LOCALadk Magazine

Solid established business for 32 years. Retail & web business, includes building & apartment. Very busy lake area. adirondackcountrystore.com BUSINESS FOR SALE 23 LOCALadk greeted by electric blue Indigo Buntings near the parking area as well as a suite of other colorful neotropical migrants throughout the hike. It won't be easy to find your favorite CATS birding trail, nor should you feel obligated to. ey are all unique in their own way and deserve to be explored more routinely by advanced and beginning birders. e three trails highlighted above barely brush the surface of fantastic trails to go birding. Places like the DaCy Meadow Farm Trail, Black Kettle Trail, Hidden Quarry Trail, Florence Hathaway Park, and Sophie's Lair are also excellent places to find birds. CATS encourages people to visit their website, review the extensive trail portfolio, and request copies of their Champlain Valley–wide trail maps. ey'll serve as invaluable guides for choosing your next adventure in the valley. e CATS trail system is young and growing, which translates into many new ornithological discoveries in years to come. e late Mike Peterson, formerly one of the most active birders in the region, once said, "e birds are here; they need only to be found." Private lands indeed hold ornithological gems that are yet to be recorded. e 60 miles of trails created by Champlain Area Trails is a major step toward better understanding the distribution and abundance of birds in the region. While cats are rarely a benefit to birds, CATS trails are one of the best things that have happened for birds and birders in the Adirondack Park. Derek Rogers is the Development Director at Champlain Area Trails (CATS). Prior to joining CATS, he worked for 11 years as the Preserves Director for e Nature Conservancy on Long Island. Derek is a passionate birder, holding several ornithological positions in New York State with avian nonprofit organizations. He loves connecting people to landscapes and as a SUNY Plattsburgh alumnus, he's thrilled to be back in the Champlain Valley, working to inspire support for important conservation and trails projects in one of the most dynamic places on planet Earth. redpoll

• Cover