Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local nature trips for the weekend of October 23rd - 24th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, October 23, 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.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, October 23, 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
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
The coasts of Brooklyn and Queens
Trip Leader: Rob Jett (a.k.a "The City Birder")
Focus: sparrow migration, raptors, late warblers, late neotropicals, early winter species
Car Fee: $12.00
Registrar: Donna Evans, email devansny [AT] earthlink.net (preferred); cell #646-763-0198
Registration period: Oct 12th-Oct 21st


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, October 23, 2010, 8am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Club
Guide: Andrew Baksh or Urban Park Rangers. With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and Urban Park Rangers. Meet at Van Cortland 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Sunday, October 24, 2010, 2pm – 5pm
Sparrow Identification Workshop
A two-part workshop, consisting of a class and field trip. Class: Wed., October 20, 6:30-8pm; Trip: Sun., October 24, 2-5pm. Sparrows are one of the most challenging groups of birds to identify, but they are beautiful and fascinating once they can be distinguished. Learn to identify those LBJs (little brown jobs) with guide Gabriel Willow, by learning behavior, field marks, and songs. Limited to 15. $45
Click here to register
Sunday trip site will be given at time of class on Wed. 10/20 (Class to be held at NYC Audubon, 71 W. 23rd St., Ste. 1523).


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, October 23, 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Page Avenue Beach
We’ll begin with a look at the local geology then move to examining the flotsam and jetsam accumulated at the 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. 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.

Saturday, October 23, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
A Full Moon Owl Prowl at Pouch Camp
Join Cliff Hagen to seek out and discover the owls of Pouch Camp. We will walk the trails of the Greenbelt that boarder the Boy Scout property. At times, Cliff will mimic the calls of local owls. With good luck and patience, participants will be able to hear, and maybe see the owls drawn out of the Pouch Camp property. Meet along Nevada Avenue just before entering the High Rock parking lot.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at 718-313-8591.

Sunday, October 24, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Bloodroot Valley Walk
Join Sandra Mechanic, naturalist and photographer, on the Manor Road side of Susan Wagner High School. Walking here can be tricky; wear waterproof footgear even if it is not raining. Bring a walking stick. We will explore old ancient trees and plants. This is an exciting walk because few have trodden through this area. We will look for oyster mushrooms (pleurotus ostreatus and p. populinus) growing in clumps on the trunks of trees. Oyster mushrooms' caps are whitish, fan-shaped, 1 to 12 inches wide and about 1 inch thick. They overlap each other as they grow in clusters. Pleurotus populinus grows only on dead poplar trees during late May through early June, while p. ostreatus grows on live sugar maples, beech trees or other hardwoods during October through mid-December.
For more information call Sandra at (718) 967-1037.


Staten Island Museum
October 24, 2010 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm)
Dragonfly Atlas Marvelous Meadowhawks - FREE
Long Pond Park
Witness the wonders of meadowhawks as they land on your hand. This genus of small red dragonflies remain active into the cool days of late fall. Held at Long Pond Park.
Meet in front of PS 6 on Page Avenue.
For more information call Seth Wollney at (718) 483-7105.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, October 23, 2010

Early Birding
8:00 a.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers for early morning birding at Marine Park.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Creatures of the Night Hike
6:30 p.m.
Explore the Prospect Park after dark as we go in search of the wildlife that comes out when…
Location: Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Fall Migration
10:00 a.m.
It’s that time of year again—many birds are heading south in preparation for…
Location: Albert H. Mauro Playground (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Creepy Crawly Critters
11:00 a.m.
They creep and crawl, have six legs, three body parts, and eat each other. Learn about the…
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center (in Blue Heron Park Preserve), Staten Island
Cost: Free