, Bookpress, and chronicles cultural events for Metropolitan Magazine published by The Arts & Cultural
Council in Rochester, NY. Alan writes on his blog: Visual Art Worker ( VAW) hosted by First Fridays, at www.firstfridayrochester.org
Alan Singer’s art has been featured in exhibitions at The Smithsonian in Washington D.C., The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, and the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, NY with numerous solo and group shows in galleries primarily in the east.
For more information: www.singerarts.com

Beginner Trip: Nations Road
2017-12-10 14:00 | Nations Road, 2658-2682 Nations Rd, Avon, NY, 14414, United States
Sharpen your skills on wintering hawks and Short-eared Owl. Other wintering birds such as Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, and Lapland Longspur are often present.
Meet at the Tops Plaza in Avon — on Routes 5 and 20, two miles west of I-390 — at 2:00 p.m. Dress warmly. Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.
Note: This is a field trip for beginners. New birders should feel free to join these trips regardless of experience level: bring binoculars if you have them, and we will share our scopes. The pace & focus of Beginner Trips may not be satisfying for experienced birders. Our Beginner Trips focus on teaching identification skills, learning new habitats, and answering questions. Experienced birders are welcome but may be pressed into service as educators!

Christmas Bird Count for Kids - Saturday, December 9th, 2017
2017-12-09 09:00 - 12:00 | Mendon Ponds West (Wild Wings Parking Lot – Pond Road), 27 Pond Road, Honeoye Falls, NY, 14472, United States
Come help us count the birds that make their winter homes in Mendon Ponds!
For 117 years, adults have counted birds every winter as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count, and now it’s time for kids to join the fun! The Christmas Bird Count for Kids is a family-friendly bird-watching event that builds bird identification skills and contributes to scientific bird count data.
The adventure starts with a short indoor lesson to introduce the local birds and to practice using binoculars. We’ll then head outdoors to count the birds! Experienced birders will lead small teams of kids (and their parents) on different routes throughout Mendon Ponds Park, as we attempt to find as many birds and as many species as possible. Each survey route will be 45-90 minutes (depending on the weather!), and at the end all the teams will meet up to tally their birds and to compare sightings.

REGISTER NOW AT EVENTBRITE >>

Who can come?
We welcome both beginning and advanced birders up to age 18, but note that very young children may not be suited for this particular event. All children must be accompanied by an adult, and registration is required.
What to bring?
Please come prepared for the weather and bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. Some additional binoculars and guides will be available for use at the event. We’ll have hot chocolate and light snacks on hand, but help us save a tree by bringing your own mug!
Fussy details . . .
We’ll meet in the education room of Wild Wings, located at 27 Pond Road – next to the Mendon Ponds Park Visitor’s Center.
This Christmas Bird Count for Kids is sponsored by the Rochester Birding Association and its Young Birders Program. Thanks to all our volunteers for supporting this event!
More questions? Contact Andrea Patterson at andrea.j.patterson-at-gmail.com.

REGISTER NOW AT EVENTBRITE >>

Conesus Lake Area Field Trip
2017-12-09 08:00 | Conesus Lake Area, Vitale Park, Big Tree Road, NY, 14480, United States
We’ll be looking for Tundra Swan, Canvasback, Redhead, and other waterfowl.
Meet at Vitale Park on Route 20A in Lakeville at 8:00 a.m. The park is between Nothnagle’s and the US Post Office on the south (lake side) of 20A. Extra spotting scopes would be very helpful.

Niagara River Field Trip
2017-12-03 07:00 | Niagara River, Old Fort Niagara, Youngstown, NY, 14174, United States
Looking for special gulls and waterfowl. The Niagara River area is famous for the variety and number of gulls in winter. Can you pick out the rarities? This is a joint trip with the Buffalo Ornithological Society.
Meet in Charlotte’s Ontario Beach parking lot at 7:00 a.m. or at Old Fort Niagara parking lot at 9:00 a.m.. Bring beverage and snacks for this is an all day trip.
There is heightened security at the border: participants should bring passports.
Dress warmly and in layers. Extra spotting scopes would be very helpful.

