Upcoming Field Trips

Saturday, September 7, Green Lakes State Park.
Please contact the trip leader, Paul Richardson, at 315-488-5022 for details.

Visit this page after August 1, 2013 for a complete list of upcoming field trips.

Green Lakes State Park Summer and Fall 2013 Field Trips
Onondaga Audubon has extended its series of field trips at Green Lakes State Park (GLSP) into the Fall months. While most Central New Yorkers know about the parks’ two glacial lakes, few may be aware that the park also preserves the largest stand of old-growth forest in Central New York as well as extensive grassland habitat. In 2011, N.Y. State officials designated 1000 acres within the park as a Bird Conservation Area (BCA), devoted to sustaining wild bird populations and enhancing bird habitat. The GLSP BCA contains a relatively large tract of interior forest, including the old-growth stands; this area provides important breeding habitat for mature forest birds, such as Ovenbird and Wood Thrush. The grasslands within the Green Lakes BCA provide habitat for a number of regionally declining birds, including Grasshopper Sparrow (special concern) and Northern Harrier (threatened). When the Green Lakes BCA plan is fully implemented, this area will be the largest area of preserved grassland within any state park. Finally, the park’s two lakes provide stopover and foraging sites for many birds dependent upon open water, including Bald Eagle, Osprey, and water birds including ducks, herons, and grebes. We invite you to join one of Audubon’s GLSP field trips to explore some of these unique avian habitats. Each hike takes from 3 to 5 hours (or more) depending on trail length and weather conditions. It is highly recommended that participants bring their own water and insect repellant. Please contact the hike leader for details on specific times and meeting places.

Field trips are free and open to the public. Novice birders (and non-birders too!) are welcome. If you are planning to join us on a field trip, you should contact the leader. Typically there is contact information with the trip details on this page. Please call at a reasonable hour as most birders turn in early. Carpooling from the meeting place is good for the environment.. If your schedule allows you to join a carpool, consider offering the driver help with the cost of gas.

Earlier 2013 Field Trips
January 19 – Oswego River and Harbor – Bill Purcell
February 16 – Beaver Lake Nature Center – Gene Huggins
February 24 – Southern Highlands – Bernie Carr
March 30 – Derby Hill – Gerry Smith
April 27 – Derby Hill – Gerry Smith
April 27 – Green Lakes State Park – Jerry Case
May 18 – Green Lakes State Park – Jerry Case
May 25 – Whisky Hollow – Joe Brin
June 1 – Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area – Joe Brin
June 15 – Green Lakes State Park – Jerry Case
June 29 – Green Lakes State Park – Paul Richardson
July 20 – Green Lakes State Park – Paul Richardson

2012 Field Trips
January 7 – Oswego River & harbor – Bill Purcell
February 11 – Northwestern Jefferson County – Gerry Smith
February 18 – Beaver Lake Nature Center – Gene Huggins
March 31- Derby Hill Bird Observatory – Gerry Smith
April 28 – Derby Hill Bird Observatory – Gerry Smith
May 26 – Whisky Hollow – Joe Brin
June 2 – Three River WMA – Joe Brin
June 9 – Camillus Forest – Paul Richardson
August 4 – Green Lakes State Park – Jerry Case
August 11 – Green Lakes State Park – Gene Huggins
August 18 – Green Lakes State Park – Paul Richardson
September 9 – Green Lakes State Park – Paul Richardson
November 17 – Fair Haven – Gene Huggins

2011 provided four seasons of interesting field trips led by Onondaga Audubon members:

Oswego River, February 19 led by Bill Purcell
Derby Hill and environs, March 26 led by Gerry Smith
Derby Hill again, April 23 led by Gerry Smith
Camillus Forest Unique Area, May 14 led by Paul Richardson
Whiskey Hollow and vicinity, May 28 led by Joe Brin
Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area, June 4 led by Joe Brin
Green Lakes State Park, July 23 led by Catherine Miles
July 30 led by Paul Richardson
August 6 led by Gene Huggins
August 20 led by Jerry Case
August 27 led by Paul Richardson
Oneida Lake, September 4 led by Tony Shrimpton
Sylvan & Verona Beaches, September 17 led by Bill Purcell
Fair Haven Beach State Park November 19 led by Gene Huggins