Check out City Birder Tours, and Green-Wood sponsored tours on their calendar pages here.
Celebrate your inner nerd with my new t-shirt design! Available on my Spreadshirt shop in multiple colors and products.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Treehugger Tuesday

From the website BoingBoing:

Pipelines considered pointless: Big oil seems to be (finally) abandoning Canada's filthy tar sands
Cory Doctorow / 4:51 am Tue Feb 28, 2017

Canada's tar sands -- rebranded in this century as "oil sands" -- are the source of some of the world's filthiest and most expensive oil, which can only be extracted by burning tons of already-refined oil to boil tons of sand, producing a product that sells at a global discount because it is so adulterated.

As Bruce Sterling once quipped, oil economies tend to converge on a hole in the ground surrounded by guns, and when global oil prices spiked high enough to produce an Alberta tar sands bubble, that bubble consumed the Canadian political landscape, producing a string of far-right, climate-denying, spying, belligerent, racist, authoritarian governments that turned oil money into a wrecking ball for demolishing beloved Canadian institutions, slashing funding for everything from health care to the CBC (it also pushed up the Canadian dollar, tanking the exports-driven manufacturing sector, which, not incidentally, was largely unionized and relied upon a well-funded public education system to produce its skilled workforce).

The collapse of global oil prices cost the far-right its dominance over Canadian politics -- and also produced a trumpist far-right, xenophobic political movement that is making dangerous inroads as candidates for leader of the crippled Conservative Party vie to outdo one another in racist rhetoric. Canada's trumpists, like their southern counterparts in the USA, are betting on an oil price resurgence to carry them back into power, and oil prices are indeed creeping back up.

But those price increases may be too little, too late for the tar sands. Oil giants like Exxonmobil and Conocophillips have "de-booked" their tar sands holdings from their accounts, meaning that they are telling investors that they don't believe the oil trapped in the sands is an asset any longer -- that the prices will never rebound far enough to make it worthwhile to extract it.

This is hugely significant because the oil sector almost never writes off its holdings. During the depths of the oil price downturn, Exxon was so stubborn about insisting that all of its oil would be economical and should not be written down (which would lower the company's value and the price of its shares) that it was investigated by the US and New York governments for accounting fraud.

In other words: When Exxon writes off your oil, you can be damned sure that they have no plans to take it out of the ground, ever.

When the Canadian Conservative Party imploded and Justin Trudeau's Liberals took power, Trudeau promised to continue funding for major pipelines, including the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. It was only when the Obama administration shut down Keystone that it died, and Trump has revived it, with Trudeau's cooperation -- warm, cuddly Justin has announced that Canada will restart Keystone XL and then build another pipeline for good measure.

But as Big Oil abandons the tar sands, there's simply no case for building pipelines to bring the oil that will never be extracted from them to ports that will never ship it.

But the de-booking is even more interesting because of what it says about Canada’s oil sands. Exxon removed 3.3 billion barrels from its books, admitting that the oil is simply not profitable to produce with today’s prices. It’s a pretty damming admission: the oil will ultimately be left in the ground unless oil prices substantially rebound. The project was equivalent to 15 percent of the company’s entire proved reserve base.

Exxon’s announcement came shortly after ConocoPhillips also removed oil sands reserves from its books. Conoco de-booked 1.15 billion barrels of oil sands a day before Exxon, taking the oil company’s reserves to a 15-year low.

Have The Majors Given Up On Canada’s Oil Sands? [Nick Cunningham/Oil Price]
...Read more

Monday, February 27, 2017

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, March 4, 2017 to Sunday, March 5, 2017:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Sunday, March 5, 2017, 8am – 9am
Early Morning Bird Walk: Gulls Galore
Think all gulls are the same? Join the Prospect Park Alliance and take another look by exploring the Park’s nature trails and discover all the different species of gulls in the Park. Please note this tour leaves promptly at 8 am.
Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club.

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Jones Beach State Park, Nassau County
Leader: Joe Giunta
Focus: Migrating seabirds, dune open space species, ducks, shorebirds
Car fee: $25.00
Registrar: James and Amy Cooke email james@jamescooke.net CC amyecooke@verizon.net Home #: (516) 739-0647 (Before 8:30 PM)
Registration Period: Feb 25th - March 2nd

**********

Eastern Long Island Audubon Society
Saturday, March 4, 2017 – Meet at 8am
Morton Wildlife Refuge
Eileen Schwinn, Leader
This walk is a great way to enjoy the last bit of winter weather!! We will meet at the Morton Wildlife Refuge parking lot at 8 am. Not only do the birds eat right out of your hand the minute you get out of your car, but there are frequently pockets of over-wintering birds along the way. The walk is approximately 2 miles. Dress warmly and appropriately. Bird seed will be provided.
Contact Eileen Schwinn, beachmed@optonline.net for more information, and at 516-662-7751 the day of the trip.

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Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday, March 4, 2017, 8:30am
Bob Laskowski Memorial Duck Walk
Leaders: Bob Grover (516-318-8536)
Meet at Brookwood Hall, Islip Town Park in East Islip on Irish Lane between Montauk Hwy and Union Blvd.
(Nature walks will be cancelled if it is raining or snowing.)

