Friday's Foto

The Green Heron is likely the only wading bird that nests in nearly all of New York City's parks. They usually select nest sites immediately adjacent to or within close proximity to water bodies. This bird is known to use tools, creating fishing lures from twigs, insects, bread crusts, feathers, earthworms and other objects, placing them on the water's surface to attract fish.

Brooklyn Shorebirding

With the northbound songbird migration winding down, I decided to spend some time focusing on shorebirds last weekend. Monday morning I spent an hour at Plum Beach, then headed to Floyd Bennett Field to see if any birds were at the rain puddles on the runways. I didn't find anything unusual, but it was a nice change of birding scenery.

Normally low-tide would be the best time to check for shorebirds at Plum Beach, but on Monday that would have been during prime human recreation time, so we thought we'd take a chance and take a look at dawn's high-tide activity. Surprisingly, there was actually quite a few birds present. It was probably the highest number of Sanderling I've ever seen there with a very conservative 1500 birds nervously feeding on horseshoe crab eggs. The next most common shorebird species mixed in with the Sanderlings was Semipalmated Sandpiper. Rounding out the long distance migrants fattening up on eggs were oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper and a few Short-billed Dowitcher. It was nice getting to see the Dunlin in their colorful breeding plumage as overwintering birds here along the coast are about as grey and generic looking as it gets. Among the boisterous American Oystercatchers present was Heydi's longtime buddy "C6", but that's a story for another time.

After about an hour we started walking back to the parking lot for the trip over to Floyd Bennett Field. Along the way we spotted a Long-tailed Duck bobbing in the water several yards from the shore. If we were still enveloped in winter's "Polar Vortex" this would not have been an unusual sighting. However, large flocks of this overwintering waterfowl departed in early spring for their breeding grounds along the west coast of Alaska across most of northern Canada and to the east coast of Labrador. Hopefully, this bird is healthy and just a procrastinator.

The puddles that remained on the runways at Floyd Bennett Field were mostly occupied by gulls, but there were a few Black-bellied Plovers and Semipalmated Plovers present.

Shorebird identification can be a daunting task, but not impossible. There are many field guides available that specialize in shorebirds, but one book that I've found to be helpful over the years is Jack Connor's "The Complete Birder". In the shorebird chapter he has some tables that are very useful for, at least, narrowing down the identification of a given species. Here is one example:

Six Convenient Questions for Sorting the Shorebirds

1. Is it one of the instantly recognizable shorebirds?

American Oystercatcher	American Avocet	Black-necked Stilt
Black Oystercatcher

2. Is it a plover?

Killdeer	Semipalmated	Black-bellied Plover
Mountain Plover	Piping Plover	Lesser Golden Plover
Wilson's Plover	Snowy Plover

3. Is it one of the odd sandpipers?

Long-billed Curlew	Hudsonian Godwit	Red Phalarope
Whimbrel	Marbled Godwit	Red-necked Phalarope
Eskimo Curlew	American Woodcock

4. Is it a peep?

Sanderling	Baird's Sandpiper	Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper	Semipalmated Sandpiper	Least Sandpiper

5. Is it a longlegs?

Willet	Wandering Tattler	Wilson's Phalarope
Upland Sandpiper	Wilson's Snipe	Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs	Long-billed Dowitcher	Stilt Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs	Short-billed Dowitcher

6. Is it a plump?

Red Knot	Purple Sandpiper	Pectoral Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone	Surfbird	Spotted Sandpiper
Black Turnstone	Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper	Dunlin

Here is the author's "peep" identification table:

Peep Identification Sequence

Feature	Probable Identification	Double-checks
1. Yellow legs? Or thin, pointed, slightly decurved bill? -->	Least Sandpiper -->	Small? Warm brown back?
2. Stubby bill, esp. thick at base? -->	Semipalmated Sandpiper -->	Grayish head and back? Little or no rufous? Bill shorter than head?
3. Long, attenuated and drooping bill? -->	Western Sandpiper -->	Rufous on cap and shoulder?
4. Prominent wing flag?	White-rumped Sandpiper --> Bairds Sandpiper -->	Larger than semipal? white rump? bill slightly drooped? streaky flanks Larger than semipal? Upper mandible very straight? buffy breast and cheeks? thinner than white-rump?

I hope you find this helpful, now go out and locate some good shorebirds this weekend.

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Date: May 26, 2014
Locations: Floyd Bennett Field and Plum Beach
Species: 67

Long-tailed Duck (1.)
Ring-necked Pheasant (1.)
Double-crested Cormorant (12.)
Great Egret (1.)
Green Heron (2.)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (7.)
Osprey (6.)
Red-tailed Hawk (1.)
Clapper Rail (1.)

American Oystercatcher (3.)
Black-bellied Plover (4.)
Semipalmated Plover (3.)
Killdeer (2.)
Spotted Sandpiper (1.)
Willet (3.)
Ruddy Turnstone (20.)
Sanderling (approx. 1,500.)
Dunlin (7.)
Least Sandpiper (12.)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (approx. 800.)
Short-billed Dowitcher (5.)

Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (4.)
Least Tern (2.)
Common Tern (2.)
Forster's Tern (3.)
Chimney Swift
Northern Flicker (3.)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (1.)
Willow Flycatcher (2.)
Great Crested Flycatcher (1.)
White-eyed Vireo (2.)
Red-eyed Vireo (2.)
American Crow (3.)
Tree Swallow (2.)
Barn Swallow (5.)
House Wren
Carolina Wren (1.)
Swainson's Thrush (1.)
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (1.)
Cedar Waxwing (15.)
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart (2.)
Magnolia Warbler (2.)
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler (1.)
Eastern Towhee (4.)
Field Sparrow (1.)
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark (2.)
Boat-tailed Grackle (2.)
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole

Other common species seen (or heard): Brant, Mute Swan (3.), Mallard (1.), Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird (4.), European Starling, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, House Sparrow

Treehugger Tuesday

The following posting on wave generated energy just appeared in "Enviroment 360".

