Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of February 5th - 6th, 2011:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, February 5

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 Tour
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, February 6

Morning Bird Walk: Backyard Birds
Sunday, February 6, 10 a.m.
See the birds that call the Park home all winter. Start your Sunday morning surrounded by nature!


Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, February 5th , 2011
A Winter Shore walk through North Brooklyn coast
Meet 9 AM at Brooklyn Borough Hall's high stairs facing Manhattan. Use www.hopstop.com for directions.
Leading: Peter Dorosh TEXT Message 347-622-3559
Note: No registration need since public transportation is used. This walk entails at least a 3.5 mile winter walk through neighborhoods starting at newly opened Brooklyn Bridge Park (after Borough Hall), ending at Red Hook (Ikea Store) section. Walk focuses mostly on seabirds, ducks and gulls. Bad or unsafe weather cancels.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
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


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, February 5, 2011, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walk
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 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Sunday, February 6, 2011, 10:30am-4pm
Snow Birds of Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden
Meet at 71 W. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Winter brings many rare birds to NYC that can’t be found here at any other time! Perhaps most exciting are the “snow birds” of the Arctic tundra that can occasionally be found in tundra-like habitats further south, such as snow buntings and snowy owls. We will travel to Floyd Bennett Field in search of these and other winter visitors (such as horned lark, tree sparrow, and rough-legged hawk). We will then head to Fort Tilden and Breezy Point to look for wintering ducks, grebes, loons, and other seabirds. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $75 Click here to register


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, February 6, 2011, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Long Pond Park at Dark
Walk the woodlands of Long Pond Park in search of resident owls. A quiet walk is likely to lead to the discovery of Screech Owls. Though ambient light brightens the night sky, flashlights are acceptable. Meet at the corner of Amboy Rd. and Page Ave.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at (718) 313-8591.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 5, 2011

Van Cortlandt Birding Walks: Winter Waterfowl
8:00 a.m.
Who dares to paddle about in the cold, cold waters of Van Cortlandt Lake and honks when...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Marine Park
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

They Went Thataway!
11:00 a.m.
Follow our furry friends with the help of the tracks they leave in the snow....
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Duck, Duck, Goose
11:00 a.m.
As the weather gets cold, the birding gets hot. Let’s see which birds think NYC in...
Location: Parking lot on Baisley Boulevard and 155 Street (in Baisley Pond Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Eagle Watch
8:00 a.m.
Majestic eagles soar above the tree tops and search for fish in the Hudson River. Bring...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Animal Tracking
10:00 a.m.
Animals leave behind different signs of their whereabouts, from scat to tracks. Learn...
Location: Albert H. Mauro Playground (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Marine Mammal Watch
11:00 a.m.
The beach may be empty of all its human swimmers, but don't forget about the seals, whales,...
Location: Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Nature Photography Series: Black and White
11:00 a.m.
Back by popular demand! The first Sunday of each month, a new photography topic will...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Muskrats Are Not Rats!
2:00 p.m.
These furry rodents, sometimes mistaken for larger rats, may be residents in a pond near...
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center, Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more

Hawk Feeders

During the winter months my friend, Peter, maintains several bird feeders at Breeze Hill in Prospect Park. This winter, because of all the snow cover, it has become the focal point of most of the park's bird activity.

I've been following the activities of our local Red-tailed Hawks for over a dozen years. During that time I've noticed that they tend to stray from the parks in the winter and can frequently be found hunting in the residential areas. I think I finally figured out why.

In Spring and Summer Red-tailed Hawks are the only raptor at the top of the food chain in the park. There are American Kestrels nesting outside of the parks, but these tiny birds don't compete for the same food. Over the winter, several species of raptors call the parks home. In Prospect Park this winter I've spotted a pair of Merlins, a Cooper's Hawk, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and, of course, our local adult Red-tailed Hawks and at least one of last year's offspring. It's no wonder that the red-tails are seen hunting pigeons in Park Slope and other surrounding neighborhoods.

Late afternoon on Wednesday I had an experience at the Breeze Hill bird feeders that drove home the point of raptor competition in Prospect Park.

When I first arrived at the feeders there were songbirds everywhere; perched on the 7 feeders, waiting their turns above the feeders, scraping in the snow below the feeders, plus, there was a near constant stream of chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, White-throated Sparrows, cardinals and Red-winged Blackbird flying back and forth across Wellhouse Drive. I spotted 3 Pine Siskins jostling with the goldfinches on the only 2 thistle feeders. Moments after I arrived, however, all the birds vanished, flying for cover in the surrounding trees and shrubs. A Cooper's Hawk landed on the snow right below one of the sunflower seed feeders. It was a huge female bird about the size of an American Crow. When she flew to a branch above the feeders I saw that she had missed her target...this time. The songbirds remained quiet and hidden. A few chickadees gradually began to emerge and returned to the feeders in full view of the hawk. I guess they thought that their diminutive size and acrobatic skills would preclude them as possible prey. Either that or hunger overpowered caution. The coops finally took off, flying towards Lookout Hill. The birds remained wary, taking about 15 minutes to return to the feeding frenzy that I had witnessed upon my arrival.

While I was scanning the feeding birds I realized that there was someone standing behind me. A young couple had arrived and were quietly observing the bird activity. They didn't have binoculars, but one did have a camera around his neck. I smiled and he said, "I just discovered this spot the other day and couldn't believe it." I supposed he meant the abundance of bird life. That was enough to get me started with a brief first lesson on the winter birds in the park. Those of you who know me, know what I mean. After a few minutes I mentioned that if they ever see the birds suddenly flush, to look around for birds of prey. No sooner had those words left my lips, then the birds all took off. I looked up for the coops or, maybe, a red-tailed, but couldn't find anything. Then this guy's girlfriend points to the ground and says, "Is that a hawk?" At first I didn't see it because I was looking too far in the distance. I finally realized that there was a small Sharp-shinned Hawk standing in the snow at the base of a cherry tree about ten feet away. There was a small opening in the tree near the ground, plus, Peter had piled up some black, plastic planters in that spot. The hawk seemed to think that there was a bird hiding within the tangle.