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Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, March 5, 2017 - 8:00am
Members Only! Sneak Peak at Underhill Preserve
Join us today as we ramble about this hidden gem of a preserve. Underhill is not yet open to the public and access is strictly limited. Today, you will learn about our restoration efforts as we check out the late winter birdlife! There may be some treats in store with regards to rarities!
Please note that this trip is limited to HOBAS members only.
Registration is a Must, Group Size Limited to 15: 516-695-0763 or hobaudubon@gmail.com
Directions: Due to restricted access status, group will meet in front of the Starbucks in Jericho (Whole Foods shopping center) and we will car pool from there.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Central Park Winter Bird Walk 2
Leader: Richard ZainEldeen
Registrar: Kathleen Mathews — redkatamat@gmail.com or (650)-823-1239 (changed)
Registration opens: Monday, February 20
Public transportation

**********

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 9/3/2016 - 6/24/2017: 11:00 a.m.
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

**********

New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, March 4, 2017, 9am – 4pm
Winter Birds of Barnegat, NJ
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Explore Barnegat Inlet’s expansive beach to view the winter birds that gather where land, bay, and sea meet. Search for harlequin ducks, horned larks, Lapland longspurs, snow buntings, and snowy and short-eared owls. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $115 (80)
Click here to register

Sunday, March 5, 2017, 12pm – 2pm
Weekly on Sunday, until Mar 12, 2017
Winter Seals and Waterbirds of NY Harbor
Guide: NYC Audubon guide
Meet at South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 and come aboard NY Water Taxi’s eco-friendly vessel for a winter adventure in New York Harbor. Look for harbor seals on the rocky shores of Governor’s Island and the more remote Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. Learn about the surprisingly diverse winter birds of New York City, including ducks, geese, loons, and sandpipers, many of which migrate south from the Arctic. See the Statue of Liberty and pass under the Verrazano Bridge. Dress warmly. Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Baisley Park
Leader: Lisa Scheppke - 347-531-3019

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Alley Pond Park

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Birding: Winter Birds at Park Drive and Clove Road (in Clove Lakes Park), Staten Island
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Winter is a great time to spot bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, snowy owls, and many more bird species.
Free!
...Read more

Saturday, February 25, 2017

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, February 24, 2017:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 24, 2017
* NYNY1702.24

- Birds mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE+

Extralimital:
CLARK'S GREBE+
GREAT GRAY OWL+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
ROSS'S GOOSE
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
KING EIDER
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
SANDHILL CRANE
American Woodcock
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
BLACK GUILLEMOT
Bonaparte's Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
Lapland Longspur
Orange-crowned Warbler

- Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day)
Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island)

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 24th 2017 at 4pm. The highlights of today's tape are TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, SANDHILL CRANE, BLACK GUILLEMOT, DOVEKIE, EARED GREBE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, BARNACLE GOOSE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL and more.

A good week but most birds were holdovers and an even better week for those able to travel north to see the CLARK'S GREBE in Oswego or the GREAT GRAY OWL in Massena.

On eastern Long Island the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE continues in Southold seen near blue house #1625 North Sea Drive on Thursday when the Wainscott SANDHILL CRANE was still feeding around the north end of Wainscott Pond or in fields along Wainscott Hollow Road.

At Montauk the BLACK GUILLEMOT remained around the north end of Lake Montauk near the inlet at least to Wednesday usually in the vicinity of the docks off the parking lot at the end of Star Island Road by the Coast Guard Station on Star Island. At Ditch Plains a BONAPARTE'S GULL flock, even that a rare sight this winter, did attract the adult LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS that had been noted earlier in the area. The LITTLE only on Saturday and Sunday. The BLACK-HEADED at least to Wednesday. Also at Ditch Plains a DOVEKIE was spotted just offshore Monday morning but flew off quickly. A female KING EIDER mingling with a few Common Eider was still around Montauk Point Monday. A RED-NECKED GREBE was off Camp Hero Saturday and an ICELAND GULL continues around the west beach at the Montauk Harbor inlet.

Farther west at Fire Island Inlet an EARED GREBE was spotted Saturday and again Sunday in the cove near the Sore Thumb as viewed from the small fisherman's parking lot along Oak Beach Road. A female KING EIDER was viewable from that lot starting with Saturday and on Monday a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was also picked out in the duck flocks gathered there continuing at least to Wednesday. The drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still a little west of the Sands Point Preserve on Tuesday and 2 female KING EIDERS were present off Orient Point County Park Sunday.

Regarding the odd geese the PINK-FOOTED was still at Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream Wednesday, the BARNACLE was seen again Saturday on the private golf course off Long Island Avenue east of Wellwood Avenue and a ROSS'S GOOSE visited Marratooka Lake in Mattituck Sunday. A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE spotted on the lake in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx Sunday was still there Monday. Another was seen again at Wainscott Pond Monday and one was in a huge Canada flock on the north side of Cook's Lane west of Scuttlehole Road in Watermill with one CACKLING and 2 SNOW GEESE last Saturday. Two TUNDRA SWAN were still on Lake Ronkonkoma today. Continuing EURASIAN WIGEON were at Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center Monday, on Eastport Lake north of Montauk Highway last Sunday and on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga yesterday.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted on the East River Saturday this off the end of East 51st Street and an ICELAND GULL was still visiting Prospect Park Lake as of Wednesday with others continuing in Brooklyn.

One or two RAZORBILLS have been noted around the jetty at Jones Beach West End recently and 3 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were near the Roosevelt Nature Center there yesterday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were still in Central Park, Henderson Park and Caumsett State Park this week and a few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continue in the area. AMERICAN WOODCOCK are now displaying in decent numbers at suitable locations.

To phone in reports call Tom Burke weekdays at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript
...Read more

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Treehugger Tuesday

The following is from a study by the University of St. Andrews:

Dolphin population will take 40 years to recover from Deepwater Horizon disaster

Monday 13 February 2017

Dolphins are struggling to survive in the Gulf of Mexico seven years after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, an international study involving researchers at the University of St Andrews has concluded.

In April 2010 a blowout on the drilling rig resulted in the release of 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over an 87-day period, killing thousands of marine mammals including bottlenose dolphins.

A new study coordinated by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) documents the unprecedented mortality rate and long-term environmental impacts of the oil’s exposure and represents a synthesis of more than five years’ worth of data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Scientists from the St Andrews-based Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM) played a key role in the study.

