Friday's Foto

New York City's resident Red-tailed Hawks have begun their spring courtship with the females accepting or rejecting their mate's choice of nest locations. Listen for pairs as they make their familiar down-slurred "kee-eeeee-arr" call. Watch for them circling and talon grabbing in mock aggression. There has been as many as four confirmed nesting pairs in Brooklyn, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more.

A Frozen Brooklyn

Reading this article in Popular Mechanics on the history of windchill inspired me to post some recent photos of birding in the frozen wasteland known as Brooklyn:

Treehugger Tuesday

From the "Environmental News Network" website:

Center for Biological Diversity launches new Environmental Health Program
February 21, 2015 07:47 AM

The Center for Biological Diversity today launched its new Environmental Health program, greatly expanding its capacity to protect wildlife, people and the environment from pesticides, rodenticides, lead, mining, industrial pollution, and air and water pollution.

“The future of people is deeply intertwined with the fate of all the other species that evolved beside us,” said Lori Ann Burd, the program’s director. “This new program will work to protect biodiversity and human health from toxic substances while promoting a deep understanding of the connection between the health of people and imperiled species.”

The use of toxic pesticides has been linked to the decline of monarch butterflies and native pollinators, as well as reproductive harm and kidney damage, among other diseases, in humans. Lead poisoning is a serious problem for species like California condors and golden eagles, and even at low exposure rates lead can cause serious harm to children, including damage to their brains and nervous systems.

“We all rely on a clean and healthy environment to provide the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food that nourishes us,” said Jonathan Evans, the Environmental Health program’s legal director. “The more we protect the incredible wildlife that surrounds us from the rampant onslaught of pollution, the better we leave this earth for future generations of both wildlife and people.”

Two key areas of focus for the program will be:

- Reducing pesticides that threaten people and wildlife and working to ensure dangerous pesticides stay out of our food and away from schools and national wildlife refuges.
- Protecting air and water quality, including tackling toxic soot pollution and battling destructive suction dredge mining.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 825,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, February 28, 2015 to Sunday, March 1, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 28, 2015, 12 PM – 1 PM
Introduction to Birdwatching
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.

Sunday, March 1, 2015, 8 am – 9 am
Early Morning Birdwalk: Gulls Galore
Think all gulls are the same? Take another look by joining the Alliance to explore the Park’s nature trails and discover all the different species of gulls in Prospect Park. Rain or shine. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club.
Please note that this tour leaves promptly at 8 am.

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Fort Tilden Winter Birds
Leader: Dennis Hrehowsik
Focus: Coastal birds, dune species and waterfowl, gulls, raptors
Car fee: $12.00
Registrar: Bobbi Manian, email Roberta.manian@yahoo.com
Registration Period: Feb 17th - Feb 26th

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday — Sunday, February 28 – March 1
Montauk Weekend
Leader: Joe DiConstanzo
Registrar: Dale Dancis – ddancis@gmail.com or 212-724-3269
Registration opens: Monday, February 2
Ride: $80

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, February 28, 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, February 28, 2015, 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”, such as snow buntings and snowy owls, of the Arctic tundra that can occasionally be found in tundra-like habitats further south, . We will travel to the abandoned runways of Floyd Bennett Field (America's first municipal airport) in search of these and other winter visitors (such as horned lark, American 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 along the beaches.
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $97 (67.50)
Click here to register

Sunday, March 1, 2015, 12pm – 2pm
Winter EcoCruise
Guide: NYC Audubon Guide 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! . Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 28, 2015, Noon to 2 p.m.
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
Join Gert Coleman to walk the trails, identify leaves and plants, and observe the wonders of old clay pits reclaimed by nature. Bring a notebook to record your thoughts. Meet in the parking lot by the Visitors’ Center at 2351Veterans Road West.
For more information participants can e-mail gert.coleman@verizon.net.

Sunday, March 1, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Reed’s Basket Willow Park
Discover this hidden natural park in Dongan Hills. We’ll visit the three bodies of water in the park and stroll through the woodlands. Although none of Reed’s basket willow still grow near the swamp from which the park gets its name, the woodlands and stream is still home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Meet at the Spring Street entrance in Dongan Hills at the corner of Spring Street and Medford Road.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Barnegat Light, NJ.
Leader: Ian Resnick 917-626-9562
CANCELLED

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

Trip Etiquette
Please register for trips

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 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.
Free!