Right after I turned off my camera, a panicked White-throated Sparrow emerged from a spot inches in front of the hawk. The sharpy gave chase, but the sparrow flew into a dense multiflora rose shrub, barely escaping the raptors talons. The hungry hawk disappeared somewhere near the top of Breeze Hill. While we were scanning for him, the guy with the camera pointed to a locust tree farther up the road. I focused my bins on a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk. It was getting almost comically dangerous for any birds near the feeders. Fortunately, the red-tailed took off flying towards the Boathouse, seeming to pay little attention to the small birds. A few minutes later the sharpie returned. He rocketed passed us, weaving a course through the tangle of rose bushes that line the fence adjacent to the feeders. The second attack was also unsuccessful. Like the big cats of the world, it reminded me that most terrestrial predators have a relatively low success rate when hunting. As carnivores, though, they don't need to eat as frequently as the seed-eating songbirds. This young Sharp-shinned Hawk wasn't about to give up and moved to a perch in the pine tree just above all the feeders. His location was in plain view, so I'm guessing that the birds never returned. As I walked back across the Terrace Bridge I spotted the Cooper's Hawk perched in a tree just south of the bridge. I motioned to the guy with the camera to come check it out. His girlfiend had mentioned to me earlier that it was his birthday and, with three close raptor encounters, I'm sure it was a memorable one. ...Read more

Friday's Foto

A view of Coney Island's Steeplechase Pier at sunset. Despite wintry temperatures, there were lots of people strolling along the frozen sand and icy boardwalk. One person was actually swimming! Most people just refer to the pier as either the Coney Island fishing pier or Steeplechase Pier. The full name on the Department of Parks and Recreation sign is "Pat Auletta Steeplechase Pier" and honors the late "Mayor" of Coney Island.

Hawk nest

I was pleasantly surprised the other day to see Max adding twigs to and tidying up last year's nest at Nelly's Lawn. The nest is in a conifer that has died over the winter. I'm a little conflicted about their decision to reuse this nest because, on the one hand, a lack of needles in the tree will make observing the nest really easy. However, it also means that the nest will have no cover in inclement weather. I'm also concerned that the dead trees branches will be very brittle and, possibly, break under the weight of the nest. I guess all I can do is wait and watch.

Birds at Floyd Bennett Field

Saturday morning began as the coldest day so far this year. At 17 degrees, with windchills near zero, I made sure to wear extra layers and carry a pair of glove warmers so I didn't end up with frostbite. I suppose I could have just stayed indoors all day, but there were still lots of birds to be found in Brooklyn this month.

As usual, my partner in crime was Heydi and we were heading to the coast. We've both been to Floyd Bennett Field several times this month trying to find Lapland Longspur, a winter rarity. In addition, she needed to locate Snow Buntings for her year list. Having learned the unique, trilling flight call of the latter I'm certain that if one is even just passing overhead, I'll find it.

We decided to check Dead Horse Bay to look for seaducks before trekking around the snow at Floyd Bennett. The last time I was there a few thousand scaup were hanging around the cove near the Flatbush Marina. With that many waterfowl together, it's possible to find something other than scaup in the group. On Saturday, however, the scaup were no longer present, nor were any other ducks, so we headed back across Flatbush Avenue and into Floyd Bennett Field.

The last time that I was at Floyd Bennett I spotted a flock of 6 Snow Buntings on the sidewalk next to the bus shelter. They were foraging on the seeds of some type of low plants growing up through the cracks in the pavement. Whatever the plants were, they seem to really like it because, as Heydi and I approached the bus shelter on Saturday we saw the same flock of 6 buntings feeding on the sidewalk. Snow Buntings are not an easy bird to find in Brooklyn, so this was a good thing. We walked around to the south side of the shelter using it as a blind to take some photos of these white songbirds. Check out Heydi's January photos here.

We left the Snow Buntings and headed towards the Cricket Field to look for the Horned Larks flocks and, hopefully, a longspur. Along the way we stopped to get a closer look at an unusual raptor that was being harassed by crows near Ecology Village. The slender buteo turned out to be a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. Adult red-shoulders are distinctive but the brown-streaked juvies can be difficult to identify when perched. Their relatively long tail gives them an accipiter-like appearance.

Snow still blanketed most of the open fields making it difficult for Horned Larks and other winter birds to find forage. At the small field next to Aviator Sports there was enough vegetation sticking up out of the snow and ice that a flock of about 90 larks fed close to the parking lot. Heydi and I scanned and rescanned the birds, but didn't find any longspurs. The Cricket Field is usually the best spot to find these visiting arctic birds, but for weeks the grass has been sealed in by a hard, white, crusty shell. We decided to check out the Cricket Field, anyway. Our silly optimism wasn't enough to make bird with pickaxes appear on the field, so we turned around after only a few seconds. As we passed the parking lot at Aviator Sports Heydi pointed out a small, sparrow-like bird that had just landed on the pavement. I rolled down my window, focused my bins and calmly said, "It's a longspur." It was my fifth visit to Floyd Bennett Field this month looking for longspurs, so I guess the lesson is that persistence pays off.

Date: 01/22/2011
Location: Floyd Bennett Field
Total Species: 32

Brant
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Red-shouldered Hawk
Merlin
Great Black-backed Gull
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Mockingbird
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, American Crow, European Starling, House Sparrow ...Read more

Foreboding Sky & Uncommon Gull

On Martin Luther King Day I took the train to Coney Island in search of rare gulls and seaducks.

The weather was strange with foreboding skies looming overhead. It sometimes felt like a tornado was brewing just over the horizon. An unbroken black line marked the edge between a curtain of dark-gray scalloped clouds and white, thin clouds edge by a hazy, pastel-tinted sky. I stood on the fishing pier scanning the water for flocks of scoters or eiders, but kept peering up at the sky wondering if it was safe to be out over the bay. The scarcity of birds on the water made me think that they knew something that I didn't, but should.

I walked the 2 mile stretch from the pier to the beach at Coney Island Creek Park and set-up my scope facing Gravesend Bay and the Verrazano Bridge. The horizon to the north showed an eerie, gold hue. There were a few scattered Common Goldeneye in the location, but a flock of Bonaparte's Gulls close to the shore towards Norton's Point seemed interesting. I thought there was a chance that the Black-headed Gull might be within the flock and started walking up the beach.

