HURLEYVILLE, NY — Spring migration is underway across the Upper Delaware region, and bird watchers say this is one of the best times of the year to spot returning species.
A new event in Hurleyville is inviting residents and visitors to experience that seasonal change up close. The Sullivan O&W Rail Trail Alliance and the Sullivan County Audubon Society will host their first-ever bird walk along the historic O&W Rail Trail on April 25.
The event coincides with both National “Go Birding Day” and “Celebrate Trails Day,” connecting the local outing with broader efforts to encourage people to explore nature and public trails.
Helen Budrock of the Sullivan O&W Rail Trail Alliance said the idea grew out of the organization’s tradition of themed seasonal events tied to the trail’s O&W name.
“When we started doing events for the alliance probably five or six years ago, we came up with the idea to kind of play off of the O&W,” Budrock said. The group hosts several signature gatherings throughout the year, including the winter-themed “Snow & W,” and the summer “Bow Wow” dog event
“We were kind of missing something in the spring,” she said. “So we had an epiphany one day and we were like, ‘Fowl.’FO&WL.”
The inaugural birdwatching event will take place along the paved section of the trail in Hurleyville, which runs past Shadock Pond — an area known locally as a productive bird habitat.
“It’s a huge pond surrounded by wetlands, so it’s a great spot to watch birds, waterfowl and all kinds of migratory birds,” Budrock said. “They congregate there because that’s where the food is and that’s where they nest and breed.”
Participants will meet at 8 a.m. at the trailhead on Main Street in Hurleyville. Early morning hours are typically the best time to observe birds, according to Audubon volunteers helping lead the walk. Organizers expect the group to travel about a half mile along the trail and back, stopping at vantage points around Shadock Pond. After the walk, participants are invited to gather at the Hurleyville café Forage & Gather. The first 30 attendees will receive coupons for a hot beverage and snack.
Budrock said the event is designed for beginners as well as experienced bird watchers.
“That’s the whole beauty of it,” she said. “You get to go out, be with some experts and get educated about what birds are out there and how the ecosystem works.”
Organizers encourage participants to bring binoculars or cameras and wear comfortable shoes. Dogs should be left at home to avoid disturbing wildlife.
Beyond bird watching, Budrock said the event helps raise awareness about the rail trail itself and its expanding network through Sullivan County.
“A lot of people are aware of the trail in their backyard,” she said. “But a lot of people don’t realize that the rail trail in Mountaindale and the rail trail in Parksville and in downtown Liberty — it’s all the same trail and it’s all connected.”
Image: A mourning dove perches on a tree Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Milford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)