Treehugger Tuesday

A Dangerous Game

From the filmmaker who brought us the exposé You've Been Trumped comes a closer look at the eco-impact of golf courses that only serve a tiny fraction of wealthy players.

A Dangerous Game is the explosive documentary from filmmaker and investigative journalist Anthony Baxter (You've Been Trumped), which examines the eco-impact of luxury golf resorts around the world. Featuring exclusive interviews with Alec Baldwin, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump, the film takes viewers on a globe-spanning journey to a World Heritage site in Croatia; the extravagant desert city of Dubai, the explosion of new but supposedly illegal courses in China and back to the filmmaker's native Scotland, where Donald Trump continues his controversial building.

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, July 4, 2015 to Sunday, July 5, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, July 4, 2015, 12–1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
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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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, July 4, 2015
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, July 4, 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt 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, July 5, 2015, 7pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
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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Queens County Bird Club
Wednesday, July 1, 2015 - Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Fort Drum, Perch River, and the Adirondacks
Leader: Arie Gilbert 917-693-7178
Description:
We are expanding the terrific Adirondacks trip to venture into areas with other much sought after birds and environments.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Park at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Participants will look for various species of residents and migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics.
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, July 5, 2015
Early Morning Birdwalk: Taking Wing at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
This is the time of year when young birds outnumber adult birds. Join us in search of fledglings as they test their wings!
Free!

Plover Day at Beach 59th St and Boardwalk (in Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk), Queens
11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Discover one of New York City's endangered species: The Piping Plover! Partake in family-friendly games, crafts, and educational activities to raise awareness of this amazing shorebird.
Free! ...Read more

Recent Blooms

Here's a short slideshow of some recent blooms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden:

Friday's Foto

The tiny Piping Plover is currently listed as endangered in New York State and threatened Federally. Besides the threats to adult birds on their coastal breeding grounds, their miniscule offspring are mobile nearly immediately after hatching making them frequent victims of avian predators, feral cats and beach vehicles. Learn about conservation efforts from the American Birding Conservancy here.

Treehugger Tuesday

Unlikely Story of Conservation in Florida

I recently heard the following story on National Public Radio:

Gambler-Turned-Conservationist Devotes Fortune To Florida Nature Preserve
June 17, 2015 4:53 PM ET

You might think you know what frogs sound like — until, that is, you hear the symphony of amphibians that fills the muggy night air at Nokuse Plantation, a nature preserve in the Florida Panhandle.

There, about 100 miles east of Pensacola, a man named M.C. Davis has done something extraordinary: He has bought up tens of thousands of acres in the Florida sandhills and turned them into a unique, private preserve.

In the largest block of privately owned conservation land in the southeastern U.S., Davis is restoring ecosystems that agriculture and timbering have destroyed.

"I'm a self-proclaimed, devout conservationist," Davis says. "I've been dedicated now for about 20 years."

Davis is thinking 300 years into the future with his wildlife restoration project, even though he knows he doesn't have much time left. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in November.

From Gambler To Unlikely Conservationist

Davis grew up poor in the Florida Panhandle, and he just wanted to get away.

"I grew up with five other people in 300 square feet in a wore-out trailer on a dirt road," Davis says. "I was trying to get out to town and make some money. I spent half my life doing that, and I spent the other half getting back in the woods, you know?"

So he set out to make his fortune through gambling.

"I was hustlin' around gambling from about the time I was 16 until I was 30," Davis says. It was his primary income.

Eventually, he started buying land and mineral rights, and he made hundreds of millions along the way.

Now, 70-year-old Davis proudly calls himself a tree hugger. He's in love with this land.

I ask Davis to show me one of his favorite spots on his land. We ride out through the woods in a golf cart to a bog of carnivorous pitcher plants with trumpets glowing a vivid yellow.

Davis has bought up 54,000 acres of land — mostly from timber companies — and he's restoring it to a longleaf pine forest, which is a rich center of biodiversity.

About 40 million acres of longleaf pines once covered the South, but by the 1930s that original longleaf forest was all cut down — lost to timbering, and lost to memory.

"I'd never even heard the word longleaf," Davis says.

So how did this committed capitalist become a conservationist? He says it all started 20 years ago in a traffic jam.

"It's drizzling rain, and I was sort of just sort of frantic with exasperation," he says. "Stuck in traffic, and I looked up, and I saw on the marquee of the high school, 'Black Bear Presentation.' "

Davis pulled out of traffic and went inside.

"I hate to confess to this," he says. "I didn't know Florida even had black bears at the time."

He heard the passionate pitch, and it changed his life. He started reading books by environmentalists and had an epiphany: He should dedicate his fortune to nature.

Davis spent some $90 million snapping up land for conservation. To restore the forest to the way it was centuries ago, he had 8 million longleaf pine seedlings planted.

And with all of this, he's creating an ecological hotspot, filled with wildlife. Davis has spotted eagles, ospreys, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, armadillos.

A Haven For Threatened Species

The most recent arrivals come not by paw or wing, but in Rubbermaid tubs stacked in the back of a white Chevy Suburban. Inside are 11 newcomers — gopher tortoises. The great diggers have top shells that are patterned with gorgeous amber hexagons.