I stopped near the remains of an old pier and set up my scope to digiscope some photos of the gulls. As I was fumbling with my camera I realized that there had been an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the beach directly in front of me. By the time I saw the bird he was paddling out towards the middle of Gravesend Bay. I was able to take at couple of poor photographs in the dim lighting before it flew farther out into the water. I immediately called Doug to tell him about the rare sighting. He surprised me when he said, "We'll see you in about 30 seconds." Apparently he and Shane had just pulled up in Shane's car and were walking towards the beach. The gull had moved closer to the opposite side of the bay, but was still clearly visible as it fed by picking food from the surface of the water. Last February I spotted one in Prospect Park and have much better photos in the posting here. ...Read more

More Coastal Birding & Frozen Jellyfish

I'm about a week behind on my birdwatching postings. I actually started by uploading some pics and pasting in my bird list, but you know how it is...

I've learned from more experienced birders, especially my friend Shane, that the place to bird in Brooklyn during the winter is along the coast. It's been a little challenging this year with record snow falls and extremely low temperatures, but it hasn't stopped me.

Heydi has been concerned that by missing a few days of birding earlier in the month she won't be able to catch up with Doug, Shane and myself. It's a silly competitive thing, but three of the four of us have already tallied 80 species of birds or more in January. I've assured her that most of what we've seen she will get on her list at some point. It is the rarer, winter species that she should focus on finding. With that in mind, the two of us decided to bird Coney Island Pier, Dead Horse Bay, Floyd Bennett Field and Gravesend Bay. I suggested finishing the day at Prospect Park, where she would have a good chance of finding Pine Siskins at the bird feeders.

It was a frigid morning and most normal people were staying far away from the beaches. In fact, it was so cold that we found these frozen jellyfish on the shore at Coney Island. I believe that they were Moon Jellyfish. The water was a lot warmer than the air, so I guess these cnydaria would have survived had the tide not carried them onto the sand.

Along the eastern shoreline at Floyd Bennett Field the low temperature had frozen seafoam into styrofoam-like sculptures. The weather didn't seem to affect the waterfowl and other seabirds as we tallied a fairly decent day list. Heydi added a lot of new birds, enough to bring her up into the top 5 for Kings county. I'm pretty sure she won't be satisfied until she is one of the top 2, then she'll just have to kill me.

Date: January 15, 2011
Locations: Coney Island Pier, Dead Horse Bay, Floyd Bennett Field, Gravesend Bay, Prospect Park
Total Number of Species: 48

1) Brant
2) Canada Goose
3) Gadwall
4) American Wigeon
5) American Black Duck
6) Mallard
7) Northern Shoveler
8) Redhead
9) Greater Scaup
10) Long-tailed Duck
11) Bufflehead
12) Common Goldeneye
13) Red-breasted Merganser
14) Ruddy Duck
15) Red-throated Loon
16) Common Loon
17) Horned Grebe
18) Great Cormorant
19) Northern Harrier
20) Red-tailed Hawk
21) American Kestrel
22) Black-bellied Plover
23) Ring-billed Gull
24) Herring Gull
25) Great Black-backed Gull
26) Rock Pigeon
27) Great Horned Owl
28) Red-bellied Woodpecker
29) Downy Woodpecker
30) Hairy Woodpecker
31) Horned Lark
32) Black-capped Chickadee
33) White-breasted Nuthatch
34) Northern Mockingbird
35) European Starling
36) Yellow-rumped Warbler
37) American Tree Sparrow
38) Chipping Sparrow
39) Fox Sparrow
40) Song Sparrow
41) Swamp Sparrow
42) White-throated Sparrow
43) Dark-eyed Junco
44) Northern Cardinal
45) House Finch
46) Pine Siskin
47) American Goldfinch
48) House Sparrow ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of January 29th - 30th, 2011:

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
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 January 29th, 2011
Prospect Park
Meet 9 am at Grand Army Plaza entrance (Stranahan Statue)
Focus: winter species, sparrows, raptors, ducks
Trip Leader: Nancy Tim


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park
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 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Saturday, January 29, 2011, 9:15am – 2:00pm (Rain/snow date: Saturday, February 12)
Waterfowl and Woodlands: Birding the Greenbelt, SI
Guide: Gabriel Willow With the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and the Greenbelt Conservancy Meet at the Manhattan terminal of the S.I. Ferry and begin your tour on water, as we make our way to the Greenbelt, a 3,000-acre flagship park of New York City. Explore Willowbrook Park, a part of the Greenbelt which boasts abundant waterfowl and wooded trails. Includes refreshments afterwards at the Greenbelt Nature Center and transportation on Staten Island. Limited to 20. $35 Click here to register


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, January 29, 2011, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Long Pond Park
Evidence of animal life as well the geologic history and human influence will be observed as we take an unhurried stroll on a one and a half mile hike through the park. Meet at PS 6, on Page Avenue and Academy Avenue, about 3 blocks northwest of Hylan Blvd.
For more information call Clay Wollney at (718) 869-6327.

Sunday, January 30, 2011, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Wintering Waterfowl of Great Kills Park
Walk the mud flats and beach front for an investigation of wintering waterfowl. Dozens of waterfowl species call the Raritan Bay home for the winter. A brief search is sure to uncover Bufflehead, Brant, Goldeneye, Grebes and Geese. Expect a cold wind and dress appropriately. Meet in the main entrance parking area on Hylan Blvd. across from Buffalo St. From there the group will proceed to the main parking lot by the beach.
For more information call Howie Fischer at (718) 981-4002.