Sunday, March 1, 2015
Early Morning Birdwalk: Gulls Galore at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Think all gulls are the same? Take another look by joining the Prospect Park Alliance to explore the park’s nature trails and discover all the different species of gulls in Prospect Park.
Free!

Birding: Owls at Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
4:00 p.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Learn about the basic biology and habits of these fascinating nocturnal raptors.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

The Rough-legged Hawk comes in two plumage variations known as "dark morph" and "light morph". Pictured here is a typical light morph. Found in the northern reaches of the northern hemisphere, they breed in arctic and subarctic regions. Not normally found around New York City, during "irruptive" years they can be observed as large numbers move far south of their winter range in search of food. This is one of those years. Look for this medium-sized raptor hunting over open fields by hovering in place, similar to the much smaller kestrel. In Brooklyn, check for them at Floyd Bennett Field, Marine Park, Plum Beach or the capped landfills at Fountain and Pennsylvania Avenues.

Treehugger Tuesday

Monarch Recovery Strategy

The following article was just published in The Guardian:

US Launches Plan to Halt Decline of Monarch Butterfly

$2m to be spent on growing milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants along main migration routes from Minnesota to Mexico as population slumps by 90%

The Obama administration and conservation groups launched a plan on Monday to halt the death spiral of the monarch butterfly.

The most familiar of American butterflies, known for their extraordinary migration from Mexico through the mid-west to Canada, monarch populations have plummetted 90% over the past 20 years.

Fewer than 50m butterflies made it to Mexico last winter – a fraction of the population once estimated at 1bn.

Those numbers mirror the sharp declines of honey bees in recent years.

“We need to turn that around,” Dan Ashe, director of US Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Guardian. “If you look at the 20-year trend definitely monarchs are at risk of vanishing.”

The USFWS will spend $2m (£1.3m) and work with the National Wildlife Federation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to grow milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants along the monarchs’ main migration routes from Minnesota to Mexico.

The initiative aims to restore more than 200,000 acres of habitat through the spring breeding grounds of Texas and Oklahoma and summer breeding areas in the Corn Belt, tracking closely to the I-35 highway from Austin, Texas to St Paul, Minnesota.

There are also plans to promote wildflowers such as goldenrod and aster along pipeline and electricity lines.

Monarch populations have fallen precipitously over the past 20 years because of changes in farming methods, and the destruction of milkweed that is the caterpillars’ main habitat.

The idea is to get populations back up to 1bn.

Monarchs showed a slight rebound this year, because of good weather. “That’s a sign we haven’t yet reached any disastrous tipping point,” Ashe said. “If the habitat improves, if we make more habitat for them, then the population still seems to have the ability to respond.”

The Centre for Biological Diversity went to court last August to seek protection for the monarch under the endangered species act. Ashe said the petition presented “substantive evidence” for such protections, and the government was studying the case.

The centre welcomed the new initiative – but said protecting the monarchs would be far more effective.

“I think it’s great that this voluntary stuff is going to happen,” said Tierra Curry of the Centre for Biological Diversity. “But if the monarch does get protected that will open up a lot more funding to protect habitat.”

She went on: “It’s going to take a massive amount of investment and a massive amount of milkweed to reverse the decline.” ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, February 21, 2015 to Sunday, February 22, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 21, 2015, 12 PM – 1 PM
Introduction to Birdwatching
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.

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Sunset Park Neighborhood Birding Tour
Leader: Peter Dorosh (347-622-3559 text only)
Focus: winter passerines, ducks, waterfowl, gulls
Itinerary: This long winter walk will pass through the cemetery, then Sunset Park after the cemetery exit at 4th Ave, before heading northwest to the coast to the new Bush Terminal Pier Park. An option if continuing will be the former Army terminal Pier 4 eight blocks west along 1st Avenue. At least 3.5 miles walking. Nearest train afterwards will be the R line at either 45th or 53th or 59th St stops.
Meet: No registration necessary. Meet 8 am at the Greenwood Cemetery's east entrance, Prospect Park West Avenue and 20th Street. Nearest subway: F train to 15th St/Prospect Park, walk 3 blocks west on Prospect Park West Avenue to GWC meeting site.