Gopher tortoises are listed as a threatened species in Florida. Many were killed for their meat, and others have suffered from habitat loss. This batch was rescued from a subdivision under construction hundreds of miles away. These tortoises would have been buried and died.

Biologist Matt Aresco, who is director of Nokuse Plantation, handles one of the new arrivals: It's an adult female that weighs about 6 pounds.

"You're probably only the third person she's ever seen in her entire life," Aresco says. "She's probably been around for about 40 years at least."

We head out to the center of the preserve with the new tortoises in tow.

"All of the trees you see are longleaf pines that were planted in 2005," Aresco says.

Those pines started as 10-inch seedlings. Now they're about 20 feet tall with long, bright green needles clustered like pompoms. They look like trees you would find in a Dr. Seuss book.

One by one, Aresco sets the tortoises at the entrance to a burrow. These newcomers bring the total of gopher tortoises released into the forest at Nokuse Plantation to 4,043.

Just The Beginning Of A 300-Year Project

Over at the pitcher plant bog, Davis looks out at his land as a heavy rain starts drumming down. He says all of this work — tortoise by tortoise, seedling by seedling — is just the beginning of a 300-year project.

But Davis is all too aware that his own time is limited.

"Not a lot different from most folks," he says. "I'm dying, as we all are. It's well advanced. It's not anything. There's 300-something-thousand people right now in the United States that have fourth-stage lung cancer, so hey, it's just nature's way."

He says he's confident he has a solid team in place to carry on this work after he's gone.

"That is the purpose," he says. "If there's such a thing as being perpetual — this will be here. No matter how stupid our species gets and how much it degrades this, it will start over. But I'm hoping that we're capable of leaving some huge biological warehouses that — if and when our country fails, and all of them do sooner or later — that hopefully the impacts wouldn't be total. That nature just doesn't have to start from scratch."

Davis says he's leaving nearly all of his millions to this conservation trust. His money will also go to the environmental education center he created that thousands of Florida schoolchildren come through every year.

"I can't change people your age," he says, "but give me a fourth-grader."

And at that idea, Davis smiles. ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, June 27, 2015 to Sunday, June 28, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, June 27, 2015, 12–1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
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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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Staten Island Dragonflies and Odonata
Leader: Seth Wollney
Registrar: Sandy Paci, email sandypac56@gmail.com
Registration Period: June 16th - June 25th
Focus: the rich diversity of dragonflies and damselflies

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Freshkills Park Alliance (Staten Island)
Saturday, June 27, 2015, 1:00pm
Naturalist-Led Hike
Join us for a June hike lead by a naturalist working alongside the FkP Development team! The name of the naturalist and the flora and fauna expected will be updated closer to the event date. This program includes moderate to steep elevations. Water, bug spray, and comfortable shoes recommended. Space is limited, ages 10+. Free.
Meet shuttle into the park at Schmul Park (Wild Ave and Melvin Ave)
Sign Up at EventBrite

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Littoral Society
Sunday, June 28, 2015, 10:00am - 01:00pm
Butterflies of Jamaica Bay
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a hike around the preserve. Butterflies and other insects play an important role in the enviroment as plant pollinators. Over 70 species of butterflies have been identified at the Refuge. Learn about their behavior, biology and how to identify them. Kids Welcome. This is an American Littoral Society/NYC Butterfly partnership program. Registration required.
Location : Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center
Contact : NE Chapter, (718) 474-0896

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 27, 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt 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, June 28, 2015, 7pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
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 28, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Discover Dragonflies with Paul T. Lederer
Dragonflies have been a part of the fauna of this planet long before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Learn about the identification, behavior and ecology of these fascinating insects. Bring binoculars if you have them. Participants will gather at the Blue Heron Park Nature Center located at 222 Poillon Avenue.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at 718-313-8591.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Park at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds.
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, June 28, 2015
Birding: Shore and Wading Birds at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free! ...Read more

More on Brownsville Hawks

I promised Bobby that I'd check on the pair of young hawks that he just released in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was a little concerned as he hadn't seen any of the adults after he turned them loose.

I headed over to Brownsville this morning. The closest train stop is Saratoga Avenue on the "3" line. From there it is about a 1/2 mile walk to Frederick Douglass Academy. The Rockaway Avenue station is actually closer, but it is currently closed for major renovations. The block on the south side of the school holds some basketball courts and an under-construction playground. There are lots of mature deciduous trees on that block, so I checked them all for the hawks before getting to the High School. No sign of adult or fledgling red-tails.

Standing across from the High School I began scanning the edge of the roof for the young raptors. I even checked the nest, in case they decided to go back in search of their parents. No sign of them there. One block to the east is the grade school. That is where I spotted the first of the two youngsters. The building is about half the height of Frederick Douglass Academy's roof, so it must have been an easy glide for what appeared to be the less developed of the two hawks. He still needs to grow in a lot of head and neck plumage, so looks very funny in a gangly kind of way. On closer look he seemed to have a full crop, which means he is eating. I doubt he is hunting on his own yet, so the adults must have found him and brought him food. After a few minutes I headed off to search for his sibling.

