KEENE, N.Y. — As migratory birds return to Adirondack breeding grounds in May and June, the Adirondack Land Trust is proud to partner with local libraries to offer free birdwatching kits to make it easier for community members to observe birds and bird behavior. Each Birding for All kit includes a sturdy backpack, high-quality binoculars, field guides, and tip sheets that can be checked out just like a book from the hosting libraries.  

"Birdwatching from your backyard, a nearby shoreline, or along a trail in the Adirondacks can introduce you to dozens of feathered neighbors," says Adirondack Land Trust Stewardship Manager Derek Rogers. "Birding for All makes it easy and cost-effective to try a family-friendly way to explore nature." 

The Adirondacks is one of the two most important large stopover areas for migratory birds from Maryland and Virginia to Maine, according to Doppler radar-based research. Connected and protected forests and farmlands across the Adirondacks provide essential habitat where birds can fuel up for further migration or settle in for the season to nest and mate. 

The Adirondack Land Trust is also proud to sponsor the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration, which offers guided birding tours from May 29 to 31, and the Black Birders Week Celebration presented by the Adirondack Diversity Initiative and the Adirondack North Country Association in partnership with John Brown Lives! As part of the Black Birders Week Celebration, renowned ornithologist, naturalist, and author Dr. J. Drew Lanham will speak at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake on Saturday, May 30. 

"We encourage community members to attend these events and check out a birding kit from their library," Rogers says. "The feat of bird migration happening this time of year is remarkable and wonderful to observe."  

The following libraries have birding backpacks available: 

The Adirondack Land Trust's Birding for All program was initially funded by a grant from Northern New York Audubon's Joseph & Joan Cullman Conservation Foundation Program and has expanded thanks to grants from the Glasser Foundation and other generous donors. 

The Adirondack Land Trust works to forever conserve the forests, farmlands, waters, and wild places that advance the quality of life of our communities and the ecological integrity of the Adirondack region. Since 1984, the land trust has protected 31,752 acres that include significant habitat for birds and other wildlife. Learn more at adirondacklandtrust.org/birding-for-all.