Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks:  Hermit Thrush near the Paul Smiths VIC parking lot

Birding Festivals in the Adirondacks:
2014 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration
Beginning Birder Workshop


Birds of the Adirondacks:  Great Blue Heron on Heron Marsh at the Paul Smiths VIC (27 May 2013) Great Blue Heron on Heron Marsh at the Paul Smiths VIC (27 May 2013)
Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks: Ruffed Grouse near the Paul Smiths VIC parking lot Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks:
Ruffed Grouse near the VIC Parking Lot

You probably feed the birds in your backyard and enjoy the beauty they bring, but lately you’ve been asking yourself about the other birds that visit the trees in your neighborhood during the spring and summer months. Well, now’s the chance to start learning those birds! Our Beginner Birder Workshop will take you step-by-step through the intricate lives of birds. Leaders will introduce field identification and song identification skills in a relaxed manner, so you can fully absorb the intricacies of the lives of birds.

The VIC is an ideal place to begin your birding journey. The 3,000-acre property includes varied Adirondack habitats, providing excellent opportunities to see and hear the many different birds that make the Adirondacks their seasonal or year-round home. As a result, the VIC has become a bird watching haven, attracting birders from throughout the northeast.

One very convenient birding hot spot at the VIC is the VIC parking lot, where a large number of birds may be seen and heard, including a wide variety of warblers, as well as other species, such as Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Ruffed Grouse, American Goldfinch, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed VIreo, and Hairy Woodpecker.

Common Merganser on Barnum Brook at the Paul Smiths VIC (31 May 2013) Common Merganser on Barnum Brook at the VIC

For a list of birds seen on the trails at the Paul Smiths VIC, click here.

This trip will begin with a short presentation on birding basics in the VIC Great Room, including birding optics, field guides, and identification skills. Participants will then go outside for a field trip on the VIC nature trails.

This is a non-strenuous walk. The VIC interpretive trails are wide, surfaced walking paths. The walking is easy, with a few small hills. Hiking boots are recommended in wet weather, but are not normally necessary. The field trip will cover both Barnum Bog (accessed by the Boreal Life Trail boardwalk) and Heron Marsh (accessed by the Barnum Brook Trail and the Heron Marsh Trail). There will be a short stop at the VIC building in between the walks, for the convenience of birders who opt for a shorter walk.

 


Explore the VIC

The Paul Smiths VIC offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year to educate and inform Adirondack Park residents and visitors about the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains. You can help support these programs by joining the Friends of the VIC. More information on Friends of the VIC memberships

Explore the Trails

The VIC trails are free and open to the public, from dawn to dusk, spring through fall. In winter, the trails are open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers for a fee. Day or season passes may be purchased.