I decided to continue walking east, reasoning that the first bird took off to the east, so maybe the second one did, as well. As I walked along Blake Avenue towards Rockaway Avenue I caught a glimpse of the chimney on the abandoned PS 125 building (found an intriguing article about this huge structure built in 1900 here). Perched on the south-west corner was an adult Red-tailed Hawk. The fenced off property at the back of the building is an overgrown understory shaded by several massive deciduous trees. It seemed like a really good hunting ground.

There is a small workout area and playground adjacent to the hunting ground. Two teens were working out and I walked towards them to get a better view of the adult hawk above. We started talking, I told them about the hawks and gave them my bins to look at the parent perched on the chimney. After a few minutes one of the teens mentioned that they had seen one earlier in the low branches of the trees. He also said that it looked like it was having trouble balancing on the branches. Hmmm, sounds more like one of the youngsters. I had to convince them that just because they are huge, doesn't mean that they are the adults. Then he said, "I think that's him across the street."

Across Rockaway Avenue, in the parking lot for Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center was the older of the two fledglings. He was doing a decidedly unbalanced young raptor impression of Philippe Petit on the telephone line that runs along the back edge of the building. Three mockingbirds were doing their best to try and knock the hawk from his clumsy tightrope performance. Despite his ungainly style, he seemed unperturbed by the aggressive songbirds. Once he made it to safety of the telephone pole bracket he relaxed for several minutes. Unfortunately, the mockingbirds continued their assault:



He eventually took off flying west and I found him wandering around on the roof of a two story home on the corner of Blake and Chester. As I was watching, the owner of the home and his wife came and walked to their car. I told them about the hawks and pointed out the youngsters. They didn't seem to care, but not in a bad way. More like in a New-Yorker-so-what-else-is-new kind of way.

From Chester and Blake Avenues I could actually see the nest, both fledglings and the adult on PS 125 without having to move (If you pause the video at 00:07 you can see the adult on the chimney in the background):



When I was heading back to the train station I passed some teens playing basketball across from the High School. One of them spotted my bins and asked me if I knew about the hawks. I said yes and we had a brief discussion about Red-tailed Hawks in Brooklyn. He seemed really excited about this little bit of wildlife in Brownsville. After I put away my bins, showed him some of the photos that I took that morning. I also reassured him that the hawks were only a danger to rats, pigeons and the like. The raptors actually had more to worry about us humans than the other way around. I also explained that the young hawks aren't very wary when they first learn to fly and that if he ever saw them walking around near the street he could just gently herd them away. It's an interesting neighborhood for a family of Red-tailed Hawks, but there seem to be several areas where trees are concentrated, plus I noticed a good number of pigeons on the apartment buildings. It could be a fun experience for the residents of Brownsville if they choose to pay attention. ...Read more

Summer Ear Birding

Every year in early spring I tune up my ears, preparing for the north-bound rush of migrating songbirds. You may have read some of my postings on the subject. Unfortunately, my focus on songbirds has kept me from paying much attention to a whole other group of important bird vocalizations. I realize that it isn't fall migration yet, but I thought I'd take a few minutes on these frequently overlooked summer bird sounds.

We may only just be closing in on summer, but many long distance migrant shorebirds are already finishing up there brief breeding season. During the month of July we see the beginning of the south-bound "Fall" migration. One shorebird group known as "peeps" are notoriously difficult to identify. With a little bit of practice with the vocalizations, though, it might make the process a little bit easier. Often an unknown shorebird flies overhead, but we can't be certain of the ID. If it is calling it could make it much less of a challenge.

My go to resource for learning bird vocalizations has been the Peterson "Birding by Ear" series. That said, here are the tracks you should concentrate on (note that on the west coast there is a Western series):

Name	Album	Disc #	Track #
Shorebirds: Pairs	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	1
Shorebirds: Plovers	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	2
Shorebirds: Whistlers	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	3
Shorebirds: Peepers	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	4
Shorebirds: Other	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	5
Shorebirds: Terns	More Birding by Ear, Eastern/Central	3	6

If you have a favorite resource for learning shorebird vocalizations, let me know and I'll post it here.

Brownsville Red-tailed Hawks Update

Here's an update on the two juvenile Red-tailed Hawks rescued from Brownsville, Brooklyn last week.

Bobby and Cathy Horvath were able to gain access to the roof of Frederick Douglass Academy yesterday (the nest is on an air conditioner of the buildings facade). They released the young hawks where their parents will be able to reconnect with them. Here are a couple of photos and a video of the release:

Another Brooklyn Red-tailed Hawk Nest

I received an email from my friend Bob's wife the other day. She had news about a nesting pair of Red-tailed Hawks in Midwood, Brooklyn:

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From: Robert
Subject: RE: New Neighbor in West Midwood
Date: June 14, 2015 9:38:37 PM EDT

Pic taken on Rugby Road just north of Ave H.

According to neighbors, nesting in tree on Argyle just north of (Avenue) H.

This is bigger of two. Able to fly about 3 house lengths now. Still calling mom for food. About a month old, according to neighbors that have been watching and have actually become a little blasé about it.

This is Bob's wife - btw. Not a birder but I got so excited when I heard about them. And then saw him/her. Took many pics. Saw mom but too quick for pic.

