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:

Thursday, June 5, 2025
===============

Dawn Chorus: Lower Dam Access at Bog River Parking Area – 5:00 AM
***Handicapped Accessible***

We’ll set up our camp chairs and get comfy while birding in place right there at the edge of the parking lot where picturesque forest meets cool flowing waters. Bring your morning coffee or  tea if that’s your vibe while we enjoy a forest symphony marked by the sounds of thrushes,  warblers, vireos, and other songbirds. We’ll give our attention to connections of awareness  between these morning songsters and look for pair bonding and territorial interactions  between birds.
GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 2 hours.
LIMIT: 20
BRING: A camp chair, bug protection, water, snacks, a hat, sunscreen, binoculars, and coffee or
tea if you would like.
MEET: Lower Dam Access at Bog River Parking Area
GPS Waypoint: 44.11587, -74.626486
DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Route 30 and Rt 421, travel 5.8 miles on Route 421. Then turn left on the side road that leads to Lower Dam Access. Drive carefully because the road may be bumpy and include some potholes. Follow the side road for 0.7 miles and you’ll arrive at Lower Dam Access at Bog River parking area.

WALK: Railbed Wetlands, Minerva – 6:00 AM

Join Joan Collins for a short walk on a railbed through wonderful wetlands and some forests! The old railbed travels along Vanderwhacker Brook with fascinating marshes and ponds. There are also boreal forest sections surrounding the wetlands. We will hike less than 1.5 miles round trip on an old, level railbed. Some of the species we may find include: Wood Duck; American Black Duck; Hooded and Common Mergansers; Black-billed Cuckoo; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Virginia Rail; American Bittern; Great Blue Heron; Broad-winged Hawk; Belted Kingfisher; Black-backed Woodpecker; Eastern Kingbird; Olive-sided Flycatcher; Eastern Wood-Pewee; Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; Alder Flycatcher; Least Flycatcher; Eastern Phoebe; Boreal Chickadee; Winter Wren; Swainson’s Thrush; Hermit Thrush; White-throated Sparrow Swamp Sparrow; Rusty Blackbird; and many Warblers including Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellowrumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Canada Warbler.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 3-4 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING: Insect repellant, hat, sunscreen, water, food, binoculars and appropriate clothing/jacket
and footwear.
MEET: At Overlook Park in Newcomb off Santanoni Drive. There are restrooms at this location.
There are also fantastic views of the High Peaks! We will caravan the 5 miles east to the railbed
in Minerva from this location.
DIRECTIONS: Overlook Park is across the street from the Newcomb Medical Center located at 4 Santanoni Drive. You can see Overlook Park and the Newcomb Medical Center from Route 28N.

PADDLE: Bog River Flow to Hitchins Pond – 7:00 AM
***Bring your own kayak/canoe***

Need to rent a kayak? Here are some local options: campstore!
Enjoy a 5-mile paddle (2 ½ miles out and back). Beginning and ending at Lower Dam Access. We’ll follow the Bog River upstream and into Hitchins Pond before turning around. Expect to observe a wide variety of birds which includes, but is not limited to, bald eagle, great blue heron, palm and Nashville warblers, Lincoln’s and savannah sparrows, yellow-bellied and olive-sided flycatchers, and black-backed woodpeckers. Birding from our kayak/canoe will provide a unique vantage point to enjoy these birds’ connections with the forest and peatland habitats we’ll pass along the way.
GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 6 hours
LIMIT: 10
BRING: Kayak/Canoe, Bug protection, water, lunch, snacks, hat, sunscreen.
MEET: Lower Dam Access at Bog River Parking Area
GPS Waypoint: 44.11587, -74.626486
DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Route 30 and Rt 421, travel 5.8 miles on Route 421. Then turn left on the side road that leads to Lower Dam Access. Drive carefully because the road may be bumpy and include some potholes. Follow the side road for 0.7 miles and you’ll arrive at the Lower Dam Access at Bog River parking area.

