19th Annual Hamilton County Adirondack Boreal Birding Festival

The Hamilton County Department of Tourism and Audubon NY welcomes you this June for the 19 th Annual Adirondack Boreal Birding Festival.

The Adirondack Park in upstate New York is a bird-watching haven! In June, the Adirondack Boreal Birding Festival in Hamilton County celebrates the height of the breeding season with 4 days of birding hikes, walks, safaris, outings, and presentations throughout the county.

Joan Collins, owner of Adirondack Avian Expeditions & Workshops, LLC, leads birding tours year-round, is a New York State licensed guide, an Adirondack 46er, and has climbed all the Adirondack fire tower peaks. She writes the Birdwatch column for Adirondack Explorer magazine, and has published several journal, magazine, and newspaper articles on wildlife and conservation topics in various publications including Audubon, Conservationist, Adirondack Life Magazine, Adirondack Explorer, New York Birders, LOCALadk Magazine, and The Kingbird. Joan authored several warbler species accounts, in addition to serving as a peer reviewer for The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State. She is a past President of the New York State Ornithological Association and Editor of New York Birders. She served for many years as a Board of Directors member of the Audubon Council of New York State and Northern New York Audubon Society, and as a past President. Joan is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter on ornithology topics.

Follow Joan on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian
Her website can be found at: http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/

Rich Hanlon is a birder, naturalist educator, author, NYS licensed guide, and owner/operator of Wild Neighbors Nature Connection, LLC with an Environmental Studies degree from Penn State University ('09) and 17 years of experience investing in his passion of helping people to experience transformational connection with nature's community. Most of his work involves guided birding in the northern Adirondacks and young naturalist series at local rec parks. He is a relational birder, meaning that his focus is on the connections between birds and their environment. With him, you can expect to learn as much about the habitats of our feathered neighbors as the birds themselves. Rich lives in Duane Center, NY, just a little north of Paul Smith's with his wife Erin and their dog Polly.

Follow Rich on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/adknatureguide
His website can be found at: http://www.wnnc.net

Pat Bixler is an experienced hiker, birder, and licensed guide who has spent countless hours in the Adirondack wilderness. He is an official 46er, Northville-Placid trail finisher, and can also be found on his kayak or mountain bike. During the summer months, Pat serves as a steward on the summit of Whiteface Mountain protecting the sensitive alpine habitat and interpreting the flora and fauna for visitors. Through all of this, he has found a personal connection to our feathered friends and hopes to share that experience with you. Pat lives in Saranac Lake, NY, just outside of the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks.

Mike & Wanda Moccio have visited the Adirondacks since their college days. While working in their careers in Connecticut, Mike’s newfound interest in bird watching inspired him to help establish the Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Stamford, Connecticut, dedicated to conserving habitat for birds and other wildlife. This sanctuary is now an Important Bird Area (IBA). Mike and Wanda became NYS-licensed hiking guides to lead and engage bird-watching participants. They also participate in breeding and waterfowl surveys for various state and federal organizations. They retired in 2016 and currently reside in Indian Lake, NY.

Schedule:

Sunday, June 8, 2025
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Safari/Short Walk: Long Lake – 6:00 AM

Join Joan Collins on this exciting trip into the William C. Whitney Wilderness area north of the Town of Long Lake. Meet at the Long Lake Town Beach by the bridge over Long Lake (restrooms at this location) and we will carpool to the birding areas north. We will make several stops along Route 30 at marshes and boreal forest, with possible Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay, and Boreal Chickadee. Next, we’ll drive Sabattis Circle Road (~6 miles) and car-bird, stopping at several locations, including the Buck Mountain Trailhead, the scenic inlet of Little Tupper Lake (with a large marsh where American Bitterns nest), Round Lake Trailhead, and Sabattis Bog where we will take a short walk. Eighteen warbler species breed along this road including Northern Waterthrush, Mourning, Palm, and Canada Warblers. Many boreal species can be found along Sabattis Circle Road including, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow- bellied Flycatchers, Canada Jay, and Lincoln’s Sparrow. Little Tupper Lake and Sabattis Bog are within the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area, a designated “Important Birding Area” (IBA) by Audubon New York. Temperate deciduous and boreal forests make up most of the surrounding area, with over 30% of the IBA being a wetland habitat. Stewart’s Shops open at 5 a.m. for breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and other lunch items. There is an outhouse located at the Buck Mountain Trailhead parking area along Sabattis Circle Road where we can stop along our route. After the trip, lunch can be ordered ahead at the Adirondack Trading Post (not far from the Long Lake Town Beach) and picked up before the next field trip.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 4 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING: Insect repellant, hat, sunscreen, water, food, binoculars, and appropriate
clothing/jacket and footwear.
MEET: At the Long Lake Town Beach by the bridge over Long Lake at 6 a.m. We will carpool
from this location. There are restrooms at the beach.
GPS WAYPOINT:
DIRECTIONS: The Long Lake Town Beach is located by the bridge over Long Lake. Park parallel to the road. Route 30 is referred to as “Main St.” at this location! The Adirondack Hotel is across from the beach.