The study found that the dolphin population in the Barataria Bay area of the Gulf of Mexico will have reduced by 50% within the decade following the spill and that full population recovery will take 40 years. In addition, the scientists found that 25% of the current population are underweight and 17% are in a poor or grave condition.

Professor Ailsa Hall of the School of Biology at St Andrews and Director of SMRU was an expert advisor on the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). She said: “My assistance was required to provide advice in relation to how assessing the damage to the bottlenose dolphins and large whales that inhabit the Gulf of Mexico and that were exposed to the oil should be tackled.

“My research expertise as a marine mammal epidemiologist and toxicologist was sought to provide independent critical review of the proposed work. I was therefore able to provide analytical input into the scientific approach taken by the NOAA scientists, to overview their research plans and to assist in interpreting their findings.

“The challenges faced by the NOAA scientists in determining whether the oil had caused significant effects on the health and survival of the dolphins and whales in the Gulf of Mexico was immense.”

Dr Len Thomas of the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University and Director of CREEM said: “CREEM worked as part of a large team to predict the long-term damage to marine mammal populations from the oil spill. Our first challenge was to integrate multiple sources of information from the relatively well-studied dolphin populations around the Mississippi delta to assess the current population health and predict how this might change in the future.

“The second challenge was how to deal with the many other dolphin populations, and other species in the Gulf, about which much less is known.

“CREEM specialises in the development and application of statistical methods for complex ecological datasets, and this certainly fit the bill.

“Despite all the uncertainties, it is clear that many populations of marine mammal were badly affected by the oil spill, and that these negative effects will persist for many years into the future.”

**********

Notes to news editors

Abstracts of the papers which contributed to the study can be found on the Endangered Species Research website along with the special issue in which the paper appears.

An extract if the NOAA study can be found on their Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program website.
...Read more

Monday, February 20, 2017

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, February 25, 2017 to Sunday, February 26, 2017:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Coney Island Pier Sea watch
Leader: Peter Dorosh cell # 347-622-3559
Focus: Migrating and “staging” seabirds in a 3 hour count from the Pier (9 am-12 pm)
Meet: 8:20 am inside the Dunkin Donuts outside on the corner of the Surf Ave subway terminus
Note: dress as warmly as possible; Bad weather cancels; see the BBC Facebook/Prospect Sightings Blog for updates if there is a weather issue.

**********

Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, February 25, 2017, 10:00AM to 1:00PM
Late Winter Thaw Bird Walk
Meet for a slide program and walk along the trails with Don Riepe Learn about the management and ecology of refuge wildlife and look and hear for the very first signs of spring. For info and reservations 718-474-0896 or email don@littoralsociety.org. This is a partnership program with NYC Audubon.
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Sunday, February 26, 2017, 1:00PM to 2:30PM
Spring is in the Air
Join a National Park Ranger for an investigative tour of the East Pond Trail and look for signs of the approaching spring season.
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

**********

Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, February 25, to Sunday, February 26, 2017
Montauk Weekend
Leader: Joe DiCostanzo
Registrar: Dale Dancis — ddancis@gmail.com or 212-724-3269
Ride: $90 – lodging not included

**********

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 9/3/2016 - 6/24/2017: 11:00 a.m.
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

**********

New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, February 25, 2017, 9am – 5pm
Winter Birds of the Barrier Islands
Guide: Tod Winston
Several bird species that nest in the far north spend the winter at Jones Beach, in a habitat similar to their summer homes. We’ll visit Point Lookout and Jones Beach in search of harlequin ducks, common eider, scoters, horned larks, and snow buntings. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $93 ($65)
Click here to register

Saturday, February 25, 2017, 10am – 1pm
Winter Thaw Bird Walk
Guide: Don Riepe with American Littoral Society and Gateway NRA
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for a hike around the ponds and gardens to look for very early signs of spring as well as late winter birds. For more information and to register, contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. No limit. Free

Sunday, February 26, 2017, 12pm – 2pm
Weekly on Sunday, until Mar 12, 2017
Winter Seals and Waterbirds of NY Harbor
Guide: NYC Audubon guide
Meet at South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 and come aboard NY Water Taxi’s eco-friendly vessel for a winter adventure in New York Harbor. Look for harbor seals on the rocky shores of Governor’s Island and the more remote Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. Learn about the surprisingly diverse winter birds of New York City, including ducks, geese, loons, and sandpipers, many of which migrate south from the Arctic. See the Statue of Liberty and pass under the Verrazano Bridge. Dress warmly. Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 25, 2017 @ 12:00pm – 2:00pm
The Arden Heights Woods Park Preserve
Bounded by Arthur Kill Road, Woodrow Road and Arden Avenue the Arden Heights Woods Park Preserve is NYC’s largest forested freshwater wetlands. Participants are going to hike through this forested wetlands system and explore natural features such as Moore’s Brook and Owl Hollow. We will study the winter birds and botany and attempt some animal tracking. We will meet at the DEC entrance along Woodrow Road beside Berry Avenue.
For more information contact Ray Matarazzo at (718) 317-7666.

Sunday, February 26, 2017, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Crooke’s Point @ Great Kills Park
Maritime spits such as Crooke’s Point are dynamic typographical features which are 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. Participants will 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 Lederer at (718) 987-1576.

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Mill Pond Park

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Birding: Owls at Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Urban Park Rangers will take you out and guide you on your quest to spot winter owls. Registration Required.
Free!
...Read more

Friday, February 17, 2017

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, February 17, 2017:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 17, 2017
* NYNY1702.17

- Birds Mentioned

PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greater White-Fronted Goose
ROSS’S GOOSE
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Common Goldeneye
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
American Bittern
Rough-legged Hawk
SANDHILL CRANE
Wilson’s Snipe
Razorbill
BLACK GUILLEMOT
Bonaparte’s Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
Baltimore Oriole

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44nybirdsorg

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Gail Benson

[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]

Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 17, 2017 at 6:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are BLACK GUILLEMOT, THICK-BILLED MURRE, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, SANDHILL CRANE, PINK-FOOTED and ROSS’S GEESE, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and more.

