EagleFest Schedule

Who’s living in your backyard? Live mammals, mounts, and bones will be used in this lively program about the species found in the lower Hudson Valley. Meet Teatown’s furry animal ambassadors and learn why some animals struggle to survive in our suburban environment, while others thrive and multiply. Leave with an appreciation of the diverse life that surrounds us, and some ways to live in better harmony with wildlife.

Maddy Schroeder is an Environmental Educator and Animal Caretaker at Teatown Lake Reservation. She strives to inspire conservation by teaching the public about native wildlife and encouraging people to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors.

Brian Robinson has been providing wildlife education programs to schools, libraries, and museums since 1993. His animals have been featured on national television shows, alongside Placido Domingo at the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi’s Simone Boccanegra, and at the Explorers Club in Manhattan, among many other places. Brian has a Master of Science degree in Education with a concentration in biology and, in addition to doing wildlife lectures, teaches biology at Saugerties High School. Brian’s presentation features live birds of prey and reptiles and will focus on the amazing adaptations these animals have, as well as their importance in nature. He will also discuss the incredible resiliency of the Hudson Valley and share some local wildlife success stories.

Meet the world’s fastest animal, New York’s smallest owl, and more!

Christine Peyreigne spent her Connecticut childhood rescuing various reptiles and at age 14, used them in educational programs about responsible pet ownership. At 16 years old, she became a licensed apprentice falconer and learned all about the fantastic world of birds of prey. It was through falconry in which her passion and devotion for birds of all kinds were born. At 18 years old, she became licensed with the state of Connecticut and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to rehabilitate injured birds of prey, and subsequently became licensed to exhibit non-releasable birds, now providing a home for 22. Today, Christine’s Critters attend numerous educational talks each year in an effort to spread awareness of actions we all can take for a cleaner environment. In addition, Christine’s Critters intakes over 100 rehab patients annually, and works side by side with avian veterinarians to heal these birds for release back into the wild. Christine graduated from Mercy College in 2020 with a B.S in Veterinary Technology, and has a passion for improving wildlife medicine into the future.

Brian Bradley, a master falconer since 1984, presents educational programs throughout the Northeast with his hawks, falcons, and owls. Brian’s program features live flight demonstrations with his birds of prey.

Join Dr. Laura Jaworski to meet four different native and non-native species of owls from around the world as we talk about their unique characteristics, adaptations, and modern day risks that they face. Learn what people can do to help raptors thrive in their native habitats, especially those who live in our own backyards.

After graduating from veterinary school in 2013, Dr. Laura Jaworski moved to New York to practice small animal veterinary medicine. Her volunteer work for wildlife rehabilitation centers led to a special interest in birds of prey, spurring her to become a falconer in 2017 and a federal wildlife rehabilitator in 2022. Dr. Laura collaborates with falconers and rehabilitators alike to make the world a better place for raptors. In her spare time, she works to educate the public about birds of prey, and ultimately wildlife conservation. Learn more about her work on Instagram or Facebook, @docsveterinarywildlife.

This unique program offers a close and intriguing look at the hidden lives of owls. Teddy Bradley brings a special focus on swift, silent, and stunning birds of prey who take to the skies as the sun sets. Meet several species of owls from around the world who haunt the woods and learn about the adaptations that make them especially effective nighthunters. We will talk about the magic and legends surrounding these secretive species and learn why they need our help now more than ever.

Who’s on the wing in your neighborhood? Live birds, mounts, and bones will be used in this lively program about the species found in the lower Hudson Valley. Meet Teatown’s avian animal ambassadors and learn about biodiversity, habitat specialists and generalists, and habitat loss.

Maddy Schroeder is an Environmental Educator and Animal Caretaker at Teatown Lake Reservation. She strives to inspire conservation by teaching the public about native wildlife and encouraging people to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors.

