RAS is co-sponsoring this event with the Lower Hudson Group of Sierra Club
Online - Zoom information:

Please open the link below for the zoom meeting information:
Click here to join the Zoom Meeting.
Or call: 1 (929)205-6099
Meeting ID: 868 8244 5856

Wildlife populations have declined steeply since the 1970s. Like climate change, the
extinction crisis is approaching critical tipping points with about one million animal and plant species threatened with extinction and many more declining. Extinctions and loss of biodiversity pose a grave threat to future generations.                                                  
Noah Greenwald, Director of Endangered Species for the Center for Biological Diversity, will speak to us about the scope and magnitude of the crisis. He’ll explain the causes, the impacts we can expect to see in coming decades on mammals, amphibians, insects, and human wellbeing, and solutions. He’ll outline what we must do to pass on to future generations a world where the wild can still thrive.

Congers Lake Community Center – 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY Doors open for refreshments at 7:00pm. Program begins at 7:15pm. Watch the New Shorebird Documentary “Flyways” followed by discussion led by Cheryl Stroud, Vice President of RAS.

Shorebirds fly thousands of miles each year along ancient and largely unknown migratory routes called Flyways. More than 200 species, such as Far Eastern Curlews, Lesser Yellowlegs, Red Knots and Hudsonian Godwits, travel from feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere to breeding grounds in the Arctic and back again, flying up to nine days non-stop without food or water.

But their populations are crashing amidst climate change and urban development. Follow a conservation movement of bird-loving experts and citizen scientists as they mobilize to the challenge of understanding and saving shorebirds.

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Congers Lake Community Center – 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY Doors open for refreshments at 7:00. Program begins at 7:30. Presented by: Anne Swaim, Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon.

More than 30 species of waterfowl might be seen in the winter around Rockland County and the Lower Hudson Valley. Many of these birds may have hatched as far north as Hudson Bay and come here to spend the winter. Others nest locally. Find out how to sort them out and where to see them. Also, learn about the New York State Waterfowl Count, which takes place every mid-January.

Nature Program for Friday December 6th

Please join us for a Zoom presentation. Program will begin at 7pm.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpceyvrz0oE9SfMv4CJihuhQY_-98xryWq#/registration

Owls are mysterious and charismatic birds that have intrigued humans for centuries with their mysterious behaviors and unique adaptations.

In this program, Stella Miller will take us on a journey into the fascinating world of owls as we uncover the secrets of these nocturnal hunters, exploring their life history, amazing adaptations and the individual species that call NYS home.

As much as plants and animals need light, they also need the dark.  At a moment when we are facing a crisis in extinctions, scientific studies document that light pollution disrupts wildlife and plants, impacts human health, and contributes to climate change.  The loss of dark skies also blocks our most ancient connection with the universe.

From the beginning of time, light and dark, day and night, have been the great clock that orchestrates life on earth.  In addition to the impacts on migrating birds and all other wildlife, we are also losing part of our birthright that joins us with all the generations, the sense of awe at the stars in the night sky.

Mark Grosz, from DarkSky International, will discuss the ecological impacts of the loss of dark skies.  The good news is that we can begin to restore darker skies with relatively simple solutions. 

We will address regional and Rockland specific issues following the talk by Mark Grosz and Q&A. 

Click HERE to join Zoom Meeting. 

Or call: 1 929 205 6099 / Meeting ID: 813 3013 6167

Doors open for refreshments at 7:00pm. Program begins at 7:30pm at Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center - 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY.

Please join us for the Christmas Bird Count presentation by Alan and Della Wells.  This marks the 125th consecutive year the survey will be conducted by the National Audubon Society. Alan and Della will explain how the count is conducted, what we might find and how you can participate in this community science project. We will also hear about the history of the CBC including the RAS’s first ever Christmas Bird Count.

October Big Day will take place on Oct. 12th!
Open the link below for more information:
https://globalbirding.org/home

Meadowlands Birding Festival - 2 Dekorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst, NJ click here for additional info

Doors open for refreshments at 7:00pm. Program begins at 7:30pm at Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center - 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY. An Inordinate Fondness: Sharing Our World (and Gardens) with Insects presented by Brittney Hahn

Our world runs on insects! Despite their gruesome reputation, insects are integral parts of our lives and the environment around us, from the rainforests of the Amazon to the urban jungle of Manhattan. They are fascinatingly diverse and interesting animals in their own right, and perform crucial ecosystem services such as pollination, pest control, and being a rich food source (for birds and humans alike!). Please join us for this presentation where we will learn about the natural history of insects, their social and natural significance, and introduce some of those right here in our backyards in Rockland. We will also have the chance to examine some prepared insect specimens from our area.

Movie Night Flyways: the Untold Story of Migratory Shorebirds. As part of our participation in this fall's Citizen Science Bird Migration project, enjoy light snacks provided by the library, with our showing of Flyways , a PBS Nature documentary. Christine Toth, R.A.S. conservation chair will follow up the movie with a short discussion. Location: Fellowship Hall, Pearl River Methodist Church 130 Franklin Ave, Pearl River, NY 10965.

We are pleased to extend an invitation to you for an engaging and informative presentation by Stella Miller.

Click here to register for the event

The forests and woodlands of New York provide ideal habitat for woodpecker species, some which breed here, one which is a regular migrant spending winters with us, as well as a rarity to the area that may not be such a rarity for long. We will learn about the various species of woodpeckers that call lower NYS home, their amazing adaptations, as well as the answer to that age old question, “Why don’t woodpeckers get headaches?”

Date: Wednesday September 18th, 2024

Time: 7-8:30 pm.

Location: Online via Zoom

Please contact rocklandaudubon@gmail.com if you have other questions.

Doors open for refreshments at 7:00pm. Program begins at 7:30pm at Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center - 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY. Watch hawks, falcons and owls sharpen their hunting skills during an exciting flight demonstration with master falconer Brian Bradley of New Paltz, New York. Hear about the ancient sport of falconry and see live raptors from around the world.

August 4 (Sunday) Rockland Lake

Meet Catherine Parker at 7:30am at the fishing station lot, Parking Lot #6

914-319-1396

Friday, June 7, at 6:30pm is our annual potluck and member share at the Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center. Please bring a covered dish for the potluck and please bring any photos, crafts, or other bird- and nature-related items you would like to share with other Rockland Audubon Society members. We will eat first, then share!

Friday, May 3 - 7:30pm - Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center
Presented by Dana Harkrider

Please join us for our May nature program to learn about helping pollinators, presented by Dana Harkrider, an experienced beekeeper and advocate for pollinators and native plants. Dana assists in maintaining hives at Closter Farm and Livestock in New Jersey and Lomar Farms in Palisades and consults on 30 individual hives of homeowners. She developed her expertise by completing the Cornell Master Beekeeping Program. In addition to mentoring beekeepers, Dana also teaches classes to adults and children.

Gather at 7:00 PM at the Congers Lake Memorial Park Community Center for refreshments and conversation with fellow birders and nature enthusiasts. Program starts at 7:30 PM.

(Photo of Ruby-throated Hummingbird from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)