Sunday, January 30, 2011, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Conference House Park
Walk the trails of Staten Island’s southern tip exploring the beach and woodland for our night time neighbors. Screech Owl and Great Horned Owl utilize the park throughout the year and with luck we will hear their calls. Though ambient light brightens the night sky flashlights are acceptable. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Hylan Blvd. on the left.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at (718) 313-8591.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 29, 2011

Van Cortlandt Birding Walks: Critical Facts
8:00 a.m.
Minute mounts of fat can protect tiny bodies in the coldest months, but where does a bird...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Marine Park
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

Winter Waterfowl
10:00 a.m.
Ducks and geese fly thousands of miles to spend the winter in Central Park. Explore...
Location: Belvedere Castle (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Slippery Seals and Wintry Waterfowl
11:00 a.m.
These marine mammals have been known to show up in the area during their migratory journey....
Location: Conference House Beach at Joline Avenue (in Conference House Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free

Birds of "Paradise"
11:00 a.m.
Enjoy a walk through this diverse habitat to see winter waterfowl, shorebirds, and many...
Location: Intersection of 130th St & 11th Ave (in Powell's Cove Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Tree I.D.
1:00 p.m.
Just because the leaves are gone doesn't mean you can't identify trees! Learn to use...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Eagle Watch
8:00 a.m.
Majestic eagles soar above the tree tops and search for fish in the Hudson River....
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Loons, Grebes, and Buffleheads...Oh My!
10:00 a.m.
Come walk along the waters of Little Neck Bay to discover the diverse winter birding in...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Seal Shore Safari
2:30 p.m.
Seals hang out by the beach between December and March and you'll get to see them during...
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park-Orchard Beach), Bronx
Cost: Free ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Even in his "drab" non-breeding plumage, this male Long-tailed Duck is still a stunning bird. An arctic breeder, they can be found along the coast of New York throughout the winter. This individual was preening on the shore at Coney Island Creek Park early Saturday morning.

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, nature trips within NYC's 5 boroughs for the weekend of January 22nd - 23rd, 2011:

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
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


Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Pelham Bay Park
Leader: Rob Jett (aka "The City Birder")
Registrar: Louise Fraza (louisefraza@yahoo.com)
Registration opens Monday 1/10.
Ride: $15.


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 22, 2011, 8am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks
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 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Saturday, January 22, 2011, 9:45am-3:30pm
"Save Pouch Camp" Hike in the Greenbelt, S.I.
Guide: Dominick Durso with Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Meet on Staten Island Boulevard off Ocean Terrace, directly above the Michael Petrides School. Come explore the lovely and imperiled Pouch Camp property, located within Staten Island's Greenbelt preserve. Discover its wonderful vistas and woodlands on a leisurely 10-mile hike bordering the property, and learn what can be done to help preserve Pouch Camp's 143 acres. Street parking available. Bring lunch and water, and wear sturdy shoes. For more information please call Dominick Durso at 718-967-0379. No registration necessary. Free

Sunday, January 23, 2011, 9:30am – 11:30am
Nature in the Garden Discovery Walk
Explore Wave Hill’s woodlands and gardens and discover the world of insects, flowers, trees, birds and their fascinating habitats on this naturalist-led walk, offered jointly by Wave Hill and NYC Audubon. Ideal for ages 5 and up and their curious adult companions. Rain or shine, so dress for the weather! Space is limited; advanced registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org, at the Perkins Visitor Center when you next visit or by calling 718.549.3200 x305. Fee: Free for Wave Hill Members/Non-members $5. Free for NYC Audubon Members with 2-for-1 admission to the grounds.


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, January 22, 9:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Annual Winter Ten Mile Walk of the Greenbelt
Come join others who enjoy a cold day outdoors. It is ten moderate miles at a comfortable pace. Meet at the beginning of the Blue Trail at the end of Staten Island Blvd., off Ocean Terrace by the Sunnyside campus of the Petrides complex. Bring lunch and beverage and sturdy walking shoes. Dress warmly in layers. We go in all weather but walk is shortened if high pollution levels occur. Come see what the inter woodland has to offer: winter birds, bare forest trees, frozen ponds, evergreens and possibly some snow cover to detect deer visits, and always beautiful vistas.
For more information call Dominic Durso at (917) 478-7607, Charles Perry at (718) 667-1393 or Don Recklies at (718) 768-9036.

Saturday, January 22, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Old Mill Road
We'll follow the multi-use trail overlooking Fresh Kills, pass the famous Hessian Spring as it crosses the path and view Fresh Kills estuary and work our way to the remains of Ketchum’s Mill. Along the way we’ll observe traces of the past, examine the present woodland ecosystems and search for evidence of present inhabitants especially deer and other mammals. Park at the start of Old Mill Road alongside St. Andrew’s church.
For more information call Clay Wollney at (718) 869-6327.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 22, 2011

Van Cortlandt Birding Walks: Head Bobbing
8:00 a.m.
Ducks start courting in winter. Catch their courtship dances and see if you can...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Marine Park
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

Duck, Duck, Goose
10:00 a.m.
As the weather gets cold, the birding gets hot. Let's see which birds think NYC is...
Location: 72nd Road and Grand Central Parkway Service Road (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Birding
11:00 a.m.
See how many species you can add to your life list. Binoculars provided.
Location: High Rock Ranger Station (in High Rock Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free

Hibernation Hike
11:00 a.m.
HIke through the Ravine looking for dens of hibernating mammals. Learn why these...
Location: Prospect Park Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Fort Greene Park Winter Tree Identification
1:00 p.m.
On this leisurely stroll around the park we'll identify many of the more than 40 species of...
Location: Fort Greene Park Visitor Center (in Fort Greene Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Eagle Watch
8:00 a.m.
Majestic eagles soar above the tree tops and search for fish in the Hudson River. Bring...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Winter Tree I.D.
11:00 a.m.
Never "bark up the wrong tree" again once we teach you how to identify trees...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Whooo Said That?
1:00 p.m.
Winter is the best time to see wild owls in New York Cityso don't miss this...
Location: Pelham Bay Ranger Station (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Winter Hike: Top of Prospect Park
1:00 p.m.
Learn about the Battle of Brooklyn while hiking to Prospect Park's highest point....
Location: Lookout Hill (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Owl Prowl
2:00 p.m.
We're on the prowl for the great horned owls of Alley Pond Park. Along the way we'll...
Location: Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
Cost: Free ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Merlins are one of two small falcon species found around NYC in the winter. Sometimes referred to as the "Pigeon Hawk", their primary prey is small birds, which they catch on the wing. In Brooklyn, they can usually be found at the edges of Prospect Park's and Green-Wood Cemetery's fields and meadows.

