Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of January 28, 2012 - January 29, 2012:

Bedford Audubon Society
Saturday, January 28, 2012, 9 am – 12 pm
Excursion to Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
with BAS Board Member and Westmoreland Naturalist Adam Zorn
With its 2,766 acres, Pelham Bay Park is New York City’s largest park. It features an impressive number of waterfowl, landbirds, and owls, for which this park is especially well known. Monk Parakeets are present, too! Join our knowledgeable Board Member in the hunt for these elusive birds. (E)
Depart Bylane Farm at 8:00 am.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 28, 2012
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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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 28, 2012, 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 residents and 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 28, 2012, 10:30am – 4:00pm
Snow Birds of Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden
Guide: Joe Giunta (Note: Gabriel Willow was originally scheduled to lead this trip.) 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

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, January 28, 2012, 9:45a.m. to 3:45p.m.
Annual Ten Mile Winter Walk of the Staten Island 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 Line Trail at the end of Staten Island Boulevard, off Ocean Terrace by the Sunnyside campus of Petrides complex. Bring lunch and beverage and sturdy walking shoes. Dress warmly in layers. We go in all weather. Come see what the winter woodland has to offer; winter birds, bare forest trees, frozen ponds, evergreens and possible snow.
For more information call Dominick Durso at 917-478-7607 or Don Recklies at 718-768-9036.

Saturday, January 28, 2012, 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. We’ll observe traces of the past, examine the present woodland ecosystems and search for evidence of present inhabitants especially deer. Meet in the lot alongside St. Andrew’s Church on Old Mill Road.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Saturday, January 28, 2012, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Bird Feeders of Blue Heron Park
Watch the comings and goings of wintering birds from inside the warm comforts of the Blue Heron Park Nature Center. Discuss ways to attract birds to feeders, the benefits of offering a variety of food types and the needs of our wintering feathered friends.
Meet inside the Blue Heron Park Nature Center on Poillon Avenue. For more information call Ellen Pratt at 718-948-2662.

Sunday, January 29, 2012, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Owl Prowl at Blue Heron Park
Join owl enthusiast, Cliff Hagen, for a dark, quiet walk along the snow-covered trails of Blue Heron Park in search of the sounds of courtship in the frozen woods. Listen for the deep hoots and soft whinnies of Great horned and Screech owls that reside in our island’s parks. Meet in the Blue Heron Park Nature Center parking lot. Though flashlights are not necessary, they are acceptable.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at 718-313-8591.

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Pelham Bay Park
All walks start at 9:30 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
Any questions please Call Steve at (516) 987-8103.
For directions to our bird-watching locations, click here.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 28, 2012

Bird Walks
8:00 a.m.
Focus on wildlife happenings in the park with NYC Audubon experts and the Urban Park...
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Free!

Seal Exploration
10:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders, to...
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
Free!

Wilderness Survival
1:00 p.m.
What would you do if you found yourself lost in the woods? Do you know how to build your...
Location: Forest Park Visitor Center (in Forest Park), Queens
Free!

Beginning Beekeeping at Wave Hill
1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thriving beehives exist in community gardens, backyards and on rooftops throughout New York...
Location: Ecology Building (in Wave Hill), Bronx

Astronomy
6:00 p.m.
The wonders of the universe are ready to be discovered and New York City parks are the...
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Free!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Birding: Eagles
8:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders, to...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Free!

Wilderness Survival
11:00 a.m.
What would you do if you found yourself lost in the woods? Do you know how to build your...
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center (in Blue Heron Park), Staten Island
Free!

Moses Mountain Hike
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Join the Greenbelt Environmental Educators on a peaceful hike to the top of Moses Mountain...
Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley), Staten Island
Free!

Garden and Conservatory Walk at Wave Hill
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights.
Location: Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx

Astronomy
6:00 p.m.
The wonders of the universe are ready to be discovered and New York City parks are the...
Location: Fort Totten Visitor's Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
Free!