Check out City Birder Tours, and Green-Wood sponsored tours on their calendar pages here.
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Monday, May 23, 2016

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, May 28, 2016 to Monday, May 30, 2016:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, May 28, 2016, 12pm – 1pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird! But what kind of bird is it? Take a tour and learn about the magnificent array of birds that call Prospect Park home. Led by Brooklyn Bird Club.

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Linden’s Hawkrise Sanctuary within the Meadowlands Watershed
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Focus: Discovery of birds within a new club location; late migrants, marsh birds, early breeders
Car fee: $25.00
Registrar: Peter Dorosh, Prosbird@aol.com or text only cell 347-622-3559
Registration Period: May 21st - May 26th
Site profile: http://ebird.org/content/nj/news/birds-of-lindens-hawk-rise-sanctuary/

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Gateway National Park
Every Sunday Weekly and Every Saturday Weekly from 05/28/2016 to 08/28/2016 9:30AM to 11:30AM
Camp Gateway Walk-up and Paddle
Try kayaking! Open to the public, ages 6 and up with an adult. No reservation required. Bring a snack, water and sunscreen. Bus: Q35
Location: Floyd Bennett Field – Brooklyn, Seaplane Ramp
Time: 9:30AM to 11:30AM
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Name: Ryan Visitor Center
Contact Phone Number: 718-338-3799

Every Saturday Weekly from 05/28/2016 to 08/27/2016 1:00PM to 3:30PM
Canarsie Walk-up and Paddle
Try kayaking! Open to the public, ages 6 and up with an adult. No reservation required.
Dress to get wet; bring sunscreen, a snack and water.
Location: Canarsie Pier – Brooklyn
Time: 1:00PM to 3:30PM
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Name: Ryan Visitor Center
Contact Phone Number: 718-338-3799

Every Sunday Weekly from 05/29/2016 to 08/28/2016 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Riis Landing Walk-up and Paddle
Try kayaking! Open to the public, ages 6 and up with an adult. No reservation required. Bring sunscreen, a snack and water.
Location: Riis Landing, Queens
Time: 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Name: Ryan Visitor Center
Contact Phone Number: 718-338-3799

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Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday May 28, 2016, 8:00am
Jamaica Bay
Leaders: Michael McBrien (631-758-2350), Ken Thompson (631-612-8028)
Southern State Pkwy. to Belt Pkwy. to Exit 17, Cross Bay Blvd. South. Continue south for about 2 miles. Look for entrance of refuge on the right (west) side. There are signs for park entrance.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturdays, May 7-July 30, 8-9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks, The Bronx
Guides: NYC Audubon, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy with the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy
Meet at Van Cortlandt Nature Center. The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson and Allan D. Cruickshank got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds. These walks celebrate the tradition set forth by these great ornithologists. Participants will look for various species of residents and migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 212-691-7483. No registration necessary. No limit. Free

Saturdays, April 30–May 28, 10-11am
Birding Basics For Families: The Ramble, Central Park
Guides: NYC Audubon, Conservancy Discovery Guides
Offered by the Central Park Conservancy
Meet at the Belvedere Castle (inside the Park, mid-Park just north of the 79th Street transverse). Experience Central Park’s precious bird habitat and migration hot spot with Conservancy Discovery Guides and NYC Audubon. Witness firsthand how the Conservancy’s work has made the Park a sanctuary for birds. Binoculars available. Free: pre-registration is recommended as space is limited. Ages 5+. Families only: maximum of three children per parent or guardian; no groups For weather cancellation updates and pre-registration information, call 212-772-0288.