A New Year, Ducks and a Rarity

While some of my friends were still doing Christmas Bird Counts on Long Island and Upstate New York, I opted to start the New Year in Brooklyn. I like to spend the first day of the year taking a long walk in either Prospect Park or Green-Wood Cemetery and trying to find as many birds as possible. While this January 1st didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary, in the first 11 days of the year I've already seen some interesting birds.

On New Years Day Robin and I walked to the cemetery where we ran into my friend Ed. We spent the next 90 minutes birding together. The roadways in Green-Wood were all plowed, but the paths and hillsides were still blanketed in deep snow. Still, the weather was sunny and clear and just wandering the roads through the fields and valleys was a head-clearing way to begin 2011. Most of the songbirds seemed to be hunkered down elsewhere as we saw few birds compared to the previous week. We caught distant views of a trio of Red-tailed Hawk and, on our way out, spotted a very vocal kestrel diving at a perched Cooper's Hawk. The kestrel is nearly one quarter the size of the coops, so I was surprised that he actually succeeded in driving it off.

A day later temperatures climbed into the 40s causing some of the snow to melt and creating an eerie, fog landscape throughout Prospect Park's fields and meadows. Most of the birds I encountered on this day were either huddled around two small openings in the ice on Prospect Lake or gorging themselves at the bird feeders near Breeze Hill. Of the 35 species that I recorded that day, 24 of them were at or near the feeders. One nice surprise was spotting a small number of Pine Siskins feeding at the well-stocked thistle feeders.

Shane called me that Tuesday to tell me that a Tufted Duck had been spotted on the north-shore of Long Island in the town of Cold Spring Harbor. He and Doug were planning on driving out to look for it the next day before sunrise. Would I like to join them? This rare vagrant is normally found in temperate and northern Eurasia. It occasionally strays to both coasts of North America and I've unsuccessfully chased down reports of one several times in the past. Of course I'd be joining them, but had to be back early.

The duck had been spotted within a flock of scaup on a small, protected bay in the Suffolk county town of Cold Spring Harbor. It is about an hour drive from Brooklyn. I would be getting picked up at around 6:15am, so, with any luck, we'd quickly find the bird and be back in the city before 10am.

We pulled into a small parking lot adjacent to a public dock at the same time as two other birders. There was another person already on the dock, scanning flocks of scaup. I was still setting up my tripod when I noticed something curious; everyone was facing south and looking through a large number of waterfowl towards the inner harbor ... except for Doug. He had walked to the opposite end of the dock and was scanning a small flock to the north. I thought to myself, "Doug is going to find the Tufted Duck". Seconds later Doug shouts, "I've got the bird!"

The rising sun hadn't cleared the tops of the trees yet, so it was fairly difficult to pick out the bird. We decided to drive a short distance up the road to a better vantage point. From a small, rocky beach across the street from the state park parking lot we had great views of this rare bird. The bird was actively feeding within a small flock of scaup, diving every few seconds. Each time his head broke the surface of the water, the distinctive, swept-back shock of head plumes stood out, announcing his virtual royalty among the common ducks. We watched the bird for about 30 minutes. Several other birders arrived carrying scopes and looking somewhat "camouflaged" dressed in their office garb.

On the drive home I began thinking about waterfowl in the winter. I decided that this year I would try and take full advantage of the seasonal bird fluctuation. For example, the greatest abundance and diversity of waterfowl around Brooklyn occurs in the winter. I would spend my birding time in January trying to observe all of the possible species of duck. With nearly all the lakes and ponds frozen, that would mean covering all the coastal habitats. The next time I went out I did the Coney Island Creek/Coney Island Boardwalk loop. This walking route starts at the creek south of Dreier-Offerman Park, follows west along the creek to Coney Island Creek Park, cuts across the edge of Seagate to the western edge of Coney Island, continues along the beach to the fishing pier, then back to the Stillwell Avenue subway station.

At Coney Island Creek I quickly relocated the Redhead that Heydi and I first spotted on December 30th. From the beach at Coney Island Creek Park I scanned a very calm Gravesend Bay. There was a nice diversity of water birds - Brant, Canada Goose, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and my first Red-throated Loon of the season. At the western end of Coney Island I spotted a Surf Scoter hanging around the rock jetty at that location. Along the beach I checked all the gull flocks, hoping for something unusual, but found mostly just Ring-billed Gulls. Searching the water from the fishing pier turned up about a half-dozen Common Loons. By the time I headed back to the subway station I had tallied 18 species of water birds; Brant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant and American Coot. The Redhead was the only relatively rare bird that isn't seen in Brooklyn every year.

A Ducky Weekend

Continuing with the waterfowl theme, Heydi and I decided to do a marathon duck day this past Sunday. Our plan was to begin the day at Hendrix Creek, then go to Coney Island Creek to find the Redhead for her and continue the aforementioned Coney Island loop.

Hendrix Creek is a great spot for overwintering ducks. There is a water treatment plant on the creek which, I assume, keeps the water warmer than the surrounding area. Large numbers of Green-winged Teal can be found here, as well as, the occasional Canvasback. We were mostly hoping to find a Canvasback, as they are rare around Brooklyn. We were very lucky and found a sleeping Canvasback within the first flock of teals that we focused on. Later on we spotted a flock of about 23 more near the mouth of the creek. After only about 45 minutes we had a pretty impressive list of birds, included a couple of unexpected species - Great Blue Heron and Belted Kingfisher. We left Hendrix Creek with 13 species of waterfowl under our belts; Brant, Canada Goose, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck.

We weren't as fortunate at Coney Island Creek. Twenty to thirty mile-per-hour Northwest winds were churning up the water and the only waterfowl visible were a few small flocks of Canada Goose hugging the northern shoreline. The Redhead would have to wait for another weekend. It was at that point I remembered something Shane told me: The Black-headed Gull appears on the Veterans Memorial Pier in strong northwest winds. We jumped back in the car and headed across Cropsey Avenue towards Owls Head Park and the pier. This gull has become Heydi's jinx bird. She has gone looking for it five times since last January. What made it even more frustrating was that other people had seen it either right before her or right after her. I assured her that we would find it on Sunday.

