Crown Point State Historic Site has announced the return of Crown Point Banding Station recording migration data on site for its 47th year. Due to the location under the Atlantic Flyway, the site is a premiere location for viewing birds migrating north for the season.
The banding station will be in operation from Friday, May 6th through Friday, May 20th from 6 am to 6 pm. A small selection of events will be held in concert with the banding station activities.
A small selection of events will be held in concert with the banding station activities, rain or shine. Predicted thunderstorms will cancel outings and notice posted on Facebook.
Registration required, please email kris.jarrett@parks.ny.gov or by calling 518-597-4666.
Upcoming birding programs include:
Twilight Bird Hike with Gregg Van Deusen on Fridays, May 6th, May 13th, & May 20th, from 7 to 8:30 pm. This program will look at the transition between day and night looking and listening for frogs, woodcock and owls as well as the few songbirds who sing as it gets dark. When darkness falls attendees will challenge their eyes trying to trick them and compare their vision to animals who live in the night. Gregg Van Deusen is a forest Kindergarten teacher. He has an AA in Rural Resource Management from Sterling College, and a BS in Outdoor Education/Natural History from Northland College and been an outdoor educator for almost 30 years. His walks use the senses to explore how an ecology of an environment interacts and coexists. Trails are likely to be muddy, so waterproof boots are needed as well as a flashlight, as the sky transitions to dark night during the walk.
Guided Bird Hike with Stacy Robinson on Saturday, May 7th at 8 am. This program will feature a 2 mile walk through the 360-acre state property during the spring migration. Attendees will look for songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors along the shores of Lake Champlain. Much of Crown Point SHS has been designated as a Bird Conservation Area by New York State and boasts over 200 species observed. The walk will include a stop by the banding station to visit with volunteers and observe the banding process. Stacy Robinson is a veteran birder who has made major contributions to the understanding of bird distribution and abundance in the Champlain Valley, and beyond. She is a leader in utilizing citizen science, namely eBird, to help advance New York State’s third Breeding Bird Atlas initiative. She volunteers for a variety of ornithological initiatives and loves birding at her favorite patch, Crown Point State Historic Site. Trails will be muddy, so wear waterproof boots or shoes and bring water, insect repellant, and binoculars. Binoculars and field guides are available for loan from the site. A printed checklist of the birds of Crown Point will be provided. Participants are limited to 12; meet outside museum at the benches (Rain Date is Thursday 5/12).
Gary Lee: Adirondack Birds slide show on Sunday, May 8th, from 1 to 2:30 pm, at the Museum Theater. Gary Lee has photographed an extraordinary number of species from his work as a DEC ranger and conservation efforts throughout the Adirondacks. Lee will show his photographs in the museum auditorium, accompanied by stories and observations from an authentic Adirondack lifetime of experience. Gary lives with his wife of 58 years at Eight Acre Wood in Inlet, where he was the Forest Ranger for 35 years working in the Moose River Wild Forest Recreation Area and West Canada Lakes Wilderness Area. Retired now for 22 years, he works summers for the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, observing, catching, and banding loons. Gary wrote a column Daybreak to Twilight in local papers from 1986 to 2019, and now writes a column Outdoor Adventures featured in viewarts.org. In 2008 he co-authored a book with John M.C. “Mike” Peterson, Adirondack Birding- 60 Great Places to Find Birds in the Adirondacks. Gary has been banding birds at the Crown Point Banding Station since the early eighties and banded at EAW since obtaining his license in 2006. During COVID, he banded the oldest Black Capped Chickadee in the US – banded first at his home in 2009 and recaptured 3/26/21. The Chickadee was 11 years 9 months old. Presentation will run approximately 60 minutes with Q+A afterwards. Light refreshments will be served. Seating limited to 40 persons.
Guided Bird Hike with Derek Rogers on Friday, May 13th, at 8:30 am. This gentle hike along the shores of Lake Champlain will be led by guide Derek Rogers. Derek is the stewardship manager at the Adirondack Land Trust and has worked for more than 15 years in conservation, beginning with The Nature Conservancy on Long Island, prior to relocating to the Adirondacks to work as Development Director at Champlain Area Trails. He is an accomplished birder and volunteers for several ornithological organizations. A checklist will be furnished to help record birds seen and write down field marks of the birds to help identify them. Wear sturdy, weatherproof boots as parts of the trail may be soggy. Binoculars and field guides are available for loan from the site. Registration required, please email kris.jarrett@parks.ny.gov or by calling 518-597-4666. Participants are limited to 15; meet outside museum at the benches (Rain Date is Thursday 5/18).
Raptor Demonstration by Mark Manske of Adirondack Raptors on Saturday, May 14th, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (meet at the picnic pavilion). Mark has worked under wildlife biologist Frances Hamerstrom, a graduate student of Aldo Leopold. He was also the recipient of the St. Lawrence Academy Medal for outstanding contributions in the field of education in 2019 from SUNY Potsdam. Mark is a master bander for the USF&WS and has been managing an American Kestrel population in northern New York for the past 21 years. Recently he has expanded his nest boxes to western New York, northern and southern Vermont, and northeastern New Hampshire. Until recently he had been an adjunct at Paul Smiths College and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for the state. He founded Adirondack Raptors in 2008 and can be seen throughout the northern part of the state with his birds educating the public about birds of prey. Traveling with Mark will be three of his live raptors. He will have with him two owls and one hawk.
Build a Better Birdhouse on Saturday, May 14th, from 1:30 to 4 pm. Site manager Lisa Polay will talk about the basics behind building a better birdhouse and increasing your chances of watching it come to life each spring. After a visit to the banding station to observe the banders at work, attendees will build a house based on a species you’ll likely see at home and discuss the do’s and dont’s of migration and nesting. Building and painting materials will be supplied. Bring a rachet screwdriver if you have one. Meet at the picnic pavilion, participants limited to 10 (plus a parent or two). All ages welcome, but geared towards those 12 and younger.
Photo of Canada Warbler provided by Crown Point SHS.
Leave a Reply