Birding for Everybody: Inclusive Ways to Explore Birds and Nature

A group of six women on a boardwalk with a large expanse of high reeds and water behind them; they all have birding equipment like binoculars around their necks.

Birding can be peaceful, joyful, social, and deeply restorative. It can also be a wonderful way to connect with nature at your own pace, whether you prefer a guided outing, a quiet viewing spot, a group discussion, or simply a welcoming place to begin. At Rochester Accessible Adventures, we’re grateful to work alongside inclusion partners who are helping make birding more accessible and inviting for more people in our region.

Genesee Valley Audubon Society

One of those partners is Genesee Valley Audubon Society, a great place to connect with area birders while learning more about birds, wildlife, and habitat. Through excursions, local bird walks, and educational discussions offered both virtually and in person, GVAS creates meaningful opportunities for people to learn, explore, and build community around birding. RAA’s DirectConnect Resource Guide also highlights Genesee Valley Audubon Society for birding, education, advocacy, excursions, and learning series.

Check out the feature on GVAS in this Arc of Monroe video!

A screenshot of Arc of Monroe's instagram page with an RAA exec director and the team from GVAS talking about inclusive birding

Screenshot of Arc of Monroe’s Instagram post featuring RAA and Genesee Valley Audubon Society. Clickable to take you right to the video!

Genesee Land Trust

We also encourage people to explore opportunities with Genesee Land Trust, which offers annual excursions and protects a wide range of natural lands where birds and wildlife can be observed. Their preserves and trails create opportunities for birding, scenic observation, and nature exploration close to home, making them a valuable resource for anyone looking to spend time outdoors and discover local habitats. Check out their accessible viewing platform at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve and learn more about their strategic plans for enhancing more of their nature preserves.

A ramped wooden viewing platform overlooking a wide expanse of water and reeds, a woman on a scooter is coming down the ramp

An accessible, ramped viewing platform at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve opens up the entire visit to every guest! Go see what lies beyond ground-level views!

Montezuma Audubon Center

Montezuma Audubon Center is working with us in a partnership through the Accessibility Education program through NYPA and NYS Canal Corporation. They have a variety of excursions, programs, and remarkable birding wildlife areas that will open the door to memorable experiences for birders of many interests and experience levels. Montezuma offers ways to explore the surrounding wetlands, learn about birds and ecology, and even take part in guided birding tours in one of New York’s most celebrated birding landscapes.

                          A cloudy sky is the backdrop for two martin bird houses on very tall poles in front of a large expanse of green meadow and dark green forest      A person up to her knees in water is helping launch a person in a blue adaptive kayak with outriggers along a boardwalk and large pond like entry to the Canal

(Left photo) Purple martin birdhouses are a very popular bird-viewing spot at Montezuma Audubon Center. (Right photo) The recent addition of adaptive kayak equipment means accessing MAC’s guided excursions is even easier! Great for spotting wildlife, including a wide array of birds!

NYS DEC

Region 8 of the NYS DEC is one of RAA’s Inclusion Partners, and the DEC has lots and lots of acres of land with great waterways and viewing access for birders. Our team assessed over 25 amenities in Region 8 — some you may already be familiar with (Braddock Bay, Black Creek, Genesee River, and Montezuma) and others you should definitely put on your day trip agenda (Birdseye Hollow Park, High Tor, and Conesus Inlet).

Their Accessible Recreation Destinations map is a fabulous way to find information to plan your excursions! The interactive map enables you to click on different areas and see what kinds of amenities are available.

A screenshot of a map with land-based background of green with the outline of New York State and over 250 blue and white wheelchair icons representing accessible amenities on DEC lands

Enjoy this video from 2022 when RAA was out assessing — and enjoying — these amazing lands right here in Region 8!

Resources and Tools

For those planning ahead, the Birdability Map is an excellent tool. Their map is a crowd-sourced resource that shares accessibility information about birding locations so people can better understand site features before they visit. We’re also proud that a number of local and regional trails and access points are listed there through RAA’s work to expand accessible birding information in our region.

A map showing blue diamonds where trails have been assessed for accessibility for birding, centered in the Greater Rochester NY area

2. Looking for more inspiration? This NPR piece, “A field guide for fledgling birders”, is a wonderful listen for anyone who is curious about getting started with birding or reconnecting with the outdoors in a fresh way.A screenshot of a list of birds with a small photo and name of each from a Merlin app

3. The Merlin app is a must-have! Enjoy knowledge at your fingertips — use Sound ID to identify a bird by its songs, upload photos to learn more about a bird you took a picture of, and keep track of your Life List!

4. You can also explore RAA’s DirectConnect Resource Guide to find helpful birding-related resources, inclusion partners, and additional ideas for accessible recreation and wellness. We provide handy contact pdfs for many of our inclusion partners!

If you’re not sure where to start, or you’d like more personalized suggestions, contact RAA. We’re always glad to help connect people with inclusive opportunities that fit their interests, goals, and support needs.

Let’s get outside together and start birding!

#MakeInclusionHappen

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