June is Birding Month in the Adirondacks

Three festivals, new museum exhibit and support from Audubon New York

ADIRONDACK REGION, N.Y., February 7, 2007 - The Adirondack Park of New York state is a bird watching haven. All birds that migrate to the Adirondack region for the summer arrive by June. Over 100 bird species can be found nesting in the region, including the spruce grouse and Bicknell's thrush. Birding enthusiasts have also been flocking to the area in increased numbers each spring, growing their life lists. This year the area boasts support from Audubon New York, more festivals and the grand opening of a new birding exhibit at the Wild Center/Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks. Many organizations have been putting together weekends with guided outings, workshops and lectures to help facilitate viewing and education. The birding festivals scheduled include:

• Great Camp Sagamore will be hosting an Elderhostel event, Boreal Birds of the Adirondacks, May 29 - June 1. The program includes lodging, meals, lectures and field trips. For more information visit www.elderhostel.org or call 800-454-5768.
  
• The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration will be held June 1-3 at the Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths. The weekend features birding trips, lectures, workshops and the popular Teddy Roosevelt Birding Challenge. For more information visit www.adkvic.org/birdfest.html or call 518-327-3000.
  
• The Adirondack Birding Festival in Hamilton County, co-sponsored by Audubon New York, is taking place June 8-10 and June 15-17. The first weekend will focus on the southern portion of the county and the second will feature the northern portion. The festival includes seminars and outings. For more information visit www.adirondackexperience.com.
  
• The Wings Over the Adirondacks exhibit, a first-of-a-kind in the Northeastern United States, will open on July 4, 2007 at the Wild Center/Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks in Tupper Lake, New York. The centerpiece for this exhibit will be a series of outdoor, state-of-the-art, interconnected "tree houses" linked by hanging bridges and surrounded by enhanced habitat. The exhibit will include a 50-foot-long covered bridge called "Feeder Alley" that will be surrounded by feeding and nesting stations. The new Bird Skywalk and Skytowers will give birders a vantage point for exploring the surrounding Adirondack bird country. The Adirondack Regional Tourism Council offers birding enthusiasts tools to guide them to the ultimate birding spots. The interactive Web site www.adkbirds.com serves as an extensive guide and sightings source pre and post trip. The Adirondack Regional Tourism Council can provide more information on the birding events in the region. Their Web site www.visitadirondacks.com provides information on lodging, directions, additional activities, and more.