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Littoral Society
Saturday, February 21, 2015, 09:00am
Winter Water Fowl and Seal Walk
Bring your binoculars and join us on a trek to coastal estuaries and ponds for a look at the seals and water fowl that over winter at Sandy Hook. Afterwards return to our headquarters and warm up with snacks and toasty beverages.
Call to reserve.
Where: Building 18, Sandy Hook, NJ
Time: 9:00am
Cost: $5

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, February 21, 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, February 21, 9am – Sun, February 22, 7pm
Winter Waterfowl Weekend at Montauk
Guide: Gabriel Willow The gatherings of sea ducks around Montauk Point are the largest winter concentrations in New York State; the Christmas bird count on Montauk Point consistently tallies from 125 to 135 species, one of the best totals in the Northeast. Species that come to feed on the Point’s rich kelp and mussel beds include common and red-throated loon, common eider, all three scoter species, bufflehead, common goldeneye, great cormorant, and red-breasted merganser. Harlequin duck and king eider also occur here regularly during the winter.
Accommodations at Daunt's Albatross in Montauk. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $300 ($25 single supplement)
Click here to register

Sunday, February 22, 2015, 12pm – 2pm
Winter EcoCruise
Guide: NYC Audubon Guide 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! . Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 21, 2015, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Forest Restoration Workshop on the Blue and Red Trails
Meet in the Nature Center parking lot at Rockland Avenue and Brielle (additional parking at the Recreation Center nearby). We will remove invasive shrubs and vines from the triangle between the Blue and Red Trails close to the Department of Parks restoration project at Rockland Avenue. Protectors will supply tools, gloves and refreshments. After a two-hour work session (our 222nd monthly workshop), we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
For more information call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 or Chuck Perry at 718-667-1393.

Sunday, February 22, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Winter Beach Walk (Page Avenue to Lemon Creek)
Beachcomb the winter shoreline to discover what the tides have brought in and take a look at the characteristics of the shoreline in the harsher winter conditions. With any luck we may also see signs of life in the form of seals, ducks and other winter waterfowl. Participants will gather at the beach along the southern end of Page Avenue where it meets Ottavio Promenade.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

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Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Black Dirt Region
Leader: Arie Gilbert (917) 693-7178 (contact for car-pooling info)

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

Trip Etiquette
Please register for trips

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

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Birding: Eagles at Payson Park House (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
9:00 a.m.
Winter is a spectacular season for observing Bald Eagles in New York City parks.
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 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.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Mew Gull (Larus canus brachyrhynchus) photo by Heydi Lopes

Periodically, a single Mew Gull will make its way to coastal Brooklyn. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website there are "three distinct forms that are sometimes considered different species." They breed in northern Asia, northern Europe and northwestern North America. Individuals that have been seen in NYC in the past have all been of the European race, or Common Gull. What makes this year's sighting so unusual is that it was the first northwestern North American species to be observed in New York. The name "Common Gull" doesn't refer to their prevalence, but rather their use of short pastures for foraging in the winter. That habitat is also known as "common land".

My Birding Patch

I believe the concept of "patch" birding came about as a way for an individual to become intimately familiar with the seasonal ebb and flow of the wildlife in their neighborhood. It also helped scientists track small changes in the status and abundance of species. Originally it likely meant a literal tiny patch of habitat, such as ones yard, but that has expanded a little especially in urban areas. During my first several years of birding I seldom strayed from my local park, Prospect Park. Regular readers of this blog have probably noticed that I rarely bird outside of the borough of Brooklyn. Twenty something years later I've made it a point to learn as much as I can about when and where to find the seasonal birds in a slightly larger patch...the county of Kings. So where am I looking for birds in Brooklyn right now?