Why Wave Power Has Lagged Far Behind as Energy Source

Researchers have long contended that power from ocean waves could make a major contribution as a renewable energy source. But a host of challenges, including the difficulty of designing a device to capture the energy of waves, have stymied efforts to generate electricity from the sea.

by dave levitan

It’s not difficult to imagine what wind energy looks like — by this point we have all seen the towering turbines dotting the landscape. The same goes for solar power and the panels that are spreading across rooftops worldwide. But there is another form of renewable energy, available in huge quantities, that doesn’t really call to mind anything at all: What does wave power technology look like?

Wind and solar power have taken off in the past decade or two, as costs have come down rapidly and threats from climate change have made clear the need to transition away from fossil fuels. Meanwhile, numerous studies have concluded that wave power — and to a lesser extent, tidal power — could contribute massive amounts to the overall energy picture. But while the industry has made halting progress, experts agree that it remains decades behind other forms of renewables, with large amounts of money and research required for it to even begin to catch up.

No commercial-scale wave power operations now exist, although a small-scale installation did operate off the coast of Portugal in 2008 and 2009. In February, U.S. corporate giant Lockheed Martin announced a joint venture to create the world’s biggest wave energy project, a 62.5-megawatt installation slated for the coast of Australia that would produce enough power for 10,000 homes. Scotland, surrounded by the rough waters of the Atlantic and the North Sea, has become a hotbed of wave-energy research and development, with the government last year approving a 40-megawatt wave energy installation in the Shetland Islands.

But a central challenge has proven to be the complexity of harnessing wave power, which has led to a host of designs, including writhing snake-like attenuators, bobbing buoys, even devices mounted discreetly on the ocean floor that work by exploiting differences in pressure as a wave passes by. Some devices generate the electricity on the spot and transmit it via undersea cables to shore, while others pass the mechanical energy of the wave along to land before turning it into electrical energy. Which of these drastically divergent concepts might emerge as a winner is far from clear.

“We may not have even invented the best device yet,” said Robert Thresher, a research fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

From a technical point of view, operating in the ocean is far more difficult than on land; building offshore wind installations, for example, tends to be significantly more expensive than constructing wind farms onshore. Saltwater is a hostile environment for devices, and the waves themselves offer a challenge for energy harvesting as they not only roll past a device but also bob up and down or converge from all sides in confused seas. This provides enticing opportunities for energy capture, but a challenge for optimum design.

“I’d like to be optimistic, but I don’t think realistically I can be,” said George Hagerman, a research associate in the Virginia Tech University’s Advanced Research Institute and a contributor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s assessment of wave energy’s potential. “You’ve got all those cost issues of working in the ocean that offshore wind illustrates, and then you’ve got [an energy] conversion technology that really no one seems to have settled on a design that is robust, reliable, and efficient. With wind, you’re harnessing the energy as a function of the speed of the wind. In wave energy, you’ve not only got the height of the wave, but you’ve got the period of the wave, so it becomes a more complicated problem.”

A recurring theme among wave power experts is that wave energy is where wind energy was three decades ago. At that time, engineers had not settled on the optimal design for wind turbines, but decades of ensuing research have resulted in highly sophisticated turbine designs. With wave power, some research occurred after the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s, but since then government and commercial research and development into wave power has paled compared to wind and solar energy.

As with any energy source, the fundamental roadblock toward more widespread deployment is cost. So far, the wave energy field is filled with small companies picking off small amounts of government funding where they can. It will likely require the participation of some large companies, such as GE or Siemens (both major manufacturers of wind turbines) before wave power really gets rolling, according to numerous experts. Those companies may be waiting for the technology to sort itself out before investing, a common dilemma in any nascent field.

In spite of the challenges inherent to the medium, the industry is progressing, albeit slowly. There are a few small wave farms and pilot projects in the water, including Pelamis Wave Power’s first-ever wave farm off the coast of Northern Portugal. That company has a few megawatt-scale wave farms planned, while others, like Ocean Power Technologies, continue to deploy test devices to improve buoy-based technology.

Australian company Carnegie Wave plans to commission a “commercial scale” installation near Perth later this year, using a fully submerged device that uses wave power to pump water to shore for conversion to electricity. And there are signs that big-company buy-in is starting, as evidenced by Lockheed Martin’s Australia project, which will use a buoy technology that generates electricity from the rising and falling of waves.

Another company, M3 Wave, plans to install a new device just off the Oregon coast this summer. M3 will be using a pressure-based device, sitting out of sight on the ocean floor. As a wave passes over it, air inside the device is pushed by pressure changes from one chamber to another, spinning a turbine to generate electricity.

So far, projects producing only a handful of megawatts have actually made it into the water, but experts say the industry needn’t settle on one device before substantial progress occurs.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if what we eventually find is there will be a device that we use in deeper water, and a device that we use nearer the shore,” said Belinda Batten, a professor at Oregon State University and the director of the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center.

The process to refine those technologies is ongoing. The European Marine Energy Centre in Scotland’s Orkney Islands allows companies to connect their devices to existing infrastructure and cabling to test their electricity-generating capabilities and identify problems. Batten said her center based at Oregon State is in the permitting and approval process for a counterpart testing center that will enable companies to connect to the existing electricity grid for testing purposes.

The location of those two testing sites is no accident, as they are situated in maritime regions known for energetic waves. The Pacific Northwest and Alaska will likely have a monopoly on the U.S.’s first generation of wave projects, while in Europe the United Kingdom — Scotland in particular — is focusing heavily on wave energy development. The U.K. government says the country could potentially get as much as 75 percent of its energy needs from the waves and tides combined; the U.S. Department of Energy, meanwhile, estimates that wave power in the U.S. could generate as much 1,170 terawatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to more than one quarter of all U.S. electricity consumption.

Thresher of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory says that wave power’s first markets may well be in remote places like Alaska, where energy is expensive because of reliance on costly imported fuels like diesel. “There has been an interest in some of the island communities,” Thresher said.

With the industry starting to develop larger projects and continuing to test myriad devices in search of the best designs, does that mean wave power could finally be on its way, just as wind was 25 years ago?

Jason Busch, executive director of the Oregon Wave Energy Trust — a non-profit group dedicated to helping advance the industry — said that there are too many variables, such as the price of natural gas or eventual passage of a carbon tax, to apply the experience of wind or solar power to a different technology and time period.

“In my opinion the biggest issue is the failure to price carbon,” said Busch. “As long as we refuse to internalize the cost of greenhouse gases, then we’re playing on an unlevel playing field.”

