Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of June 2, 2012 - June 3, 2012:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 – 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Sunday, June 3, 2012
Discover Tour
Every 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, June 2, 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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Gowanus Dredgers
Saturday, June 2, 2012, 1pm – 5pm
Canoe on the Gowanus Canal
Bring a friend for a self-guided Canoe trip sponsored by the Gowanus Dredgers to raise awareness of Harbor Issues www.gowanuscana​l.org

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 2, 2012, 8am – 9:30pm
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, June 2, 2012, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Hawk Watch in Astoria Park
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. No registration required. For more information call 718-846-2731. No limit. Free

Sunday, June 3, 2012, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands
Guide: Gabriel Willow With New York Water Taxi Meet at South Street Seaport's Pier 17. We're excited about this summer's ecocruises; we’ve expanded our explorations of the City's island rookeries to three different locations! Depending on which weekend you choose, cruises may visit the fascinating Brother Islands, the large egret and cormorant colonies on Hoffman and Swinburne Islands, or the great expanses of Jamaica Bay. Whichever your destination, you'll experience the wonders of New York's famous harbor at sunset and see some of the three thousand herons, egrets, and ibis nesting on these urban island treasures. To learn about specific cruise dates and register, visit New York Water Taxi online or by phone at 212-742-1969. Limited to 90. Pricing varies by destination.

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, June 2, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Conference House Park Beach and Woods
Past and present blend in the Conference House Park where history stretches back thousands of years with the seasonal occupation of the Lenape people and hundreds of years of the Dutch and English habitation. We’ll observe evidence of the human occupation of the area, observe local geology and discover what the natural and unnatural debris at the high tide line reveals. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Hylan Blvd.
For more details call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, June 3, 2012, 12 Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Red Trail Loop
Strenuous closed circuit 4-mile hike in the middle of the Greenbelt through Buck's Hollow and Heyerdahl Hill. This loop trail begins and ends at Historic Richmond Town and St. Patrick's Place off Richmond Road. Bring beverage, snacks and wear comfortable, waterproof shoes. One stream crossing. We go in all weather.
Contact Hillel Lofaso at (718) 477-0545 for more information.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, June 2, 2012

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

Birding: Hawk Watch
11:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders, to...
Location: Parking Lot on Hoyt Avenue and 19 Street (in Astoria Park), Queens
Free!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Horseshoe Crabs
4:00 p.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-Orchard Beach), Bronx
Free!