If I spent a single, winter's day in Prospect Park, on average, I would tally around 60 species of birds. When Prospect Lake isn't frozen that number could be a little higher as a nice mix of overwintering waterfowl can usually be found there. A good number of the winter songbirds could be counted filling up on seeds at the Brooklyn Bird Club feeders on Breeze Hill. Occasionally, you might spot an interesting northern specialty, such as Pine Siskin, Common Redpoll or, rarely, Evening Grosbeak. Similar species would be found in nearby Green-Wood Cemetery. It's a bit limiting for me so I tend to mainly bird Prospect Park when spring migrant songbirds are on the move, otherwise I spend much of my cold weather birding along the littoral zone.

Brooklyn is surrounded by water (sort of), so it makes sense to spend time birding those areas. Granted, it can get a little unpleasant standing at the edge of the shore in blustery weather, but the pay off sometimes makes it well worth the numb toes or frostbitten fingers. So what birds could possibly make this "worth it"? First, there's the abundance of gulls. The vast majority of the gulls seen along the coast will be the holy trinity - Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. With a little patience and perseverance, though, you could be rewarded with Bonaparte's, Black-headed, Iceland, Lesser Black-backed or Glaucous Gulls. And if you are really lucky (or named Shane Blodgett) you could find a rare Mew Gull amongst the thousands of Ring-billed Gulls. The Northern Gannet, a large seabird which looks similar to gulls, but is more closely related to cormorants, can also be seen off the Brooklyn coast.

Alcids, the family of seabirds which include puffins, are also rare visitors along the Brooklyn coast. I've seen Thick-billed Murre three times around the borough and have also observed Razorbills and a single Dovekie.

While the above alcids are rare, and I wouldn't expect to see them every winter, it doesn't hurt to look. From the rare to the abundant, if you want to see a variety of waterfowl, Brooklyn's waterways have got them in spades. So far this year 25 species of ducks have been observed in my patch. I haven't seen all of them yet, but close. There are also lots of loons, grebes and cormorants. Several years ago we had a rare Western Grebe off of Coney Island. Feeding among the crags in the rock jetties overwintering Purple Sandpipers are an annual presence. Other shorebirds that sometimes prefer Brooklyn's refrigerated coast to a tropical winter far south of NYC are Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Yellowlegs, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin and Wilson's Snipe. American Woodcocks occasionally stay through the winter at Floyd Bennett Field, Marine Park or Green-Wood Cemetery.

Just a short distance up from the high water line the habitat and bird species change a little. Tangles of grasses, small fruit-bearing shrubs, vines and small trees provide food and protection for a variety of sparrows, finches, woodpecker, thrushes, nuthatches, blackbirds and hardy Yellow-rumped Warblers. These birds seem to thrive in places like Floyd Bennett Field, Dead Horse Bay, Canarsie Park and Marine Park. On open fields Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, American Pipits and the occasional Lapland Longspur feed on stubbly grass. These vigilant birds seem to realize that they are open targets for the dozens of raptors who are also on the look out for a good meal. They are constantly looking around while feeding. Last Saturday we tallies the following raptors at just Floyd Bennett Field: Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk (2), American Kestrel and Merlin.

The past two weekends had stretches of weather that weren't ideal for birding, but that rarely discourages me. On Saturday, the 7th, I lead a trip to Coney Island and Coney Island Creek Park for the Linnaean Society of New York. Bird activity was a bit slow, but we still managed to see a few good birds, as well as, some Harbor Seal sightings. The highlight of last Sunday was watching a pair of Rough-legged Hawks hunting over the grasslands at Floyd Bennett Field. One was a dark morph plumed individual and the other a light morphed. I've seen this northern raptor in Brooklyn several times over the last 20 years, but this was the first time I'd seen two together. Read more about Rough-legged Hawks here.

I'm still deciding where I'll be going for frostbite this coming weekend, but here is a list of Brooklyn's coastal areas including remnant marshes and creeks. Hendrix Creek is a good spot for a nice variety of waterfowl as the water treatment plant at that location prevents the water from freezing.