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It is uncertain why two of the seemingly most desirable Brooklyn locations were vacant this year, but two new, less than ideal spots were successful. To give you an idea of the unlikely surroundings for this particular Red-tailed Hawk family, here are a couple of Google Earth images:

Treehugger Tuesday

Assault on the Migratory Treaty Bird Act

From National Audubon Society's website:

Against the ‘Bird Killer Amendment’
Everything you need to know about the latest assault on keeping birds alive.

By National Audubon Society
June 12, 2015

Last week, the House was tasked with passing a fairly routine appropriations bill—meaning, a piece of legislation that allows the federal government to stay open (vs. shut down). And pass it they did—but not before Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC) slid in an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Justice from enforcing one of the most important bird protection laws in the nation.

We’re talking about Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which you may have heard of recently because U.S. Fish and Wildlife just announced they’re going to be updating how it’s enforced. But Duncan’s amendment would stop the MBTA dead in its tracks right now, by preventing the Department of Justice from actually enforcimg the critical law that saves millions of birds’ lives each year. Audubon’s VP of Government Relations immediately christened Duncan’s addition the ‘Bird Killer Amendment,” noting that not only is it completely unnecessary, it would leave birds wide open to uncontrolled slaughter.

Here’s what you need to know about the bill:

It’s not a law yet.

Yes, the House has passed the bill with the amendment attached, but the legislation still has a long way to go before it’s made into a law. The Senate may not include the language in its version of the bill, and if it is passed with the amendment included, the executive branch can still veto the bill.

If passed, the amendment could hamstring the MBTA.

The MBTA is one of the oldest and most important laws on the books, when it comes to saving birds. But if it can’t be enforced, it can’t do much good.

“If Duncan’s amendment had been law during the BP disaster, those responsible for the largest marine oil spill in history would have faced no prosecution for causing the deaths of an estimated one million birds,” Daulton said. “Allowing this amendment to become law is tantamount to an avian slaughter free-for-all.”

(Want to know more about the MBTA and what it does? Check this out.)

You can help fight the Bird Killer Amendment.

Write a letter to your lawmakers.

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• The American Bird Conservancy also has a website petition here. ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, June 20, 2015 to Sunday, June 21, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, June 20, 2015, 12–1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
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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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, June 20, 2015
A Memorial to Jean Bourque: Nature of Floyd Bennett Field
Meet 8:30 am at the south entrance parking lot, accessible by the Q35 bus http://tinyurl.com/June20thJbourque
Leaders: Steve Nanz/Jerry Layton (insects, dragonflies, butterflies), Marielle Anzelone (plants, botany), Peter Dorosh (general)
Registrar: Peter Dorosh Prosbird@aol.com (preferred) or 347-622-3559 text only
Registration Period: June 9th - June 18th
Note: This trip celebrates the memory of Jean Bourque whose love of Floyd Bennett Field was her great joy. Jean, who passed away in June 2014, will be remembered best for the plants and habitats she nurtured and loved and birds and nature that thrived upon them. This walk will focus on plants, insects, birds and overall nature. This event is celebrated in conjunction with NYC Audubon and the National Park Service The Q35 bus (which goes to the south Floyd Bennett Field entrance) stops in front of the Target store near Brooklyn College. Nearest train to the Q35 is the IRT to Brooklyn College (last stop.)
Leader profiles:
Marielle Anzelone http://www.popupforest.org/ , http://nycwildflowerweek.org
Steve Nanz http://stevenanz.com
Peter Dorosh http://prospectsightings.blogspot.com/

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Freshkills Park Alliance (Staten Island)
Jun 21, 2015, 12:00pm
Kayak the Creeks
Join the Freshkills Park Team and Kayak Staten Island for a kayaking experience like no other! Kayak along the Fresh Kill and see the site from a different perspective. This three hour excursion will take you into the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge and up close to some of the varied wildlife that calls Freshkills Park home.

Kayaks, life vests, and brief safety training will be provided. Kayak events are currently limited to participants ages 16 and over, in good health and with basic swimming skills. Be prepared to get wet! Space is very limited. Email freshkillspark@parks.nyc.gov if you own a kayak and wish to participate in this program with your personal kayak.

Location provided with registration confirmation
Sign Up at EventBrite

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 20, 9am – Sun, June 21, 6pm
Bashakill, Neversink, and Sterling Forest
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Look for breeding American bitterns, cerulean, hooded, and golden-winged warblers, and more at these three great birding areas. An overnight stay will facilitate being in the right spot at the right time. Bring lunch for the first day, binoculars, and a spotting scope (if you have one). Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 10. $280 ($56 single supplement)
Click here to register

Saturday, June 20, 2015, 8am – 5pm
Breeding Birds of the Hudson Highlands
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Join Gabriel Willow on a day-long trip to some of the most exciting & beautiful birding locations in the Hudson Valley - Doodletown Rd., Constitution Marsh, and Indian Brook Farm (in Fahnestock State Park). We'll look for uncommon breeding warbler specialties at Doodletown, such as cerulean, hooded, blue-winged, golden-winged, and worm-eating warblers; We will then head to the Constitution Marsh Audubon Sanctuary to explore a brackish marsh along the Hudson River. They have a beautiful boardwalk and are home to breeding wood duck, bald eagle, least bittern, marsh wren, and more. After a picnic lunch by the banks of Indian Brook, we will drive to Indian Brook Farm, which has extensive grasslands and highbush blueberry stands. These habitats have breeding Field and savannah sparrows, bobolinks, and indigo buntings.
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $129 (90)
Click here to register