In spite of the hurdles, though, he thinks that steady technical progress will lead to substantial amounts of grid-connected wave power by 2035. “In the course of 10 years we have gone from having zero wave energy technologies that are even remotely viable to having several in the water, and on the cusp of commercial viability,” Busch said. “We’re making some really good progress.” ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of May 31, 2014 to June 1, 2014:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturdays, 12 – 1 p.m.
Free
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Pop-Up Audubon
Saturdays and Sundays, April 5 – October 19, 12 – 5 p.m. / November – December, 12 – 4 p.m.
Free
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.

Sunday, June 1, 2014
Morning Bird Walk: Local Nesters
Sunday, June 1, 8 a.m.
Free
Meet the amazing local birds raising families in Prospect Park on this expert-guided walk. Start your Sunday morning surrounded by nature!

Pop-Up Audubon
Saturdays and Sundays, April 5 – October 19, 12 – 5 p.m. / November – December, 12 – 4 p.m.
Free
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways
Leader: Mike Yuan
Focus: coastal breeding birds, late migrants, shorebirds
Car fee: $12.00
Registrar: Dennis Hrehowsik, email deepseagangster@gmail.com
Registration Period: May 20th - May 29th Mar 4 - Mar 13

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Wallkill River NWR and Environs
Leader: Diana Teta
Registrar: Karen Asakawa – avocet501@gmail.com or 347-306-0690
Registration opens: Monday May 19
Ride: $40

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Littoral Society
Saturday, May 31, 2014
10 AM – 1 PM
Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds
Guide: Don Riepe, American Littoral Society
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and carpool to the Broad Channel beach site to see the annual mating ritual of the horseshoe crab and the shorebirds that feed on eggs of the crabs. This program is free and in partnership with NYC Audubon and Gateway National Recreation Area. For questions and rsvp, email: NEChapter@littoralsociety.org or call (718)474-0896.

Sunday, June 1, 2014
Time: 1 PM - 5 PM
Community Marsh Planting Day in Jamaica Bay!
Open Call for Volunteers! Please join us for a community-led planting and restoration day on Ruler's Bar and Blackwall marsh islands in Jamaica Bay. For the second year, we are teaming up with the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers to organize a day of planting plugs of spartina alterniflora (marsh grass), repairing fencing and clearing debris as part of our Marsh Restoration Initiative, the first-ever community led marsh restoration project in a National Park.

Limited number of spots available. Advance registration required, along with completion of waiver forms. Click here to register.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, May 31, 2014
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, May 31, 2014, 7:00am – 8:30am
The Birds of Woodlawn Cemetery
Guides: Tod Winston, Joseph McManus, Woodlawn Conservancy Docent With the Woodlawn Conservancy Meet at the Jerome Avenue entrance of Woodlawn Cemetery. Join us for a morning bird walk and tour of beautiful Woodlawn Cemetery: Tod Winston and Joseph Mcmanus will look for spring migrants and year-round residents on the expansive, wooded cemetery grounds, while a Woodlawn Conservancy docent shares fascinating stories about Woodlawn’s history and the interesting mixture of individuals interred there. Limited to 15. To register, call the Woodlawn Conservancy at 718-920-1469. Adult admission $15; Seniors, students, and NYC Audubon members $10 (payment at time of walk).
Free admission for children under 6.

Saturday, May 31, 2014, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walk (spring)
Guide: NYC Audubon, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy 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 212-691-7483. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Saturday, May 31, 2014, 10am – 1pm
NYC Audubon Horsehoe Crabs and Shorebirds
Guide: Don Riepe with Gateway National Recreation Area Meet at the the Jamaica Bay NWR Visitor Center to see the annual mating ritual of the prehistoric horseshoe crab, along with red knots, sanderlings, and ruddy turnstones. Hike along the beach and marshland edges to see fiddler crabs, egrets, and othe wildlife. Bring lunch and binoculars.
To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. Limited to 25. Free

Sunday, June 1, 2014, 1pm – 5pm
Community Saltmarsh Grass Planting
With American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers Join us for a community-led planting and restoration day on Ruler’s Bar and Blackwall marsh islands in Jamaica Bay. For the second year, we are teaming up with the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers to organize a day of planting plugs of Spartina alterniflora (saltmarsh grass), repairing fencing, and clearing debris as part of our Marsh Restoration Initiative, the first-ever community led marsh restoration project in a National Park.
Please contact the American Littoral Society at 718-474-0896 to register for the event. NYC Audubon is providing transportation from Manhattan; to reserve a seat please RSVP to volunteer@nycaudubon.org. Limited to 40

Sunday, June 1, 2014, 6pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Jamaica Bay
Guide: Gabriel Willow With New York Water Taxi Meet at South Street Seaport's Pier 16. 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 140. Pricing varies by destination.

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, June 1, 2014, 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Old Mill Road
Meet behind St Andrew’s Church, at the end of Old Mill Road. Participants will be enveloped in scenic old woodlands as we visit the historic remains of Ketchum’s Mill. We will continue onto the red trail where will visit a swamp forest dominated by iconic tree species like red maple, sweetgum, and pin oak.
For more information e-mail Will Lenihan at wleni5584@gmail.com or call 518-645-0220.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Bird Walk at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.
NYC Audubon experts lead the way as we marvel at quirky but logical bird behavior and delicate feathers in exquisite patterns. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear sturdy…
Free!

Birding: Hawk Watch at Parking Lot, Queens
11:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. We offer birding programs…
Free!

Pop-Up Audubon: Wonderful Warblers at Binnen Bridge (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join the Alliance to learn about the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home.
Free!

Sunday, June 1, 2014
Pop-Up Audubon: Incredible Invertebrates at Entrance to the Ravine, downhill from the Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

This Osprey is possible the most intimidating guard one could post to watch for scofflaws at this Brooklyn park. Prior to the banning of the pesticide DDT, populations of this raptor declined so precipitously that they were listed as endangered in New York and other states. They have since rebounded and are now more favorably listed as "Special Concern". Like owls, the Osprey is the only other raptor whose outer toe is reversible, allowing them to hold their prey with two toes facing forward and two facing back.