Brooklyn's Winter Coastal Hotspots

Upper Bay (mostly pier birding)
Gravesend Bay
Lower Bay
Jamaica Bay
Coney Island Creek
Sheepshead Bay
Gerritsen Creek
Dead Horse Bay
Mill Basin
Paerdegat Basin
Fresh Creek
Hendrix Creek
Spring Creek

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Date: Feb 1, 2015 - Feb 8, 2015
Locations: Bush Terminal Piers Park Coney Island, Coney Island Creek, Dreier-Offerman Park, Floyd Bennett Field, Green-Wood Cemetery
Species: 68

Brant
Gadwall
EURASIAN WIGEON
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Purple Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
ICELAND GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
Great Black-backed Gull
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Snow Bunting
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Tree Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, American Black Duck, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, House Sparrow ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

Tuna and Mercury

The subject of mercury in fish probably shouldn't be news to most people, but the University of Michigan just published a piece about how levels in Yellowfin Tuna has actually been on the rise:

Mercury Levels in Hawaiian Yellowfin Tuna Increasing
Contact Jim Erickson

ANN ARBOR—Mercury concentrations in Hawaiian yellowfin tuna are increasing at a rate of 3.8 percent or more per year, according to a new University of Michigan-led study that suggests rising atmospheric levels of the toxic substance are to blame.

Mercury is a toxic trace metal that can accumulate to high concentrations in fish, posing a health risk to people who eat large, predatory marine fish such as swordfish and tuna. In the open ocean, the principal source of mercury is atmospheric deposition from human activities, especially emissions from coal-fired power plants and artisanal gold mining.

For decades, scientists have expected to see mercury levels in open-ocean fish increase in response to rising atmospheric concentrations, but evidence for that hypothesis has been hard to find. In fact, some studies have suggested that there has been no change in mercury concentration in ocean fish.

By compiling and re-analyzing three previously published reports on yellowfin tuna caught near Hawaii, U-M's Paul Drevnick and two colleagues found that the concentration of mercury in that species increased at least 3.8 percent per year from 1998 to 2008.

A paper about the study is scheduled for online publication in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry on Feb. 2. The other authors are Carl Lamborg of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, now at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and Martin Horgan.

"The take-home message is that mercury in tuna appears to be increasing in lockstep with data and model predictions for mercury concentrations in water in the North Pacific," said Drevnick, an assistant research scientist at the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment and at the U-M Biological Station. "This study confirms that mercury levels in open ocean fish are responsive to mercury emissions."

Drevnick and his colleagues reanalyzed data from three studies that sampled the same yellowfin tuna population near Hawaii in 1971, 1998 and 2008. In each of the three studies, muscle tissues were tested for total mercury, nearly all of which was the toxic organic form, methylmercury.

In their re-analysis, Drevnick and his colleagues included yellowfins between 48 and 167 pounds and used a computer model that controls for the effect of fish body size. Data from 229 fish were analyzed: 111 from 1971, 104 from 1998 and 14 from 2008.

The researchers found that mercury concentrations in the yellowfins did not change between the 1971 and 1998 datasets. However, concentrations were higher in 2008 than in either 1971 or 1998. Between 1998 and 2008, the mercury concentration in yellowfins increased at a rate greater than or equal to 3.8 percent a year, according to the new study.

"Mercury levels are increasing globally in ocean water, and our study is the first to show a consequent increase in mercury in an open-water fish," Drevick said. "More stringent policies are needed to reduce releases of mercury into the atmosphere. If current deposition rates are maintained, North Pacific waters will double in mercury by 2050."

Yellowfin tuna, often marketed as ahi, is widely used in raw fish dishes—especially sashimi—or for grilling. The Natural Resources Defense Council's guide to mercury in sushi lists yellowfin tuna as a "high mercury" species.

The research by Drevick and his colleagues was supported by the University of Michigan, the Fonds de recherche du Quebec–Nature et Technologies, the National Science Foundation and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

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One bird species population decline that has been linked to mercury in the environment is the Ivory Gull. According to BirdLife International "…concentrations of total mercury in eggs of Ivory Gulls collected from Seymour Island, Canada, have steadily increased since 1976 to levels which are now among the highest measured in seabirds (Braune et al. 2006), which may have had a long-term effect on breeding productivity (C. Miljeteig in litt. 2007)." Read about Ivory Gull conservation efforts here. In 2007 one of these beautiful gull showed up on the Hudson River just north of the city. I posted about it here and here. ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, February 14, 2015 to Sunday, February 15, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 12 PM – 1 PM
Introduction to Birdwatching
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.