Saturday, June 20, 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt 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, June 21, 2015, 7pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
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)
Saturday, June 20, 2015, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Forest Restoration Workshop at the Gretta Moulton Tract in High Rock
Meet in the parking lot at High Rock Park, 200 Nevada Avenue. If you come late, walk to the first bend of the entry road and follow the Yellow Trail to the Green Trail to our working location by Manor Road where we will root out Multi-flora Rose growing along the trail. If you don’t have your own, Protectors will supply gloves and pruners (and refreshments). After a two-hour work session (our 226th 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.

Saturday, June 20, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Old Mill Road
We’ll stroll along the multi-use trail next to Fresh Kills, below the hills of LaTourette Golf Course and return along the Blue Trail. From the remains of colonial structures to the Hessian Spring and the remains of Ketchum’s Mill we will take a look into the influence of man and nature on the ecosystems bordering the Fresh Kills estuary. Parking is available at the end of Old Mill Road, behind St. Andrew’s Church.
For more information call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Mianus River Gorge
Leader: Eric Miller 917-279-7530
Meet: 8:45 at lot

Sunday, June 21, 2015, 9am – 12pm
Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside, for beginners
Leader: Lisa Scheppke 347-531-3019
Meet: 9am at lot

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, June 20, 2015
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Park at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds.
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

Nesting Red-tailed Hawks Update

Forgive me if I've been neglecting our locally breeding Red-tailed Hawks this season. Here's a quick update and one interesting story.

I don't think that the resident pair in Prospect Park that nested near the baseball fields were successful (or even built a nest) this year. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden pair looks like they have three this year. At Green-Wood Cemetery I wasn't able to locate any active nests. One pair seemed to have given up on the chapel nest. That pair, however, is still hanging around. As always, Bruce over at Urban Hawks has been keeping up with the hawk nurseries in his area. Google Groups "RaptorsNYC" also keeps tabs on our breeding raptors. This is a particularly busy period of time for Bobby and Cathy at WINORR (Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation) as they receive nearly daily calls of raptors leaving the nest too early or just getting in trouble after they fledge. This week they picked up two new charges from an unexpected location in Brooklyn.

I received the following email from my friend Pam:

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From: Pamela Langford
Subject: Hawk nest near Green-Wood?
Date: June 9, 2015 11:29:09 AM EDT

Hi Rob --

Do you know of a red tail nest in or near Green-Wood? Bobby Horvath posted on Facebook that he has a juvenile red tail picked up on Chester Ave., which appears to be near Green-Wood.

Pam

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I checked Google Earth and found that Chester Avenue runs into the Fort Hamilton Parkway side of the cemetery in an area called "The Flats". Red-tails have nested in that part of the cemetery previously, so I was pleasantly surprised and optimistic that a pair actually was successful in Green-Wood.

Apparently Bobby had received two young hawks that day. From his Facebook page:

"Both of these young hawks came in today. The younger one from Chester Ave in Brooklyn and the one in the back from Melrose Ave in the Bronx. The female in the front has a little more growing to do but the other is close to the right age for fledgling. We'll try to find their nests but it is getting harder to keep track with so many new birds breeding all over the city." I told him I'd go over to the cemetery to check it out, but then received this note:

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From: Pamela Langford
Subject: Re: Chester Ave hawk
Date: June 9, 2015 4:55:36 PM EDT

Looks like Chester St. is in Brownsville -- a different part of Brooklyn. Chester Ave. is close to Green-Wood. Do you know for sure which it is?

Pam

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The following note from Bobby nailed down that, in fact, the nest was in Brownsville, no where near Green-Wood Cemetery ... or any large park:

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From: Bobby Horvath
Subject: Re: Chester Ave hawk
Date: June 10, 2015 7:46:07 PM EDT

Got a second fledgling today a business owner found in middle of street at 175 Blake Ave about 2 blocks from the first one. This one is more developed gets a little height longer tail than first. Got to be a nest someplace right there. Maybe on the school? Can't get there till Friday myself working a 24 hour shift. They are both appear healthy uninjured.

Bobby

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Once it is determined that the young hawks are healthy, it is very important to return them to the vicinity of the nest. From there the parents will find them, continue to feed them and teach them how to, eventually, fend for themselves. I promised Bobby that I'd do my best to try and locate their nest.

Google Earth has become an indispensable tool for searching for nest sites. I plugged in the Blake Avenue and Chester Avenue locations and looked for parks or large buildings suitable for a Red-tailed Hawk nest. My first assumption was that it would be on a ledge of P.S./I.S. 323, a block long building on Chester Avenue. Blake Avenue is a cross street at the south end of the school. The next morning I took the "3" train to Brownsville and walked several blocks up to the school. I didn't see anything that looked remotely like it could be a red-tailed nest. Most of the buildings around P.S./I.S. 323 are small, 2 story homes. The street is lined with young London Planetrees. Nothing large enough to hold a large raptor's nest. A huge, dilapidated building on the corner of Rockaway and Blake Avenues seemed like a possible spot for a nest. I decided I'd check it out after walking over to the 175 Blake Avenue address.