Dawn Birding at the Marsh

Below is an edit of a piece that I just posted on the New York State birding forum:

I decided to take a break from searching for migrating songbirds in the wooded areas of Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery. Instead, on Saturday morning Heydi Lopes and I headed down to the water's edge. We ended up birding at Brooklyn's Plum Beach from 5am until about 8am. Low-tide was at 4:35am and we had hoped to find some shorebirds on one of Brooklyn's few remaining mudflats. We were also looking for wading birds, rails and marsh sparrows within the small marsh that lies between the dunes to the south and parkway to the north. It was a pretty good morning with one nice surprise.

With only moonlight illuminating the beach when we first arrived, it was difficult to identify most of the birds within a fairly decent sized flock of shorebirds roosting close to shore. As the sky lightened we eventually figured out that they were mostly Sanderling, Least Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper. There was also a single Ruddy Turnstone in the mix. A few Black-bellied Plover were much farther from the shore, as were the ubiquitous oystercatchers and a couple of Willets.

This east-west peninsula on the north side of Jamaica Bay runs from Sheepshead Bay to Plum Channel. The eastern terminus gives birders access to the remnant marsh habitat here. Along our walk towards the rising sun we encountered a couple of hundred overturned horseshoe crabs having just made their annual pilgrimage to this beach to spawn. We spent probably 30 minutes flipping them back over so they could make their way back to the water and to also protect them from hungry, opportunistic gulls that would peck open their soft, vulnerable underside. I'm not sure how or why they always end up this way here. A ranger told me that strong outgoing tides could possible be to blame. Horseshoe crab populations are in steep decline and their eggs are an important food source for migrating shorebirds. If you ever see them struggling to right themselves, please lend a hand. They may look scary, but are quite harmless. Just lift them from either side of their shell and turn them back over.

The most obvious change at the marsh side of Plum Beach since my last visit 2 weeks earlier was the sound of lots of quarreling Clapper Rails. These chicken-like marsh birds are more often heard than seen as their scurry around under the cover of spartina grass, but on Saturday we spotted several walking around the edges of the mud and occasionally chasing each other. Another marsh bird we encountered here was Seaside Sparrow. Their wispy song is often described as a distant Red-winged Blackbird. Saltmarsh Sparrow is another marsh specialist that is usually only found in Brooklyn here or along Gerritsen Creek. I cupped me ears trying to tease out the weak, "whisper" song of this pretty sparrow with an orange-yellow face. We never heard one. A Little Blue Heron was seen mostly at the far west side of the marsh. Several terns circled the area and a large flock of Black Skimmers flew in and settled down on the beach at around 6am.

The morning's extreme low-tide drained the marsh down to the point where we were able to walk down into the muddy bowl at the center. At one point Heydi inadvertently flushed up a tiny wading bird that flew out in front of me. I shouted to her, "Least Bittern!" This Brooklyn rarity then quickly dropped down into the grass near the north side of the marsh. Our friends Keir and Tom, who had arrived about an hour after us, were making their way down the beach, and texted me almost immediately after I tweeted out news of the bittern. We waited for them before attempting to refind this tiny heron. Cautiously approaching the far side of the marsh to check the edges of one channel, we still managed to flush the bird again and it flew deeper into the marsh. I felt really bad for stressing the bird and we didn't pursue it again, instead we scanned with our scopes from the opposite side of the marsh. Not surprisingly, this small, secretive bird had vanished into the grass. This was only the third time that I'd seen a Least Bittern in Brooklyn in 22 years. The first one I found perched, uncharacteristically, in a cherry tree in Prospect Park. The date was April 4, 2004. Here's a photo of the bird taken by my friend Steve:



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Location: Plum Beach
Date: May 17, 2014
Species: 47

Brant
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Little Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Clapper Rail
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Skimmer (approx. 200)
Chimney Swift
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Fish Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Marsh Wren
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Yellow Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Seaside Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle

Other common species seen (or heard):
Mute Swan, Mallard, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, European Starling, House Sparrow ...Read more

Green-Wood Red-tailed Hawk Update

I went into Green-Wood Cemetery the other day to check in on the nesting Red-tailed Hawks. It is around the time when we should be seeing signs of hatchlings.

This year's nest is in a pine tree at the opposite side of "The Flats" from the previous year's. Also, "Junior" has a new, as-yet-to-be-given-a-name mate. I was excited at the prospect of a new hawk generation. My optimism turned to disappointment when I found an empty nest. Earlier, as I walked across the cemetery towards the nest, I spotted a pair of adult red-tails soaring together over Central Ridge. It seemed too early in the breeding season for the pair to be out hunting together and I got a bad feeling about the sighting. I sat on the hillside opposite the nest tree for over 30 minutes hoping that, perhaps, the parents felt it was safe enough to leave their offspring for just a short period of time. In the past I have observed the parents leaving the nest for 10 or 15 minute intervals, but at this early date 30 minutes could only be a bad sign. I won't speculate why they might not have been successful as there are lots of reasons. Maybe next year.

On my walk to the nest I had had a very funny experience. There has been at least one immature Red-tailed Hawk (a "Brown-tailed) hanging around the cemetery and I crossed paths with what looked like a small male hawk near DeWitt Clinton's statue. The hawk was standing in the grass on the hillside above the monument. There were several nearby robins making nonstop alarm calls. At first I thought that the young raptor had just caught a robin as its head was down, its bill busy with some unseen prey. Then it jerked its head up and tossed a piece of wood into the air. The hawk ran over to where it landed and jabbed it with its razor-sharp talons. Grabbing what looked like a chunk of bark, the hawk repeated the move, throwing it into the air, then running over to retrieve it. This play went on for a few minutes until it got a little too close to me for comfort and the red-tail flew off, toy held firmly in its talons. Here's a series of shots I took of the action:






...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

The following article was just posted in "Wildlife News:"

$200 to reduce albatross deaths by 95%
Posted by: Kevin Heath

A $200 device that can be fitted to trawlers has been demonstrated to reduce albatross by-catch deaths by 95% and scientists are now calling for the devices to be made mandatory. The bird scarring lines also reduce by-catch deaths of other birds by between 73% and 95% during the winter months.

A research paper published in Animal Conservation show how successful a simple bird-scaring line attached to trawlers can be to prevent birds from becoming entangled in nets and cables. The study used data collected from trawl fisheries in the South African deep-water hake trawl fishery.