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
February 14th-15th, 2015
Overnight Weekend: Montauk Point and East End, Long Island
Leader: Rob Bate
Focus: Winter birds of various habitats, waterfowl and winter flocks
Car fee: $100.00
Registrar: Bobbi Manian email Roberta.manian@yahoo.com
Registration period: Jan 2nd - Feb 5th

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, February 14, 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

**********

New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 10am – 1pm
Central Park Winter Walk
Guide: Gabriel Willow Meet at Central Park West and 72nd Street.
Some of the best sightings await hardy nature-lovers willing to venture out in winter! Several species of owls can be seen in Central Park for example, but generally only in the colder months. "Winter finches" such as Pine Siskins, Redpolls, and Crossbills have also been found at the feeders or in conifers in the park. Observing the adaptations for cold-weather survival among Blue Jays, Titmice, and other resident species is fascinating as well. Warm up after the walk with a hot chocolate by the fireplace at the Loeb Boathouse.
Limited to 15. $36 (25) Click here to register

Sunday, February 15, 2015, 12pm – 2pm
Winter EcoCruise
Guide: NYC Audubon Guide 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! . Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, February 15, noon to 2 p.m.
Blue Heron Park (1975 – 2015)
Following our successful effort to preserve Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve Protectors of Pine Oak Woods sought another project for our newly formed environmental organization. Protectors hosted a community meeting during which Jack and Lois Baird and Howard Fisher made impassioned arguments for the preservation of freshwater wetlands and woodlands located in southeast Annadale. Collaborating with the Bairds and Howard Fisher, Protectors helped the newly formed Friends of Blue Heron Park achieve its goal to preserve those precious woodlands. Join with Elaine Croteau to celebrate 40 years of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and the creation of Blue Heron Park. Participants will gather at the Blue Heron Park Nature Center located at 222 Poillon Avenue.
For more information call Elaine Croteau at 718-698-6056.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Birding: Winter Birds at Ridgewood Reservoir, 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 the urban jungle. We offer birding programs…
Free!

Great Backyard Bird Count at Queens Botanical Garden, Queens
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Great Backyard Bird Count
Saturday, February 14, 11am to 1pm Join QBG for the 18th annual bird counting event. Our results will be added to those submitted from around the world. Meet…
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 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.
Free! ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

How The Nature Conservancy Bought 165,000 Acres of Land

The following was just published in The Guardian:

Behind one of the Nature Conservancy's largest ever forest purchases
Friday 30 January 2015 15.25 EST

Backing a $134m land acquisition is a financial institution which wants to raise money from investors who care about the environment

Even for the Nature Conservancy, which attracts more money than any other US environmental nonprofit – revenues were $1.1bn last year – buying 165,000 acres of land in Washington’s Cascade Mountains and Montana’s Blackfoot River Valley for $134m is, quite literally, a very big deal.

To raise the money in a timely manner and to negotiate the acquisition, which closed last week, the conservancy relied on NatureVest. Launched last spring, NatureVest is a division of the conservancy that functions much like a bank, albeit a bank whose purpose is to protect nature.

NatureVest raises money from institutions and high-net-worth individuals who care about the environment but want to get their investment back, perhaps with a modest return. It then invests that money in conservation projects – land acquisitions, sustainable ranching, green infrastructure or eco-tourism – that can generate money so it can pay back its investors.

Its purpose is to help the Nature Conservancy tap into what is believed to be a growth industry known as impact investing. Impact investing is loosely defined as putting money into a business or nonprofit with the expectation of generating social or environmental change, along with a financial return.

As Marc Diaz, the managing director of NatureVest, told me when we met recently: “Most people have a limited pool of money to give away. People wonder if there is more they could do with the rest of their resources.”

