Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of August 7th - 8th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, August 7, 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, August 8, 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, August 7, 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
Sunday, August 8th, 2010
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens
Trip Leader: Tom Stephenson
Focus: shorebirds
Car Fee: $10.00
Registrar: Peter Dorosh, Email - prosbird [AT] aol.com or TEXT Message 347-622-3559
Registration period: July 27th - August 5th


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, August 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Page Avenue Beach
We’ll begin with a look at local geology then move to examining the flotsam and jetsam accumulated at high tide lines to see what nature’s debris has to tell us. As the water recedes with the tide we’ll move into the intertidal zone to find out what sorts of living things survive in this challenging environment. A variety of crabs, snails, clams, worms and small fish are likely to be discovered. We will return them to their natural homes. It’s going to be muddy so dress appropriately.
Meet at the parking lot at the bottom of Page Avenue below Hylan Blvd.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, August 8, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Coastal Summer Great Kills Park Walk
Join naturalist/photographer Sandra Mechanic in an exploration of life in the challenging beach dune habitat. We will see many bayberry plants, a shrub famous for the candles made from its wax coated berries. Other salt tolerant plants we will find are Beach Plums, Purple Love Grass, evergreen False Heather, Prickly Pear Cactus, Earth Stars and more.
Meet at the Hylan Blvd auto entrance to Great Kills Park opposite Buffalo Street. Bus 78 stops there.
For more information contact Sandra at (718) 967-1037.


Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, August 8, 2010 or August 15, 2010
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, East Pond (Mini Trip)
Leader: George Dadone
8:00 am Meet at Visitor’s Center (boots necessary).


Staten Island Museum
August 08, 2010 (11:00 am - 2:00pm)
SI Dragonfly Atlas at Long Pond Park
Meet in front of PS 6 on Page Ave. to become a part of the Museum’s very own Citizen-Science project studying dragonflies. Attend a walk, learn how to identify dragonflies, then get out on your own and submit your observations online!
Call Seth Wollney at (718) 483-7105.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, August 7, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Bring your own binoculars, as you search for the birds of Marine park.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Van Cortlandt Bird Club: Tell-Tale Signs
9:00 a.m.
Tiny holes in a tree or purple droppings on the ground can tell us what a bird recently did...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Tree-mendous Hike
10:00 a.m.
Discover the green giants who live here.
Location: Kissena Playground (in Kissena Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Tree-mendous Hike
11:00 a.m.
Learn to identify different types of trees, view some of NYC’s great trees and...
Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Freshkills Tours
1:00 p.m.
Come witness the dramatic transformation, as well as the turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks,...
Location: Freshkills Park/William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Cass Gallagher Hike
11:00 a.m.
Enjoy a hike though the North Woods as we look for seasonal wildflowers.
Location: Mosholu Avenue & Broadway (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
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

Wildflower Discovery
11:00 a.m.
Learn to identify these beautiful and important features of a healthy grassland ecosystem.
Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Advanced Canoeing: Little Neck Bay
11:00 a.m.
Participants must be at least 12 years old. To register, visit...
Location: Front Gate (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Summer Nature Exploration: Series II
11:00 a.m.
Discover the diverse wildlife and historic importance that are hidden all around this...
Location: Margaret Corbin Circle (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Natural History Walk
1:00 p.m.
Explore the unique solution to the water pressure problem in Northern Manhattan during the...
Location: W 174 Street and Amsterdam Avenue (in Highbridge Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Creatures of the Night Hike
8:00 p.m.
Enjoy a night hike as we go in search of bats, raccoons, opossums, rabbits and night herons.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free