14th Annual Robert F. DeRoo Memorial Conservation Dinner and Hunts
In October 2021, Montezuma Audubon Center hosted the 14th Annual Robert F. DeRoo Memorial Conservation Dinner and Hunts for 33 youth and their adult mentors. The dinner and youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts foster intergenerational relationships through a mentoring system that pairs volunteer adults with participating youth. Youth participants are given the opportunity to learn from their adult mentor with the mentor in turn, able to pass on invaluable knowledge and experience, and for many volunteer mentors, to reconnect with their communities. We safely provided delicious food, hunting dog demonstrations, waterfowl calling demonstrations, target shooting opportunities, a waterfowl identification course and speeches by staff from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Ducks Unlimited, Wayne County Federation of Sportsman Clubs, and the National Audubon Society.
Montezuma Christmas Bird Count
Montezuma Audubon Center organized the Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on December 20, 2021. The CBC is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of community science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds. Due to COVID-19 regulations, Montezuma’s CBC looked a lot different than in previous years. The 35 volunteers and staff were required to wear masks and practice social distancing during the survey. Also, the in-person compilation and dinner that takes place at Montezuma Audubon Center was changed to a virtual compilation. Despite these changes, participants still enjoyed a day of birding around the 50,000-acre Montezuma Wetlands Complex and found 39,115 birds and 77 species, both tallies are above the Montezuma CBC average. Highlights from the day included 177 Sandhill Cranes, 54 Bald Eagles, and two Iceland Gulls.
Media Coverage
Montezuma Audubon Center was highlighted in a Wine Enthusiast article featuring the best birding and wine areas in the country.
Chris Lajewski (Center Director) was interviewed by a reporter from the Boston Globe for an article about the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, the fall bird migration and eco-tourism.
Additionally, Montezuma Audubon Center Educators Alyssa Johnson and Kristen Moore were featured on a FingerLakes1.com podcast about our unique “wineryland” programs.
On The Canals Excursions
Following up on our successful On The Canals paddling excursions during the summer months, Montezuma Audubon Center once again partnered with the NYS Canal Corporation to lead free, guided fall bird migration walks. Each Saturday from October 23 – December 18, 40 people joined us for a leisurely 1-mile walk around the marshes, among the grasslands, and through the forest while learning about the many birds and other wildlife that live here as well as how Montezuma’s habitats are managed. Autumn is a great time to see migratory waterfowl, songbirds and birds of prey as they rest and feed in preparation for the winter months. Binoculars and bird guides were provided and these excursions were enjoyed by people from all around New York State. Furthermore, Montezuma Audubon Center has been approved to lead free, snowshoeing excursions every Saturday this winter in partnership with NYS Canal Corporation and the programs filled up in just a couple weeks.
Tours and Virtual Programs Montezuma Audubon Center staff led 16 birding tours for 138 people and five virtual workshops for 89 people during the autumn season. The Montezuma Wetlands Complex was teeming with migratory songbirds, waterfowl and birds of prey during the fall months. During the birding tours, participants followed behind the Audubon van in their own vehicle to Montezuma’s marshes, forests and grasslands to explore several birding hotspots and the abundant wildlife as they went about their daily activities. Participants received a conference call phone number to hear the Audubon educator narrate the tour and ask questions between stops. Guests were welcome to get out of their vehicles at each stop so facial coverings were required and we followed physical distancing guidelines. The virtual programs highlighted the history of Howland’s Island, Project Feederwatch, owl pellets, Montezuma’s owls and bird migration.
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