The deal that closed last week provides a glimpse into how NatureVest operates. The Nature Conservancy is acquiring the land, which includes forests, rivers and wildlife habitat, from Plum Creek, a publicly traded timber company. In his 2014 year-end letter to Nature Conservancy supporters, Mark Tercek, the group’s president and CEO, described the acquisition as a “very big financial commitment” and went on to say:

"I think this will be one of TNC’s most significant land deals ever. The acquisition connects vast landscapes previously broken up into a checkerboard pattern of public and private ownership. In the process, it conserves vast swaths of wildlife habitat, protects sources of clean water, and expands recreational access. In my view, no organization other than TNC could have taken on this project."

Only a small fraction of the purchase price comes from traditional donations. The Wyss Foundation, which is the charitable foundation of Hansjörg Wyss, a Swiss-born health-care entrepreneur who now lives in Wyoming, provided the vast majority of financing for the project, in return for majority ownership of the land. Another $8m is coming from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, which is providing a five-year loan with a 1% interest rate.

Both foundations expect to get repaid over the next five to 10 years, as the Nature Conservancy gradually sells the land to state and federal agencies, which will then protect it. This may sound risky, but it’s a tried and true way to conserve land. (Most of the land acquired in a previous, even bigger, nearby purchase, called the Montana Legacy Project, has already been sold to government and private conservation owners.)

“While the size and scope of the deal are unusual, it’s a pretty conventional land transaction,” says Eric Love, senior director of conservation transactions at the conservancy.

What sets this transaction apart is its capital structure. If all goes according to plan, the Wyss and Packard Foundations will get their money back and redeploy it into other conservation projects.

Susan Phinney Silver, who oversees about $180m in program-related investments for the Packard Foundation, told me by phone: “We have a fixed pool of capital. We’re not profit-motivated, but we are very motivated to maintain our capital. We need to recycle it.” Indeed, she says, Packard is seeking more opportunities to support conservation finance.

None of this, it must be said, is entirely new. The Packard Foundation has been making investments to support its mission since the 1980s. It has invested in a forestry company called Ecotrust Forest Management and a sustainable seafood fund called Sea Change Management. For its part, the Nature Conservancy once operated a private-equity fund that invested in businesses with a sustainability focus in Latin America, and more recently it sold $25m in fixed-income Conservation Notes to institutions and retail investors.
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In November, NatureVest and EKO Asset Management Partners published an 88-page report called Investing in Conservation that found that private investors intend to deploy $5.6bn in conservation investments over the next five years. That’s way up from about $1.9bn that these private investors had deployed from 2009 to 2013. The reported surveyed 51 private investors, including foundations, fund managers and corporations.

The challenge facing conservation investors is a shortage of deals, not a shortage of money, the report found. That’s where NatureVest hopes to play a role.

“We’re at a moment when the market is unbalanced. There’s a lot of capital that wants to do conservation,” Diaz says. “Our job is to provide that deal flow, the way to put that money to work that appeal to a breadth of conservation priorities.”

To that end, NatureVest currently has a pipeline of about 50 deals. They range across the conservation landscape (pun intended), including land-acquisition projects in the American west, a Kenyan cattle ranch, an Australian water trading scheme, protected marine reserves in the Seychelles and Belize and green urban infrastructure designed to improve water quality around Washington DC.

NatureVest’s operating expenses are paid by the Robertson Foundation, the Jeremy & Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust and founding sponsor JPMorgan Chase.

The finance hub is funded by EY. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled “brought to you by”. Find out more here ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, February 7, 2015 to Sunday, February 8, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 7, 2015, 12 PM – 1 PM
Introduction to Birdwatching
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.


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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Coney Island Creek to Coney Island Pier – 4-mile walk
Leader: Rob Jett aka "The City Birder"
Registrar: Irene Warshauer – iwarshauer@aol.com or 212-249-6561
Registration opens: Monday, January 26
Public transportation

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Littoral Society
Saturday, February 07, 2015, 10:00am - 01:00pm
Winter Survival Wildlife Walk
Join Don Riepe at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for a slide presentation and walk to look for overwintering birds and other wildlife. See species that include ducks, geese and winter finches!
This program is an American Littoral Society / G.N.R.A. Partnership Program and is free and open to the public.
Location : Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Contact : To RSVP: Call (718) 474-0896, or e-mail donriepe@gmail.com

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, February 7, 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, February 7, 2015, 10am – 1pm
Winter Survival Wildlife Walk
Guide: Don Riepe, with Gateway NRA Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for a slide presentation and walk to look for overwintering birds and other wildlife. See many species of ducks, geese and winter finches.
To register, call Don Riepe at (718) 474-0896 or e-mail: donriepe@gmail.com.