Lisa Kelly is Teatown’s Animal Care supervisor and licensed wildlife rehabilitator with a focus on herpetology. She has contributed to turtle research at Teatown, has worked with KT Wildlife to ensure animal safety on work sites, and has extensive experience with the SPCA.

Ivy Kelly is a dedicated long time raptor volunteer. She has been helping with the care and handling of Teatown’s raptors for 25+ years.

Can you tell an eagle from an egret? Learn tips and tricks to get comfortable identifying birds in the field. We’ll review important tools, helpful resources, and test our ID skills together. Test your newfound skills on a bird walk in Croton Point Park! Emily will offer a family walk at 11:30 am.

Emily Edmonds-Langham is Teatown’s Director of Education. She has worked in environmental education for many years at organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Native Plant Trust. Emily loves helping new birders find their feet, whether young or old.

Anne Swaim is Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society that is based in Chappaqua, New York. Saw Mill River Audubon owns eight local wildlife sanctuaries, offers more than 200 free public programs and field trips annually as well as classroom programs and field trips, and helps connect people with nature in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Join storyteller Chant Mcleod, accompanied by Over the Waterfall, for stories and songs of Bald Eagles in the Hudson River Valley. He’ll enchant us with musical numbers about this majestic pairing of revived raptor and restored river, celebrating the power of people to make a difference in their backyards. This session will include interactive audience participation – come prepared to get called upon to join his troupe of troubadours!

From the Beatles to Bill Monroe, Steve Kelman and Rafael Stein of Over the Waterfall provide an eclectic blend of bluegrass, blues, rock, country, and traditional music. A mix of Americana with a healthy dose of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, and the Grateful Dead – to name a few. They perform throughout the Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey area.

Ben will present on Berkshire Bird Observatory (BBO)’s efforts to recover Kestrel populations in the Berkshires and beyond through their American Kestrel Nest Box Project. Though initially a side-project, bringing Kestrels back has become central to BBO’s conservation efforts in the region—these extraordinary pocket falcons deserve full commitment. Considered a species of greatest conservation need in Massachusetts, Kestrels have unfortunately experienced range-wide declines with acute declines across the Northeast. Ben will present on the development of BBO’s Kestrel trail and the early success of the project.

Ben Nickley is a scientist with a passion for birds and the ecosystems they are an integral part of. Always fascinated by nature, he got his start in science at Ohio State University, where he conducted award-winning research. Since then, Ben has travelled across North America pursuing avian field studies for nonprofits, universities, and state governments—picking up his master’s in biology along the way. He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles and has presented his work at international conferences. Helping others connect with the natural world through birds is his forte and central to his mission. As Executive Director of Berkshire Bird Observatory (BBO), Ben focuses on collaborative conservation projects while weaving education and engagement into everything BBO does. He feels privileged to have landed in the Berkshires and could not think of a better place to do the work he loves.

Come hear an overview of how Green Chimneys School – a unique not-for-profit residential treatment center and day school in Brewster, NY – maintains a therapeutic milieu that incorporates animals, plants, and nature-based activities. These support programs are critical in establishing a therapeutic culture and offer effective alternatives for 200 students ages 6-18. This presentation will introduce the program and will give a more detailed background of how a large number of permanently disabled birds of prey and rehabilitation of birds fit into the concept of the school.

Michael Kaufmann, as Vice President of Nature-Based Programs and Director of the Sam and Myra Ross Institute, directs all aspects of the nature-based therapeutic/educational programs at Green Chimneys, a multi-faceted nonprofit organization helping young people to maximize their full potential by providing residential, educational, clinical and recreational services, in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures connections with their families, the community, animals and nature. Kaufmann has previously held positions at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Humane Association and Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Intl. Today, his focus is on Green Care, the integrative concept of working with animals, plants and nature to enhance the positive impact of human service settings. Michael is an adviser to various organizations in the animal-assisted service field and serves as on the board of the International Association of Human Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO). He has published on nature-based interactions and lectures internationally.

