Hi all the young birders out there: The New York State Young Birders Club (NYSYBC) is running a field trip for young birders on June 13th to *Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks*. Migration may be winding down, but the breeding season is in full swing. Whiteface Mountain is one of the best places to find the highly range-restricted *Bicknell's Thrush* in New York, even in the whole of the United States. Rising temperatures also threaten this thrush's habitat, so now is a perfect time to go find one if you haven't. We also have a good chance of seeing a range of breeding warblers and birds typical of the boreal forest, such as Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and Black-backed Woodpecker. Maybe even a Spruce Grouse.
What makes this trip even more appealing is that there is a road all the way to the summit of Whiteface Mountain -- no need to embark on a long, strenuous hike to reach the high-altitude forest Bicknell's Thrushes (and other boreal birds) need to thrive. This road normally doesn't open until well after sunrise, but we've received special permission to access it 4-5 hours before it would normally open, since Bicknell's Thrushes are, for the most part, crepuscular singers (during dawn and dusk). Plus, we will have a knowledgeable leader from Northern New York Audubon to guide us. This is a great chance to see birds most of us only glimpse during migration, if at all, as well as birds that only occur in the northern boreal habitat areas. While our trips are open to young birders from ANY STATE, only those from ages 10 to 19 can participate. If you are a young birder and are interested in joining me on Sunday, June 13 (you'd have to stay overnight, probably with a parent or other adult, at a nearby hotel since we will be starting early in the morning), go to nysyoungbirders.org and print out the permission form in the Downloads section. Then scan and email it (or fax) to [email protected] along with your name, age, and contact information. Not a member of the club? Don't worry -- non-member young birders (and their parents) are entitled to attend one club field trip, but after that must join before attending others. Please note, though, that all young birders 12 and under *must* be transported and accompanied by a parent at all times. Any questions can be directed to me, or to the NYSYBC adult coordinators at [email protected]. For more information on NYSYBC, visit nysyoungbirders.org. We run monthly field trips to great birding spots around New York State suitable for all birding skill levels. I hope to see some new young birders on the trip! Sincerely, Benjamin Van Doren President, NYSYBC Blog: http://warblings.wordpress.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