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 9:30am – 11:30am
Winter Birding at Wave Hill, The Bronx
Guide: Gabriel Willow With Wave Hill Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center. Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his extensive knowledge of bird species and their behaviors on these captivating walks. Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River flyway provides the perfect habitat for resident and migrating birds.
Advanced registration is recommended, either online at www.wavehill.org, at the Perkins Visitor Center, or by calling 718-549-3200 x251. (Walks run rain or shine; in case of severe weather call the number above for updates.) Ages 10 and up welcome with an adult. NYC Audubon members enjoy two-for-one admission

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 12pm – 7pm
Soaring Raptors: Eagles and Owls of the Hudson River Valley, NY
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC You don’t have to travel to Alaska to see our country’s emblem, the American bald eagle. Thanks to one of the most successful reintroduction programs on record, many eagles now soar over the nearby Hudson Valley. Travel with us to see this spectacular raptor, as well as possibly spot the secretive short-eared owl.
Bring lunch, water, and binoculars. Transport by passenger van is included. Limited to 12. $100 (70) Click here to register

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 12pm – 2pm
Winter EcoCruise
Guide: NYC Audubon Guide 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! . Limited to 90. To register, contact New York Water Taxi at 212-742-1969 or www.nywatertaxi.com. $35 for adults; $25 for children under 12; $105 for family pack for 2 adults and 2 children

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 7, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Acme Pond and the North Forest
The woodlands and ponds of this little-known area will be explored during an approximately two-mile hike. Once heavily farmed, the Acme Pond area has developed into a wooded forest over the past 150 years with sweetgum, white oaks and hickories as the dominant trees. The pond is reputed to be the home of large bass and provides a secluded location for many birds as well as frogs and turtles. Participants will meet at the corner of Hylan Boulevard, and Holten Avenue.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Take a Walk Staten Island!
You set your own pace for a walk on the multi-use Greenway trail in the Greenbelt. Enjoy the open sky and the rolling lawns of the golf course as we move into and out of woods. Get your dose of open space! Dress warm and bring a friend! Appropriate for all ages. Level terrain. Meet at the corner of Rockland Avenue and Forest Hill Road at the Greenway entrance.
For more information, e-mail Hillel Lofaso at hillel5757@gmail.com or call 718-477-0545.

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Crooke’s Point
Maritime sand spits such as Crooke’s Point are dynamic typographical features formed and sculpted by water and wind action. Join naturalist Paul T. Lederer in a talk and walk where the geological and human history of the site will be discussed. He will also give an update on the maritime shrub-forest restoration and the Army Corps of Engineer dredging and sand removal operations. The entrance to Great Kills Park is located at the intersection of Buffalo Street and Hylan Boulevard. Participants will enter the park and gather in the Great Kills Park Beach Center Parking Lot near the beginning of the dirt permit road leading out to Crooke’s Point.
For more information call Paul T. Lederer at 718-987-1576.

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Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Croton Point
Leader: Ian Resnick, 917-626-9562 8am.

MINI TRIPS: Break after lunch +/-
ALL DAY TRIPS: BYO lunch, dinner out. {optl}
WEEKEND TRIPS: Two + days / Overnight
MONTHLY MEETINGS: Presentation with speaker {except July and Aug}

Trip Etiquette
Please register for trips

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

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Pelham Bay Park

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 Joe at (516) 467-9498.
For directions to our bird-watching locations, click here.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Family Birdwatching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
After learning how to use binoculars, join our naturalists to identify some of the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home.
Free!

Introduction to Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 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.
Free!

Sunday, February 8, 2015
Winter Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Explore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands with naturalist Gabriel Willow to observe birds in their winter habitats.
Free!

Winter Birds of Prey at Unisphere (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), 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 the urban jungle. We offer birding programs…
Free!

Birding: Owls at Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
1:00 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. We offer birding programs…
Free! ...Read more