Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of August 23, 2014 to August 24, 2014:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, August 23, 2014
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, invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.

Sunday, August 24, 2014
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, invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park.

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Littoral Society
Saturday, August 23rd, 2014, 7am-5pm
9th Annual Shorebird Festival
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY

Join NYC Audubon members and other birders at the annual festival during peak shorebird migration time in NYC. Meet at the Jamaica Bay Refuge visitor center at 7am (for early birders) to hike around the East Pond during the high tide when birds are in greatest numbers along the controlled shorelines. Others can join in at any time during the day. The event is free and open to the general public, however, a small donation would be appreciated to offset expenses.

Schedule of Events:

7:00 - 7:30 am - Coffee and doughnuts available in the picnic area
7:30 - 10:00am - Hike to East Pond (north and south areas) to observe shorebirds
10:00 - 10:20am - Coffee break, registration
10:30 - 11:15am - Introduction: Refuge Issues and Wildlife Management 2014 (Don Riepe)
11:15 - Noon - Shorebird Photography (Lloyd Spitalnik)
Noon - 1:00pm - Lunch (on own)
1:00 - 4:00pm - Hikes to Breezy Point, Plumb Beach, and other selected birding areas around Jamaica Bay
4:00 - 5:00pm - Shorebird Identification and Behavior (Kevin Karlson)

This event is a partnership program between the American Littoral Society, NYCA, and Gateway NRA.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, August 23, 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, August 23, 2014, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walk
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.


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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, August 24, 2014, 10 A.M. to Noon
Crooke’s Point, Great Kills Park
Join naturalist Mike Shanley as he explores Crooke’s Point at Great Kills Park. Crooke’s Point offers many types of habitat including pristine beach, woodlands, and coastal dunes. The point is an important site for many types of birds and butterfly, so bring binoculars! Mike will discuss the history of the Point and how its character has changed drastically over time. Meet near the restroom in the last public parking lot before the Crooke’s Point entrance.
For more information phone Mike at 917-753-7155.

Sunday, August 24, 2014, 11 A.M. to 1 P.M.
Studies in the Greenbelt: Summer in the Greenbelt
We will explore the Greenbelt including parts of Pouch Camp to observe all the different plants and animals of a unique woodland and its meadows, streams and ponds. Be sure to bring beverage, binoculars and field guides. Meet at the Greta Moulton Gate at the top of Nevada Avenue. If it’s raining at the time of the walk, the event is postponed to Sunday, August 31.
For more information, e-mail Hillel Lofaso at hillel5757@gmail.com or call 718-477-0545.

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Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, August 24, 2014
BioBlitz at Caumsett State Park
Allday trip
Leader: Rich Kelly -- 516-509-1094 7:30am
Event starts at 7:30am. note fee collection at Caumsett begins at 8am

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, August 23, 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!

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, August 24, 2014
Early Morning Bird Walk at Wave Hill, Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Join naturalist Gabriel Willow on a special early morning bird walk. You’ll be amazed by the diversity of birds that are active on the grounds before the gates open to the…