MAC Update for the FOTMWC Board – March 16, 2022

On The Canals Free Snowshoeing
Building upon our successful paddling and hiking excursions, Montezuma Audubon Center partnered again with NYS Canal Corporation to lead free snowshoeing excursions every Saturday in January and February. Each excursion filled up. More than 300 people from around New York State joined us for a leisurely 1-mile snowshoe hike around the marshes, among the grasslands, and through the forests while learning about the many birds that are found here during the winter months such as the Bald Eagle, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Eastern Bluebird. Additionally, we explored the winter carpet of freshly fallen snow which captured the story of hardy mammals like the coyote, mink, red fox, and muskrat. Binoculars, bird guides, and snowshoes were available to borrow. Environmental Educator Kristen Moore led the majority of the excursions.

On The Canals Excursions Will Return in 2022/2023
Montezuma Audubon Center is proud to announce that we will partner with NYS Canal Corporation once again to lead free excursions in 2022 and 2023. We’ll connect more than 1,000 New Yorkers with Montezuma’s birds, other wildlife and their habitats through kayaking, birding walks and snowshoeing excursions. Thirty destinations will be featured through the On The Canals Program this year but Montezuma Audubon Center will be the only organization leading birding-focused excursions.

Media Coverage
Chris Lajewski (Center Director) was on FLX Morning radio and FingerLakes1.com for his regular monthly interviews to talk all things Montezuma and birds. https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/01/24/inside-the-flx-chris-lajewski-of-the-montezuma-audubon-center-podcast-2/

https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/28/inside-the-flx-chris-lajewski-of-the-montezuma-audubon-center-podcast-3/
Alyssa Johnson (Environmental Educator) was featured in a Walton Family Foundation Blog that highlighted black environmentalists in February. https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/stories/environment/celebrating-the-hidden-figures-of-environmental-conservation

Tours and Virtual Programs
Alyssa Johnson led nine virtual programs and three birding tours and a Walking in a Winter Wineryland program (Buttonwood Grove Winery) during the winter months. A total of 160 people participated in these in-person and virtual programs. The birding tours highlighted the waterfowl migration through the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Participants enjoyed seeing hundreds of thousands of Snow Geese, hundreds of Tundra Swans, and thousands of ducks, while learning about how to identify birds, why the complex is a vitally important bird area, and how Montezuma’s habitats are managed. The virtual program topics included: Finch Research Network, Owls of the Northeast, Women in Conservation, Black Environmentalists, winter birds, Snow Geese, and Montezuma’s invasive species.

Outreach
Alyssa Johnson and Kristen Moore have been fielding a lot of phone calls and questions from visitors regarding the location of migratory waterfowl over the last couple of weeks. Additionally, Alyssa has been posting regular updates about the migration on the MAC Facebook page and on the Cayuga Birds, Genesee Birds and Oneida Birds listservs.

Planning
We have also been busy preparing for the spring and summer months. MAC staff are planning the Annual Benefit (June 13), MARSH events, school field trips, birding tours and programs, a native plant sale (June 11) and youth leadership program activities.