Afternoon Owl Trek Field Trip
2017-11-24 12:00 | Charlotte / Ontario Beach Park, Charlotte Park, 4800 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14613, United States
By the day after Thanksgiving, wintering owls may have returned to the area while our resident owls remain close to their home turf. We’ll be looking for Eastern Screech-, Great Horned, Snowy and Short-eared Owl primarily in this trip that may involve driving between counties to get to where the owls are!
Meet in the Ontario Beach Park (Charlotte) parking lot near the river at 12:00 noon where we can make carpool arrangements and begin our trek.

Young Birder Field Trip: Durand Eastman Park
2017-11-19 08:00 - 23:00 | NY
Believe it or not, mid-November can be an interesting time of year for birds! Winter waterfowl and songbirds are arriving in large numbers, and at the same time lingering half-hardy passerines can be found skulking in isolated pockets.

This month we’ll start by taking a walk through Durand Eastman Park. We’ll likely see a mix of common winter passerines like woodpeckers, robins, chickadees, titmice, Cedar Waxwings, finches and cardinals, but with a little luck they’ll be supplemented by something special. While only seen once or twice, Bohemian Waxwing, Red Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill and Pine Grosbeak have all put in appearances in the park during November!

After we’ve worn out our walking legs, we’ll take a quick drive to the Irondequoit Bay Outlet where we should be able to get good looks at several species of waterfowl and gulls. Long-tailed Ducks, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, three mergansers, and other ducks are sometimes joined by loons, scaup, scoters and grebes. The platoons of Ring-billed Gulls are joined by Herring, Bonaparte’s, and Great Black-backed Gulls.

For Young Birders only. Interested kids are welcome to join at no cost.

Meeting Place: Meet in the Lake Shore Blvd. parking lot between Zoo Road and Log Cabin Road (Parking Lot D)
RBA Leader: Andrea Patterson (cell – 585-490-5361)
Birding Leader: Lynn Bergmeyer (cell – 585-576-0422)
RBA Youth Leader: we need a volunteer!

Photo credit: Cedar Waxwing – Lakeview Church Trail – © Jeanne Verhulst – May 18, 2016

Durand Eastman Park Field Trip
2017-11-12 08:00 | Durand Eastman Park, Lakeshore Boulevard, Rochester, NY, 14620, United States
Waxwings, winter finches, and lingering migrants are possible as well as Snowy Owl. We may visit Irondequoit Bay to look for waterfowl.
Meet in the Lakeshore Blvd. parking lot between Zoo and Log Cabin Roads (Parking Lot D) at 8:00 a.m.

November: Andrea Patterson - "A Bird in the Hand"
2017-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | The Clover Center of the Arts and Spirituality/The Baptist Temple, 1101 Clover Street, Rochester, NY, 14610, United States
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory (BBBO) was founded in 1986 with the purpose of studying stopover ecology on the south shore of Lake Ontario. Operating with an all-volunteer staff, BBBO has developed a 30-year dataset consisting of nearly 250,000 records. Individually and collectively, these records tell fascinating stories of bird behavior, movement and survival across an increasingly challenging landscape. Come hear Andrea Patterson, President, Education Director and Newsletter Editor for BBBO, talk about the joyful moments, surprising revelations, and occasional heartbreak of birding in the hand.
Andrea Patterson began volunteering at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory in 2009, and banded her first bird in the spring of 2010 when she took a bander training class from Elizabeth Brooks. Since then, she has handled 10,000 birds as part of the Observatory’s long-term migration study. Patterson currently serves on the boards of North American Banding Council, Eastern Bird Banding Association, Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, and Rochester Birding Association. After first learning to bird in the hand, she is now learning to bird with binoculars but stubbornly refuses to keep anything but a mental life list.

Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant Field Trip
2017-10-21 09:00 | Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant, 9 Treadeasy Ave, Batavia, NY, 14020, United States
Why a Wastewater Treatment Plant? Open water and a great location mean that this spot appears regularly on the fall birding mailing lists. Learn how to navigate the terrain (all driving) and discover the great opportunity this spot (and its helpful staff) offers.
We will carpool. Meet at the parking lot of the 7-11 at the junction of Routes 33 and 19 at 9:00 a.m. Drive about 20 miles west of Rochester on I-490 to Exit 2. Turn right (west) on Route 33 and go about one mile to the junction with Route 19. Turn left (south) and then immediately left into the parking lot.