Last Sunday morning an immature BLACK GUILLEMOT was found just inside the Montauk harbor inlet and it was still there today, diving actively near the Coast Guard Station on Star Island.

Also in the Montauk area an adult winter LITTLE GULL was spotted moving by the Point Tuesday morning with a few BONAPARTE’S GULLS and was off Camp Hero today. A female KING EIDER was still off the restaurant both Saturday and Tuesday mornings, some RAZORBILLS continue off the Point and an ICELAND GULL remains around the Montauk harbor inlet. On Thursday and Friday a BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen with BONAPARTE’S at the south end of Lake Montauk.

Another nice alcid was a THICK-BILLED MURRE seen briefly Saturday before it dove and disappeared off Rocky Point Marsh in Queens. This area is directly across Rockaway Inlet from Plumb Beach, Brooklyn, west of the Marine Parkway Bridge.

The north fork TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was still visiting the cedars along North Sea Drive in Southold at least to Wednesday – look especially in the vicinity of the blue house #1625 North Sea Drive.

On the south fork the SANDHILL CRANE was again feeding in the fields along Wainscott Hollow Road last Sunday. If not there, check around Wainscott Pond off Wainscott Main Street.

Two TUNDRA SWANS were still on Lake Ronkonkoma Wednesday.

The PINK-FOOTED GOOSE in Valley Stream was still at Hendrickson Park today, and a 2nd revisited Elda Lake in North Babylon last Saturday.

A ROSS’S GOOSE was reported today from Narrow River Road in Orient.

Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were on the private golf course east of Wellwood Avenue near the often productive cemeteries in the Farmingdale area, these west of Belmont Lake State Park, a presumed overnight roosting area for most of these geese. Another WHITE-FRONTED was back on Playland Lake in Rye Wednesday to today, usually flying out early in the morning.

A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE continues with COMMON GOLDENEYES around Prospect Point just a little northwest of the Sands Point Preserve. Usually you would need to walk out along the beach to view the GOLDENEYES.

Drake EURASIAN WIGEON were seen this week at Brooklyn’s Salt Marsh Nature Center section of Marine Park, at Mill Creek on Staten Island, and on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga.

Birds at Shinnecock Tuesday included 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, AMERICAN BITTERN, and ICELAND GULL.

A BLACK-HEADED GULL was noted again at Cammanns Pond off Merrick Road last Saturday, and another appeared off Orient Point, seen from the New London Ferry Wednesday.

Single GLAUCOUS GULLS were noted in Bellport Saturday and on Roosevelt Island in Manhattan Thursday. A few ICELAND GULLS continue along the Brooklyn shoreline, with one also still visiting Prospect Park Lake to Thursday.

A RAZORBILL was seen off Coney Island Beach and Breezy Point last Sunday, with another off Staten Island the day before.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted at Gilgo Saturday, a WILSON’S SNIPE at Swan Lake in East Patchogue Wednesday.

This week lingering RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were noted in Central Park just west of East 68th Street, at Hendrickson Park and Caumsett State Park and at the Makamah Preserve in Fort Salonga, and another was found in Dix Hills Wednesday.

Certainly unexpected among the landbirds were a BALTIMORE ORIOLE in Brooklyn Monday and, especially, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Southards Pond Park in Babylon last Saturday.

To phone in reports call Tom Burke at 212-372-1483 on weekdays.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript
...Read more

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Treehugger Tuesday

From the The Christian Science Monitor:

Underappreciated and in trouble: Can we stave salt marshes' decline?

Salt marshes are an underappreciated, yet extremely valuable, part of the global ecosystem. But with both sea levels and human development on the rise, it is going to require real effort to save them.

Weston Williams
Staff | @westonwolf359

February 13, 2017 —Muddy salt marshes get a bum rap. They may not be as colorfully vibrant as the more glamorous tropical rainforests and coral reefs, but the salty bogs that edge coastlines around the world hold enormous ecological value, both as habitats for species that can live nowhere else and as a buffer for surging seas during storm events.

And, like the rainforests and reefs, salt marsh ecosystems are in trouble.

A recent study of eight salt marshes conducted by the US Geological Survey found that erosion in the marshes had led to a net decline in sediment in all of the biomes studied. The researchers predicted that four of the biomes, without direct action being taken to save them, would be gone within 350 years. While 350 years that might seem like a long time, this study is only the latest in a series of bad news for salt marshes in recent decades, as rising seas and human coastal development threaten to continue to encroach on these vital ecosystems.

"Coral reefs and tropical rainforests are pretty damn important, but salt marshes and coastal wetlands in general turn out to be the most valuable per area of any ecosystem on the planet." says Mark Bertness, a marine coastal ecology and conservation expert at Brown University in Providence, R.I. "Coral reefs protect shorelines, and they support biodiversity. Tropical rainforests in general store a lot of carbon.... But salt marshes do all these things."

Salt marshes form in sheltered areas between the sea and land as sediment is deposited and washed away with the tides, creating a highly salty, semi-terrestrial habitat for hundreds of animal, plant, and microbe species.

Because of wide temperature fluctuations, constant tidal changes, and other factors, a salt marsh might seem like a harsh place to live. But these conditions provide effective shelter for fish nurseries and for the development of young for certain coastal bird species. Perhaps more importantly, salt marshes provide significant "ecosystem services" for humans as well, Dr. Bertness tells The Christian Science Monitor in a phone interview.

