Putnam Highlands Audubon Fall 2021 Newsletter
Local Birding Stories, Sightings and Tips for Fall
Snow Buntings - Photo by Kyle Bardwell
Hello Members and Friends!
Hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. We are certainly grateful for the generous support of our many members and friends.
Our fall bird seed sale was very successful. So happy to see so many of our community actively preparing to feed our precious bird population through the fall and winter. Thank you to all who purchased and all our great volunteers.
We have a wonderful line up of events coming in 2022 which we are excited to share with you. See Our Calendar Here
See recaps of our fall bird walks here.
And the best news yet, we are planning the return of our very popular annual dinner on March 19th 2022, watch for details.
Acting Co-Presidents
Kyle Bardwell and Sean Camillieri
Baird’s Sandpiper - Photo by Anthony Macchariola
Notable Sightings: January – October 2021
By Anthony Macchariola
This section of the newsletter will highlight some of the rare, uncommon, or otherwise notable bird sightings in and around Putnam County. Typically, we will focus on sightings that occur between the previous newsletter and the current one, but since this is our first installment we are going to highlight the many interesting birds that have occurred in Putnam County in 2021 so far.
All of the sightings listed here were compiled using eBird.org. For those unfamiliar with EBIRD, it is an impressively comprehensive website that allows you to find birds and places to go birding (both locally and while travelling somewhere new), as well as a way to keep track of your bird lists and photos. Read More
NY Parks, Audubon, and Little Stony Point Collaborate on Nature Programs
By Pete Salmansohn
Three area conservation organizations have announced the launch of an ongoing series of collaborative nature programs, beginning in November with a workshop entitled, “The Basics of Bird-Feeding.” Representatives from NYS Parks, the Little Stony Point Citizens Association and Putnam Highlands Audubon Society met in late October to discuss the possibilities and benefits of collaborating, as well as to work out details which now include proposals for at least one event each month until summer. Read More
Next Event December 12th Winter Wildlife: Hibernation, Adaptations and More!
Come learn about hibernation and other tactics wildlife use to survive the harsh conditions of winter. We have mammal pelts to observe and feel different types of fur. Bring your sense of curiosity and ask us all the questions that have been burning inside you!
Gray-Cheeked Thrush Adult. Photo by Steven Kersting
Putnam County Big Day for Birding
By Sean Camillieri
During the weekend of October 8th, 2021, our fellow Audubon Chapter to the south - Saw Mill River - hosted their third annual fall Birdathon. Their purpose first and foremost was to raise money for the organization and for bird conservation. Competition comes second, though only sort of….. Since Kyle Bardwell and I both live in Putnam County and serve on the board for Putnam Highlands Audubon, we thought it would be a great idea to have a big day here in Putnam County. Our team name was “Quick Three Beers” (What bird’s song sounds like that?……………..Olive-sided flycatcher)
Now, the rules for this friendly competition were simple: see as many bird species as you can within a 24 hour period. Most teams birded in Westchester and another team birded in Dutchess County….
We finally ended at Constitution Marsh where we had excellent birds to end the day such as Nashville Warbler, Peregrine Falcon, Great Egret, and a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH!
Our big day ended and we logged a total of 91 species in Putnam County! Read More
National Audubon Top 2021 Local Wins for Birds
We love the impact that PHAS and all the other members of the National Audubon chapter network and state offices have had this year. Our joint efforts are critical to protecting and restoring the places that birds need to thrive.
National Audubon reports that in 2021 “conservation leaders, bird advocates, college students, ambassadors, volunteers, and scientists accomplished amazing things.
Through early-December, more than 170,000 of us contacted decision-makers more than 1,085,000 times on behalf of birds. All of the accomplishments listed below come from the hard work and dedication of our members, chapters, volunteers, and staff. We're very proud of what we have been able to accomplish together over the past 12 months.
Keep reading to see the most important ways that our flock worked together this year.” More
Photo: Bird-friendly glass is seen along an inner courtyard of Lauder College House at the University of Penn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school works directly with Audubon's Keith Russell, Program Manager for Urban Conservation at Audubon Mid-Atlantic. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon
Sign up for the Annual Christmas Bird Count
By Sean Camilierri
The Putnam County Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is looking for volunteers! What is a CBC? It’s an annual event first begun in the early 1900’s when the distinguished scientist Frank Chapman was becoming concerned about declining avian populations. He decided that counting birds every Christmas Day was a good way to gather an understanding of the status and populations of many bird species by enlisting engaged citizens in orderly, focused counts. Prior to that time and even afterwards, hunters would go out and shoot just about any feathered or furry animal as a means of taking inventory of what’s around, or as a meal. Fast forward 121 years later to the present day when 2,585 CBC’s were completed nation-wide in 2020, as birders recorded an astounding 59.2 billion birds! These counts regularly take place between December 14th to January 5th every year, and the precise timing depends upon decisions made by local Audubon chapters or bird clubs.
Putnam County’s CBC began in 1955 and was started by Jim Nolan and Ralph Odell. Normally, each count’s territory is a 15-mile-wide circle where a compiler is assigned to each territory and has volunteers who scatter throughout that circle counting every bird they see or hear. Due to the small rectangular shape of Putnam County, Jim and Ralph lobbied the Audubon CBC administrators to make an exception to this rule, and they ultimately succeeded. Now Putnam County’s “circle” is actually a square, and so is the Peekskill CBC territory as well.
This year’s count will be held on January 2nd, 2022 beginning at 12am and ending 12pm (for those intrepid birders) with a compilation either via zoom or in person (location TBA) that evening. Please contact Charlie Roberto at chasrob26@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. Ralph Odell, of Putnam Valley, has not missed a single count since it’s inception and is planning to participate this January.
Support Local Bird and Nature Conservation Programs
Today we serve Putnam and Dutchess Counties. We maintain bird sanctuaries deRham Watergrass Sanctuary in Philipstown and Reese Sanctuary in New Hamburg. We offer monthly bird walks and educational programs in Beacon, Cold Spring, Garrison, Philipstown and other local towns.
Public programs for children & adults
Care of PHAS’s wildlife sanctuaries: , Reese, and deRham Watergrass
Support for bird conservation programs, including bird walks and public programs
Annual Scholarships
Chapter Newsletters
We appreciate your support.