David Spillo is the wildlife caretaker at the Green Chimneys Wildlife Center and a federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator. He has worked in the animal husbandry field for 18 years. As a child, Dave loved watching birds at the feeder from his window and fell in love with them at an early age. He also volunteered at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY for a short time. While attending college, Dave worked at the Pace Environmental Center taking care of birds of prey and farm animals in between classes. Dave received his BA in Environmental Studies and a MS in Environmental Science with a focus on wildlife management from Pace University. Dave really enjoys working with the students at Green Chimneys and teaching them all about wild animals and rehabilitation.

Raptor Migration and Programs Director for the Hawk Migration Association (HMA), Julie Brown, will speak about HMA’s work and the continental network of hawk watching sites, why collecting spring and fall migration data is important and what we’ve learned about raptor movements and populations. She’ll dive into migration data from hawkwatches around NY, CT and NJ, as well as data from across the continent and what it’s showing us about the health of raptor populations.

Julie Brown is the Raptor Migration and Programs Director at the Hawk Migration Association. Before joining HMANA in 2009, she migrated throughout the US and tropics working as a field biologist primarily with raptors, focusing on human impact studies, migration research and behavioral studies. She received her BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine and received her MS in Conservation Biology from Antioch University New England where she studied Peregrine Falcon migration in Costa Rica for her thesis. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, whom she met hawkwatching, and her two bird-loving children, a flock of chickens, her dog and lots of fruit trees. She is a volunteer counter at the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory each fall.

Jackie Brooks and Emmett Goodman Boyd of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will present stories of the incredible journey some of our Hudson River creatures take throughout their lives. From American Eels to Atlantic Sturgeon, our river is home to some fascinating fish whose life cycles may amaze you.

Jackie Brooks (she/they) has been an Educator with the Norrie Point Education Team since August 2024. Throughout their time in this role, they have worked under the Student Conservation Association (Americorps), the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. She got her start interning on the Hudson River Eel Project, which created an eel-shaped spot in her heart.

Emmett Goodman-Boyd (he/him) has been an Environmental Educator since 2017. He has worked at the Queens Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He now works with the DEC in the Hudson River Estuary Program as an SCA member, teaching students about the Hudson River and the wonderful animals found within it.

Thom Almendinger (he/him), Teatown’s Director of Stewardship, has led transformative initiatives over the course of his career, implementing comprehensive stewardship programs that balanced conservation with sustainable land use practices, with a special focus on habitat restoration for ground-nesting birds.

Kyle Bardwell (he/him) has been an avid birdwatcher in the Hudson Valley since his early teens. He is now a board member of Putnam Highlands Audubon Society, as well as an active member of Saw Mill River Audubon, and the Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club. Kyle helps as an eBird reviewer for NYSOA Region 9, which covers the Southern Hudson Valley.

Doug Bloom (he/him) is a former president of the Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon Society and its current vice president. He is a lifelong birder, the current birding field trip leader at the Audubon Society, and all-around nature and birding enthusiast.

Phyllis Bock (she/her) is the former Director of Education at Teatown Lake Reservation and a current Board member. Phyllis began her career at Teatown in October 1991, when she began as a volunteer Nature Guide. Ms. Bock possesses a BA Biology from Queens College, CUNY.  As Education Director, she took to heart Teatown’s mission and encouraged young and old alike to embrace all that nature has to offer.  She can often be found hiking or kayaking somewhere in the Hudson Valley.

Scott Craven (he/him) is a lifelong birder and has been doing “history heavy” walks for EagleFest since its inception. Scott is a retired Ossining police officer and currently works at the Ossining Library. He’s the Town of Ossining Historian and has been speaking to local groups about environmental history here in the Hudson Valley for decades.

Melina Cronin (she/her) is an avid nature photographer and birder. She enjoys sharing her work through her Instagram: my.perspective.by.Melina and Facebook: My Perspective – Photography by Melina Cronin.

