Birding & Spring Nature
May 13 – 15, 2022
As springtime awakens, Mohonk is the perfect place for bird watchers of all levels.
Join us on Birding & Spring Nature weekend with environmental educators for hikes, bird walks, workshops, and an exploration of the natural world as it awakens on our mountaintop.
Birding & Spring Nature program is led by Kurt Weiskotten, who has been the program leader since 1985.
Availability is limited. For reservations, please call .
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY, MAY 13
Warm-Up Walk to Garden Overlook
5pm
Meet the leaders and fellow participants on this casual birding stroll to a beautiful vista above the gardens and unique view of the Mountain House. A moderate walk on gradual paths along the garden edge to find a variety of new birds, and perhaps a Prairie Warbler!
A Breath of Fresh Air
8pm
Work off the evening meal on this quick walk to the Mohonk Barn to see what creatures are out and about in the twilight.
Introduction to the Weekend with the Wonderful World of Hummingbirds
9pm
Learn about one of the most interesting groups of birds found in the New World. This program will explore the lives of some of the species found here in the U.S. and Canada and what makes these creatures so utterly fascinating!
SATURDAY, MAY 14
Early Morning Bird Walk
6:30am
The leaders invite all birders, of all levels, on a variety of early morning jaunts in search of spring migrants that dropped in overnight. More species of birds occupy the property during this weekend than any other time of year, so don’t miss the feathery excitement.
Long Walk to Yeaple Cabin
9:30am
This trek will reward participants with a chance to bird a variety of habitats not typically found higher on the mountaintop. Along the way you will pass historic Yeaple Cabin, open fields, hedgerows, and deep forests. There will be van transportation available to bring you back in time for lunch.
Bird Nests Revealed
10am
Sit for a while and enjoy close-up looks at a variety of bird nests while learning how to identify who makes these amazing structures. If time allows, we will take a quick walk around the house in search of active nests.
Underwater Creatures of Lily Pond
2:30pm
A menagerie of aquatic creatures from eastern newts, dragonfly nymphs, diving beetles, water tigers, frogs and more lurk in the seemingly placid waters of Lily Pond. Their discovery awaits your ascent along Sky Top Road!
Greg’s Choice Birdwalk
2:30pm
Join Greg for a ramble to his favorite birding haunts in search of Eastern Towhees, Indigo Buntings, Prairie Warblers, Worm-eating Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers and more. An excellent field opportunity to learn from one of the best.
Keeping a Nature Sketchbook
2:30pm
Regardless of artistic ability, anyone can create a simple sketchbook journal of your explorations in nature. A few tips and tricks indoors will prepare us for a relaxing sketching session outdoors. Supplies provided.
Live Snake Showcase
5pm
Hang out for an hour with Mike as he talks about the biology and ecology of North American snakes. Mike’s collection of harmless live snakes from SUNY Cobleskill will be on hand to assist in this fun and factual presentation for the general audience.
Hunters of the Sky; Live Birds Of Prey
9pm
The Cornell Raptor Program presents this unique opportunity to see live hawks, owls, and falcons to learn about their exceptional physiology and how they’ve adapted to become such proficient predators. Heather Huson will introduce you to these birds and the role of the Cornell Raptor Program in teaching the next generation of raptor conservationists and providing a home and purpose for injured, non-releasable raptors.
SUNDAY, MAY 15
Early Morning Bird Walk
6:30am
Join the leaders once again as we search along woodland paths for any migrating songbirds that may have moved north during the night. Early morning is a magical time at Mohonk!
Birdsongs of Songbirds
9:30am
Join Greg as he wanders the Mohonk property keying in on the vocal offerings of migrant and resident birdlife. Greg will help you fine tune the important skills and nuances of identifying birds purely by chirps, notes, tweets, and songs. He will of course show you some of these beautiful songbirds as well.
A Botanical Circuit of Lake Mohonk
9:30am
Winter-weary eyes will savor the wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and ferns observed during this saunter around Mohonk Lake. Identification and natural history of selected plants will be the focus.
Birds Up Close
10:30am
Bird banding dates to 1595, when Henry IV attached a metal ring around the leg of a Peregrine Falcon that was found 24 hours later in Malta (about 1350 miles away). 1.2 million birds are banded each year in the United State and Canada alone. Join Mike for a demonstration of bird banding and a unique opportunity to meet some of our familiar backyard birds up-close and in the hand.
PROGRAM LEADERS
Kurt Weiskotten
Kurt has devoted his life to birds and nature in all forms and enjoys spending time on ocean shores and Adirondack mountain tops. He has a BS and MS from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse and spent a summer deep in the north woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan studying boreal flora and ornithology. His furthest travels have taken him to Mt. Everest base camp and Mandalay. He has worked as a freelance artist, environmental educator, wetland scientist, and is currently an environmental scientist with Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. Consultants in Albany.
Mike Losito, Ph.D.
Mike is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and Professor of Wildlife Management at the State University of New York at Cobleskill where he has been teaching ornithology for 25 years. He has led students on field trips to more than 17 states as well as Canada and Panama. He received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2015 and the University of Maine Professional Excellence Alumni Award in 2018. He is a Master Bird Bander and a Life Member of the National Geographic Society.
Wayne Gall, Ph.D.
Wayne has led numerous nature programs at Mohonk Mountain House. He served as the Buffalo Museum of Science’s first Administrator/Naturalist of Tifft Nature Preserve from 1983-1987, then Research Fellow and Curator of Entomology for the museum from 1987-2001. From 2001-2016 he was Western Regional Entomologist for the NYS Department of Health. Since May, 2016, Wayne has been Entomologist (Identifier) for US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Wayne earned his MS in Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and PhD in Zoology from the University of Toronto.
Greg Budney
Greg is a former Audio Curator of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds, the world’s largest collection of wildlife sound recordings. He is also a leading bird sound recordist and has produced numerous audio guides to sounds of North American birds. He has trained hundreds of biologists and citizen scientists in techniques for capturing the sounds of wildlife for research, conservation, and education.
Heather Huson
Heather Huson is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Cornell Raptor Program, an undergraduate volunteer program aimed at promoting the conservation of birds of prey through education, research, rehabilitation, and propagation. Her raptor experience extends over the past 20 years with a foundation in education and rehabilitation. Her position affords her the opportunity to share her diverse background with a passionate group of dedicated undergraduate students and work one-on-one with live birds of prey.
Availability is limited. For reservations, please call .