In 2004, 9300 birds died in the fishery including 7,200 albatrosses. The researchers then studied the by-catch of trawlers fitted with the single deterrent of bird-scaring lines during the years 2006 – 2010. If the fitting of bird-scarring lines were mandatory the research estimated that 990 sea birds would have been killed with 83 albatrosses killed.

The bird-scarring lines were particularly effective with albatrosses – in by-catch of unfitted trawlers albatrosses made up the majority if killed sea birds while in trawlers fitted with the line the percentage of by-catch being albatrosses’ dropped to 22%.

Albatrosses are the most threatened group of birds on earth, with fishery-related deaths being the biggest threat to this group. Due to the many months they spend at sea at a time, Albatrosses produce few off-spring, meaning that these deaths have a disproportionately damaging impact on the global population.

The sea birds are most at risk during the winter when nets are being set and bait being laid.

Paper reference: Maree, B. A., Wanless, R. M., Fairweather, T. P., Sullivan, B. J. and Yates, O. (2014), Significant reductions in mortality of threatened seabirds in a South African trawl fishery. Animal Conservation. doi: 10.1111/acv.12126 ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of May 24, 2014 to May 25, 2014:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturdays, through June 28, 12 – 1 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, May 24, 2014
Doodletown and Sterling Forest
Leader: Tom Preston
Focus: migration peak and early breeding birds
Car Fee: $35.00
Registrar: JoAnn Preston, email (preferred) jocrochet@verizon.net or call 1-718-344-8420 before 9PM
Registration Period: May 13th - May 22nd
Note: group limited to 16 participants

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday May 24, 2014; rain date May 25
Doodletown and Mine Road
Leader: Paul Keim
Registrar: Anne Lazarus – amlazarus@earthlink.net or 212-673-9059
Registration opens: Monday May 12
Ride: $30

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, May 24, 2014
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, May 24, 2014, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walk (spring)
Guide: NYC Audubon, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy 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 212-691-7483. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Sunday, May 25, 2014, 10am – 11am
Birding for Families
Sundays, March 2 - May 25, 10-11am Guides: NYC Audubon Offered by the Central Park Conservancy Meet at the Dana Discovery Center (inside the Park at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues). Bring the kids and visit one of New York City’s richest bird habitats. Learn as a family how to spot and identify our feathered neighbors in their natural surroundings. Binoculars can be borrowed from the Visitor Center. For weather cancellation information, call 212-860-1370. Limited to 20. Age 5 and up.
Free. Click here to learn more and to register

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North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Lenore Figueroa: 718-343-1391

Walks are for beginners and experienced birders alike. Weather permitting, walks start at 9:30 a.m. unless indicated otherwise. If in doubt, call the trip leader. Please note: all phone numbers are code 516 unless otherwise shown. In most cases, your contacts are the trip leaders.
The early winter walks are leaderless. For questions, contact Wendy Murbach at 546-6303.
For directions, click sitefinder view.
We encourage carpooling where feasable.

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, May 25, 2014, 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
High Rock Park
Meet in the Nevada Avenue parking lot at High Rock Park. Participants will experience the legacy of biodiversity left behind by the Wisconsin Glacier 12,000 years ago. The diverse glacial soil of High Rock Park Supports an even more diverse array of native wildflowers. We will search for these species and visit scenic Stump Pond along the way.
For more information e-mail Will Lenihan at wleni5584@gmail.com or call 518-645-0220.

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Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Sterling Forest Minitrip
Leader: Arie Gilbert 917-693-7178
Note: Mini Trips break after lunch +/-

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Bird Walk at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.
NYC Audubon experts lead the way as we marvel at quirky but logical bird behavior and delicate feathers in exquisite patterns. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear sturdy…
Free!

Summer on the Hudson: Nature Walks at West 79th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
May 24th’s walk will start at the 79th Street Boat Basin and will explore the trees and birds along the river to the gardens at West 91st Street.
Free!

Pop-Up Audubon: Wonderful Warblers at Binnen Bridge (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join the Alliance to learn about the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home.
Free!

Sunday, May 25, 2014
Birding: Hawk Watch at High Rock Park, Staten Island
9:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. We offer birding programs…
Free!

Freshkills Park Birding Hike at Eltingville Transit Center (in Freshkills Park), Staten Island
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Join us as we search for the birds of Freshkills Park along the site's wetlands, creeks and meadows with naturalists from the Staten Island Museum.
Free!

Pop-Up Audubon: Wonderful Warblers at Binnen Bridge (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free! ...Read more

Raining Birds in Brooklyn

Last Saturday was probably my best single day of spring migration birding in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in the past 10 years. My birding buddy, Heydi, and I spent over 8 hours in the park, finishing with 92 species. Nearly one quarter of those species were wood-warblers. My previous recent high of 87 species was on May 9, 2009.

On Friday evening the wind conditions seemed perfect for a big arrival of neotropic migrants heading north. And it was. So much so, that Saturday felt like some kind of avian holiday. If birds were gifts then our time in Prospect Park was like a Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Ramadan celebration all wrapped up in a single afternoon. We had actually planned on attempting another Big Brooklyn Day birding in several location, but were finding so many birds in the park, that we tossed out our agenda and decided to spend most of the day at that one location.

Like the previous weekend, we began our day before sunrise at Floyd Bennett Field to listen for nocturnal species. In addition to the breeding woodcocks here, we had hoped to find nightjars and a Barn Owl. With only woodcock and Field Sparrow on our list from Floyd we headed over to Prospect Park. From the moment we entered the park at sunrise near Grand Army Plaza we were hearing or seeing dozens of bird species. They were everywhere - in the treetops, within the understory or even walking along the footpaths. By the time we arrived at our first stop in the Vale of Cashmere (a walk of approximately 300 yards), we'd already tallied 12 species of warbler. It was probably at around that point I realized we were going to have a difficult time leaving Prospect Park. By 7:30am we were up to 20 species of warbler.