I never did have a chance to check that building because as I turned the corner of Bristol Street onto Blake Avenue I looked up and noticed this perfect hawk nest constructed on top of an air conditioning unit. Anyone passing me on the street probably would have heard me chuckling under my breath, like that cartoon dog. I crossed the street to get a better view and try to determine if there were any nestlings still on the a/c unit. There didn't appear to be. A row of mature trees lined a basketball court across from the nest, so I walked around checking for young and adult hawks. Periodically I played recordings of young Red-tailed Hawk begging calls, but nobody responded.

The nest is located on outside a classroom window in Frederick Douglass Academy VII High School. The nest is so obvious that I was surprised that nobody would have noticed. It would have been an amazing educational opportunity for the students in the high school. In a neighborhood that is sorely lacking green spaces, this close contact with wildlife would have been an unprecedented learning experience. Imagine if the school had set up a webcam to share the experience with the rest of the world. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked as I've watched New Yorkers overlook a Red-tailed Hawk perched directly over their heads or be completely nonplussed once it is pointed out to them.

I'm not sure what it is about this particular neighborhood that attracted this pair of Red-tailed Hawks to nest on the high school. The small park across the street offers little in terms of hunting grounds. Perhaps there are a lot of pigeon coops in the area that they raid, although I didn't notice any flocks flying around. The nest is roughly between 2 to 2 1/2 miles from Highland Park and the Ridgewood Reservoir to the northeast, Marine Park to the southeast and Prospect Park to the west. To a non-raptor any of those other spots would seem more fitting for raising a family. On the other hand, perhaps it is the central location that makes it easier for them to pick and choose their daily hunting grounds. To us impatient New Yorkers having to travel several miles for a meal is unheard of, but a Red-tailed Hawk can cover 2 miles in under a minute.

So I gave Bobby the good news and assumed that he would let me know when the family was reunited. Another hawk family story with a happy ending. That was until I spoke with him this afternoon.

Bobby and his wife have been a certified wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization for many years. With few exceptions, the public views them as heroes, working tirelessly (and without compensation) for our urban animals. When I said "with few exceptions" I was, unfortunately, referring to the reaction Bobby received when he called Frederick Douglass Academy today. He introduced himself, explained that he had two young hawks rescued from near the school and needed permission to return them to their parents. The principal was unable to speak with him, so he was instead transferred to the assistant principal. I wasn't present for the conversation, but I could hear the shock and frustration in Bobby's voice as soon as I answered his call. The assistant principal said she was well aware of the nest, that it had three babies and what was he doing with them?! He tried to explain what he did as a wildlife rescuer and the importance of returning the young hawks to their parents. This woman, this alleged educator, however, didn't want to have anything to do with him. In fact, she refused to give him access to the roof because these "dangerous animals" shouldn't be near the students. Huh?! I'm not sure where it will go from here, perhaps the principal of the high school is a more enlightened individual and will allow the hawk family to reunite. Maybe not. I'll keep you posted.

This situation has had me thinking about the ongoing discussions about how to educate our children, specifically, in New York City, but more generally in the United States. While adults with walls lined with degrees teach our kids how to take tests a real life "National Geographic" moment was happening right under their noses. At Frederick Douglass Academy they had the opportunity to teach kids about the urban environment, conservation, biology and a host of other disciplines from real life. You can't get any better than that, but the adults that should have known better choose to either ignore it or teach the kids that these are "dangerous animals" to be feared. Tamika Matheson is listed as the Interim Acting Principal to the high school should you feel a need to contact her. ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Summertime in Brooklyn's parks makes me think of Barn Swallows. A locally breeding species, they have learned to take full advantage of human activities. One way is to follow behind the park worker's lawnmowers, diving and swooping at the millions of insects stirred up by the machines. This most widespread and abundant worldwide species builds a mud nest, almost exclusively, on man-made structures. The Barn Swallow (known simply as the "Swallow" in Europe) has been the subject of myths and folklore for many cultures. I found a great little book published c1912 with the lengthy title, "The Swallow Book; The Story of the Swallow Told in Legends, Fables, Folk Songs, Proverbs, Omens and Riddles of Many Lands".

