Basha Kill Area Association Events for 2008!
All of our events are free and open to the public

• Basha Kill Nature Watch Training (formerly Eagle Watch)
  
  Saturday, March 29th, 9:30 am - noon 888 South Road, Wurtsboro. Learn about bald eagle biology and the Basha Kill ecosystem so that you can volunteer with our Nature Watch program in the spring. As a volunteer, you will assist visitors to view plants and animals at the Basha Kill from the South Road boat launch site. We hope to be lucky enough to also observe and point out nesting bald eagles and ospreys this spring. Volunteers cover three shifts, three hours each from mid-April through the end of June on week-end afternoons. An Eagle Institute Representative will present information on bald eagle natural history at the training and Patricia Diness, Nature Watch Director of Volunteers, will explain how the program works.. Please call Maryallison Farley at 845-888-0261 to register and for more information.



• Star Walk with Bob Fiore
  
  Join amateur astronomer Bob Fiore (now Mamakating Town Supervisor!) Saturday, March 29th at 6:30 pm for a look at the night skies over the Basha Kill. Fun and informative for people of all ages. Meet at the Haven Road parking lot. (Take Exit 113 off of Rt. 17 going south towards Port Jervis. Go 1.9 miles and turn left onto Haven Road. Parking lot is @ .4 mile in on Haven). Call Bob with questions, especially if you want to check on the status of the walk because of weather - 845-498-9001.



• 27th Annual Cleanup - Celebrate Earth Day Week-end!
  
  Saturday, April 19th at 10:00 am Meet at Haven Road parking lot. (Take Exit 113 off of Rt. 17 going south towards Port Jervis. Go 1.9 miles and turn left onto Haven Road. Parking lot is @ .4 mile in on Haven). Plastic bags provided. Bring gloves. Free lunch at noon at the Moose Lodge.



• Basha Kill Nature Watch
  Saturdays & Sundays in April, May and June
  from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm through June 29
  Trained BKAA volunteers will be at the South Road boat launch site with spotting scopes, binoculars and information. They'll help you view plants and animals of the wetlands. You can look through a powerful spotting scope to see ducks of all kinds, as well as an active bald eagle nest, ospreys and herons - just to name some of the interesting birds that you may see. Bring your children for some educational fun in the outdoors! Call MA Farley at 845-888-0261 for more information.

• Early Spring Canoeing Outing on the Basha Kill
  
  with Scott Graber & Mike Medley Join Scott Graber, local naturalist & nature photographer, and Mike Medley, avid outdoorsman & former science teacher, for an early canoe trip in the Basha Kill. It's smoother sailing at this time of year when the vegetation has not had a chance to grow up throughout the Kill. Meet on Saturday, April 26th at 10:00 am at the South Road boat launch site with your canoe or kayak. Call Mike Medley at 845-754-0743 for details and to arrange to team up with other boaters



• Peak of Migration Birding with John Haas
  
  Join Basha Kill birder extraordinaire, John Haas, on Saturday, May 17th at 8:30 am. Special note - meet at the Stop Sign parking lot. This is the lot that you access from Haven Road by turning north off of Haven and then following a gravel road into the lot. Call John at 845-888-0240 for details.



• Amphibians & Reptiles with Bill Cutler
  
  Meet Bill Cutler, local herpetology expert, Sunday, May 18th at 10:00 am at the Haven Road parking lot. (Take Exit 113 off of Rt. 17 going south towards Port Jervis. Go 1.9 miles and turn left onto Haven Road. Parking lot is @ .4 mile in on Haven). Bill will talk about habitat requirements and habitat preservation for amphibians and reptiles with a focus on the Basha Kill. Kids as well as adults love learning about reptiles and amphibians with Bill! Expect surprises! Contact Bill at 845-754-8398 or at viper@catskill.net



• Early Summer Wildflowers with John Kenney
  
  John Kenney, who leads nature walks in the region, will point out blooming flowers around the Basha Kill. Meet him Sunday, June 1st at 10:00 am at the Haven Road parking lot. (Take Exit 113 off of Rt. 17 going south towards Port Jervis. Go 1.9 miles and turn left onto Haven Road. Parking lot is @ .4 mile in on Haven). Call John at 845-436-6046 for details.



• Blooms & Butterflies with John Kenney
  
  John Kenney will show you the wildflowers that bloom in mid-summer at the Basha Kill, as well as the many butterflies that use the Basha Kill. Meet him Sunday, July 13th at 10:00 am at the Haven Road parking lot. (Take Exit 113 off of Rt. 17 going south towards Port Jervis. Go 1.9 miles and turn left onto Haven Road. Parking lot is @ .4 mile in on Haven). Call John at 845-436-6046 for details.



• Fall Warblers and More with John Haas
  
  Meet John Haas, well-known birder of the Basha Kill, on Saturday, September 13th at 8:30 am at the Stop Sign parking lot off of Haven Road for a birding expedition. Special note - this parking lot is accessed from Haven Road by turning north off of Haven and then following a gravel road into the lot. Both experts and novices enjoy John's outings. Call John at 845-888-0240 for details.



• Fall Canoeing at the Basha Kill with Scott Graber & Mike Medley
  
  Join Scott Graber, naturalist and nature photographer, and Mike Medley, avid outdoorsman and former science teacher, to paddle the Kill. Meet at the South Road boat launch site at 10:00 am on Sunday, September 28th. If you have your own canoe or kayak, bring it with you. Call Mike Medley at 845-754-0743 for details and to arrange to team up with other boaters.