EagleFest Schedule
Eagle Theater: Live Bird Shows
| Time | Program | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:15 | Amazing Adaptations: Owls, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Carl Heitmuller | |
| 10:00 | Birds of Prey, Brian Robinson | |
| 11:00 | Eagles of Africa: The Falconry/Conservation Connection | |
| 12:00 | Rescued Raptors of Long Island, Bobby Horvath | |
| 1:00 | Sky Hunters in Flight, Brian Bradley | |
| 2:00 | Sky Hunters in Flight, Brian Bradley | |
| 2:50 | EagleFest Passport Prize Drawings & Photography Contest Winners Announced | |
| 3:00 | The Flight of the Raptor, James Eyring |
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.
Carl Heitmuller is Director of Programs at the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum. He has been an Environmental Educator at the Museum for 28 years. He will bring Gus, their resident Screech Owl. The program will consist of discussion of the owl’s amazing adaptations along with educational props and, of course, a guest appearance from Gus! Great for all ages.
Queens firefighter and wildlife rehabilitator, Bobby Horvath, will share his experiences working with raptors. Bobby runs Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (WINORR), a non-profit, volunteer organization serving New York City, Nassau, and Western Suffolk Counties. As a licensed rehabilitator, they provide professional care for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife received through the Department of Environmental Conservation, local police, animal hospitals, humane societies, animal control, as well as the general public. In addition to rehabilitation, WINORR also provides information and education for the community.
Jim Soto of TC Management, Inc. will focus on African eagles and conservation efforts to save them. He will discuss the falconry techniques used to work with these birds and how using those techniques aids us conservation efforts. While studying biology at the University of Binghamton, Jim sought a way to work with animals more intimately. A falconer’s license allowed for an up-close and personal lifestyle of working with birds of prey, and thus Jim pursued it with great interest and determination. After finding the Cullen Family of Falconry Excursions, he has steadily risen to be the Head Falconer and Director of Programming. Jim spends part of his year working in South Africa and Botswana for the VulPro organization, rehabilitating Vultures and Eagles back to the wild. An avid photographer, Jim has also assisted in the photo documenting of the breeding habits of the Umbrella Bird in the rainforests of Costa Rica on a multi-year study.
Eaglet Stage: See, Learn, Act
| Time | Program | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:15 | Raptors for Rookies, Anne Swaim, Saw Mill River Audubon | 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. | |
| 10:15 | Hudson Valley Wildlife: Birds, Maddy Schroeder, Teatown Lake Reservation | What’s living in your backyard? 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. | |
| 11:15 | Birding Basics: Beginner Birding for Families, Emily Edmonds-Langham, Teatown Lake Reservation | 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 2:30 pm. | |
| 12:15 | Hudson Valley Wildlife: Mammals, Maddy Schroeder, Teatown Lake Reservation | What’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 | |
| 1:15 | Female Bird ID, Martha Harbison, Feminist Bird Club | Female birds have spent too long out of the limelight, overlooked as people focused on the flashier males. This male-centric view limits our appreciation of the full range of birds’ plumage, behavior, and song. Learn about how scientists are trying to understand the nuances surrounding female birds and how you can find and identify the female birds that make New York state home. This lecture is for anyone who is bird-curious or who is looking to take their interest in birds to the next level. | |
| 2:15 | Hudson Valley Wildlife: Herps, Maddy Schroeder, Teatown Lake Reservation | What’s living in your backyard? Live reptiles and amphibians, mounts, and bones will be used in this lively program about the species found in the lower Hudson Valley. Meet Teatown’s animal ambassadors and learn about the unique challenges this amazing group of animals faces and what can be done to advocate on their behalf. | |
| 3:00 | Easy Digiscoping and Phonescoping, Richard Moncrief, Zeiss | Richard W. Moncrief has been with ZEISS for twenty years and acts as the Birding and Nature Observation Manager. He is an advocate for the birding community within ZEISS and especially young birder programs. Rich is a former resident of Bergen County, New Jersey and now resides in Virginia. |
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.
Martha Harbison 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.
Richard W. Moncrief has been with ZEISS for twenty years and acts as the Birding and Nature Observation Manager. He is an advocate for the birding community within ZEISS and especially young birder programs. Rich is a former resident of Bergen County, New Jersey and now resides in Virginia.
Larry Trachtenberg 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.
Maddy Schroeder is an Environmental Educator and Animal Caretaker at Teatown. She strives to inspire conservation by teaching the public about native wildlife and encouraging people to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors.
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.
Bird Walks
Come along on one of our bird walks led by bird experts around Croton Point Park. Walks will meet outside of the main pavilion. Bird walks start at 9:30, last bird walk at 2:30.
Despite the temperatures, ice, and snow, dozens of bird species call this park home during the winter season, from Northern Cardinals to American Kestrels to Bald Eagles—and beyond! With a bit of luck, we will be able to observe many of them. During this birding trip, we will be walking slowly through a portion of the park, checking out shrubs, trees, water, and the sky.
| Time | Guide | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 | Doug Bloom, Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon | |
| 10:30 | Jeana Fucello, Martha Harbison, Feminist Bird Club NYC | |
| 11:30 | Doug Bloom, Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon | |
| 12:30 | Larry Trachtenberg, Saw Mill River Audubon; Kyle Bardwell, Putnam Highlands Audubon | |
| 1:30 | Anne Swaim, Saw Mill River Audubon | |
| 2:30 | Family Bird Walk (binoculars available), Emily Edmonds-Langham, Teatown Lake Reservation | |
| 2:30 | History of Croton Point Park, Scott Craven, Ossining Historian |
Kyle Bardwell 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 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.
Jeana Fucello 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 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.
Kyle Bardwell 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.
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.
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.
Scott Craven 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.
Accessibility notes: The route will take us over a number of surfaces, including pavement, gravel paths, grass—all of which may be frozen or icy, so sturdy warm shoes with good traction are best. The terrain at Croton Point Park is not flat, with both gradual inclines and short, steep ones.
Weather notes: It gets cold and windy at Croton Point Park, and birding is a very slow endeavor, so warm clothes and gloves are a must. We also recommend toe warmers.
Eagle Nest
Create nature art with Teatown educators!