At some point in the morning we received word from our friend, Mike, of a termite hatch-out on Lookout Hill near the Maryland Monument. For many birds, a termite hatch-out is the equivalent to an All-You-Can-Eat free smorgasbord. Songbirds that one normally has to crane their neck to find feeding in the treetops, drop down to the understory for the windfall. We weren't far away, on the Butterfly Meadow, where a trio of Common Loons, a small flock of Glossy Ibis and 2 species of cormorant had just flown passed. There was so much to see and hear that we didn't actually make it to the hatch-out for another hour. During that time we picked up another couple of warbler species, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Lincoln's Sparrow. The activity at multiple hatch-outs in the woods of Lookout Hill wasn't too crazy, but we did get great views of several warbler species including Cape May Warbler and Blackburnian Warbler.

At some point we decided to head to nearby Green-Wood Cemetery and arrived back at Heydi's car just in time for torrential rains and high winds. The downpour was as sudden as it was overwhelming. Water was overflowing the streets and onto sidewalks as branches were snapping from trees. Traffic from people escaping the park was at a near standstill. I suggested that we forget about the cemetery and head to Floyd Bennett Field where the storm would have created huge puddles attracting gulls, terns and shorebirds riding out the storm.

Driving south on Ocean Avenue was stop and go until about Foster Avenue. From that point we made every green traffic light for 14 blocks. We were excited about the prospect of finding storm birds on the runways at Floyd Bennett. Then something weird happened. Making our way down Flatbush Avenue, we crossed over the highway near the north end of Floyd Bennett Field and Heydi pointed out that the roadway was dry. Not dry as in the traffic had caused the water to evaporate, but dry as in, it never rained at this location. Sure enough, there weren't any puddles or storm birds on the runways, just a small flock of Glossy Ibis on the grasslands. Huge, dark clouds ringed the horizon, but magically not over this national park. I suggested that we head over to Gerritsen Creek to look for shorebirds and wading birds. When we were only a few blocks away Dennis, who was already there with his team, tweeted about a Tricolored Heron. I usually only see this medium-sized, colorful wading bird at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, so was excited about getting to add it to my year list a little closer to home.

The heron was right were they left it, close to the trailhead on the east side of the creek. Clapper Rails were calling from several locations in the marsh grass along the edge of the trail. An Osprey was still sitting on eggs at the south end nest platform. A few Least Terns dove for fish in the creek while Barn Swallows skimmed low over the grass. We chatted with Dennis, Bobbi and Kristin for a few minutes then went our separate ways; they to their next Birdathon location, us farther south along the creek. A few minutes later Heydi spotted a small flock of yellowlegs in the low-tide exposed mudflats. Within their ranks was a lone Black-bellied Plover. Also nearby was a Semipalmated Plover. In addition to the 10 year birds that I had added at Prospect Park, were 3 from Gerritsen Creek.

I don't think we'll see the same diversity of birds this weekend as we did last weekend, however the abundance should still be pretty good. Hopefully, there will also be some more shorebirds...or maybe even a surprise.

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Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Date: May 10, 2014 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Species: 92

Wood Duck (2.)
Ruddy Duck (1.)
Common Loon (3, flying low over Lookout Hill.)
Double-crested Cormorant (18.)
Great Cormorant (1, in flock of DC Cormorants. Much larger than others in flock; white throat and hip patch visible.)
Great Blue Heron (2.)
Great Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis (6, flying low over Lookout Hill.)
Red-tailed Hawk (1.)
Spotted Sandpiper (1.)
Laughing Gull
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2.)
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1.)
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo (1.)
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1.)
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch (1.)
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (1.)
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing

Ovenbird (40, most abundant warbler encountered all day.)
Worm-eating Warbler (2.)
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler (1.)
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler (5.)
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler (1.)
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler (4.)
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler (1.)
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler (1, in elm tree in front of Quaker Cemetery.)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler (1.)

Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow (1.)
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager (15.)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting (5.)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon), Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Barn Swallows are the only North American swallow with a deeply forked tail. This sparrow-sized swallow is the most abundant swallow species and is found world wide except for Antarctica and Australia. Primarily insectivores, they feed on beetles, crickets, flies, grasshoppers and other flying insects. One study found that a single individual could consume, on average, 60 insects per hour or nearly 6,000 per week. Motivating Barn Swallows to nest within our city's parks is probably a better solution to summer mosquitoes than insecticides. They build their mud and saliva nests mainly on man-made structures.

Flying Kites in Brooklyn

Here's a slightly reworked piece that I posted on the New York State birding forum on Sunday:

In birding, sometimes the story surrounding a good sighting is almost more priceless than the actual bird. I think you might agree that a serendipitous experience in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery this past Sunday falls into that category.

The story truly begins on April 14th when a birder named Jennifer Keplar spotted, then photographed a Swallow-tailed Kite over Prospect Park's Lullwater. Mind you this was at a time when many of us fanatical birders were talking about and actively looking for one of these rarities. Also of note is that none of the regular Brooklyn birders knew this person as she apparently doesn't bird here very often. Flash forward to Sunday when the Brooklyn Bird Club posted on their Facebook page another photo by Jennifer. This time it was an immature Mississippi Kite that she photographed while birding in Green-Wood Cemetery on Saturday!

On Sunday I slept relatively late after an amazing (and long) day of birding when I tallied 92 species of bird just in Prospect Park. After breakfast I was looking at Jennifer's photos online, comparing it to other images of immature Mississippi Kites while chatting on the phone with a birding buddy. At 8:30am I decided to bike over to Green-Wood Cemetery for some much more restained birding, not even thinking about kites. At the Crescent Water I converged with birders Tom Preston and his wife, Jo Ann, and Paige Linden with her young daughter and sister, Gabby. We had exhausted the few birds feeding in that area and were mostly chit-chatting. I mentioned that I was thinking of heading up to Battle Hill for a little raptor watching. That comment lead to a brief discussion of Jennifer "The Kite Whisperer". None of us knew her and I mentioned that her profile photo shows her kissing a walrus, to which Tom replied, "I don't know about you, but if it takes kissing a walrus to see a kite in Brooklyn, I'll do it." We laughed and then I asked, "I wonder how she does it?" Jo Ann said, "I guess she looks up a lot." My response was, "I suppose that's a good start", then looked up into the sky…directly at an immature Mississippi Kite overhead heading northeast just above the tree tops! When the kite disappeared behind the trees and we stopped laughing, high-fiving and hugging, I struggled to get out my phone to tweet, text and call as many people as possible. I still can't believe it happened and am really glad I don't have to kiss a walrus, although I suspect Tom may have been secretly looking forward to it himself. BTW - this was my 306th life Kings County bird.

