Birding with the best

WHITE MILLS, PA — Voni and Joe Strasser will present “The Enjoyment of Bird Watching,” a slide show and lecture on common birds of North America, on Saturday, September 6 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Roger M. Blough Arts Center on the grounds of the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary.

A short walk with a lesson on bird identification will follow the presentation. Refreshments will be served.

The Strassers started bird watching when they found bluebirds nesting on their property in the early 1960s. They worked on bluebird preservation and protection for over a decade, and in 1971, they founded the local Audubon Society and continued to further their interest in ornithology and conservation.

In 1983, they were asked to be regional coordinators for the Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas, which sets out to survey breeding birds in Pennsylvania. After six years and a great deal of hard work in the field, the atlas was published in 1992 and is a benchmark in avian research. Today they travel extensively, pursuing their interest in birding.

To get to the sanctuary from Route 6, turn onto Elizabeth Street at the blinking yellow light in White Mills, and continue to the entrance on the right. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

For more information call 570/253-1185.

Learn essentials of canoeing

DINGMANS FERRY, PA — Kittatinny Canoes will conduct “Learn to Canoe” on September 6. Certified instructors will teach novices the essentials of canoeing, culminating with a guided eight-mile trip from Milford Beach to Dingmans Ferry, PA. Participants should meet at Kittatinny’s Dingmans Ferry river base.

Also, “Learn to Kayak” will be held on September 7 and 21; instructors will teach the easy-to-learn basics and accompany participants on a ten-mile river trip from Pond Eddy, NY to Matamoras, PA. Participants should meet at Kittatinny’s Matamoras, PA river base.

For more information call 800/FLOAT-KC.

Audubon to present challenges of Wallkill refuge

MILFORD, PA — The Gifford Pinchot Chapter of the National Audubon Society will host a free program about the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Grey Towers National Historic Landmark.

Guest speaker Steve Kahl, acting manager of the wildlife refuge located in Sussex, NJ, will present a program on the specific challenges of managing the refuge habitat. He will focus on grassland birds, invasive species and the unique conflicts and issues of the refuge.

For more information call 570/296-9630.

2003 guide to county birds available

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — The fourth edition of “Birds of Sullivan County, NY: A Checklist and Summary of Records,” has been published jointly by Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) and the Sullivan County Audubon Society. The list is based on records of bird sightings of the 280 species and two hybrids reported in the Sullivan County area.

To receive a free copy, call the Division of Natural and Health Sciences, Mathematics and Physical Education at SCCC at 845/434-5750, ext. 4210.