Get Involved
Gray Catbird by Will Stuart
Become a Member
Member benefits include a quarterly newsletter (found under the Discover tab) outlining programs, activities and initiatives taking place in your local chapter of Audubon, and a one year subscription to the Audubon Magazine.
American Goldfinch
Genesee Valley Audubon Society (GVAS) is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. When you join the National Audubon Society, you simultaneously join our local Audubon chapter. The annual cost is a $20 minimum donation, which is for a family or an individual. Please note that Genesee Valley Audubon Society is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with its own budget and programs. Although we are a chapter of the National Audubon Society, we rely on support from our local members to carry out our wide array of programs. Click here to join and support GVAS
National Audubon Society may be reached at 800-274-4201 with any membership questions.
Volunteer Opportunities
Genesee Valley Audubon Society offers many volunteer opportunities.
Send inquiries to summers@frontiernet.net for details.
Contact June Summers: summers@frontiernet.net or (585) 865-6047 if you are interested in participating in any GVAS activities noted below.
Great Backyard Bird Count occurs in February. Go to birdcount.org for information and data from the previous year.
High Falls State Park Spring Bird Surveys
Genesee Valley Audubon Society (GVAS) plans to do spring bird surveys in High Falls before construction begins this fall for the High Falls State Park. We are interested in doing this to get base line data on the birds that breed there and migrate through the area before the construction begins and the park occupies the area. We plan to do the surveys in the months of May and June. We plan on continuing this project for three to four years to see how the park changes the habitat in that area. GVAS is planning the survey to get the best data. If you’re interested in spending a couple of mornings in High Falls counting birds please contact June Summers, at summers@frontiernet.net, by Friday, May 1, 2026.
Bird Window Collision Surveys Downtown
Genesee Valley Audubon Society will be joining Smash the Crash and the Rochester Birding Association in an initiative to end bird-window collisions in Rochester and the greater metropolitan region. GVAS is joining this project because this research is long overdue for downtown Rochester. Bird window collisions are the #2 REASON for MAN-CAUSED BIRD DEATH. Cats are the #1. We know that song birds migrate through the Rochester area in large numbers in the spring. We need to document the number that die in bird-window collisions to stop it, by getting downtown building owners to make the glass in their buildings bird safe.
We need volunteers this spring to walk survey routes downtown around at least six buildings looking for evidence of bird-window collisions. You will take pictures of any carcasses that are found and enter other data on the Survey 123 app. Surveys will be done between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm. Most birds hit windows between 7:00 am and 11:00 am. The surveys will probably start in April or May and run through June. We will train you and give back up when needed. Surveys routes will be run once or twice a week. If you are interested please contact June Summers, summers@frontiernet.net She will send you more information.
More Information: Smash the Crash is a university community initiative to end bird-window collisions in Rochester and the greater metropolitan region. Founded in 2024, it consists of researchers at RIT and the University of Rochester along with partners from the Genesee Valley Audubon Society (GVAS) and the Rochester Birding Association, among others. Together, they combine scientific research, art/design production, and educational outreach to study and prevent fatal strikes with windows. Their current work spans three ongoing surveys at RIT, the University of Rochester, and downtown; the installation of student-designed collision deterrents at the Sage Art Center, funded by the GVAS; and a suite of “vertically integrated projects, https://www.rit.edu/verticallyintegratedprojects/smash-crash-environmental-initiative-end-bird-window-collisions-rochester that include the creation of automated collision detectors, the construction of a Rochester-wide collision database, and a consumer-oriented economic analysis of the cost of bird-safe design.
Water Chestnut Pulls – Summer months
(coordinated with DEC and Town of Greece)
Volunteers needed – Thank you
July 11 @ 9 am – 1 pm Salmon Creek– Host Genesee Valley Audubon
Wednesdays and Saturdays June 24 thru Aug 1
Please RSVP to: mmorris@greeceny.gov
Water Chestnut Management in Braddock Bay this Summer Volunteers needed Genesee Valley Audubon and the Department of Environmental Conservation have a new partner this year in the fight against European Water Chestnut in Braddock Bay—the Town of Greece. The spread of invasive water chestnut in Braddock Bay and nearby ponds has become a significant concern for the local ecosystem and the recreational use of our waterways. To address this, the Town of Greece and partners are organizing a series of community hand-pull events throughout the upcoming summer. These efforts are a big part of keeping our local ponds a vibrant part of our town and Wildlife Management Area.
Please RSVP to: mmorris@greeceny.gov. What to bring: kayak/canoe, water shoes or chest waders, life jacket, hat, sunscreen, snacks, and lots of water. If possible, the following would be helpful: utility sled, long rubber/latex gloves, and a rake/pitchfork if you will be pulling from a larger boat.
Annual International Coastal Cleanup
Beach Clean Up, Volunteers Needed
Westpoint Marina, 105 E. Manitou Rd. in Greece
September 20, 2025 @ 9 am. We will meet in the public parking loop before the Marina.
Register by Thursday, Sept 18 at https://mobilize.us/s/5Xb5T7
Join GVAS at Braddock Bay for the annual International Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 20 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. GVAS will have gloves and trash bags available. Register by Thursday, September 18. Please contact June Summers at summers@frontiernet.net or call (585) 335-1824 for questions or concerns. A great community support event for groups.
Stewards Needed for the Black Creek Park Bluebird Box Trail
Genesee Valley Audubon is still in need of a volunteer or two to monitor the Bluebird box trail in Black Creek Park in Chili. This work includes cleaning out the boxes in the early spring and monitoring the boxes during the summer. You need to visit the boxes every few weeks and check to see how the Bluebirds are doing, and throw out nests that are not being used. If needed, let us know and we will help you replace boxes. Let June Summers know if you are interested, summers@frontiernet.net.
Board Members We’re currently recruiting new active board members.
Board Member Expectations
Nature Walk Leaders Share your interest and knowledge with others.
Program Speakers We’re always looking for individuals looking to share their knowledge of the environment and the environmental sciences.
Represent GVAS programs and initiatives GVAS attends various events throughout the year. (Examples: Mendon Winterfest, Bird of Prey Days, Montezuma Audubon Wildlife Festival)
Volunteer Application and Information
Advocate
The only way we’ll be successful in our conservation efforts is with your help. As a constituent, you have a unique ability to convey your concerns about issues affecting birds, wildlife and their habitats — and be heard like no lobbyist.
Make a Donation
Genesee Valley Audubon Society
P.O. Box 15512
Rochester, NY 14615
Email: summers@frontiernet.net