Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of January 26, 2013 - January 27, 2013:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, January 26, 2013
"A Wintry Goose Chase"
Trip Leader: Bob Washburn
Focus: The "chase" is at the behest of the leader deciding on location(s) based upon that week's Rare Bird Alerts and Listserve reports of high quality birds, rare geese species among potential pursuits.
Car Pool Fee: $25.00
Registrar: Bob Washburn email nyc_bob [AT] earthlink.net or Cell: 212-737-4157
Registration period: January 15th -January 24th

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
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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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Pelham Bay Park for Owls
Leader: Rob Jett a.k.a. "The City Birder"
Registrar: Louise Fraza (louisefraza [AT] yahoo.com)
Registration opens Monday 1/14. Ride: $15.

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, January 26, 2013, 8am – 9:30pm
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks
Guide: Andrew Baksh or Urban Park Rangers (first Saturday of the month) With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
Meet at Van Cortlandt Nature Center, Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson and Allan D. Cruickshank learned their craft on Van Cortlandt Park's ecologically diverse grounds, and these walks celebrate the tradition set by them. Participants will look for resident and migrant species and discuss a wide range of avian topics.
For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free

Saturday, January 26, 10:30am – 4:00pm
Snow Birds of Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden
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
**Note: the destination of this trip may vary depending on the unpredictable whereabouts of winter visitors; we will generally go where the birds are! Floyd Bennett Field may also be closed due to its use as a post-hurricane Sandy center of operations.
Click here to register

Sunday, January 27, 2013, 2pm – 4pm
Winter Seals and Waterbirds Eco-Cruise
Meet at South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 and come aboard NY Water Taxi’s eco-friendly vessel for a winter adventure in New York Harbor! Look for harbor seals on the rocky shores of Governor’s Island and the more remote Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. Learn about the surprisingly diverse winter birds of New York City, including ducks, geese, loons, and sandpipers, many of which migrate south from the Arctic. See the Statue of Liberty and pass under the Verrazano Bridge. Dress warmly and bring your binoculars. Limited to 60.
To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or visit their website. $35 for adults; $25 for children 3-12 (no member discount)

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Walks with an asterisk (*):
As of the publication date, most Staten Island parks were still closed because of storm damage. If you see an asterisk next to a date, you should contact the walk leader to confirm if the walks are on.

*Saturday, January 26, 9:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Protectors Annual Winter Ten Mile Walk of the Greenbelt
Come join others who enjoy a cold day outdoors. Ten moderate miles at a comfortable pace. We are starting out at Willowbrook Park. Meet at Willowbrook Park at the Victory Boulevard entrance parking lot near the ballfields. 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 winter 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 26, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Mount Loretto
Walk the interpretive trails through the grasslands and wetlands to look for evidence of deer and other winter wildlife, search for silk moth cocoons and identify winter birds. There is much to be seen among the rolling grasses and busy ponds, even in the heart of winter. Meet in the parking lot along Hylan Boulevard across from the CYO Center.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, January 27, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Winter Birds @ Great Kills Park
Join naturalist Mike Shanley as we explore Great Kills Park in search of wintering species of birds. We will be focusing on ducks and other sea birds as we tour the redesigned shoreline. The surge created by Sandy breached the dunes and poured over the spit of sand connecting Crooke’s Point with the mainland. Witness the work National Park Service has done to reengineer the beach and dunes. Please meet by the feeders at the Environmental Field Station. Bring binoculars and dress accordingly.
For more information call Mike Shanley at 917-753-7155.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Woodland Discovery Kit in Central Park at Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Visit The Wild Garden: Discovering Central Park Woodlands exhibit and start exploring the North Woods on your own by borrowing a North Woods Discovery Kit stocked with binoculars, a hand lens, and…
Free!

Bird Walks at The New York Botanical Garden at Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park), Bronx
11:00 a.m.
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert.

Sunday, January 27, 2013
Birding: Eagles at Dyckman Fields (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
8:00 a.m.
We offer birding programs throughout the year and our Exploration series focuses on unique wildlife viewing opportunities during particular seasons.
Free!

Woodland Discovery Kit in Central Park at Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Visit The Wild Garden: Discovering Central Park Woodlands exhibit and start exploring the North Woods on your own by borrowing a North Woods Discovery Kit stocked with binoculars, a hand lens, and…
Free!