Doggy Day Stroll in Thacher Park. 10 a.m.  Join us with your furry friends for a leisurely stroll through the park. We will begin at Pear Orchard and walk along the Escarpment Trail. Learn about different techniques for keeping your dog safe and comfortable while they enjoy the outdoors. Proof of recent vaccinations and six-foot leash (maximum) is required. To register call 518-872-1237. Parking fee is $6 per vehicle.

Terrific Turtles. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Learn what kinds of turtles live in the Pine Bush, where they live, and how they survive. We will start our program indoors with a live turtle presentation and continue outside for a hike into turtle habitat. We will caravan to another trailhead where we will hike approximately one-half mile. Participants must provide their own transportation. All ages.

Karner Blue Butterfly Walk. 1 to 2:30 p.m. 0.9-mile hike to see the Karner blue butterfly. Once common in the glacial Lake Albany sand belt, the Karner blue has plummeted in numbers over the past 40 years and is now listed as a federally- endangered species. 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY. Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.

Birding with Rich Guthrie at Thacher Nature Center at 8 a.m. We’ll start at the Nature Center feeders and head out on the trails. Beginners are welcome, and binoculars are available to borrow. Call 518-872-0800 to register.

Trap shoot to benefit Hilltown Community Resource Center Food Bank. Noon. All firearms must be unloaded until you are on the firing line. Helderberg Rod and Gun Club 386 Quay Rd. Altamont, NY 12009. 518-441-2160.

Karner Blue Butterfly Walk on Saturday, May 19, from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. Today is Endangered Species Day! Don’t miss this chance to join Albany Pine Bush Preserve staff on a 0.9-mile hike to see the Karner blue butterfly. Once common in the glacial Lake Albany sand belt, the Karner blue has plummeted in numbers over the past 40 years and is now listed as a federally- endangered species. Come learn about the natural history of the Karner blue and our efforts to rescue this species from the brink of extinction. Ages 6+.

Celebrate Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 18, beginning 8 am at the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail. Walk, stroll, ride, or glide along the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail and show your appreciation for this treasured community resource. You are invited to join MHLC, local public officials, and the New York Bicycling Coalition at this annual celebration. This free event begins a light breakfast at 8 AM at our office at 425 Kenwood Avenue.

Saturday, May 12 from 1 - 3  pm, Mothers Appreciation Relay: A wonderful new way to celebrate Mothers Day. Families are encouraged to participate in a timed relay to experience traditional Seneca women's roles at 17th-century Ganondagan. Relay course is .36 miles with cradleboard carry, pack basket carry, and corn pounding and sifting. Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan at 7000 County Road 41 (Boughton Hill Road), Victor, NY 14564.

Wobbling With the Warblers - A Walk in the Woods: Birding Hike with Rich Guthrie. Saturday, May 12, at 7 am. at the Winn Preserve, Altamont, NY. We're thrilled to announce an exciting new event in 2018: a birding hike with Rich Guthrie! Rich is a veteran birder and the resident avian expert for WAMC. Join MHLC and Rich for an early-morning bird hike at the beautiful Winn Preserve. This will be a stop, look, and listen saunter as we look for and listen to songbirds while taking in the flowers, geology, and history of the Helderberg Escarpment.

Spring Migration Bird Walk at Woodlawn Preserve on Saturday, May 12, from 7:30 am – 10:30 am. Spring is here and that means the birds are coming back from their winter in the tropics. We will meet at the Woodlawn Preserve trailhead on Gifford Road in Schenectady and walk approximately one and a half miles around the pond trail searching for spring migrants we see along the trails. Along the way, we will discuss some of the science research we conduct to help us monitor our feathered friends and how you can help! Please dress warmly. Binoculars will be provided. Ages 10+.