HIKE: Vanderwhacker Mt. Trail, Minerva – 11:00 AM
The Vanderwhacker Mountain Trail just re-opened after closing for bridge repairs on the road to the trailhead in 2020. We will hike approximately 2 miles round trip on a dirt hiking trail that may have some muddy sections and one brook crossing. The first mile of the trail is fairly level with a few small hilly areas. (We won’t be climbing the mountain!) The habitat is mixed forest with several beaver-created wetlands. There are usually several pairs of Olive-sided Flycatchers and in 2020, just before the road closed to the trailhead, we found an active Rusty Blackbird nest with 4 young! This species is quickly becoming rare to find. A wide variety of warblers, and both Hermit and Swainson’s Thrushes are found along the trail. The trail is also known for its beautiful wildflowers. There is an outhouse at the trailhead.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 4 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING: Insect repellant, hat, sunscreen, water, lunch, binoculars and appropriate
clothing/jacket and footwear.
MEET: At the intersection of Route 28N and Moose Pond Club Rd. (next to the Boreas River
Bridge) in Minerva. We can leave some cars at a parking area near the river and carpool to the
Vanderwhacker Mt. Trailhead off Moose Pond Club Rd. (Trailhead is ~2.5 miles in on Moose
Pond Club Rd., a dirt road.)
DIRECTIONS: The Boreas River Bridge is less than 2 miles south of the Minerva railbed (the earlier field trip location).

Friday, June 6, 2025
===============

Ferd’s Bog – 5:00 AM

Enjoy a morning outing at the boardwalk trail overlooking the magnificent Ferd’s Bog. This place is enchanted by the drumming of black-backed woodpeckers, the songs of Lincoln’s sparrow, palm warbler, olive-sided flycatcher, and many more of our feathered neighbors! We’ll meet at the Ferd’s Bog Trail and walk the 0.3-mile relatively easy trail (minus some roots and rocks to traverse) to Ferd’s Bog Boardwalk. A wide platform at the end of the boardwalk overlooks the peatland environment providing satisfyingly expansive views. This is where we will set up our folding chairs for a while to observe. Expect to encounter the above-mentioned species, learn about the behaviors and habits of the birds who make a home there, and hear about the habitat and history of the American three-toed woodpecker population reported at Ferd’s Bog between 1974-2012. After we’ve birded in place at the end of the boardwalk, we’ll take a closer look into the varied forest layers from the spruce bog to the hardwoods and inbetween.
GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 5 hours
LIMIT: 20
BRING: Camp chair, bug protection, hat, water, snacks, sunscreen, binoculars.
MEET: Ferd’s Bog Trailhead
GPS Waypoint: 43.785262, -74.750350
DIRECTIONS: From Hoss’s Country Corner in the Town of Long Lake, drive 23.7 miles south on Route 28 to the Town of Raquette Lake. Turn Right on County Road 2. After 0.4 miles turn left onto Antlers Road. After 0.3 miles turn left onto Uncas Road. Follow Uncas Road for 5.5 miles and then the parking area for Ferd’s Bog will be on your right.

