EagleFest Schedule

Brian Robinson has been providing wildlife education programs to schools, libraries, and museums since 1993. His animals have been featured on national television shows, alongside Placido Domingo at the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi’s Simone Boccanegra, and at the Explorers Club in Manhattan, among many other places. Brian has a Master of Science degree in Education with a concentration in biology and, in addition to doing wildlife lectures, teaches biology at Saugerties High School. Brian’s presentation features live birds of prey and reptiles and will focus on the amazing adaptations these animals have, as well as their importance in nature. He will also discuss the incredible resiliency of the Hudson Valley and share some local wildlife success stories.

Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (STN)
IAIS Outreach Ambassador & Traditional Native American Storyteller
Darlene’s experience as an educator, tour guide, and Traditional Native American Storyteller has taught her the importance of educating both young and old about the many misconceptions and stereotypes about her ancestors. Her truthful and compassionate style of teaching from a Native American’s point of view allows children and adults the opportunity to have a new understanding of Connecticut’s Indigenous Peoples lives both in the past and in the present.

Queens firefighter and wildlife rehabilitator, Bobby Horvath, will share his experiences working with raptors. Bobby runs Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (WINORR), a non-profit, volunteer organization serving New York City, Nassau, and Western Suffolk Counties. As a licensed rehabilitator, they provide professional care for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife received through the Department of Environmental Conservation, local police, animal hospitals, humane societies, animal control, as well as the general public. In addition to rehabilitation, WINORR also provides information and education for the community.

Brian Bradley, a master falconer since 1984, presents educational programs throughout the Northeast with his hawks, falcons, and owls. Brian’s program features live flight demonstrations with his birds of prey.

Raptors for Rookies
Anne Swaim is Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society that is based in Chappaqua, New York. Saw Mill River Audubon owns eight local wildlife sanctuaries, offers more than 200 free public programs and field trips annually as well as classroom programs and field trips, and helps connect people with nature in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Hudson Valley Wildlife: Birds
What’s living in your backyard? Live birds, mounts, and bones will be used in this lively program about the species found in the lower Hudson Valley. Meet Teatown’s avian animal ambassadors and learn about biodiversity, habitat specialists and generalists, and habitat loss.
Maddy Schroeder is an Environmental Educator and Animal Caretaker at Teatown. She strives to inspire conservation by teaching the public about native wildlife and encouraging people to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors.
Lisa Kelly is Teatown’s Animal Care supervisor and licensed wildlife rehabilitator with a focus on herpetology. She has contributed to turtle research at Teatown, has worked with KT Wildlife to ensure animal safety on work sites, and has extensive experience with the SPCA.
Ivy Kelly is a dedicated long time raptor volunteer. She has been helping with the care and handling of Teatown’s raptors for 25+ years.

Birding Basics: Beginner Birding for Families
Can you tell an eagle from an egret? Learn tips and tricks to get comfortable identifying birds in the field. We’ll review important tools, helpful resources, and test our ID skills together. Test your newfound skills on a bird walk in Croton Point Park! Emily will offer a family walk at 2:30 pm.
Emily Edmonds-Langham is Teatown’s Director of Education. She has worked in environmental education for many years at organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Native Plant Trust. Emily loves helping new birders find their feet, whether young or old.

Bird-Friendly Backyards

How can we be good neighbors to birds? Anne Swaim will cover the best way to attract residents and migrants alike, supporting bird populations and letting you observe natural foraging behaviors right from your window. Find out what native plant species attract songbirds, insects, and provide the bedrock for the web of life — up to and including raptors! Anne is Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society that is based in Chappaqua, New York. Saw Mill River Audubon owns eight local wildlife sanctuaries, offers more than 200 free public programs and field trips annually as well as classroom programs and field trips, and helps connect people with nature in the Lower Hudson Valley.