Sunday, May 29, 2016, 8am-12pm
Birding Gems of Staten Island: Clove Lakes Park
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the Manhattan terminal of the Staten Island Ferry and journey to the "Forgotten Borough" to discover some of the beautiful forests and incredible birding spots at Clove Lakes Park. Look for ducks and seabirds in New York Harbor on our way across on the ferry ride and then catch a bus to the Park. Numerous warblers, vireos, tanagers, and other migratory songbirds can be seen here, as well as nesting eastern screech owls and great blue herons. We'll even see one of the largest and oldest trees in NYC! Limited to 15. Bus fare ($2.75 each way - please bring your MetroCard or exact change) not included in registration price. $43 (30)
Click here to register

Sundays, May 1–May 29, 10-11am
Birding Basics for Families: North Woods, Central Park
Guides: NYC Audubon, Conservancy Discovery Guides
Offered by the Central Park Conservancy
Meet at the Dana Discovery Center (inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues). Experience Central Park’s precious bird habitat and migration hot spot with Conservancy Discovery Guides and NYC Audubon. Witness firsthand how the Conservancy’s work has made the Park a sanctuary for birds. Binoculars available. Limited to 20. Age 5 and up. Free: pre-registration is recommended as space is limited. Ages 5+. Families only: maximum of three children per parent or guardian; no groups. For weather cancellation updates and pre-registration information, call 212-860-1370

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North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Upper Francis Pond and Bailey Arboretum
Meet: S/Equestrian entrance
Leader: Lindy Nielsen 628-1315

Walks are for beginners and experienced birders alike.
Weather permitting, walks start at 9:30am unless indicated.
Please note: all phone numbers are area code 516 unless otherwise indicated. In most cases, the contacts are also leaders for the respective walks. We would like to encourage carpooling, where possible.

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, May 29, 2016 @ 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Crooke’s Point
Cost: Free
Contact: Paul Lederer 718-354-9200
Maritime spits such as Crooke’s Point are dynamic typographical features which were formed and sculpted by water and wind action. Join naturalist Paul T. Lederer in a talk and walk where he will discuss the geology and human history of the site as well as the plants and animals that call this place home. Meet at the Beach Center Parking Lot in Great Kills Park near the dirt road leading out to Crooke’s Point. To get to the Beach Center Parking Lot, follow Buffalo Street to just before it turns into the dirt permit road. For more information or directions contact Paul at 718-354-9200.

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South Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Marine Nature Study Area

All walks start at 9:00 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498
For directions to our bird-watching locations, click here.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird! But what kind of bird is it? Take a tour and learn about the magnificent array of birds that call Prospect Park home.
Free!

Monday, May 30, 2016
Hallett Nature Sanctuary at Hallett Nature Sanctuary (in Central Park), Manhattan
2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
During these limited hours, visitors can explore the normally-closed Hallett Sanctuary at their own pace along the rustic trail.
Free!

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Wild Bird Fund
Saturday, May 28, 2016 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM
Focus on the Birds with Charles Chessler
Join the WBF and native New York photographer Charles Chessler for a fun couple of hours learning how best to capture the beautiful birds that visit and make Central Park their home.
At 9:00 Charles will spend a half hour discussing some basic photographic concepts and best settings for bird photography. Then we’ll head into the park to see what we can see…and, hopefully, we’ll all go home with some exciting images.
$20 per person; Members $15
Reservations required: events@wildbirdfund.org

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Young Birders Club
Sunday, May 29, 2016 (RAIN DATE May 30th)
Whiteface Mountain for Bicknell's Thrush (Adirondacks)
Sponsoring NYSYBC Partner: Northern New York Audubon Society
Trip Leader: Joan Collins
~ OPEN TO NYSYBC YOUTH MEMBERS ONLY ~

This trip will require an overnight, because we'll have special permission to drive up Whiteface Mountain long before dawn! We'll be looking for Bicknell's Thrush, which is seriously threatened by climate change and will likely be on the endangered species list soon. Our trip leader, Joan Collins, is the president of NYSOA (NYS Ornithological Association, our parent organization). Joan is a professional bird guide who leads Adirondack birding trips year-round. She is a New York State licensed guide who has climbed all the Adirondack fire tower peaks.

Bicknell’s Thrush begins to sing at 4am, so we'll be gathering at 4:30. We'll have the mountain to ourselves for several hours before we head back down for a breakfast break. After that, Joan will take us to some boreal bird habitats in the area.
Booking 2 nights' lodging would be a good idea. Extra time in the Adirondacks is never a bad thing!
Permission form due by 5/16/16 (earlier than usual due to the more complex logistics of this trip).

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