Driving Safari/ Short Walks: Moose River Plains, Inlet - 6:00 AM

Join Joan Collins for a trip into Moose River Plains Wild Forest | Experience Our Adirondacks, one the largest “Important Bird Areas” (IBA) in New York State. The IBA is 305,00 acres. We will drive over 10 miles on dirt roads during our visit to Moose River Plains, with several car-birding stops and short hikes along the way. One stop will be at Red River, a fascinating area where several habitats come together, including boreal forest, mixed forest, and marsh, and hike a short distance on the Mitchell Ponds Trail. Sumner Stream will be another stop just before we encounter the “Plains” area. In the Plains, we will hike to Helldiver Pond (.4 miles round trip on a level trail) in boreal habitat, and Icehouse Pond (.8 miles round trip on gentle hilly terrain) in wooded and open habitats. A wide variety of habitats occur in Moose River Plains – mixed forest, boreal forest, spruce bogs, flat lands, open woodlands, marshes, etc., offering a wide variety of bird species! Moose tracks are frequently found, and sometimes Moose! With numerous campsites along our route, outhouses are in abundance when needed.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 6-7 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING Food (lunch), water, appropriate attire/hiking shoes, binoculars, hat, sunscreen, and
insect spray.
MEET: Meet at the intersection of Route 28 and Limekiln Lake Rd. in Inlet at 6:00 a.m.
GPS WAYPOINT:
DIRECTIONS: There is a golf course at the intersection of Route 28 and Limekiln Lake Rd. in Inlet. After we meet up, we will all drive to the Moose River Plains Rd. and carpool from that location.

John Dillon Park: Birding by Habitat 1:00 pm
***Handicapped Accessible***

Explore three different habitats and experience the different birds that make a home in each. We’ll walk the wide, level, handicapped accessible trails at beautiful John Dillon Park through forest, edge, and lakeshore habitats. Expect to encounter forest songbirds such as a variety of vireos, warblers, thrushes, and woodpeckers. GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 4 hours.
LIMIT: 20
BRING: Bug protection, hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, binoculars, hiking boots, and appropriate
clothing.
MEET: John Dillon Park Welcome Center
GPS Waypoint: 44.027388, -74.472106
DIRECTIONS: From Hoss’s Country Corner in the town of Long Lake, travel 4.8 miles north on Rt 30. Turn right onto John Dillon Access Rd. You will pass by a beautiful gate with a woodland scene. Drive down the 2-mile dirt and gravel road. It’s important to go slow, watch for other vehicles and wildlife, and take it all in. At the end of the 2-mile road, will be the Welcome Center. John Dillon Park | Paul Smith's College

WALK: Dillon Road, Raquette Lake – 1:00 PM

Take a walk down an old railroad bed with Mike & Wanda Moccio. This 4-mile roundtrip walk enters woodland, riverine, marsh, and boggy habitat. Here you will have the opportunity to see a variety of warblers, thrushes, and possibly Yellow-bellied and Olive-sided flycatchers, Palm Warblers, and Black-backed Woodpecker.
GUIDE: Mike and Wanda Moccio
EVENT LENGTH: 4 Hours
LIMIT: 10 Participants
BRING: Bug repellant, sunscreen, water, and snacks.
MEET: Raquette Lake Library
GPS WAYPOINT: 43.813262, -74.658255
DIRECTIONS: From Inlet: drive 11 miles east towards Raquette Lake, turn left down County Road 2 and then left onto Dillon Road. The library is on the left. From Blue Mountain Lake: Drive 13 miles west on Route 28 towards Raquette Lake. Turn right down County Road 2 and left onto Dillon Road. The library is on the left.

DINNER: ADIRONDACK HOTEL on Long Lake – 5:30 PM

After a long day of birding, join us for dinner at the Adirondack Hotel on Long Lake. The Adirondack Hotel is nestled in the charming oasis of Long Lake, NY. Originally built in the 1850’s, we are the only remaining hotel of its kind within the Adirondack Park. We are situated perfectly across from the town beach, Helm's seaplane rides Tours and Excursions in the Adirondacks | Experience Our Adirondacks and a variety of local shops- Shopping | Experience Our Adirondacks.
MENU: Choose ONE of the selected menu options:
1. Sliced Roast Beef with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.
2. Grilled pork chop with caramelized onions and apples with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
3. Chicken Picatta with wild rice and seasonal vegetables.
4. Potato gnocchi in a light garlic cream sauce, butternut squash, and broccolini.Salad, dessert, coffee, & tea included.
* Cash Bar will be available. *
COST: $36 per person, including tax and tip. Reservations and payment must be made with the
venue by May 23rd. For reservations call: 518-624-4700 between 12 – 8 pm. Please indicate
which menu option you are choosing and make any dietary restrictions known upon
reservation.
DIRECTIONS: From Inlet/Raquette Lake: Head North on NY 28N E/ NY 30 N, turn left onto Main Street, destination will be on the left. From Speculator/Indian Lake: Head northwest on NY30N, turn left on NY 28 S/NY 30 N, turn right onto NY 28 NE/ NY 30 N, turn left onto Main Street, the destination will be on the left. Adirondack Hotel on Long Lake | Experience Our Adirondacks, 1245 Main St, Long Lake, NY 12847.