An arctic blast was roaring across the pier when we arrived. Ahead of us there were three distinct flocks of Ring-billed Gulls facing into the wind and clinging to the ground. They were huddled near the base of paired metal picnic benches that were, thankfully, bolted to the pier. The legs of the benches created a small windbreak for the gulls and several pigeons. We scanned the first flock. No black-headed. We walked slowly to the next and scanned. Still nothing. Then we headed towards the end of the pier and the last flock of gulls. At the left edge of that flock and separated from them by a couple of feet I spotted the bright red bill and legs of an adult Black-headed Gull. All the gulls flushed, at one point, but the black-head flew back and join a flock closer to the beginning of the pier. Heydi took this really nice photo of it from only a few yards away.

Later in the morning we headed over to Floyd Bennett Field and Dead Horse Bay. When we were stopped at the intersection of Avenue V and Flatbush Avenue, facing Mill Basin, I noticed two very large, dark birds soaring over the water. Heydi made the turn onto Flatbush as I focused on the birds through the car window. I said that one looked like a Black Vulture. She said, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"  and tried not to drive off the side of the road (she's been convinced that she would never see a Black Vulture in Brooklyn). I told her to turn into the parking lot at "Nick's Lobster". We bolted out of the car with bins in hand and got great looks at two Black Vultures as they battled the wind, soaring over the Marine Park Golf Course. At home I referred to Google Earth and the birds were heading West-North-West, in the general direction of the Verrazano Bridge. There is a pair that nested at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island last year. Maybe it was that pair and they were out for a quiet Sunday stroll...in gale force winds.

...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, nature trips within NYC's 5 boroughs for the weekend of January 15th - 16th, 2011:

New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 15, 2011
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


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 15, 2011, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walk
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 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912.
No registration necessary.
No limit.
Free.

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, January 15, 2011, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
LaTourette Multi-purpose Path (northern end)
Meet in the parking lot of the new Greenbelt Nature Center at the junction of Rockland and Brielle Avenues. We will walk to the bike path entrance at the junction of Rockland Avenue and Forest Hill Road where we will spend two hours removing invasive plants. If you don't have your own, Protectors will supply gloves and pruners (& refreshments). After a work session (our 175th consecutive monthly workshop), we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
For more information call Don Recklies at (718) 768-9036 or Chuck Perry at (718) 667-1393.


Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, January 16, 2011, 8am – 2pm
Breezy Point
Leader: George Dadone (917-748 5716)
Meet: Meet at the Fisherman's Parking Lot
Please Note that, as of 1/13, this trip has been canceled.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 15, 2011

Van Cortlandt Birding Walks: Bullying in Nature
8:00 a.m.
Seeing who eats at the bird feeders and when can reveal pecking order dominance among the...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Marine Park
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

Winter Waterfowl
10:00 a.m.
Ducks and geese fly thousands of miles to spend the winter in Central Park. Explore...
Location: Belvedere Castle (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Hunter Island Hike
1:00 p.m.
Trek through the forests and shorelines of Hunter Island while we search for owls and other...
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park-Orchard Beach), Bronx
Cost: Free

Forever Evergreen
1:00 p.m.
They're more than just holiday decorations...  Learn to identify the many types of...
Location: Prospect Park Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sleeping Giants
1:00 p.m.
Did you know that Fort Totten Park has over 40 different species of trees. Learn how...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Winter Waterfowl
9:00 a.m.
Learn interesting facts about the great variety of ducks and other birds that spend their...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Fort Totten Park
9:00 a.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers for early morning birding at Fort Totten Park.
Location: Fort Totten Front Gate (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Denizens of the Dark
4:00 p.m.
Join us for an after-hours hike as we search for bats, raccoons, owls, and whatever else...
Location: Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
Cost: Free ...Read more

New Red-tailed Hawk Territory?

The following Brooklyn Red-tailed Hawk observation was posted this week on one of the local discussion groups.

Frank Gresham posted this on the Yahoo Group eBirds NYC:

*********

Gregarious Hawk in Fort Greene Park

While strolling in Fort Greene Park over the weekend, sans bird book or bins, I came upon a hawk perched in a VERY low branch of a cluster of Ginko trees near the Ranger station at the top of the hill in the center of the park. Two people were directly beneath the bird, trying to shoo it up to a higher branch where it might not be such an easy mark for passing troublemakers. But the hawk would not budge from its low perch. The people said the hawk had been in that area of the park, exhibiting such gregarious behavior, for weeks already. Finally the hawk flew to another bank of higher trees in the northern reach of the park. I am not a raptor expert, so I am hesitant to name its species with certainty. But upon consulting my field guide afterwards, the hawk appeared to be an immature Red Tail. Keep an eye out for it if you are walking the northern reaches of Fort Greene Park, especially up on the Martyr's Monument hill.

*********

Given the park's closeness to Prospect Park, it is very likely that this hawk is one of Prospect's 2010 offspring. Young hawks are typically not very wary of people. Usually, by their first Spring they learn to be more stealthy. ...Read more

Friday's Foto

The Ring-billed Gull is New York City's most plentiful overwintering gull and possibly the most abundant species in North America. These medium-sized gulls can frequently be seen in flocks of several hundred individuals in our city parks and all along the coast. I photographed this bird at the Veterans Memorial Pier, near the Owl's Head Water Treatment Plant, while searching for a Black-headed Gull.

Another Hawk Rescue

There was a posting this morning on the NYC Raptors discussion group regarding a hawk in distress.

Emily, of New York City Audubon Society, received a call about a hawk and posted the following:

From: Emily Loffredo
Subject: Hawk stuck in building air shaft
Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 11:16 AM

Our office received a call about a Red-tailed Hawk that has been stuck in a building air shaft for about a week. The caller, Frank, said it's been fluttering back and fourth a lot for the past few days.  Please email Frank at [ ] for more details.