Treehugger Tuesday

A Promising Method for Cleaning up the Oceans

20 year old visionary Boyan Slat thinks he has come up with a simple, effective method for removing the millions of tons of plastic that have accumulated in the Earth's oceans. Watch his Tedtalk presentation below and check out the Ocean Cleanup website:

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, June 13, 2015 to Sunday, June 14, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Sunday, June 13, 2015, 12–1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
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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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Breeding birds of central Long Island
Leader: Eric Salzman www.ericsalzman.com
Focus: Breeding birds. In past trips led by Eric, Blue Grosbeak, Vesper Sparrow, Roseate Tern, and marsh sparrows were some specialties.
Visits to the Shinnecock region are very productive for coastal species.
Car fee: $30.00
Registrar: Donna Evans, email devansny@earthlink.net
Registration Period: June 2nd - June 11th

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Freshkills Park Alliance (Staten Island)
June 13, 2015 10:00am
Freshkills Park Site Tour
Site tours are approximately an hour and a half long and tell the story of the past, present and future of Freshkills Park development via a guided bus ride through the site. Stops at the top of the park’s hills offer beautiful panoramic views of Staten Island. Space is limited, all ages welcome. Free. Meet at the St. George Ferry Terminal Information Booth (across from Au Bon Pain).
Sign Up at EventBrite

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Littoral Society
Sunday, June 14, 2015, 06:00pm - 08:00pm
Horseshoe Crab Walk
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center to car pool to a nearby site. Learn about the biology of these living fossils and how they utilize NYC's shorelines. Registration required.
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Contact: NE Chapter, (718) 474-0896

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 13, 9am – Sunday, June 14, 6pm
Bashakill, Shawangunk NWR, and Doodletown
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Look for breeding eastern meadowlarks, American bitterns, cerulean warblers, and more at these three great birding areas. An overnight stay will facilitate being in the right spot at the right time. Bring lunch for the first day, binoculars, and a spotting scope (if you have one).
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 10. $280 ($56 single supplement)
Click here to register

Saturday, June 13, 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt 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.

Saturday, June 13, 2015, 10am – 1pm
The Parakeets of Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Green-Wood Cemetery
Meet at the cemetery entrance at 5th Ave and 25th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn. While it might seem an odd place to go birding, Green-Wood Cemetery is rich in both history and wildlife. It is also the highest point in Brooklyn, affording marvelous views. We will explore its environs in search of spring migrants and its most unique avian residents: the huge flocks of brilliant green monk parakeets that nest there. Native to South America, these charming immigrants are surprisingly hardy and flourish even in our harsh winters. Limited to 15. $46 (32)
Click here to register

Sunday, June 14, 2015, 9:30am – 11:30am
Spring Birding at Wave Hill, The Bronx
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Wave Hill
Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his extensive knowledge of diverse bird species and their behavior on these captivating walks through the gardens and woodlands. Observe the plants, insects and habitats at Wave Hill that make it an appealing destination for such a wide variety of birds. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Birders of all levels welcome! Severe weather cancels. Registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center. (NYC Audubon Members enjoy two-for-one admission)
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 9:30AM

Sunday, June 14, 2015, 7pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
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)
Saturday, June 13, 2015, 12 Noon to 2 p.m.
The Intertidal Zone at the Page Avenue Beach
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. 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 call Clay Wollney at 718-869-6327.

Sunday, June 14, 2015, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Bloomingdale Woods (1975-2015)
Bloomingdale Park is 138 acres of mainly woodland on Staten Island’s South Shore. It was acquired in the 1960s to protect southern Staten Island’s natural areas from development. The park’s woods contain several species of wetland trees native to Staten Island, including swamp white oak, pin oak, sweet gum, and red maple. Protectors launched a legal battle that pitted ballfield construction against passive natural recreation/preservation that resulted in a largely scaled down version of the original plans for this South Shore park. On record, former Mayor Bloomberg made a compromise with Parks Department Commissioner Henry Stern, who also opposed the project, and Borough President Guy Molinari, who had pledged to make the park a reality. Add in wetlands mapping oversights and challenges, and you can easily see how this controversy soon became one of Protectors’ biggest issues We will meet at Maguire Avenue and Drumgoole Road West. We will explore the eastern part of the park.
For more information, contact Hillel Lofaso at hillel5757@gmail.com or 718-477-0545.

Sunday, June 14, 2015, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Wolfe’s Pond Park
Containing mature upland woods, swamp forest, open marsh, ponds, and shoreline on Raritan Bay, Wolfe’s Pond is one of the most diverse parks in the city. Meet at the comfort stations at the end of the parking lot. The entrance to the parking lot is located off of Cornelia Avenue (http://goo.gl/maps/n8XBa).
For more information please call John Paul Learn at 718-619-5051 or e-mail him at john.paul.learn@gmail.com.

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Queens County Bird Club
Sunday, June 14, 2015, 8:00am – 10:30am
Ridgewood Reservoir mini walk
Guide: Jean Loscalzo 917-575-6824 dm5078@aol.com
Meet at the parking lot for upper Highland Park on Vermont Place.

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.

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Alley Pond Park

All walks start at 9:30 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498
For directions to our bird-watching locations, click here.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Park at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds.
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, June 14, 2015
Bird Watching at the Ridgewood Reservoir at Ridgewood Reservoir, Queens
8:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Start your day with an early morning bird watching walk led by Jean Loscalzo of the Queens County Bird Club.
Free!

Summer Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Observe the plants, insects and habitats that make Wave Hill an appealing destination for such a wide variety of birds.
Free!

