Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of June 22, 2013 - June 23, 2013:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturdays, April 6 – June 29, 12 p.m.
Free
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Photographing at Nickerson Beach, Lido Long Island
Photography Leader: Rusty Harold
Focus: breeding plovers, terns, and oystercatchers.
Car fee: $22.00
Registrar: Rusty Harold, preferable by email elharo [AT] macfaq.com
If necessary call 718-636-6010
Registration period: June 11th - June 20th
Note: Pre-dawn departure. Bring lunch, tripod, and your longest lens.

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Gowanus Dredgers
Saturday, June 22, 2013, 1pm – 5pm
Canoe Gowanus Canal
Where: 164 2nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Bring a friend for a self-guided Canoe trip sponsored by the Gowanus Dredgers to raise awareness of Harbor Issues
http://www.gowanuscana​l.org

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Littoral Society
Sunday, June 23, 2013, 5-8pm.
Jamaica Bay Sunset Ecology Cruises
Guides: Don Riepe, Mickey Cohen - With American Littoral Society and NYC Audubon
Meet at Pier 4 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Enjoy a three-hour narrated cruise aboard the 100-foot boat “Golden Sunshine.” Visit backwater marshes near JFK Airport, and learn about the 13,000-acre Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. See nesting peregrine falcons, ospreys, egrets, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Includes refreshments.
To register, contact Don Riepe at 917-371-8577 or donriepe [AT] gmail.com. Limited to 140. $55

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, June 22, 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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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 22, 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 and 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, June 22, 2013, 9:00am – 4:30pm
Birding by Canoe in Constitution Marsh
Guide: Gabriel Willow, Eric Lind With Constitution Marsh Audubon Sanctuary Join two expert naturalists, our own Gabriel Willow and Constitution Marsh's Eric Lind, to explore Constitution Marsh Audubon Sanctuary--a spectacular 271-acre tidal marsh just outside of Cold Spring, NY. Observe marsh birds up close as you paddle through this pristine fresh water habitat by canoe--possible sightings include Virginia rails, spotted sandpipers, and Louisiana waterthrushes, as well as bald eagles. Then look for warblers and other spring migrants on the sanctuary's trails. Finally, enjoy a picnic lunch while learning more about the marsh's ecology, including its feathered residents. Bring binoculars, water, lunch (plus clothes and shoes you don't mind getting wet).
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 13. $90.
Click here to register.

Sunday, June 23, 2013
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands
Sundays, June 2 through August 11 South Street Seaport, Pier 17 7–8:30pm (Brother Islands; Hoffman and Swinburne Islands) 6-9pm (Jamaica Bay) Guide: Gabriel Willow With New York Water Taxi Meet at South Street Seaport's Pier 17. This summer we will once again be exploring the City's island rookeries with three different itineraries! 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. Specific cruise dates and registration will be available soon. Limited to 90.
Pricing varies by destination.

Sunday, June 23, 2013, 5pm – 8pm
Jamaica Bay Sunset Cruise
Guides: Don Riepe, Mickey Cohen With American Littoral Society Meet at Pier 2 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Enjoy a three-hour narrated cruise aboard the 100-foot boat “Golden Sunshine.” Visit backwater marshes near JFK Airport, and learn about the 13,000-acre Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. See nesting peregrine falcons, ospreys, egrets, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Includes refreshments.
To register, contact Don Riepe at 917-371-8577 or donriepe@gmail.com. Limited to 140. $55


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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, June 22, 2013, 10:00 a.m. to noon
Field Guide to Medicinal Plants
Join herbalist Gert Coleman for a walk through the paths and gardens at Conference House Park to identify both wild and cultivated medicinal plants. Meet in the parking lot at the end of Hylan Boulevard.
Call 718-356-9235 or email gert.coleman@verizon.net for more information.

Sunday, June 23, 2013, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Greenbelt Loop and Lunch
We’ll walk 4.3 moderate miles starting and ending at the Greenbelt Nature Center, with lunch at High Rock. This walk includes a gradual climb up Moses’ Mountain. Bring ample water and lunch. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, comfortable pants and a hat. Shorts are not recommended. Meet at 10:30 a.m. sharp at the Greenbelt Nature Center on Rockland Avenue and Brielle Avenue. Rain postpones the event to the same time on June 30.
For more information, email Hillel Lofaso at hillel5757@gmail.com or call 718-477-0545.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Bird Walks focus on wildlife happenings in the park and are led by NYC Audubon experts or the Urban Park Rangers.
Free!

Explore the Back Woods of Fort Tilden at Fort Tilden, Queens
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Explore the Back Woods of Fort Tilden and discover historic war secrets.
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, June 23, 2013
Full Strawberry Moon at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (in Jamaica Bay Park), Queens
8:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
Enjoy the night as a ranger guides you along the West Pond Trail on a full moon night.
Free!