Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of May 21st - May 22nd, 2011:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, May 21, 2011

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, May 22, 2011

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

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, May 21, 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

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Prospect Park
Meet 7:00am at Grand Army Plaza entrance (Stranahan Statue)
Trip Leader: Tom Stephenson
Focus: late Spring passerines migration, warbler rarity, flycatchers

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Littoral Society
Saturday, May 21, 2011 (10am-1pm)
Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knots
Meet 10 am at Jamaica Bay Refuge center for a hike around the West Pond to look for mating horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. Bring boots & binoculars.
Call (718) 318-9344; E-mail: donriepe [AT] gmail.com

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, May 21, 2001, 6am – 7pm
Van Corlandt Park Bird-A-Thon
Rain Date: Sunday, May 22 With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation Meet at Van Cortlandt Park for a great day of birding and support the park at the same time, whether you’re a birding beginner or a pro! Come any time between 6am and 7pm to participate in Van Cortlandt Park’s first bird-a-thon. Count the number of bird species you spot and get your supporters to chip in for each species you find! Experts will be on hand to help with identification. For more information and to learn about pledge collection, visit www.vcpark.org or call 718-430-1890. Bring binoculars. No limit. Free

Saturday, May 21, 2011, 7:30am – 10:30am
StarrTrips in Central Park
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings in Central Park, Saturday, April 2 – Wednesday, June 1 Join Starr Saphir for bird watching in Central Park. On Mondays and Wednesdays, meet at 7:30am sharp at 81st and Central Park West (SE corner). On Tuesdays, meet at 9am sharp at 103rd and Central Park West (parkside). On Saturdays, meet at 7:30am sharp at 103rd and Central Park West (parkside). All Starr Trips are non-smoking. No registration necessary. For more information, call Starr at 917-306-3808. $8 ($4 for full time students)

Saturday, May 21, 2011, 10am – 1pm
Birds and Plants: NY Botanical Garden in Springtime
Guides: Gabriel Willow, NY BG Docent With New York Botanical Garden Enter through the Mosholu gate and meet at the Reflecting Pool near the Visitor Center. The NY Botanical Garden is home to a large tract of East Coast old-growth forest. During the peak of spring migration, the beautiful gardens come alive with migrating songbirds. Limited to 15. $25 Click here to register!

Saturday, May 21, 2011, 11am – 2pm
Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs at Jamaica Bay, Queens
Guide: Don Riepe With Gateway National Recreation Area ***Note: The meeting point for this event has changed from Plumb Beach to the Jamaica Bay NWR Visitor center*** Meet at the the Jamaica Bay NWR Visitor Center to see the annual mating ritual of the prehistoric horseshoe crab, along with the red knots, sanderlings, and ruddy turnstones. Hike along the beach and marshland edges to see fiddler crabs, egrets, and other wildlife. Bring lunch and binoculars.
To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or donriepe [AT] gmail.com. Limited to 25. Free

Sunday, May 22, 2011, 9:30am – 11:30am
Birding Along the Hudson: Riverdale Park
Guide: Gabriel Willow With Wave Hill Explore the Hudson River’s avian ecology starting at the tip of Manhattan and migrating north. Ideal for ages 10 and up. Registration recommended: online, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. All necessary information, including meeting location details, will be included in your registration confirmation email from Wave Hill. Severe weather cancels (For weather-related updates, call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8am the day of the walk). $10 for Wave Hill or NYC Audubon members/$18 non-members. (Members of other host organizations also enjoy member prices when walks take place at their location.)

Sunday, May 22, 2011, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Hawk Watch at Astoria Park, Queens
Guide: Urban Park Rangers With NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, Urban Park Rangers Meet at the parking lot at Hoyt Avenue and 19th Street in Astoria. A pair of red-tailed hawks has been nesting in Astoria Park on the RFK Bridge for years. Observe these residents and learn about their nesting and foraging habits. Registration necessary through NYC Audubon. Limited to 30. Free Click here to register!

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Staten Island Museum (Staten Island)
May 21, 2011 (All Day)
Big Sit for Birds
Gather friends, find your favorite birding spot, create an imaginary 17-foot diameter circle and count all the species of birds you can identify for 3 hours. For more information and locations contact Seth Wollney at swollney [AT] statenislandmuseum.org or call (718) 483-7105.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Early Birding Walk at Van Cortlandt Park
8:00 a.m.
Spring is back and so are our fine-feathered friends! Let's search for birds on a...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Light Hike: The Old Aqueduct Trial
11:00 a.m.
We'll be exploring the forest floor on this moderate hike. Uncover a world of mosses,...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Bio-Diversity Hike at Inwood Hill Park
12:00 p.m.
Explore the diverse ecology, habitats, plants, and animals of Inwood Hill Park's salt...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Moderate Hike
1:00 p.m.
Explore the natural world on this hike by smelling, touching, listening, and seeing the...
Location: Prospect Park Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Shore Birds
11:00 a.m.
Gulls and geese and oystercatchers, oh my! From the common to the unusual, the beach...
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park-Orchard Beach), Bronx
Cost: Free

Hawk Watch
11:00 a.m.
A pair of red-tailed hawks has been nesting in Astoria Park on te RFK Bridge for...
Location: Parking Lot on Hoyt Avenue and 19 Street (in Astoria Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Turtle Walk
1:00 p.m.
Turtles live on land, in lakes and ponds, and in the oceans. Get to know some of the...
Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free