Folks in the group quickly mobilized and Bobby Horvath (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) rushed to the scene. Here is his follow-up posting:

From: Bobby Horvath
Date: January 4, 2011 3:57:06 PM EST
Subject: Re: Hawk stuck in building air shaft

I met James O'Brien at 70 East 3rd Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues at about 1:30pm and with his much needed assistance was able to grab this juvenile off a 4th story window sill just as he landed and couldn't see me from inside the apartment. It is not injured but starving from his week long stay and worse is his (or small girl) feather condition. The shaft it was confined to is only about 4 feet wide by 70 feet long and as the bird flew back and forth from window to window unable to get the necessary height to escape he damaged almost all of the primary feathers as he brushed the brickwork with outstretched wings so it will most likely be a long stay here until new feathers molt this summer. It is not Lola who many folks are concerned with and looking for. This system does work and many thanks to James this time for his sacrifices in this rescue.

For photos and a nice narrative, check out James' blog posting here. ...Read more

December Birds & Brooklyn Year

December is usually a slow month for finding new bird species for one's year list. I was, however, able to add 6 more birds and finished the year with 267 species in New York State. Not too shabby, especially since most of my birding was done by either bicycle or public transportation. The month started with a good bird sighting, which I took as an auspicious sign of things to come.

Waterfowl is one family of birds that increases in diversity and abundance during the winter around New York City. One of the species missing from my year list going into December was Eurasian Wigeon. On December 4th, Heydi and I put our heads together to try and figure out the most likely place to spot one in Brooklyn. The Marine Park Saltmarsh was the first place we checked. We lucked out, as we found one within the first few minutes of scanning the duck flocks. Other ducks I added by the month's end were Harlequin Duck and Redhead.

On December 5th I took a road trip to Long Island with Shane and Heydi. We went in search of a bird that had never been officially recorded in New York State - Hermit Warbler. We found the bird right away, which was a Life Bird for all of us, then headed to Jones Beach, where I added Harlequin Duck and Loggerhead Shrike to my year list. Neither the shrike nor the duck were life birds, but the loggerhead was a New York State first for me.

Mid-month I began looking back at gull records to help me decide where to concentrate my efforts for either Black-headed Gull or Iceland Gull. On the 15th I had time in the afternoon for a little birding and considered going to the Owl's Head Water Treatment Plant. Before heading out I received a call from Shane that finalized my decision - he had spotted an adult Black-headed Gull on the pier next to the treatment plant. It was still present when I arrived.

Scanning through our winter flocks of gulls and waterfowl is the most likely way to find a new species, so it was no surprise that my final new bird for 2010 was a Redhead. After a long day of birding around the Coney Island peninsula, this beautiful duck was found an hour before sunset among hundreds of birds along Coney Island Creek.

262) Eurasian Wigeon (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 12/04/10)
263) Redhead (Calvert Vaux Park, 12/30/10)
264) Harlequin Duck (Jones Beach Coast Guard Station, 12/05/10)
265) Black-headed Gull (Veterans Memorial Pier, 12/15/10)
266) Loggerhead Shrike (Jones Beach--Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center, 12/05/10)
267) Hermit Warbler (Sunken Meadow SP, 12/05/10)

I finished my 2010 Brooklyn year list with 237 species - 17 more than 2009. None of those birds were lifers, but 10 species were new for Brooklyn, that is, I'd seen them in other parts of New York, just not in my home borough.

In addition to the Hermit Warbler, the Common Ground Dove was a 2010 life bird.

Brooklyn Year List 2010

1) Snow Goose
2) Brant
3) Canada Goose
4) Mute Swan
5) Wood Duck
6) Gadwall
7) Eurasian Wigeon
8) American Wigeon
9) American Black Duck
10) Mallard
11) Blue-winged Teal
12) Northern Shoveler
13) Northern Pintail
14) Green-winged Teal
15) Canvasback
16) Redhead
17) Ring-necked Duck
18) Greater Scaup
19) Lesser Scaup
20) Surf Scoter
21) White-winged Scoter
22) Black Scoter
23) Long-tailed Duck
24) Bufflehead
25) Common Goldeneye
26) Barrow's Goldeneye *
27) Hooded Merganser
28) Common Merganser
29) Red-breasted Merganser
30) Ruddy Duck

31) Ring-necked Pheasant

32) Red-throated Loon
33) Common Loon
34) Pied-billed Grebe
35) Horned Grebe
36) Red-necked Grebe
37) Western Grebe *

38) Northern Gannet

39) Double-crested Cormorant
40) Great Cormorant

41) Great Blue Heron
42) Great Egret
43) Snowy Egret
44) Cattle Egret
45) Green Heron
46) Black-crowned Night-Heron
47) Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
48) Glossy Ibis

49) Black Vulture *
50) Turkey Vulture

51) Osprey
52) Northern Harrier
53) Sharp-shinned Hawk
54) Cooper's Hawk
55) Red-shouldered Hawk
56) Broad-winged Hawk
57) Red-tailed Hawk
58) American Kestrel
59) Merlin
60) Peregrine Falcon

61) Clapper Rail
62) American Coot

63) Black-bellied Plover
64) American Golden-Plover
65) Semipalmated Plover
66) Piping Plover *
67) Killdeer
68) American Oystercatcher
69) Spotted Sandpiper
70) Solitary Sandpiper
71) Greater Yellowlegs
72) Willet
73) Lesser Yellowlegs
74) Ruddy Turnstone
75) Sanderling
76) Semipalmated Sandpiper
77) Western Sandpiper *
78) Least Sandpiper
79) White-rumped Sandpiper
80) Baird's Sandpiper *
81) Purple Sandpiper
82) Dunlin
83) Buff-breasted Sandpiper *
84) Short-billed Dowitcher
85) Wilson's Snipe
86) American Woodcock

87) Bonaparte's Gull
88) Black-headed Gull
89) Laughing Gull
90) Mew Gull
91) Ring-billed Gull
92) Herring Gull
93) Lesser Black-backed Gull
94) Great Black-backed Gull
95) Least Tern
96) Common Tern
97) Forster's Tern
98) Royal Tern *
99) Black Skimmer

