“Adventure Begins at Your Library!”
To celebrate the joy of reading and bestow the spirit of adventure on your summer, the Yonkers Public Library has eight weekly themes to help you get the most out of your summer reading journey.
This week, July 8 to July 14, is “Exploring Birds.”
Watching birds can renew our joy in nature and transform our outlook on the world. There are many great resources for birding in Westchester, including the Saw Mill River Audubon and the Hudson River Audubon Society, which is right here at home in Yonkers.
Whether you’re a first-time birder or a veteran ornithology fan, there are plenty of beautiful species of birds that you can spot right in your backyard. If you’re looking to learn more about the birds in your neighborhood, there are online resources available to help you out.
Bird Identification
There are some common species of birds in Westchester County that you may see every day, but you’ve never known the name for them. Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, and House Sparrows are just a few birds you might see in your own backyard, but check out this article from Lohud to learn about a few more!
Want to try your hand at identifying bird species? Merlin Bird ID from Cornell Labs is a comprehensive bird identification resource that can help you identify possible species that you see based on their size, color, and their behavior. You can also identify bird calls and songs and, if you snap a picture, you can use their bird ID technology to identify the species. You can download Merlin Bird ID on your phone and keep track of all the birds you see no matter where you go!
Birding Books
Looking to learn more? YPL is your go-to resource for any time you want to learn something new! There are plenty of books available both online and from the library. Check out some of these selected reads:
- Birding the Hudson Valley: A comprehensive site guide with bird sighting tips that also explores the history of the Hudson Valley, ecology, bird biology, and tourism.
- Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying Birds in your Own Backyard: You don’t have to travel very far to see beautiful birds in nature. Find newfound appreciation in taking in the common bird species you can see in your own backyard.
- Pete Dunne on Birdwatching: A Beginner’s Guide to Finding, Identifying, and Enjoying Birds: Pete Dunne is a well-known author in the birding community. Don’t miss out on this great beginner’s guide with full-color photos and tips and tricks to improve your birding experience.
Programs and Resources
Join us online on Zoom for Diversity of Westchester Birds: From Eagles to Warblers on July 18 at 7:00 PM. Anne Swaim, the Executive Director of the Saw Mill River Audubon, will share images, sounds, and videos of Westchester birds. Pick up tips on how to start birding and how to have bird-friendly, bird-safe properties.
This program is a collaboration between Greenburgh Public Library, Pound Ridge Library, New Rochelle Public Library, Mount Pleasant Publi Library, Mount Kisco Public Library and Yonkers Public Library.
Register online through the Greenburgh Public Library website here.
Interested in doing some bird watching of your own? Check out a bird backpack from the circulation desk at any YPL branch and get started! Each kit contains a backpack with binoculars and a book on local bird species to help you identify the birds you see.
Looking to bring the birds to you? Check out this handy guide below on how to make your own recycled bird feeder using a water bottle and some spoons.
There’s even more fun to be had reading this summer! There’s still plenty of time to sign up for Summer Reading on Beanstack. Download the Beanstack app or go to the Beanstack website on your desktop or laptop to create an account for you and your family. Check out this video to help you get started.
Participants can log books on Beanstack from June 1 to August 15 on Beanstack. For every book that you log, your name will be entered into a drawing for different prizes (i.e. Amazon gift card, prize baskets, and more). Each library branch will host its own drawing.
Check out the recommended reading lists Yonkers Public Schools Grades K-12 on the YPL website.
You can check out all of our Summer Reading themed events on the Yonkers Public Library Event Calendar.
This is a collaboration from A to Z!
Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, historical fiction and fantasy. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations. She is pursuing an MS in Information and Library Science from the University at Buffalo.
Z is the Branch Administrator at the Crestwood Library. She enjoys reading books, watching movies, and has been working in libraries for over 30 years.