The dense roots of plants native to salt marshes are effective at halting runoff and protecting coastlines from storm surges. And the ideal fish nursery conditions in the marshes are often taken advantage of by local hatcheries producing fish for human consumption. But according to the US Geological Survey study published late last month in the journal Nature Communications, the eight salt marshes under investigation were all experiencing a net sediment deficiency that, if unchecked, could eventually eliminate the marshes forever.

It is a potential fate that would likely not be confined to the marshes in the study.

"Somebody in 50 years who looks at some of the marshes we've looked at, they'll just see lots of open water," Joe Kelley, a University of Maine professor of marine geology who was not involved in the study told the Associated Press.

So what can be done to save the salt marshes?

There are a number of strategies, including dike construction and dredging, that have shown some success in maintaining a more sustainable balance of sediment in the marshes. Sometimes, though, the problem is not erosion, but the loss of plants that hold the sediment in place, often due to predation by animal species. One novel solution posited by Bertness is to actually introduce certain invasive species to marshes, such as reeds with denser root systems to hold down soil, or even supporting invasive crabs that keep other plant-eating crab species at bay.

"There's all sorts of mixed opinions," says Bertness. "[But] what's the target of restoration? Is it getting things back to the way we remember them, or is it getting these ecosystem services?"

As oceans rise, however, it will become increasingly difficult to maintain these drowning salt marshes as the sea continues to push inland, which necessitates different strategies. And these fragile ecosystems are experiencing threats from the other side as well, as humans seeking beachfront roads and property push further into the marshes, says Elizabeth Burke Watson, a professor and wetlands section leader at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Drexel University in Philadelphia.

"In the absence of humans, wetlands and their organisms can adapt," Dr. Watson tells the Monitor in an email. "However, human development along the upland boundary has the ability to disrupt potential inland migration pathways."

With human developments in the way, new salt marshes will not be able to develop in shallow areas as older marshes are swallowed up by the ocean. Watson says that "special attention and conservation actions" will be needed to help support any migration that may take place in the coming decades. But ultimately, she says, the salt marshes may need to see the effects of human-caused climate change reversed, or at least slowed, in order to protect the struggling ecosystems on a large scale.

"Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most important factor, because wetlands can naturally adapt to lower rates of sea level rise," she says. "So slowing sea level rise due to climate change would be really beneficial."
...Read more

Monday, February 13, 2017

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, February 18, 2017 to Monday, February 20, 2017:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, February 18, 2017
“Our Great Backyard: Prospect Park”
Leaders: Ann Murray and Kathy Toomey
Focus: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Meet: 8:30 am at Bartel Pritchard Park entrance
Note: This walk is part of the Great Backyard Bird Count, a four day event that starts Friday through Monday.
Link http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

**********

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 9/3/2016 - 6/24/2017: 11:00 a.m.
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

**********

New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, February 18, 2017, 9am – 2pm
Winter Birds of DeKorte Park
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Come explore the wilds of the New Jersey Meadowlands at DeKorte Park. Here, the Hackensack River meets extensive coastal marshes, creating a rich habitat for wildlife—especially wintering waterfowl and raptors. We'll be on the lookout for large flocks of canvasback, ruddy ducks, green-winged teal, northern pintail, bufflehead, and northern shoveler, along with common and hooded mergansers. And we'll scan the skies for hunting raptors including rough-legged and Cooper’s hawks, northern harriers, and perhaps even a snowy or short-eared owl. We can warm up at the environmental center and learn about the Meadowlands' ecology.
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $86 (60)
Click here to register

Sunday, February 19, 2017, 8:30am – 10:30am
Central Park Winter Walk
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at Central Park West and 72nd Street. Some of the best sightings await hardy nature-lovers willing to venture out in winter. Several species of owls are found in Central Park in the colder months, along with "winter finches" such as pine siskins, redpolls, and crossbills. Observing the adaptations for cold-weather survival among blue jays, titmice, and other resident species is fascinating as well. Warm up after the walk with a hot chocolate by the fireplace at the Loeb Boathouse. Limited to 15. $36 (25)
Click here to register

Sunday, February 19, 2017, 12pm – 2pm
Weekly on Sunday, until Mar 12, 2017
Winter Seals and Waterbirds of NY Harbor
Guide: NYC Audubon guide
Meet at South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 and come aboard NY Water Taxi’s eco-friendly vessel for a winter adventure in New York Harbor. Look for harbor seals on the rocky shores of Governor’s Island and the more remote Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. Learn about the surprisingly diverse winter birds of New York City, including ducks, geese, loons, and sandpipers, many of which migrate south from the Arctic. See the Statue of Liberty and pass under the Verrazano Bridge. Dress warmly. Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 18, 2017, 10am - 2pm
Forest Restoration Workshop at the southern end of Deere Park
Meet at the east end of Browning Avenue (close to the State Police antenna tower on Todt Hill). We will follow the Blue Trail north to cut and uproot the alien Devil’s Walking Stick at the intersection of Todt Hill Road and Ocean Terrace and further along east of the trail. This will be our 245th workshop – only 5 to go to get to #250 (sorry, no prizes). If you don’t have your own, Protectors will supply gloves, pruners & refreshments. After the work session we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
For more information contact Don Recklies at (718) 768-9036 or Chuck Perry at (718) 667-1393. (Service credit is available.)

**********

Queens County Bird Club
February 18 – 21, 2017
New England
Leader: Arie Gilbert - 917-693-7178
One of our favorite trips in the winter!!
Trips of this nature require reservations **well in advance.**
Please contact leaders before the trip to let them know you are attending

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Massapequa Lake

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Birding: Eagles at Payson Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in Inwood Hill Park.
Free!

Great Backyard Bird Count at Queens Botanical Garden, Queens
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join Queens Botanical Garden for the 20th annual Great Backyard Bird Count.
Free!