Hamlin Beach State Park Field Trip
2017-10-15 08:00 | NY
We’ll start off walking wooded and brushy areas of the park, looking for thrushes, sparrows, and maybe a half-hardy warbler or two. After that, we’ll stop by the Lake Watch to view ducks on the water and in flight, learning about the Lake Watch process as we share scopes. Dress appropriately for cooler weather along the lake, and wear comfortable footwear.
Meet at 8:00 AM in Hamlin Beach State Park, Parking Lot 1.

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip
2017-10-14 11:00 | Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, NY, United States
We’ll look for migrant ducks, owls, and various passerines in this “Get to Know Iroquois in Autumn” trip.
Meet at the Brockport Park-and-Ride on Route 31 (west of Wegmans/Route 19) at 11:00 a.m. Bring a snack for lunch and beverages as needed.

Young Birder Event: Hamlin Beach Lakewatch
2017-10-14 08:00 - 11:00 | Hamlin Beach State Park, 1 Camp Hill Road, Hamlin, NY, 14464, United States
Dust off your scopes, because this month we’re going on a lakewatch! Join us as we work with local expert Andy Guthrie to find migrating waterfowl, gulls, and passerines at Hamlin Beach State Park.
We’ll start by looking out over the lake for waterfowl and gulls. New birders can get fantastic looks at ducks in the water, and more experienced birders will find it a fun challenge to identify the fly-bys. Whether you can’t tell the difference between a duck and a goose, want to learn the difference between the different scoters, or are interested in scanning the horizon for the elusive jaegers, this trip has something for everyone!
As we’re scanning the water, we’ll also be watching and listening for passerines overhead. Flocks of winter birds – Horned Lark, Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, and a mix of finches are a welcome noisy distraction. If the lake is slow, we may take a walk through the trails at Hamlin Beach looking for lingering migrants and newly arriving wintering passerines.
We’ll meet at 8:00 AM in Parking Area 4. Binoculars are helpful and we’ll definitely be using scopes, but birders without scopes will be happy to know that our experienced crew is good about sharing. The event is free and open to any kids (and their parents) interested in birding. Unless prior arrangements are made, parents must stay with their children for the duration of the trip.
For additional information, contact Andrea Patterson

October: Scott Weidensaul - "Birds Matter. Period."
2017-10-12 19:00 - 21:00 | The Clover Center of the Arts and Spirituality/The Baptist Temple, 1101 Clover Street, Rochester, NY, 14610, United States
By the time Foster E.L. Beal died in 1916, the eminent ornithologist had poked through the stomachs of more than 37,000 birds, trying to decipher by their diets which were “good” and which were “bad.” More than a century later, we’re still making economic arguments for why birds matter — and writer and researcher Scott Weidensaul is tired of it.
Join Weidensaul to learn why, more than ever, birds — which circle the globe in astounding migrations, which fill the world with color and song and vivid life — matter. Period.
Scott Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind,” about bird migration, “Return to Wild America,” and “The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery and Endurance in Early America.” His newest book, “The Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean,” has just been published. Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon, a columnist for Bird Watcher’s Digest and writes for a variety of other publications; he lives in the mountains of eastern Pennsylvania, where he studies the migration of owls and hummingbirds.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip
2017-09-23 10:00 | Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Falls, NY, 13148, United States
We’ll be looking for waterfowl and migrating shorebirds.
Meet in Bushnell’s Basin Park and Ride at 10:00 a.m. Pack a lunch. The meeting site is off Route 96 just south of Exit 27 from I-490. Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.