Saturday, June 7, 2025
===============

Dawn Chorus Walk: Northville Placid Trail (NPT) – 5:00 AM

Take in the dawn chorus while meandering through an Adirondack lowland spruce/fir forest. Enjoy the songs of hermit thrush, winter wren, golden-crowned kinglet, Nashville warbler, Magnolia warbler, Blackburnian warbler, and more. Expect to traverse 2 miles of a moderately challenging trail which entails rolling terrain, boardwalks, and some roots and rocks.
GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 4 hours.
LIMIT: 20
BRING: Bug protection, hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, binoculars.
MEET: NPT Trailhead across from Tarbell Hill Ln.
GPS Waypoint: 43.975936, -74.392990
DIRECTIONS: From Hoss’s Country Corner in the town of Long Lake, drive 1.5 miles east on Rt 28N. The parking area for the NPT will be on your right.

HIKE: Massawepie Mire, Colton – 6:00 AM

Join Joan Collins for a hike into the lovely, remote Massawepie Mire, the largest bog in New York State. Massawepie is also a designated “Important Bird Area” (IBA) in New York. The trail through the mire is an old railroad bed, now a perfectly level dirt road. There are several different habitats encountered along the trail including mixed forest, boreal forest, bog, and marsh. The South Branch of the Grass River is crossed at about 1.5 miles down the trail and Silver Brook at just under 3 miles. Participants will watch for many bird species including, Blackbacked Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Canada Jay Boreal Chickadee, Palm Warbler,Canada Warbler (18 warbler species nest in the area), Lincoln’s Sparrow, and if we are extremely fortunate, the elusive Spruce Grouse! Bog plants such as the insectivorous Sundew and Pitcher Plant are also found along the trail. Moose tracks are often observed at the mire. Plan to hike over 5.5 miles round trip on level terrain. We will do a bit of car-birding on the long drive to the trailhead to observe Common Loons, Mourning Warblers, and more! On the drive in, we will also do a short walk to a beautiful boardwalk overlooking a huge section of open peat land. Meet at the Massawepie Boy Scout sign on Route 3 at 6:00 a.m. The Massawepie Boy Scout sign is located approximately 10 miles west of Tupper Lake along Route 3 (on the left side of the road if heading west). (We can leave some of the cars in a parking area and car-pool to the trailhead.) Stewart’s Shops open at 5 a.m. and provide a quick stop for breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and lunch items.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 6-7 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING Food (lunch), water, appropriate attire/hiking shoes, binoculars, hat, sunscreen, and
insect spray.
MEET: Meet at the Massawepie Boy Scout sign on Route 3 at 6:00 a.m.
GPS WAYPOINT: N 44° 15.658' W 074° 38.483'
DIRECTIONS: The Massawepie Boy Scout sign is located approximately 10 miles west of Tupper Lake along Route 3 (on the left side of the road if heading west). (We can leave some of the cars in a parking area and car-pool to the trailhead.)

