Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of July 10th - 11th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, July 11, 2010
Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Evening Prospect Park Bat walk
Meet 7:45 PM at the 9th Street park entrance (Lafayette sculpture)
Trip Leader: Paul Keim


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, July 10, 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Orchid Survey at Mt. Loretto Unique Area
Join Sandra Mechanic in her annual count of the specimens of the rare Staten Island Ragged Fringed Orchid that have been seen there for the last few years. Mowing equipment may have disturbed the orchid site but we hope the plants rebound and continue multiplying in the two areas we have found them. We are interested in seeing if they propagate themselves in the southern section of the park where we have not yet seen them.
For more information, contact Sandra at (718) 967-1037.

Saturday, July 10, 2010, 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Conference House Beach: Life in the Intertidal Zone
Past and present blend in the Conference House Park where history stretches back thousands of years with seasonal occupation of the Lenape and hundreds of years with the inhabitation of the Dutch and English. In addition to the local history we’ll observe the geology of the area and look for what the debris at the high tide line has to reveal. As the tide goes out we’ll move into the intertidal zone to find out what sort of living things survive in this challenging environment. It’s going to be muddy so dress appropriately. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Hylan Blvd. on the left.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, July 11, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Clay Pit State Park Preserve: Pine Barren Trees and Wildlife
Find out why Protectors urged the preservation of this parkland and how we got our name in 1975. It has rare Southern pine and oak trees, nothing like our Greenbelt forest. With a park permit, Sandra will lead the group into the restricted area where few have trod. We will check in the sand or mud for deer prints throughout the park. We'll find the diseased clones of the American Chestnut that has produced flowers and fruit the past few years and the unhealthy 7 to 8 inch diameter chestnut trees, now 20+ feet tall and 9 to 10 inches in diameter and diseased. The trunk-splitting at the base is indicative of chestnut blight. Meet at the old park office building at the end of Carlin Avenue, off Sharrotts Road in Rossville. Wear waterproof shoes.
Call Sandra at (718) 967-1037.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, July 10, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Join us for a weekly Ranger-led birding walk of the Salt Marsh Nature Trail.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Van Cortlandt Bird Club: Territoriality
9:00 a.m.
How much space does a bird need? This is an important idea in conserving forests. For...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Canoeing
9:00 a.m.; 11:00 a.m.
Space is limited. First-come, first-served. Ages 8 and up.
Location: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Canoeing the Lagoon
11:00 a.m.
Paddle through the sparkling blue waters and green marsh grasses of the Orchard Beach...
Location: Orchard Beach Parking Lot (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Canoe the Creek
11:00 a.m.
Enjoy a day of canoeing on the beautiful Gerritsen Creek as we canoe its...
Location: Burnett Street and Avenue U (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Canoe the Meer
11:00 a.m.; 3:00 p.m.
A fun-filled day of canoeing and water safety. Bring water, sunscreen, and a...
Location: The Harlem Meer, outside of Lasker Pool (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Midsummer Flora
1:00 p.m.
Check on flowers that thrive in the summer swelter.
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

One in a Million Tree-mendous Walk
2:00 p.m.
Learn to identify different types of trees, view some of NYC’s great trees, and...
Location: Crotona Nature Center (in Crotona Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Mysterious Mushrooms and Treacherous Toadstools
2:00 p.m.
We'll trek in search of Witches' Butter, Scaly Tooth, Jack O'Lanterns, Turkey Tails, and...
Location: Playground (in Bloomingdale Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Buggin' Out
11:00 a.m.
Bug out as you learn all about the creepy crawlers living in Van Cortlandt Park and make...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Insect Insanity
11:00 a.m.
Discover the fascinating world insects as we explore our park. Followed by a buggy...
Location: Fort Greene Park Visitor Center (in Fort Greene Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Bugging Out
11:00 a.m.
Insects are the most numerous and most misunderstood residents of city parks. Explore...
Location: Kissena Playground (in Kissena Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Dragons and Damsels
12:00 p.m.
No, we are not talking about knights in shining armor, but dragonflies and damselflies,...
Location: Crotona Nature Center (in Crotona Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Raptor Rap
12:00 p.m.
Explore the natural history, biology and ecology of birds of prey on this hawk walk through...
Location: St. Nicholas Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Salamander Search
1:00 p.m.
Did you know that New York State is the salamander capital of the world? Delve into...
Location: Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free