September: Dominic Sherony - "An Overview of Hawaiian Birds"
2017-09-14 19:00 - 21:00 | The Clover Center of the Arts and Spirituality/The Baptist Temple, 1101 Clover Street, Rochester, NY, 14610, United States
Come hear an interesting and educational talk about Hawaiian birds by a long-time birder and RBAer, Dominic Sherony. Not a travelog, although there will be some great photos, we will learn about the history of a number of Hawaiian birds, both endemics and introduced species–just in time to make your plans for winter vacations!
Recently, the ABA has added the birds of the Hawaiian Islands to its “ABA List”. This might encourage more birders to develop an interest in this distant island chain. The birds and plants of Hawaii are remarkable and the birds have adapted to the unusual plant communities.
In approaching the subject of the birds as an overview, three main subjects will be covered: the origins and history of the endemic birds and the relationship between the honeycreepers to their environment, the reasons why different bird species were introduced into Hawaii and their historical success, and finally a brief look at the breeding seabirds and wintering shorebirds of Hawaii.
Dominic Sherony was born and grew up in northern Illinois and attended University of Detroit and Illinois Institute of Technology, completing degrees in Chemical Engineering. He worked for Xerox Corporation for 31 years after graduate school. In that period, Dominic took up bird watching as a hobby in 1972 and has been an active birder since, especially after his retirement. Dominic has many and varied interests in birding including leading local trips. He was a member of the New York State Avian Records Committee for eleven years, and was a region co-coordinator for the NYS breeding bird atlas. Dominic has written numerous papers about birds, volunteers at a Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, enjoys the challenge of photographing birds, and occasionally give talks.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip
2017-09-10 13:00 | Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Falls, NY, 13148, United States
We’ll be looking for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. Bald Eagle and other migrants are likely.
Meet in Bushnell’s Basin Park and Ride at 1:00 p.m. The meeting site is off Route 96 just south of Exit 27 from I-490.
Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.

Beginner Trip: Charlotte & Badgerow Park
2017-09-09 08:00 | Charlotte / Ontario Beach Park, Charlotte Park, 4800 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14613, United States
We’ll be looking for shorebirds, warblers, and other fall migrants in Greece and environs. George W. Badgerow Park is a small area that offers good vantage points along pleasant trails, with the occasional surprise rarity. We’ll look for gulls in many plumages and some shorebirds, too.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Ontario Beach Park in Charlotte in the northeast corner of the parking lot, beside the Genesee River outlet. Extra spotting scopes would be very helpful.

Note: This is a field trip for beginners. New birders should feel free to join these trips regardless of experience level: bring binoculars if you have them, and we will share our scopes. The pace & focus of Beginner Trips may not be satisfying for experienced birders. Our Beginner Trips focus on teaching identification skills, learning new habitats, and answering questions. Experienced birders are welcome but may be pressed into service as educators!

Durand Eastman Park Field Trip
2017-09-02 08:00 | Durand Eastman Park, Lakeshore Boulevard, Rochester, NY, 14620, United States
We’ll be looking for thrushes and other migrants. Durand can be surprising this time of year. Just when you thought the birding was quieting down, you run into a pocket of birds here that boggle the mind.
Meet in the Lake Shore Blvd. parking lot between Zoo Road and Log Cabin Road (Parking Lot D) at 8:00 a.m.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip
2017-08-27 10:00 | Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Falls, NY, 13148, United States
We’ll be looking for ducks and shorebirds in migration. Expect to see herons, eagles, and possibly falcons.
Meet at the Bushnell’s Basin Park and Ride at 10 a.m. Pack a lunch. The carpool meeting site is off Route 96 just south of Exit 27 from I-490.
Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.

Beginner Trip: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
2017-08-13 14:00 | Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Falls, NY, 13148, United States
Learn more about the fall migration of shorebirds in this nearby birding treasure. We’ll visit key spots you’ll want to revisit again and again!
Meet in the Bushnell’s Basin Park and Ride lot at 2:00 p.m. The meeting site is off Route 96 just south of Exit 27 from I-490. Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.
Note: This is a field trip for beginners. New birders should feel free to join these trips regardless of experience level: bring binoculars if you have them, and we will share our scopes. The pace & focus of Beginner Trips may not be satisfying for experienced birders. Our Beginner Trips focus on teaching identification skills, learning new habitats, and answering questions. Experienced birders are welcome but may be pressed into service as educators!

Conesus Inlet State WMA Field Trip
2017-08-05 07:30 | Vitale Park, Vitale Park, Big Tree Rd, NY, 14480, United States
Explore this expansive wetland for Virginia Rail and Wood Duck families. We’ve seen eagles on a reliable basis, Red-headed Woodpecker, Cliff Swallow, and more.
Meet at Vitale Park on Route 20A in Lakeville at 7:30 a.m. The park is between Nothnagle’s and the US Post Office on the south (lake side) of 20A. There’s a possibility of a trip extension to the Geneseo Airport area. Extra spotting scopes and FRS radios would be very helpful.