DRIVING SAFARI/ WALK: Perkins Clearing, Speculator – 7:00 AM

Mike & Wanda Moccio, will lead the driving safari into the Perkins Clearing area to see Mourning, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, and other warblers. There will be many stops along the way to observe wildlife along the road. Also possible to see Olive-sided and Alder Flycatchers, and many other mixed woodland species, including Indigo Bunting and Rosebreasted Grosbeaks.
GUIDES: Mike & Wanda Moccio
EVENT LENGTH: 5 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING: Bug Repellant, (netting or bug shirt suggested), water, snacks, binoculars.
MEET: Mason Lake parking area on the west (left) side of Route 30, north of Speculator.
GPS WAYPOINT: 43.5991366°N, 74.4163017°W
DIRECTIONS: From South: Take Route 30, 8 miles north of Speculator. From North: 16 miles S. on Route 30 from Indian Lake. The parking area is on the west side of Route 30, and overlooks Mason Lake. You’ll see several picnic tables at the rest stop.

John Dillon Park: Tracking for Birds – 11:00 AM
***Handicapped Accessible***

Enjoy a two-mile walk along the wide, level, handicapped-accessible trails at John Dillon Park with a focus on the sign left behind by the birds who make a home there. Learn how to identify which birds are in the area by trees marked from foraging, droppings left below favored perching sites, dust baths in the sand, molted feathers, and more.
GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 3 hours.
LIMIT: 20
BRING: Bug protection, lunch, water, snacks, hat, sunscreen, binoculars.
MEET: John Dillon Park Welcome Center
GPS Waypoint: 44.027388, -74.472106
DIRECTIONS: From Hoss's Country Corner | Experience Our Adirondacks in the town of Long Lake, travel 4.8 miles north on Rt 30. Turn right onto John Dillon Access Rd. You will pass by a beautiful gate with a woodland scene. Drive down the 2-mile dirt and gravel road. It’ important to go slow, watch for other vehicles and wildlife, and take it all in. At the end of the 2-mile road, will be the Welcome Center. John Dillon Park | Paul Smith's College

John Dillon Park: Tracking for Birds Presentation – 2:00 PM
***Handicapped Accessible***

This presentation which will be given at John Dillon Park Welcome Center directly follows the preceding Tracking for Birds Walk and presents the same information for those unable to walk the trails but want to learn about it. Explore the sign left behind by the birds who make a home in the forest at John Dillon Park. Learn how to identify which birds are in the area by trees marked from foraging, droppings left below, favored perching sites, dust baths in the sand, molted feathers, and more.

GUIDES: Rich Hanlon and Pat Bixler
EVENT LENGTH: 1 hour.
LIMIT: 30
BRING: Bug protection, water, snacks, hat, sunscreen, binoculars.
MEET: John Dillon Park Welcome Center
GPS Waypoint: 44.027388, -74.472106
DIRECTIONS: From Hoss’s Country Corner in the Town of Long Lake, travel 4.8 miles north on Rt 30. Turn right onto John Dillon Access Rd. You will pass by a beautiful gate with a woodland scene. Drive down the 2-mile dirt and gravel road. It’s important to go slow, watch for other vehicles and wildlife, and take it all in. At the end of the 2-mile road, will be the Welcome Center. John Dillon Park | Paul Smith's College

PRESENTATION: “Matthew Young: Exploring the World of Finches” 4:00 PM
BOOK SIGNING & RECEPTION: Lake View Café 5:00 PM

Join us at the Adirondack Experience on Saturday, June 7, for an evening celebrating the fascinating world of finches! From 4–5 PM, Matthew Young of the Finch Research Network will lead a lecture in the ADKX Auditorium, offering insights into these captivating birds and their habitats. Afterward, head to the Lakeview Café for a book sale and signing of Matthew’s work, The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada. Enjoy a cocktail reception featuring delicious appetizers and a stunning view of Blue Mountain Lake- a perfect way to toast the evening!

