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:

Saturday, June 7, 2025
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HIKE: Massawepie Mire, Colton, NY – 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.)