**********

Young Birders Club
Sunday February 19, 2017
Point Lookout and Jones Beach (Nassau County)
Sponsoring NYSYBC Partner: Queens County Bird Club
Trip Leader: Steve Schellenger

Our good friend Steve Schellenger will be leading this field trip on Presidents' Day weekend.
We'll start at Point Lookout and bird there for a couple of hours, and then drive over to the Coast Guard Station at Jones Beach, where we will bird another 2 hours or so.
Target birds include loons, grebes, scoters, Harlequin Duck, Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, and more...maybe even some shorebirds!
Watch your email Inbox and check back here for details coming soon!
Permission form due by 2/9/17.
...Read more

Friday, February 10, 2017

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, February 10, 2017:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 10, 2017
* NYNY1702.10

- Birds Mentioned

PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Snow Goose
ROSS’S GOOSE
Tundra Swan
EURASIAN WIGEON
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Common Goldeneye
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
American Bittern
Great Egret
Clapper Rail
SANDHILL CRANE
Razorbill
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
SNOWY OWL
Red-headed Woodpecker
Lapland Longspur
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT


If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44nybirdsorg

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Gail Benson

[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]

Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 10, 2017 at 7:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, SANDHILL CRANE, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, PINK-FOOTED, BARNACLE, ROSS’S and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, EURASIAN WIGEON, SNOWY OWL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.

The TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was still present today at its usual North Fork location around the cedars near the blue house #1625 North Sea Drive in Southold.

The SANDHILL CRANE in Wainscott on the South Fork was last Saturday feeding in the northwest corner of the field between Wainscott Pond and Wainscott Main Road and later on to Wednesday it was feeding in fields along Wainscott Hollow Road. Yesterday’s snowfall will presumably impact the Crane more than the Solitaire but hopefully it will survive and continue in that area.

A female-type YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD briefly visited a Floral Park Queens feeder Thursday.

Besides the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE still present at Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream through today, another was spotted at Elda Lake in North Babylon last weekend and up at least to Wednesday.

A ROSS’S GOOSE was still floating between its roosting site on Belmont Lake State Park and the cemeteries and golf course area to the west along Wellwood Avenue at least to Wednesday, and the BARNACLE GOOSE staying in the same area was seen at St. Charles Cemetery Wednesday as well as at the private golf course.

Two other ROSS’S GEESE and two SNOW GEESE have been visiting Short’s Pond off Scuttlehole Road in Water Mill, first seen last Saturday – the younger of the ROSS’S GEESE might be a hybrid.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was on Hook Pond in East Hampton Wednesday, and another in Westchester County was noted in Briarcliff Manor Saturday and on Swan Lake in Rockefeller State Park on Wednesday.

Two TUNDRA SWANS were still on Lake Ronkonkoma last Sunday.

The drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen again off Sands Point Preserve Sunday and Wednesday, the bird usually a little west of the Preserve with COMMON GOLDENEYES.

A young male HARLEQUIN DUCK was still at Shinnecock Inlet on Saturday, that day also finding the male EURASIAN WIGEON on Eastport Pond on the north side of Montauk Highway. Another EURASIAN WIGEON was on Nassau Creek on Staten Island on Sunday.

Single GLAUCOUS GULLS were spotted at Oak Beach Sunday and on Central Park Reservoir Wednesday. ICELAND GULLS continue along the Brooklyn shoreline and one visited Prospect Park Lake last Sunday.

A RAZORBILL was seen off Coney Island Pier and Floyd Bennett Field last Sunday, and some continue off Montauk Point.

A SNOWY OWL at Breezy Point on Tuesday hopefully will not be pursued as rigorously as the one previously trying to reside at Jones Beach West End.

Single RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen during the week in Central Park west of 68th Street, in Kissena and Hendrickson Parks, at Caumsett State Park Monday and at Sunken Meadow State Park Wednesday.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was noted again at Dreier-Offerman Park in Brooklyn Sunday and Wednesday, and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen again at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center Monday.

Two LAPLAND LONSPURS were present along the roadside at Jones Beach West End today, and among the birds along Dune Road west of Shinnecock Inlet last Saturday were AMERICAN BITTERN, GREAT EGRET and CLAPPER RAIL.

To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483 on weekdays.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript
...Read more

Friday's Foto

At about the size of the ubiquitous Mallard, the Common Merganser is the largest of North America’s three merganser species.

Sporting a sharply serrated bill, their diet consists mostly of fish. They will also eat mussels, shrimp, salamanders and, rarely, plant material.

Common throughout North America, they breed from eastern Alaska to Newfoundland on wooded rivers, ponds, and lakes. Resident in Northern New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, and in the western states. They overwinter along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland almost to Florida, in the interior from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and on the Pacific coast from the Aleutian Islands to Mexico.

A cavity nester, the hatchlings, when only a few days old, will climb to the nest entrance and jump to the ground.

According to the IUCN Red List their conservation status is “Least Concern”. While currently considered stable, populations in North America declined by over 2% per year between 1966 and 2014, resulting in a cumulative decline of 65%. They are not on the 2016 State of the Birds Watch List.

Their scientific name, Mergus merganser, means L. mergus - type of waterbird, plunging goose. In Britain, it is known as the Gossander.

You can download a complete Species Knowledge Summary and Information Needs sheet from the “Sea Duck Joint Venture” here.

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Treehugger Tuesday

From the New Zealand publication "Scoop":

Kiwi – Back From the Brink
Saturday, 4 February 2017, 2:07 pm
Press Release: Kiwis for Kiwi

Kiwi – Back From the Brink

Kiwi can be saved from extinction by boosting numbers of chicks captured in the wild and releasing them into predator free habitats.