Pre-registration is required!
COST: Lecture – Free
Appetizer & Cocktail Reception – $10 per person (alcoholic beverages sold separately)
Don’t miss this chance to learn, sip, and soak in the beauty of the Adirondacks!
REGISTRATION:
Reserve your spot today: Registration Link
Registration closes on June 4. We cannot accommodate late registrations or walk-ins.
ADKX TICKETS:
• Free admission to ADKX will be available for those who register for the presentation from June 5 – 8. After you register for the presentation, you will receive an email confirmation.
• To redeem your free entry to the museum you must check in at the Visitor Center and provide your name.
• The free admission is valid for one visit only and applies only to the registered attendee(s), not additional guests.
• Again, registration must be completed by June 4— no exceptions.
MEET: Adirondack Experience Museum Auditorium
EVENT LENGTH: 1 Hour Presentation, 1.5 Hour Reception
GPS WAYPOINT: 43.8693404°N, 74.4319656°W
DIRECTIONS: From Blue Mt. Lake: ½ mile north on Route 30 from the center of Blue Mountain Lake, the intersection of Route 30 and Route 28. The Museum is on the left side of the road. From Long Lake: Drive south on Route 30 for approximately 10 miles. Just after you pass the Blue Mountain trailhead on the left side of the road, look for the museum a bit further on the righthand side of the road. Adirondack Experience - Museum on Blue Mountain Lake - Official Site

Sunday, June 8, 2025
===============

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.

WALK: Lake Durant Marsh, Indian Lake, NY – 7:00 AM

Join Mike and Wanda for a beautiful walk between Lake Durant proper and a large marsh. We will look and listen for American Bittern and Virginia Rail in the marsh, Common Loons in the lake, other warblers, vireos, flycatchers and thrushes will be found; also, a round beaver dam is an oddity. If time permits a walk into a nearby woodland can top off the morning.
GUIDES:
Mike and Wanda Moccio
LIMIT: 15 Participants
EVENT LENGTH: 3 hours
BRING: Bug Repellant, (netting or bug shirt suggested), water, snacks, binoculars, waterproof hiking attire.
MEET: Lake Durant parking area on Route 28 west of Indian Lake (NOT the campground)
GPS WAYPOINT: 43.85°, -74.41°.
DIRECTIONS: Traveling east from Blue Mountain Lake, the picnic and parking area is on the left side of the road, 2 miles from the intersection of Route 28N and Route 30. Approximately 9 miles west of Indian Lake.

Safari/Short Walk: Horseshoe Lake Rd, Tupper Lake, NY – 11:00 AM

A wide variety of habitats can be found along the Horseshoe Lake Rd. including mixed, deciduous, and boreal forests; marshes; bogs; ponds; lakes; inlets and outlets of Horseshoe Lake; and open spots. We will make stops along the road including the inlet and outlet of Horseshoe Lake, a viewing platform by the lake, a boggy area along the lake, an open railbed location by the lake, wetlands before the trailhead for the Low’s Ridge – Upper Dam Trail, a short walk on the Low’s Ridge Trail to see Palm Warblers and Lincoln’s Sparrows, and more stops along the road beyond the trailhead. A wide variety of birds will be found including warblers, vireos, woodpeckers, flycatchers, waterfowl, thrushes, etc. Before the trip, lunch can be picked up (order ahead) at the Adirondack Trading Post in Long Lake. If the timing works out, we can have lunch by Horseshoe Lake. There are camping locations along the lake with outhouses and picnic tables.
GUIDE: Joan Collins
EVENT LENGTH: 4 hours
LIMIT: 15 Participants
BRING: Insect repellant, hat, sunscreen, water, lunch, binoculars, and appropriate
clothing/jacket and footwear.
MEET: At the Bog River Falls parking area on Horseshoe Lake Rd. at 11 a.m. There are two nearby outhouses at this location.
GPS WAYPOINT:
DIRECTIONS: The Bog River Falls parking area is located on Horseshoe Lake Rd. off Route 30. Take Route 30 (for ~12 miles north of Long Lake) and turn onto Horseshoe Lake Road and proceed three-quarters of a mile to a parking lot on the left just over the Bog River Bridge. We will carpool from this location.

Date: June 5 - June 8, 2025

For more info https://www.experienceouradirondacks.com/f/event/6664/info/2025-boreal-birding-festival-schedule.pdf.