Activities
Eastern Meadowlark by Sheri Douse
Walks and Hikes
with Genesee Valley Audubon Society are family friendly opportunities to explore nature first-hand with other environmental enthusiasts.
As part of our mission Genesee Valley Audubon Society wants to encourage all to get out and appreciate nature. To support that mission, we offer several local bird walks throughout the year. Our hope is that you will see something that peaks your interest enough that you will want to come out and experience one or more of our offerings, and bring along your family and friends. Everyone is welcome.
Registration is required. Please note: if registration link is not working, copy and paste the URL into your browser.
Please check here or our Facebook page for updates on upcoming GVAS activities and programs.
A Spring Bouquet of Birds: A Sit and Bird event PREMIER
Lakeview Community Church, 30 Long Pond Road
Saturday, June 1, 8:00am-9:30am
Come join us in a new birding opportunity from GVAS for all abilities as we host our inaugural Sit and Bird event. Some call it Slow Birding, Some Call it Mindful Birding. Most just call it bird watching. We are inviting you to bring a chair, your binoculars, the non-alcoholic beverage of your choice, and spend a quiet morning just sitting in nature enjoying the birds. The southern shore of Lake Ontario is along the Atlantic flyway. The geography of central and western New York concentrates large numbers of birds as they travel up to their summer breeding grounds. On a beautiful day in June we will have the opportunity of seeing many different species of birds all in their brightest breeding plumage. It is a feast for the eyes and heart even if you don’t know a robin from an eagle. GVAS volunteers will be on hand to help with the names of the birds if you care to learn. Prompts will be suggested to allow you to just view, breath in, and hear nature. There will be time to share and time to just sit and soak it all in. We hope this is an event that you will enjoy and invite friends and family to at future events. We will be setting up along a parking area. Sunscreen, hat, and water bottle are highly recommended. Sorry, but there are no public facilities available at this site. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Loretta at loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com. Register is required no later than Thursday, May 30 at http://tinyurl.com/3yvnaa7r
Nature Walk at Tinker Nature Park
1525 Calkins Road
Saturday, June 8, 2024, 9:00am
Come join GVAS Saturday, June 1st at 9:00am for an early summer morning walk along the trail at Tinker Nature Park, an accessible area that features a crushed stone and grass trail that circles the perimeter of the park and is 1.2 miles long. Be aware that there are gentle slopes. We will park in the paved 1525 Calkins Road lot where there are accessible designated spaces and a bathroom available. We will discover what wildlife waits for us around a pond, wetland, open field, and woodland. We should see many spring migrants and birds that come visit for short period every summer to brood and raise their families. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Loretta at loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com. For more information about this trail we invite everyone to check out the details on Birdability.org, http://tinyurl.com/4uuse77n Registration is required no later than Thursday, June 6 at http://tinyurl.com/mrycztb7
Hidden Sidewalk and Charlotte Pier
180 Beach Avenue, across from the Roger Robach Community Center
Thursday, August 8, 10:00am-12:00pm.
Join GVAS in exploring one of the worst kept secrets in Rochester. The Hidden or Secret Sidewalk runs between several beautiful homes and the shore of Lake Ontario. If we are lucky the winds will be calm and we could enjoy butterflies taking advantage of several private pollinator gardens. Purple Martins should be a guarantee, as there has been a successful colony in more than one previously established Martin house. The first half of this route is all sidewalk. There is boardwalk from the community center down to the pier. There are facilities available in the community center, and we will take a quick break there before continuing down to the pier after enjoying the hidden sidewalk. Sunscreen and a water bottle are recommended. Binoculars will enhance your enjoyment. For questions or concerns, or to discuss alternate parking options email Loretta at loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com. Details are listed on the Birdability website (birdability.org) for full assessments Hidden Sidewalk: http://tinyurl.com/2rzuf3pt and Charlotte Pier: http://tinyurl.com/u89kt4cw Registration is required no later than Sunday, August 6 at https://tinyurl.com/mufpne5r
Follow Genesee Valley Audubon Society on Facebook or Twitter for updates.
Programs, Presentations & Events
are a great way to learn about a variety of environmental topics and get involved with nature.
Water Chestnut Pull Volunteer Opportunity
372 Manitou Rd in Hilton
July 20 @ 9 am
For years Genesee Valley Audubon has been working with the Department of Environmental Conservation to remove European Water Chestnut from Braddock Bay. Our work removing European Water Chestnut has kept it from covering the bay and cutting light and oxygen from the water, keeping the bay healthy for the fish and other wildlife. The work that GVAS does is very important, and we need your help. If you have a kayak or canoe, please join us on July 20. We will meet at the Braddock Bay Tavern at 372 Manitou Rd in Hilton at 9:00 am. Please register by July 19 with June Summers, summers@frontiernet.net or (585) 355-1824.
Coastal Cleanup Volunteer Opportunity
Westpoint Marina, 105 E. Manitou Rd.
Sept. 21 at 9:00 am
Braddock Bay Cleanup Volunteers are needed! Join GVAS at Braddock Bay for the annual International Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 21 at 9:00 am at Westpoint Marina, 105 E. Manitou Rd. in Greece. We will meet in the public parking loop before the Marina. GVAS has picked up over a ton of trash at Braddock Bay over the years and we need your help this year to keep the bay clean. Trash entangles wildlife and plastic bags cover the bottom of the bay, preventing plants from growing. We have now learned that plastic trash that enters the lake can be ground down into small plastic pieces called micro plastics. Micro plastics get into the food chain from the bottom then into the fish and into people who eat them. Help us stop this process. Thank you to the event sponsor, the Helen and Ritter Shumway Foundation. Join us on Sept. 21. Register with June by Sept. 20 at summers@frontiernet.net, or call (585) 355-1824 to let me know you are coming. We will provide trash bags and data sheets. Please bring work gloves.
Wings Over Water
This fall GVAS will bring this documentary film that follows Sand Hill Cranes, Yellow Warblers, and Mallards on their incredible migration through the Central Flyway. This film was sponsored by a number of organization including National Audubon and Ducks Unlimited. Keep an eye out for the fall Meadowlark for more details.
Rochester Falcons
Our downtown falcon pair, Nova and Neander, laid four eggs this spring and all four hatched successfully. You can follow their adventures at https://rfalconcam.com/. Fledging is expected to happen in mid-June.
To participate as a volunteer with any of these activities, please visit our Get Involved page.
Genesee Valley Audubon Society
P.O. Box 15512
Rochester, NY 14615
Email: summers@frontiernet.net