Upcoming Events

For directions to meeting places, arrangements to meet you along the way, and other information, contact Bill Ostrander at 607-207-0000 or browncreeper9@gmail.com. CVAS is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our conservation and education programs and to welcoming all who wish to work and learn with us. Any person, regardless of age, race, religion, ability, or gender identity, who is interested in wild life study, protection, and conservation, may be enrolled as a member upon receipt of the first payment of dues.

CVAS Events

Oct 4 7:30AM

Northrup Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
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Meet at Sperr Memorial Park immediately south of I-86 Exit 50 in Big Flats at 7:30, or at the Sanctuary on Learn Road in Rathbone, NY, at 8:30AM. We'll be looking for migrating sparrows, raptors, and waterfowl.

Oct 9 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by John Marzluff. Marzluff offers funny and awe-inspiring stories gleaned from his extensive research on corvids (crows, ravens, magpies, and jays), highlighting the intelligence and abilities of these brilliant birds.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Oct 11 8:00AM

Big Flats Trail East
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Meet at Sperr Memorial Park immediately south of I-86 Exit 50 in Big Flats. We'll be looking for migrating sparrows, blackbirds, and waterfowl.

Oct 16 7:30PM

CVAS Monthly Meeting
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Meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller Street, Horseheads, NY, for a lively discussion about birding and a presentation from one of our knowledgeable hosts. A bird identification workshop precedes the program at 7:00 p.m.; the program begins at 7:30p.m. All are welcome to these free events. Appleridge is wheelchair accessible. You can connect on Zoom by sending a request to windingwayhorse@aol.com.

This month, we welcome Kenneth Haas. He has been a nature photographer since he was a youngster growing up in SE Pennsylvania and has been primarily photographing birds for the past 8 years. His work has recently placed highly in photo contests, with Audubon Photography Awards recognizing Ken’s work in their Favorite Female Bird Photos and Audubon’s “Top 100” out of almost 9000 submissions!

Ken lives in Trumansburg and is a member of the Cayuga Bird Club. He co-leads Beginner Bird Walks at Sapsucker Woods and is a guest lead for bird walks at the Kittatinny Group/Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club. In addition to his affiliation with the Cayuga Bird Club, Ken is a member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cape May Bird Observatory, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, National Audubon Society, and American Birding Association.

Some of Ken's photographs are available for purchase at the Wildbirds Unlimited store at Sapsucker Woods and at One Green Horse in Trumansburg. Greeting cards featuring his photographs are also available at Tanglewood Nature Center. Ken has also donated framed prints of his bird photography to Tanglewood's annual fund raiser for the last few years.

Ken will share his philosophy, techniques and tips on bird photography at our meeting on October 16.

Oct 18 8:00AM

Sullivanville Dam
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Meet at the dam parking lot at the top of the hill on State Route 13 north of the Byrne Dairy traffic circle. We'll be looking for migrating raptors and waterfowl.

Oct 25 8:00AM

Big Flats Hotspots
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Meet at Sperr Memorial Park immediately south of I-86 Exit 50 in Big Flats. We'll bird at the park, then carpool to another birding hotspot.

Nov 13 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko. Two friends make a year-long, 750-mile trek on foot through the heart of the Grand Canyon, a deep, rich, complex journey that nearly killed them both.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Dec 11 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elizabeth Tova Bailey. Bailey's account of survival and resilience shows how an underappreciated small creature gave her a greater understanding of her own place in the world.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Jan 8 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery. Hopeful and optimistic, this compassionate portrait of injured turtles and their determined rescuers invites us all to slow down and slip into turtle time.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Feb 12 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery. Montgomery illuminates the intelligence and behavior of octopuses and the bonds they form with humans. From problem-solving to changing colors, each octopus she met was clever and fascinating.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Mar 12 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan. Tan maps the passage of time with daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful sketches of the familiar birds that brought her peace and connection during a troubling year.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Apr 9 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we celebrate National Poetry Month! Please bring a favorite short nature poem to share.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

May 14 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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Join us as we discuss Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration by Rebecca Heisman. This is an exciting, behind-the-scenes account of groundbreaking discoveries by scientists from many disciplines who worked to answer an age-old question: how and why do birds migrate?

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Jun 11 7:00PM

CVAS Book Club
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We will meet to discuss our next book list.

Directions: We meet at Appleridge, 168 Miller St, Horseheads, NY 14845. Use Parking Lot A and enter the front door to the lobby. Proceed to the large staircase on your right and go up one floor. At the top of the stairs turn right. The Conference Room is the first door on your right. Or, use an elevator to the left of the staircase in the lobby. You can download our reading list here.

Other Events

Sep 19 - 21  

NYSOA 2025
Logo, teal text on white with a grayscale image of a nuthatch on a branch. Text reads: New York State Ornithological Association: For the birders and birds of New York State.

The 2025 New York State Ornithological Association Conference takes place on September 19 - 21, 2025, at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, hosted by the Cayuga Bird Club. The keynote speaker is Peter Kaestner, author of In Search of the Orange-tufted Spiderhunter, with speaker Adrianna Dokter (Birdcast) presenting on Friday night. Explore the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center, enjoy field trips to Area Hotspots, engage in the afternoon papers session and silent auction, join NYS Atlas Coordinator Julie Hart for the Breeding Bird Atlas celebration and lunch, and so much more! Visit NYSOA2025.org for more information.

Wednesdays 2:00PM

Birdability Outreach Program Webinar Series

These webinars will cover various topics related to accessible birding and outdoor exploration for people living with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. These webinars are open to everyone—whether you’re new to birding, an experienced birder with a disability, or an advocate for accessible outdoor spaces. You can register for individual sessions or the entire series, and each event will feature opportunities to ask questions and connect with others in the community. Register here.

All Season  

Montezuma Audubon Society
Come Bird with Us!The Montezuma Audubon Society has birding and boating events all season long! Visit the Montezuma Audubon website for more information and to register.

All Season  

Birding Festivals
Cornell Lab LogoA great way to enjoy bird watching is by going to festivals—they're organized to get you to great birding spots at a great time of year, and they're a great way to meet people. Experts and locals help you see more birds, and you'll meet other visitors who share your hobby. While you're there, keep an eye out for Cornell Lab representatives, as they do attend several festivals each year. You can find a complete list of birding festivals here.