Emily Edmonds-Langham (she/her) is Teatown’s Director of Education. She has worked in environmental education for many years at organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Native Plant Trust. Emily loves helping new birders find their feet, whether young or old.

Jeana Fucello (she/her) is a board member for Feminist Bird Club and on the leadership team for the NYC chapter. She particularly likes sharing the joys of birding with new and inexperienced birders and leads outings in spots like Green-Wood Cemetery, Central Park, and closer to home in Astoria Park. She also manages the FBC annual patch sale and has sent thousands of patches out, worldwide.

Martha Harbison (they/them) is a co-founder of the Galbatross Project, an effort that is focused on gathering up knowledge about identification of North American female birds—much of it not available in standard field guides—and making it known to the wider birding community. Martha is also Vice President of Feminist Bird Club, a birding club founded in NYC that specifically aims to make birding and the outdoors inclusive and affirming to people who may not have safe access to it.

Brian Kluepfel (he/him) is an Ossining writer and has contributed to the Lonely Planet travel series as well as Birdwatching and Westchester magazines. For many years, his “For the Birds” column ran in The Examiner newspaper, and he was a board member as well as newsletter editor for Saw Mill River Audubon. During his travels his has seen both the largest flying bird in the world (Andean condor) and the smallest (Bee hummingbird). He has seen an osprey explode in Venezuela and been attacked by nesting red-winged blackbirds in Montreal.

Cristina Lalama (she/her) is a horticulture professional focused on plants, ecology, and sustainable landscapes, with a background in conservation and ecological resource management. From the Andean Mountains to the parks of New York City, she helps cultivate resilient green spaces and community stewardship, inspiring trust in her dedication to environmental well-being. She co-created Alas Latinas, a bilingual birding initiative that welcomes Spanish-speaking families into nature through guided walks and hands-on learning.

Akilah Lewis (she/her) has served as the secretary of the Feminist Bird Club, co-organizer for Black Birders Week, and the NYC Bird Alliance’s Young Conservationists’ Council. In her free time, Akilah enjoys visiting green spaces, volunteering, and making charcuterie boards.

Oliver López (he/him) is a bilingual environmental educator, ecological program designer, and visual storyteller from Ecuador who creates inclusive, place-based programs connecting land, culture, and community. His storytelling approach invites the audience to see the land through new perspectives, fostering engagement and curiosity.  He co-created Alas Latinas, where he leads Spanish- and English-language bird walks and produces simple learning tools that make birding accessible to first-time birders and families. Alas Latinas is a bilingual community birding project that connects culture, conservation, and community through Spanish- and English-language bird walks, beginner-friendly bird ID tools, and hands-on nature education.

Alma Padilla (she/her) hails from the west Texas town of El Paso, and recently put down roots in Ossining after a decade in The Bronx. She earned her degree in biology from Cornell University, and for years, she worked in conservation field work throughout the western U.S. Alma later returned home and began a teaching career as a high school special educator in science. She was a founding member and a current Volunteer Outings leader with the NYC chapter of Latino Outdoors. As Teatown’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Alma seeks to use her experiences to help demystify the outdoors to newcomers, to identify and help break down barriers to nature, and to plant the seed of stewardship in all participants. Above all, she strives to use her culture and language to demonstrate that we all belong in nature, to nature, and thus share responsibility for it.

Lynn Salmon (she/her) is a retired environmental scientist. Now Lynn birds, geocaches, and curls in Westchester County. She currently serves as the treasurer of Saw Mill River Audubon.

Anne Swaim (she/her) is Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society that is based in Chappaqua, New York. Saw Mill River Audubon owns eight local wildlife sanctuaries, offers more than 200 free public programs and field trips annually as well as classroom programs and field trips, and helps connect people with nature in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Larry Trachtenberg (he/him) has been a member of the Board of Directors of Saw Mill River Audubon for more than a decade and has been an eagle “spotter” at George’s Island for every EagleFest since its beginning.