Albany Pine Bush Preserve

09/30/2026

Last call for submitting your photos to Pine Bush Perspectives!

Entries close at midnight, October 1st.

Visitors of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to share your perspective of the Pine Bush. We're seeking pictures that tell stories of all kinds, whether that's the little details of nature, a daily walk with your dog, or your family exploring the exhibits. Pine Bush Perspectives is a celebration of all the ways to experience the preserve.

The exhibit will open on December 4, 2026, with an awards presentation and small reception in the Discovery Center.

We can't wait to see everyone's photos celebrating this special place 😊

Photo by Don Allard from a previous Pine Bush Perspectives

09/29/2026

A prescribed fire, also known as a controlled burn, is the planned and controlled application of fire to land to achieve specific land management goals. They are done under certain conditions by trained professionals to reduce wildfire risk and restore health to fire-dependent ecosystems, like the Albany Pine Bush. These fires create conditions where sunlight can reach the ground and the ash provides nutrients for plants such as wild blue lupine can grow.

09/25/2026

Meet Smokey Bear! 🐻

Saturday, October 3rd join the Albany Pine Bush and Smokey Bear at the Discovery Center to learn about prescribed fire and wildfire prevention. 🔥

There will be games, interactive exhibits, fire trucks and equipment, a food truck, and Smokey goody bags for visitors to take home.

10am-2pm, no registration required.

09/23/2026

Have you submitted your photos to our annual juried photo exhibit, Pine Bush Perspectives, yet?!
The deadline is midnight on October 1st, 2026.

Visitors of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to share your perspective of the Pine Bush. We're seeking pictures that tell stories of all kinds, whether that's the little details of nature, a daily walk with your dog, or your family exploring the exhibits. Pine Bush Perspectives is a celebration of all the ways to experience the preserve.

The exhibit will open on December 4, 2026, with an awards presentation and small reception in the Discovery Center.

Enter soon!

Photos from previous Pine Bush Perspectives by:
1. Ellie Alexander
2. Don Allard
3. Calvin Taber
4. Christine Sarnacki
5. Martin Bannan

09/22/2026

This year's Birding Blitz competition was a great success! Thank you to everyone who participated.

In addition to team counts, there was also a category for photos. All of these were taken by Blitz participants in the Albany Pine Bush on Saturday, September 19th. We received many great pictures from a day full of birding and community, including quite a few Cooper's Hawks!

Congratulations to the day's winning photo of a Downy Woodpecker by Gordon Ryan from Team Fly, You Fowls.

Take a look through to see more of the birds spotted!

1. Downy Woodpecker by Gordon Ryan, Team: Fly, You Fowls
2. Bald Eagle and Merlin by Adam Brown, Team: Just Wingin' It
3. Sparrow spp. by Alex Smith, Team: Murder of Birders
4. Field Sparrow by Ann Ferentz, Team: Karner Blue Jays
5. Northern Mockingbird by Chris Edwardson, Team: LEERS@Birds
6. Common Grackle by Collin Bolebruch, Team: Golden-Crowned Knightlets
7. Pine Warbler by Corey Welch, Team: Gulls Just Want to Have Fun
8. Northern Parula by Elizabeth Roos, Team: The Eyewittnesses
9. Pileated Woodpecker by Emmett Governman-Long, Team: Any Last Birds?
10. Common Yellowthroat by Ezra McIlvain, Team: Flyover
11. Cooper's Hawk by Ian Plummer, Team: Paleo Punks
12. Cooper's Hawk by Kate Schnurr, Team: Leers@Birds
13. Cooper's Hawk by Kelsey Maiuccoro, Team: Cooper's Hawk
14. Red-tailed Hawk by Navera Moritori, Team: The Revolutionary Warblers
15. Cooper's Hawk by Reed Moffitt, Team: Skidmore Bird Alliance

09/18/2026

Back by popular demand... bird banding demonstration! 🐦
Tuesday, September 22nd

Drop by between 6:30am and 11am behind the Discovery Center to see wild birds up close as Albany Pine Bush Preserve scientists carefully capture and fit them with uniquely coded leg-bands before releasing back to the wild. They also will be taking measurements that can indicate a bird's health, age, and breeding condition. This data helps scientists track patterns and help guide management decisions.

No registration required.

Early bird gets the worm... see you there!

Join us for a short, inside presentation on the two species of fox that live in the Pine Bush. We will then continue outside for a 0.9 mile hike over rolling sand dunes to look for signs that foxes are here. This program is suitable for tweens, teens and adults.

09/16/2026

Curious about the connection between prescribed fire and ticks? 🔥

Join us for "A Prescription for the Land... and People?" on Thursday, September 17th at 7 p.m. at the Discovery Center. Can't make it in person? You can join us virtually!

Come learn more about how prescribed fire can impact tick populations and what that means for people, pets, and wildlife.

Register today to attend in person or online!

09/15/2026

🌳Get to know your oaks! 🌳

Did you know that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is home to 8 species of oak? 🍂

Join us this Friday, September 18th at 11 a.m. for a 1.7 mile hike through the preserve as we learn how to identify these incredible plants and discover the important role they play in this rare ecosystem.

Attendance is free, registration required.

09/11/2026

🐦 Ready to see how many species you can spot?

Join us for the annual Barrens Birding Blitz at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve on September 19th!
Whether you're a seasoned birder or just getting started, this is a fun way to explore the preserve, discover amazing birds, and connect with fellow bird lovers. 🍃

Both traversing and sit & spot teams will cover different regions of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, each contributing to full coverage of the preserve. The teams' eyes and ears will provide a snapshot of the birds in the preserve, and teams will compete to spot and identify as many species as possible out of the approximately 200 bird species who call the pine barrens home.

Your $25 registration gets you:
🏆 Chance to win awards & prizes.
🍴 Lunch with birding friends old and new
👕 A Barrens Blitz t-shirt

Register with a team or sign up solo... we'll pair solo participants with a team so you can meet new birding friends along the way!

📷 Photo by Dean Bouton from Pine Bush Perspectives

09/09/2026

A special visitor slithered by the Discovery Center! 🐍

Can you spot the eastern hognose snake hiding in plain sight in the first photo? Its camouflage made it easy to miss. Swipe through for a closer look at this fascinating little snake! 🔎

(And by little, we mean little... acorn cap for reference!)