That’s the goal of Kiwis for kiwi, the trust that supports hundreds of conservation volunteers and private landowners all over the country to trap and poison predators.

Trust chairman Sir Rob Fenwick announced the plan to reverse the decline of the kiwi population today on a predator free island in the Hauraki Gulf, Motutapu.

“We’ll increase the number of kiwi chicks in predator free creches and once they safely grow and start reproducing, their young can be relocated every year to predator free areas to start new populations. It’s like setting up an endowment fund for kiwi,” said Sir Rob, who is also a director of Predator Free 2050 Ltd, the company set up to help achieve New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal.

For the next five years, Kiwis for kiwi will focus mainly on stocking kōhanga sites on the North Island, and on a trapping programme for great spotted kiwi on the South Island as these regional species are more easily accessible and there are a larger number of existing management programmes and community projects.

The creches or Kōhanga are usually islands or sites enclosed with predator proof fencing. Currently, it would take 50 years or more for these sites to reach capacity but Kiwis for kiwi aims to reduce that to 5-10 years.

Sir Rob said the trust brings two key ingredients to its partnership with the Department of Conservation. A growing army of volunteers alarmed at the prospect of our national icon being destroyed by invading stoats, wild cats and dogs, possums and rats, and a growing number of private landowners who have personally invested to make their properties predator free.

“Harnessing the efforts of these people, with the skills and resources of DOC, presents a great outcome for New Zealand. We’re confident we’ll see kiwi numbers increase from 2022,” he said.

The plan is in response to an $11 million grant from the Government last year to save the kiwi.

Executive director of Kiwis for kiwi, Michelle Impey, said the 100+ community and Maōri led kiwi conservation projects are pivotal to achieving the target of a 2% target.

“We’ve been working with kiwi volunteers for more than 20 years and we’re applying valuable experience and expertise to this national campaign.

“While our national kiwi population is estimated to be declining at a rate of 2% per year, kiwi numbers are growing in areas where work is being done to manage their habitats. The thousands of volunteers and community projects that continue to work towards a predator free and safe environment for kiwi are fundamental to the success of this strategy with their continued passion and action. We can’t do it alone. This is their strategy as much as it is ours,” said Ms Impey.

“While the concept of using Operation Nest Egg and kōhanga sites to grow kiwi numbers is not new, we are taking it to a whole new level and increasing the ‘supply chain’ of kiwi so they can benefit from the existing fenced sanctuaries and predator free offshore islands. Once we have grown those areas to capacity, we can then relocate their offspring to start new families in other places.

“Over the next five years we plan on returning 1500 kiwi to these habitats. From that point, we can start relocating the young to create new wild populations. While this strategy has a five-year life span, the programmes it initiates will last for decades.

“This is a very exciting time for kiwi conservation. We have a solid, achievable strategy that will deliver results and we can bring kiwi back.”

In 2015 the Government committed a $11.2 million package over four years for kiwi conservation, $3.5 million of which has been allocated to Kiwis for kiwi.

It is estimated an additional cost of $1.3 million per year will be required to achieve an average of 2% growth in kiwi numbers per year and Kiwis for kiwi is looking to raise the funds through a variety of sources including corporate sponsorship, public donations and philanthropic giving.

Ms Impey said that many people in the community may have an interest in supporting this strategy in ways we haven’t identified. “The door is always open for interested parties to share their ideas which may enhance the implementation of this strategy and ultimately help in protecting and growing our national icon into the future.”

-ends-

About Kiwis for Kiwi: Kiwis for kiwi, a fully independent charity aims to protect kiwi and their natural habitat, ensuring the species flourish for generations to come. It allocates funds to hands-on kiwi projects, raises sponsorship dollars, increases public awareness of the plight of kiwi and works alongside kiwi experts to provide resources, advice and best practice guidance to all those working to save kiwi. In partnership with Department of Conservation, Kiwis for kiwi support the national Kiwi Recovery Programme. For more information: www.kiwisforkiwi.org

About Motutapu Island Motutapu (and Rangitoto) Islands are pest and predator free. In 2012 the first kiwi were released to Motutapu. Motutapu is a kohanga site. When it reaches capacity, excess kiwi will be removed from the island and returned to the mainland, either to establish new populations, or to boost numbers at existing sites. The island’s conservation efforts are managed by the Motutapu Restoration Trust. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Island Trust. http://www.motutapu.org.nz/
...Read more

Monday, February 06, 2017

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, February 11, 2017 to Sunday, February 12, 2017:

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, February 12, 2017 - 9:00AM
Sunken Meadow in Winter
We will investigate the trails, ponds, and seashore to find wintering waterfowl and other birds.
Registration: 585-880-0915
Directions: Take Sunken Meadow Parkway north to the end. Meet in the southwest corner of the main parking lot

**********

Hudson River Audubon Society
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Thompson Pond Preserve
We will search for wintering Golden Eagles
Meet at the preserve at 9 AM
Directions: Take the Taconic Parkway to the exit for Route 199.
Go east on Route 199 to Route 82;
Follow Route 82 south to Pine Plains.
Turn right onto Lake Road, and follow 1.6 miles to the parking area and preserve entrance on left.

