Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of November 29, 2014 to November 30, 2014:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, noon – 1 p.m.
Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird! But what kind of bird is it? Join the Prospect Park Alliance to learn about the magnificent array of birds that call Prospect Park home. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club.

Pop-Up Audubon: Prospect Park Geology
Every Saturday and Sunday, noon – 4 p.m.
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs that explore different areas of Prospect Park each month.

Nature’s Helpers, 1–2 pm
Spend time enjoying nature, while helping to keep the Park clean. Learn about mulching, and how it makes the Park green and healthy. Tools, garbage bags and trash grabbers will be provided.

Nature on the Go!, 2–3 pm
Ever wonder about the history of the Park’s varied landscapes? Did dinosaurs ever roam this land? Join the Prospect Park Alliance for a hike around the Park to view some of its important geologic features. Participants will learn how to use a hand lens and identify different types of rocks.

Family Birdwatching, 3–4 pm
Learn how to identify common birds that populate the Park in the winter months.

Sunday, November 30, 2014, noon – 4 p.m.
Join the Prospect Park Alliance on Thanksgiving weekend for family-friendly activities at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. Explore the Center's exhibits starting at noon, and enjoy hourly programs starting at 1 pm.

Blooming Naturalist: 1–2 pm
So you think you're a naturalist? Enjoy this introduction to bird watching series. Using fun games and activities, learn what makes birds so special in a different lesson every week!

Nature on the Go!: 2–3 pm
Learn about the nature that is all around us. A naturalist leads children and families to areas near the Audubon Center to discover the flora and fauna in the Park.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, November 29, 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, November 29, 2014, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walks, The Bronx
Guides: 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, November 30, 2014, 10am – 11am
Birding for Families in Central Park
Guide: 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. As a family, learn how to spot and identify our feathered neighbors in their natural surroundings. Binoculars can be borrowed from the Dana Center. For weather cancellation information, call 212-860-1370.
Limited to 20. Age 5 and up. Free

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Grand Jones Beach
Meet at Coast Guard Station at 7:15 am
Leaders: Rick and Linda Kedenberg 917-435-2359

Notes
MINI TRIPS: Break after lunch +/-
ALL DAY TRIPS: BYO lunch, dinner out. {optl}
WEEKEND TRIPS: Two + days / Overnight

Trip Etiquette
Please register for trips

1 - Register. Let leaders know you're coming!
2 - Car pooling or skipping requires planning
3 - Be advised if there are last minute changes or cancellations. These cannot be communicated to unknown persons.
4 - Be on time! Most trips begin birding by 8am!
5 - Please arrive before the starting time so we do not waste precious early morning bird activity.
6 - Plan your travel time.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Bird Walk with NYC Audubon 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: Waterfowl at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City.
Free!

Sunday, November 30, 2014
Birding for Families at Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Experience the coming of fall in Central Park when it becomes a precious bird habitat and migration hot spot!
Free!

Nocturnal Wildlife at West 100 Street and Central Park West (in Central Park), Manhattan
5:00 p.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City.
Free!