The Striking Truth: Bird Strikes and You
Cary Andrews is an avid birder and conservationist. She has traveled widely on birding trips. As the Bird Commissioner in Croton-on-Hudson, she does programs, talks, and walks for the community. She has a passion for education and advocacy for birds. She has given talks on bird-friendly gardens, New York birds and climate change, and writes on various topics, mainly concerning the protection of our avian friends. She is on the Board of Saw Mill River Audubon and is past chair of the Croton Conservation Advisory Committee. She was part of the Saw Mill River Audubon team that helped plan the 2023 New York State Ornithological Association conference in Tarrytown, NY, working to get vendors for the meeting.

Hudson Valley Wildlife: Mammals
What’s living in your backyard? Live mammals, mounts, and bones will be used in this lively program about the species found in the lower Hudson Valley. Meet Teatown’s furry animal ambassadors and learn why some animals struggle to survive in our suburban environment, while others thrive and multiply. Leave with an appreciation of the diverse life that surrounds us, and some ways to live in better harmony with wildlife.

Maddy Schroeder is an Environmental Educator and Animal Caretaker at Teatown. She strives to inspire conservation by teaching the public about native wildlife and encouraging people to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors.

Don’t Answer the Phone: A Guide to Wildlife Rehabilitation
The mission of wildlife rehabilitators is to heal injured wildlife and return them to their homes, a feat always easier said than done. In a lively presentation, 30-year veteran Suzie Gilbert will recount tales of mishap, misidentification, and the occasional unexpected miracle, as well as proof that a sense of humor is a required part of the profession. She is the author of the children’s book Hawk Hill (Chronicle Books), the bird rehabbing memoir Flyaway (HarperCollins), and the wildlife-filled road trip thriller Unflappable (Perch Press).

Kyle Bardwell has been an avid birdwatcher in the Hudson Valley since his early teens. He is now a board member of Putnam Highlands Audubon Society ,as well as an active member of Saw Mill River Audubon, and the Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club. Kyle helps as an eBird reviewer for NYSOA Region 9, which covers the Southern Hudson Valley.

Doug Bloom is a former president of the Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon Society and its current vice president. He is a lifelong birder, the current birding field trip leader at the Audubon Society, and all-around nature and birding enthusiast.

Scott Craven is a lifelong birder and has been doing “history heavy” walks for EagleFest since its inception. Scott is a retired Ossining police officer and currently works at the Ossining Library. He’s the Town of Ossining Historian and has been speaking to local groups about environmental history here in the Hudson Valley for decades.

Emily Edmonds-Langham is Teatown’s Director of Education. She has worked in environmental education for many years at organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Native Plant Trust. Emily loves helping new birders find their feet, whether young or old.

Jeana Fucello is a board member for Feminist Bird Club and on the leadership team for the NYC chapter. She particularly likes sharing the joys of birding with new and inexperienced birders and leads outings in spots like Green-Wood Cemetery, Central Park, and closer to home in Astoria Park. She also manages the FBC annual patch sale and has sent thousands of patches out, worldwide.

Martha Harbison is a co-founder of the Galbatross Project, an effort that is focused on gathering up knowledge about identification of North American female birds—much of it not available in standard field guides—and making it known to the wider birding community. Martha is also Vice President of Feminist Bird Club, a birding club founded in NYC that specifically aims to make birding and the outdoors inclusive and affirming to people who may not have safe access to it.

Lynn Salmon is a retired environmental scientist. Now Lynn birds, geocaches, and curls in Westchester County. She currently serves as the treasurer of Saw Mill River Audubon.

Anne Swaim is Executive Director of Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society that is based in Chappaqua, New York. Saw Mill River Audubon owns eight local wildlife sanctuaries, offers more than 200 free public programs and field trips annually as well as classroom programs and field trips, and helps connect people with nature in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Larry Trachtenberg has been a member of the Board of Directors of Saw Mill River Audubon for more than a decade and has been an eagle “spotter” at George’s Island for every EagleFest since its beginning.