None of us were fast enough to get a pic of the kite on Sunday, but here is Jennifer's photo of her Green-Wood Cemetery Mississippi Kite from Saturday. You can check out more of her photos on her blog here. ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

Pesticide Main Cause for Honeybee Colony Collapse

The following article was just published in the Christian Science Monitor:

World's No. 1 pesticide brings honeybees to their knees, say scientists

A new study from Harvard implicates two neonicotinoid pesticides, imidacloprid and clothianidin, in the ongoing plague of honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder. Imidacloprid is the most widely used pesticide in the world, and both are approved by the EPA.

By Fabien Tepper, Staff writer / May 9, 2014

A team of Harvard biologists has come closer to cracking the mystery of honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), eight years after its appearance.

CCD persists in transforming bee colonies around the world into ghost towns: by the end of each winter, some colonies wind up littered with dead bees and emptied of many more, with no signs of renewal.

"One of the defining symptomatic observations of CCD colonies is the emptiness of hives in which the amount of dead bees found inside the hives do not account for the total numbers of bees present prior to winter when they were alive," states the report, published May 9 in the Bulletin of Insectology.

The exact mechanism behind these collapses remains dauntingly unclear, but they have been linked with pathogen infestation, malnutrition, and pesticide exposure. This week's report strongly indicates that two neonicotinoid insecticides that are widely used on crops can decimate honeybee colonies' winter survival rates, whether or not mites or parasites are present.

The two chemicals, imidacloprid and clothianidin, both block insects' central nervous systems, killing them by paralysis. Imidacloprid is the world's most widely-used insecticide, and has been registered for use in the US since the 1994; clothianidin was registered in 2003 by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which found that it had passed honeybee-specific toxicity tests.

These scientists studied the health of 18 bee colonies in central Massachusetts over a six-month period spanning the winter of 2012-2013. Six of the colonies were fed sugar spiked with sub-lethal doses of imidacloprid, six had theirs laced with clothianidin, and six less-unfortunate control colonies ate clean sugar, starting in October.

All of the colonies went about their apian routines in good form throughout the fall. But by late January, six of the 12 poisoned colonies experienced collapses with CCD-like symptoms, like en-masse disappearance and the presence of un-hatched young. Of the six control hives, only one failed to survive the winter, seemingly due to an infestation by Nosema Ceranae parasites.

"The honey bee clusters in the six surviving neonicotinoid treated colonies were very small, and were either without queen bees or had no brood," reports the study, suggesting the poisons harm the animals' abilities to raise and train new young. In contrast, the five surviving control hives replenished their populations quickly, as the winter gave way to spring.

According to the report, these results "reinforce the conclusion that sublethal exposure to neonicotinoids is likely the main culprit for the occurrence of CCD."

The finding raises a large question for further study: Why do honeybees, who don't normally abandon their hives during winter, do so when poisoned by neonicotinoids?

The finding may point to "the impairment of honey bee neurological functions, specifically memory, cognition, or behavior, as the results from the chronic sublethal neonicotinoid exposure," suggest the authors. "Although the failure to initiate brood rearing and the vanishing of the worker caste in the neonicotinoid-treated colonies might be governed by completely different mechanisms, they suggest the possible involvement of cascading events prior to the occurrence of CCD."

The study comes amid a busy spring season for honey bee research. Last month a team of Kenyan biologists found that African honey bees seem be impervious to the pests, Varroa and Nosema, which plague honey bee populations in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

And earlier this week Brazilian scientists identified two substances in honeybees' brains, that appear to vary as the insects move through space and time, guiding their age-related division of labor. ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of May 17, 2014 to May 18, 2014:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturdays, through June 28, 12 – 1 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, May 17, 2014
Ridgewood Reservoir, Brooklyn/Queens Border
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Focus: peak of migratory birds
Car Fee: $10.00
Registrar: Peter Dorosh, email (preferred) prosbird@aol.com or text message to 1-347-622-3559
Registration Period: May 6th-May 15th

Sunday, May 18, 2014
Greenwood Cemetery NOTE NEW MEETING SPOT: 8 am at the east GWC entrance at 20th Street and Prospect Park West Ave (formerly 9th Ave) http://tinyurl.com/GWCBBCmay18
Leader: Ed Crowne
Focus: peak of migratory birds
Directions: Nearest train is F or G lines to 15th St/Prospect Park stop. Walk west 4 blocks on Prospect Park West. http://www.green-wood.com

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The Bronx Zoo
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Bronx Zoo Birdathon
The Wildlife Conservation Society is hosting a Bronx Zoo Birdathon on Saturday, May 17, during the peak of the spring migration season.

This first annual bird-watching event is open to experienced birders as well as families and novices. Participants will be able to observe wild birds during their seasonal migration and birds throughout the zoo’s exhibits. Prizes will be presented to those that are able to observe the most birds on their checklists.
Have any questions? Contact us at einfo@wcs.org

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Gowanus Dredgers
Saturday, May 17, 2014, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Gowanus Walking Tour with Conservancy
Reserve your ticket by sending an email to education@gowanuscanalconservancy.org. Tickets are $15 and can be paid by credit card or cash at the start of the tour, or by phone at 718-541-4378, Monday-Friday during regular business hours.

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Littoral Society
Saturday, May 17, 2014, 10:00am - 01:00pm
Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and carpool to the Broad Channel beach site to see the annual mating ritual of the horseshoe crab and the shorebirds that feed on the eggs of the crabs, with American Littoral Society naturalist, Don Riepe. This program is free and in partnership with NYC Audubon and Gateway National Recreation Area.
Contact : For questions and rsvp, please call (718)474-0896 or email: NEChapter@littoralsociety.org.

