Northern Saw-whet Owl at the Paul Smiths VIC Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Station

October is Owl Month at the VIC!

Great Horned Owl at the Paul Smiths VICGreat Horned Owl from Adirondack Raptors at the Paul Smiths VIC

Live Owl Demonstrations
Saturdays, 5 PM

Mark Manske, owner of Adirondack Raptors, provided live owl demonstrations on Saturdays at 5 PM, featuring five different species of owls. $10 per person. The Owl Nights featured at least five different species of owls, including:

Owl Prowls

Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister will lead Owl Prowls on 19 October and 2 November at 8 PM. $10 for adults, $5 for the Paul Smith's College Community. Children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration appreciated.


Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Program at the Paul Smiths VIC (Fall 2012)Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Program at the Paul Smiths VIC (27 September 2012)

Saw-whet Owl Banding

The 2012 Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Program, which began on 14 September, continued through October and ended on 27 October. The nets were pulled early due to the impending bad weather. The banding began at around dusk nightly (weather permitting) and lasted until around 11:00 PM. As of 22 October, 35 owls were banded during the 2012 season. The project is one of the research programs run by Adirondack Raptors, a privately owned business that monitors and studies the local raptor populations. The Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) is a small and wonderfully photogenic owl that lives in woodlands and preys mainly on mice.

For more information on this project, visit adirondackraptors.org or call (518) 521-7123 for more information.

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.