100) Thick-billed Murre

101) Rock Pigeon
102) Mourning Dove

103) Monk Parakeet

104) Yellow-billed Cuckoo
105) Black-billed Cuckoo

106) Barn Owl
107) Great Horned Owl
108) Northern Saw-whet Owl

109) Common Nighthawk
110) Whip-poor-will *

111) Chimney Swift

112) Ruby-throated Hummingbird

113) Belted Kingfisher

114) Red-bellied Woodpecker
115) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
116) Downy Woodpecker
117) Hairy Woodpecker
118) Northern Flicker

119) Olive-sided Flycatcher
120) Eastern Wood-Pewee
121) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
122) Acadian Flycatcher
123) Willow Flycatcher
124) Least Flycatcher
125) Eastern Phoebe
126) Great Crested Flycatcher
127) Eastern Kingbird

128) White-eyed Vireo
129) Yellow-throated Vireo
130) Blue-headed Vireo
131) Warbling Vireo
132) Philadelphia Vireo
133) Red-eyed Vireo

134) Blue Jay
135) American Crow
136) Fish Crow
137) Common Raven *

138) Horned Lark

139) Northern Rough-winged Swallow
140) Tree Swallow
141) Bank Swallow
142) Barn Swallow
143) Cliff Swallow

144) Black-capped Chickadee
145) Tufted Titmouse

146) Red-breasted Nuthatch
147) White-breasted Nuthatch

148) Brown Creeper

149) Carolina Wren
150) House Wren
151) Winter Wren
152) Marsh Wren

153) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
154) Golden-crowned Kinglet
155) Ruby-crowned Kinglet

156) Eastern Bluebird
157) Veery
158) Gray-cheeked Thrush
159) Bicknell's Thrush
160) Swainson's Thrush
161) Hermit Thrush
162) Wood Thrush
163) American Robin

164) Gray Catbird
165) Northern Mockingbird
166) Brown Thrasher

167) European Starling

168) American Pipit

169) Cedar Waxwing

170) Blue-winged Warbler
171) Tennessee Warbler
172) Orange-crowned Warbler
173) Nashville Warbler
174) Northern Parula
175) Yellow Warbler
176) Chestnut-sided Warbler
177) Magnolia Warbler
178) Cape May Warbler
179) Black-throated Blue Warbler
180) Yellow-rumped Warbler
181) Black-throated Green Warbler
182) Blackburnian Warbler
183) Pine Warbler
184) Prairie Warbler
185) Palm Warbler
186) Bay-breasted Warbler
187) Blackpoll Warbler
188) Black-and-white Warbler
189) American Redstart
190) Prothonotary Warbler
191) Worm-eating Warbler
192) Ovenbird
193) Northern Waterthrush
194) Louisiana Waterthrush
195) Mourning Warbler
196) Common Yellowthroat
197) Hooded Warbler
198) Wilson's Warbler
199) Canada Warbler

200) Eastern Towhee
201) American Tree Sparrow
202) Chipping Sparrow
203) Clay-colored Sparrow
204) Field Sparrow
205) Vesper Sparrow
206) Savannah Sparrow
207) Nelson's Sparrow
208) Saltmarsh Sparrow
209) Seaside Sparrow
210) Fox Sparrow
211) Song Sparrow
212) Lincoln's Sparrow
213) Swamp Sparrow
214) White-throated Sparrow
215) White-crowned Sparrow
216) Dark-eyed Junco
217) Lapland Longspur
218) Snow Bunting

219) Scarlet Tanager

220) Northern Cardinal
221) Rose-breasted Grosbeak
222) Blue Grosbeak
223) Indigo Bunting

224) Bobolink
225) Red-winged Blackbird
226) Eastern Meadowlark
227) Rusty Blackbird
228) Common Grackle
229) Boat-tailed Grackle
230) Brown-headed Cowbird
231) Orchard Oriole
232) Baltimore Oriole

233) Purple Finch
234) House Finch
235) Pine Siskin
236) American Goldfinch

237) House Sparrow

* New for Brooklyn

Life Birds 2010

Common Ground (Dove Captree SP, Nov 7, 2010)
Hermit Warbler (Sunken Meadow SP, Dec 5, 2010) ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, nature trips within NYC's 5 boroughs for the weekend of January 8th - 9th, 2011:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, January 8

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 Tour
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, January 8, 2011
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


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 8, 2011, 8am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks
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 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 migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit.
Free.

Sunday, January 9, 2011, 9:30am – 11:30am
Nature in the Garden Discovery Walk
Explore Wave Hill’s woodlands and gardens and discover the world of insects, flowers, trees, birds and their fascinating habitats on this naturalist-led walk, offered jointly by Wave Hill and NYC Audubon. Ideal for ages 5 and up and their curious adult companions. Rain or shine, so dress for the weather! Space is limited; advanced registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org, at the Perkins Visitor Center when you next visit or by calling 718.549.3200 x305. Fee: Free for Wave Hill Members/Non-members $5. Free for NYC Audubon Members with 2-for-1 admission to the grounds.


Staten Island Museum
Sunday, January 9, 2011, 9:00am - 11:00am
Raritan Bay
Observe and learn about various species of waterfowl that use the Raritan Bay during the wintertime. Meet at parking area at the end of Page Ave.
Call Seth at (718) 483-7105 for more information.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 8, 2011

Van Cortlandt Birding Walks: Flocking
8:00 a.m.
How does staying together help a group of birds survive winter?  Find out! If you...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Early Birding at Marine Park
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

Old Croton Aqueduct Hike
11:00 a.m.
Following the historic waterway, we'll head up to the stone weird that once controlled that...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Winter Wonderland
11:00 a.m.
Discover all the that Fort Totten Park has to offer as we guide you through this historical...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Owl Prowl
3:00 p.m.
We're on the prowl for the Great Horned Owls of Alley Pond Park. Along the way we'll...
Location: Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Marine Mammal Watch
11:00 a.m.
The beach may be empty of all its human swimmers, but don't forget about the seals, whales,...
Location: Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Winter Survival
11:00 a.m.
Learn to build a shelter, find food and water, and stay warm during winter hiking.
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Winter Tree I.D.
1:00 p.m.
Test your identification skills and study trees in their dormant state on a hike through...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Winter Survival
1:00 p.m.
Learn how to survive in below freezing temperatures. This program will review proper...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Cost: Free ...Read more

Happy New Year!