Saturday, May 17, 2014, 04:00pm - 07:00pm
Jamaica Bay Sunset Ecology Cruise
Guides: Mickey Maxwell Cohen and Don Riepe of the American Littoral Society
Departs from Pier 4, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY. Join local, noted naturalists, Don Riepe and Mickey Maxwell Cohen for a special three hour cruise into the backwater marshes of the bay aboard the Golden Sunshine. Learn about the history and ecology of the bay and see mesting peregrine falcon, osprey, egrets, herons, ibis and many other bird species. This trip is in partnership with Gateway National Recreation Area.
Cost: $55 per person; includes narrated tour, wine, cheese, fruit and snacks.
To pay by credit card, click here. To pay by check, write check to "American Littoral Society" and mail to: American Littoral Society, 28 West 9th Road, Broad Channel, NY.
For questions email: NEChapter@littoralsociety.org or call the office at 718-474-0896.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, May 17, 2014
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, May 17, 2014, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walk (spring)
Guide: NYC Audubon, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy 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 212-691-7483. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

Saturday, May 17, 2014, 9am – 12pm
Spring Migration on Randall's Island
Guides: Gabriel Willow, Chris Girgenti With Randall's Island Park Alliance, Inc. Meet on the N.W. corner of 102nd Street and the FDR Drive. We'll walk across the foot bridge to Randall's Island, an under-explored location on the East River that hosts restored freshwater wetlands and salt marsh. We'll look for spring migrants (both waterbirds and land birds) as we explore the results of recent restoration efforts. Two miles of walking and some modest climbs. Limited to 20. $32 (22)
Click here to read about the restoration of Randall's Island's salt marsh and freshwater wetlands.
Click here to register.

Saturday, May 17, 2014, 10am – 1pm
NYC Audubon Horsehoe Crabs and Shorebirds
Guide: Don Riepe with Gateway National Recreation Area Meet at the the Jamaica Bay NWR Visitor Center to see the annual mating ritual of the prehistoric horseshoe crab, along with red knots, sanderlings, and ruddy turnstones. Hike along the beach and marshland edges to see fiddler crabs, egrets, and othe wildlife. Bring lunch and binoculars. To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. Limited to 25. Free

Saturday, May 17, 2014, 4pm – 7pm
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 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. Limited to 140. $55

Sunday, May 18, 2014, 9am – 12pm
Nesting Peregrines and Red-Tails of the UPW Side
Guide: Gabriel Willow Meet in front of Riverside Church. Many New Yorkers are astonished to discover that their city of steel and glass is home to a large population of large birds of prey: The City boasts the world’s highest densities of the peregrine falcon, the world's fastest flyer, and a growing population of red-tailed hawks (several pairs of which have reached celebrity status). We’ll visit the nesting site of a pair of each of these fascinating species, and may glimpse parents feeding their chicks. Limited to 15. $39 (27) Click here to register.

Sunday, May 18, 2014, 10am – 11am
Birding for Families
Sundays, March 2 - May 25, 10-11am Guides: NYC Audubon Offered by the Central Park Conservancy Meet at the Dana Discovery Center (inside the Park at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues). Bring the kids and visit one of New York City’s richest bird habitats. Learn as a family how to spot and identify our feathered neighbors in their natural surroundings. Binoculars can be borrowed from the Visitor Center. For weather cancellation information, call 212-860-1370. Limited to 20. Age 5 and up.
Free. Click here to learn more and to register

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New York Wildflower Week
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Nature Walks, MN:
Native Plants, Wildflowers and Restoration in Central Park's Ramble

Children's Events, MN:
Interactive Nature Fair

Garden Tours, MN:
Native Plant Habitat at LCBH Community Garden

Garden Tours, MN:
Native Woodland Garden at NYU

Nature Walks, MN:
Spring Fungi Walk

Nature Walks, QU:
Spring Flora and Invasives Removal

Plantings / Actions, BK:
Gowanus Canal Planting

Sunday, May 18, 2014
Children's Events, MN:
Experience Life as a Plant

Nature Walks, SI:
Walking Among Wildflowers Hike

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, May 17, 2014, 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Forest Restoration Workshop in the Egbertville Ravine
Meet at the side of Meisner Road (toward the Eger Home) close to the intersection of Meisner and Rockland. We will follow the White Trail south to Nevada Avenue on the way uprooting and cutting Mutliflora Rose and pulling Garlic Mustard that compete with native plants. If you don’t have your own, Protectors will supply gloves, tools (and refreshments). After a two hour work session (our 213th trails) we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
Call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 or Chuck Perry at 718-667-1393 for more information.

Saturday, May 17, 2014, 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Page Avenue Beach at low tide
We’ll begin with a look at the local geology then move to examining the flotsam and jetsam accumulated at the high tide lines to see what nature’s debris has to tell us. As the water recedes with the tide we’ll move into the intertidal zone to find out what sorts of living things survive in this challenging environment. A variety of crabs, snails, clams, worms and small fish are likely to be discovered at this time of year. It’s going to be muddy so dress appropriately. Meet at the parking lot at the bottom of Page Avenue below Hylan Boulevard.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, May 18, 2014, 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.
Allison Pond Park
Join naturalist Mike Shanley as he explores Allison Pond Park in search of early spring migrants. This park, a rich, woodland bordering the Goodhue Woods, offers excellent spring birding along stream and woodland trail. Please bring binoculars and dress accordingly. Meet at the corner of Prospect Avenue and Brentwood Avenue near Snug Harbor.
For more information e-mail Mike Shanley at Falecore@yahoo.com

Sunday, May 18, 2014, 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. If it’s raining at the time of the walk, the event is postponed to Sunday, May 25.
For more information, e-mail Hillel Lofaso at hillel5757@gmail.com or call 718-477-0545.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, May 17, 2014 – Sunday, May 18, 2014
Annual Weekend DoodleBash
Leader: Ian Resnick - 917-626-9562

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South Shore Audubon Society
May 18, 2014
Alley Pond Park, 76th Ave.

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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Staten Island Museum
Saturday, May 17, 2014, All Day
Big Day Bird Count
Location: Staten Island
Free
An all-day Citizen Science event for experienced birders! Call Ed Johnson for details and roundup info. 718.483.7110.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Bird Walk at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.
NYC Audubon experts lead the way as we marvel at quirky but logical bird behavior and delicate feathers in exquisite patterns. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear sturdy…
Free!

Birding: Hawk Watch at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
11:00 a.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. Birding programs are…
Free!

Pop-Up Audubon: Wonderful Warblers at Binnen Bridge (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join the Alliance to learn about the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home.
Free!

Sunday, May 18, 2014
Pop-Up Audubon: Wonderful Warblers at Binnen Bridge (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.
Free! ...Read more