Image by Pammi Price

Forests for Birds!

Sunday, September 26, 2021, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Birds and forests are essential to one another! Forests are important for birds, and birds are important to forests. And both birds and forests provide incredible aesthetic value. Forests provide food, water, shelter, and nest sites for birds. While birds disseminate seeds, regulate insects and small mammals, help decomposition of materials on the forest floor, and serve as food for other species. New York State is home to over 200 breeding bird species and many of them spend time in forested habitats. Join us as Kathryn Schneider* leads a walk in the Siuslaw Model Forest to look for some resident birds, as migratory birds make their way south from their breeding grounds in the northeast to their wintering destinations in the southern U.S., Central, and South America. Participants are not required to have any birding expertise, all skill levels are welcome, but a pair of binoculars is encouraged. Please dress appropriately for an outdoor, woodland (~1 mile) walk. Sturdy shoes, tick protection and water are recommended for this fun interactive event! *KATHRYN SCHNEIDER, a Hudson Valley native, has spent decades studying the behavior, ecology, and distribution of birds. An award-winning author, teacher, and conservationist, she is a past president of the New York State Ornithological Association, a former member of the Columbia County Environmental Management Council, has directed New York’s Natural Heritage Program, and conducted bird surveys for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She currently co-chairs the Steering Committee for NY’s third Breeding Bird Atlas Project.

While the CDC and NYS have announced the lifting of requirements for mask wearing by those who have been vaccinated, CCE of Columbia & Greene Counties’ visitors and program participants, whether vaccinated or not, will be required to wear masks indoors. In addition, in order to meet the six-foot social distancing requirement that remains in place, we will continue to limit indoor meetings in the Acra and Hudson facilities to 15. For programs and meetings taking place outdoors, masks are required whenever the CDC/NYS physical distance requirement (six (6) feet) cannot be met. We appreciate your continued support and cooperation.