**********

Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Central Park Winter Bird Walk 1
Leader: Richard ZainEldeen
Registrar: Nancy O`Keefe — jessbird123@gmail.com or 212-734-9225
Registration opens: Monday, January 30
Public transportation

**********

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 9/3/2016 - 6/24/2017: 11:00 a.m.
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

**********

New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, February 11, 2017, 10:30am – 4:00pm
Snow Birds of Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Winter brings many rare birds to the City that can’t be found here at any other time. Perhaps most exciting are the “snow birds” of the Arctic tundra, such as snow buntings and snowy owls, that can occasionally be found in tundra-like habitats further south. Look for these and other winter visitors such as horned larks, American tree sparrows, and rough-legged hawks, as well as wintering ducks, grebes, and loons. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $86 (60)
Click here to register

Saturday, February 11, 2017, 12pm – 7pm
Soaring Raptors: Eagles and Owls of the Hudson River Valley
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
You don’t have to travel to Alaska to see our country’s emblem, the American bald eagle. Thanks to one of the most successful reintroduction programs on record, many eagles now soar over the nearby Hudson Valley. Travel with us to see this spectacular raptor, as well as possibly spot the secretive short-eared owl. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $93 (65)
Click here to register

Sunday, February 12, 2017, 9:30am – 11:30am
Winter Birding Along the Hudson: Wave Hill
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Wave Hill
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center. The Hudson River valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species, even during the winter months. Come explore the beautiful gardens and woodlands of Wave Hill and observe the hardy birds that spend the winter in this urban oasis. Walks run rain or shine. Ages 10 and up welcome with an adult. NYC Audubon members enjoy two-for-one admission

Sunday, February 12, 2017, 12pm – 2pm
Weekly on Sunday, until Mar 12, 2017
Winter Seals and Waterbirds of NY Harbor
Guide: NYC Audubon guide
Meet at South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 and come aboard NY Water Taxi’s eco-friendly vessel for a winter adventure in New York Harbor. Look for harbor seals on the rocky shores of Governor’s Island and the more remote Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. Learn about the surprisingly diverse winter birds of New York City, including ducks, geese, loons, and sandpipers, many of which migrate south from the Arctic. See the Statue of Liberty and pass under the Verrazano Bridge. Dress warmly. Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, February 12, 2017 @ 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Crooke’s Point @ Great Kills Park
Maritime spits such as Crooke’s Point are dynamic typographical features which are 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. Participants will 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 Lederer at (718) 987-1576.

Sunday, February 12, 2017 @ 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Long Pond Park @ Long Pond Park
Participants will look for evidence of animal life in the wetlands and woods of Long Pond Park. We’ll also look for signs of winter bird life, examine the geology of the area and observe evidence of past human use of the area. Meet beside Public School 6, on Page Avenue and Academy Avenue. For more information contact Clay Wollney at (718) 869-6327.

**********

Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Barnegat
Leader: Ian Resnick (917) 626-9562

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Massapequa Preserve

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Winter Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Explore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands with naturalist Gabriel Willow to observe birds in their winter habitats.
Free!
...Read more

Saturday, February 04, 2017

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, February 3, 2017:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 3, 2017
* NYNY1702.03

- Birds mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
ROSS'S GULL+
MEW GULL+
GYRFALCON+
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
EURASIAN WIGEON
TUFTED DUCK
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Red-necked Grebe
Great Egret
Rough-legged Hawk
SANDHILL CRANE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Ovenbird
Lincoln's Sparrow

- Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day)
Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island)

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 3rd 2017 at 7pm. The highlights of today's tape are TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, SANDHILL CRANE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, TUFTED DUCK, HARLEQUIN DUCK, KING EIDER, EURASIAN WIGEON, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL and RED-HEADED WOODPECKER.

Two eastern Long Island specialties noted again this week included the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE still present in Southold Tuesday and the SANDHILL CRANE reported again last Sunday back on Wainscot Pond. Look for the SOLITAIRE along North Sea Drive especially around the feeders near the blue house number 1625 North Sea Drive. The CRANE had mostly been seen around the north end of Wainscot Pond as viewed from Wainscot Main Road.

The PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was still being seen at Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream as of Wednesday. Single ROSS'S GEESE were noted on Marratooka Lake off New Suffolk Avenue in Mattituck last Sunday off Beach Lane in Wainscot Sunday, at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale Monday and on Belmont Lake State Park this morning. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was on Wainscot Pond last Saturday presumably the same one off Beach Lane in Wainscot Sunday and a CACKLING GOOSE also remains at Hendrickson Park. Two TUNDRA SWANS continue on Lake Ronkonkoma to today. On Monday a female immature male type TUFTED DUCK was spotted on Swan Pond off Montauk Highway Route 80 in East Patchogue and was still being seen there today. A female KING EIDER was off Montauk Point last Saturday. Four HARLEQUIN DUCKS were off Orient Point Saturday with 2 still at Shinnecock Inlet Sunday. Continuing EURASIAN WIGEON include one Saturday on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga and yesterday one at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn and one on Eastport Lake north of Montauk Highway.

The adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was feeding over the water treatment plant adjacent to Owl's Head Park in Brooklyn last Saturday and then seen at nearby Veteran's Memorial Pier where it also visited on Sunday. Single GLAUCOUS GULLS were reported from Shinnecock Inlet Saturday, Prospect Park Lake Monday and North Bellport on Tuesday. Besides the ICELAND GULL continuing around Bush Terminal Piers Park in Brooklyn, the lake in Prospect Park attracted two ICELANDS on Monday increasing to 3 there together on Tuesday. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL visited Plumb Beach in Brooklyn Sunday and another appeared at Cammann's Pond in Merrick Thursday and Friday with 2 GREAT EGRETS also there Thursday.

Unusual for Central Park has been a RED-NECKED GREBE on the reservoir from Wednesday through today. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER also continues in Central Park just a little west of East 68th Street and also noted this week were lingering RED-HEADEDS at Kissena Park in Queens and at Hendrickson Park.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen off Alva's Lane in Cutchogue last Saturday.

Among the few interesting landbirds hanging around in Manhattan have been an OVENBIRD at City Hall Park and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW in Bryant Park.

As news in the more unfortunate category we have no recent reports of the local MEW GULL, GYRFALCON or PAINTED BUNTING and the ROSS'S GULL up north on Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks was not seen today for the first time since Wednesday the 25th.

To phone in reports call Tom Burke weekdays at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

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