Family Bird Watching at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Looking for a fun way to spend time with your family outdoors? Join the Prospect Park Alliance for its monthly family bird watching tours.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Sometimes referred to as the "chickenhawk", the Red-tailed Hawk has become a regular sight in urban settings. They are the most common hawk in North American and can be found in nearly all habitats throughout North America. In New York City they nest everywhere from trees in parks and cemeteries to building ledges. In Brooklyn, resident pairs have nested in Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery and Fort Greene Park. This year a pair is raising two offspring at the edge of the Japanese Garden in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Treehugger Tuesday

More Protection for our Drinking Water

From the Wall Street Journal:

EPA Adds Smaller Waterways, Wetlands to Federal Supervision
Agency says rule would protect sources of drinking water for more than 100 million people

By AMY HARDER Updated May 27, 2015 4:08 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration issued a rule on Wednesday putting more small bodies of water and wetlands under federal protection to ensure clean drinking supplies, a move that has riled some lawmakers and business and farming groups.

The rule, issued jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is estimated to put about 3% more waterways throughout the U.S. under new federal jurisdiction. That will require a federal permit to pollute those waters and could restrict access altogether. Major waterways, like most rivers and lakes, are already under protection of the Clean Water Act and aren’t affected by Wednesday’s rule.

Agency officials said Wednesday that the rule would cover sources of drinking water for more than 100 million Americans by protecting wetlands and streams that are upstream from bigger rivers and lakes.

Much of the EPA’s focus has been on rolling out President Barack Obama’s climate agenda, which includes proposed carbon regulations pending at the agency. But the water rule issued Wednesday has gained prominence in its own right at the White House, with Mr. Obama citing it as another environmental accomplishment of his presidency.

“My administration has made historic commitments to clean water, from restoring iconic watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes to preserving more than a thousand miles of rivers and other waters for future generations,” Mr. Obama said in a statement Wednesday. “With today’s rule, we take another step towards protecting the waters that belong to all of us.”

Lawmakers from rural states and a coalition of interest groups, including the American Farm Bureau and the Portland Cement Association that represents cement manufacturers, have criticized the water rule, saying it could ultimately apply to bodies of water as small as ditches. They called it evidence of what they claim is bureaucratic overreach by the administration. Lawsuits challenging the final rule are expected.

EPA officials say the rule is necessary to clarify which waters should fall under the protection of the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 after two Supreme Court rulings, in 2001 and 2006, called into question whether and to what extent 60% of U.S. waterways, especially streams and wetlands, should fall under federal jurisdiction.

“The rule only protects waters that have been historically covered under the Clean Water Act,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said on a conference call Wednesday. “The rule does not add any new requirement.”

Companies apply for permits under the Clean Water Act when doing a host of industrial activities, such as building roads, bridges and discharging of waste material like sewage. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which issues Clean Water Act permits along with the EPA, says it approves tens of thousands of such permits a year. EPA officials say farming activity wouldn’t need a permit based on an existing exemption.

The rule seeks to require those kinds of permits for only those waterways that have physical features of flowing water, which could include ditches that could carry pollution downstream, the agency said. The American Farm Bureau was particularly concerned about whether the EPA would regulate shallow wetlands filled with water, known as prairie potholes. In a fact sheet, the EPA said it would protect such potholes and similar waterways “when they impact downstream waters,” and it would determine that on a case-by-case basis, agency officials said Wednesday.

The rule “unfortunately still considers many prairie potholes as waters that it will regulate, which doesn’t address all of the serious concerns of farmers and ranchers,” Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) said.

Environmentalists and some Democrats have praised the rule, saying it provides vital protection against pollution. “These long-overdue protections...will ensure cleaner wetlands, headwaters, brooks and streams that we use for swimming, fishing and other recreational activities,” said Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Earlier this month, the GOP-controlled House passed legislation designed to thwart the rule, which was proposed last year. The Senate, also in Republican hands, is considering similar legislation, which has support from some Democrats in rural states, including Ms. Heitkamp.

“The rule is being shoved down the throats of hardworking people with no input, and places landowners, small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers on the road to a regulatory and economic hell,” House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) said in a statement Wednesday.

Wednesday’s water rule is one of nearly 10 that the EPA is slated to complete in coming months, including new carbon standards for trucks, a rule cutting methane emissions from oil and natural-gas production operations and rules cutting carbon emissions from power plants.

Write to Amy Harder at amy.harder@wsj.com

Copyright 2014 Dow Jones and Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved ...Read more

Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, June 6, 2015 to Sunday, June 7, 2015:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Sunday, June 7, 2015, 8 am – 9 am
Early Morning Birdwalk: Local Nesters
Discover hidden nests! Glimpse the lives of busy bird parents and their hungry nestlings. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club. This tour leaves promptly at 8 am.

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Brooklyn Bird Club
June 5th - June 7th, 2015
Spring Weekend: Mianus River Gorge, Fahnestock, Schwanagunk: a journey to the lower Hudson River Valley
NOTE: Limit 12 participants
Leaders: Ryan Bass, Peter Dorosh
Focus: breeding birds and late migrants.
Note: Excellent breeding bird locations: Mianus River Gorge Preserve, Clarence Fahnestock State Park (led by Ryan), and Schwanagunk Grasslands. Additional locales might include Ward Pond Ridge Park, Constitution Marsh (some rugged low hiking) and Iona Marsh. Fahnestock will be long periods of walking on trails that may be slightly rugged and at times sloping. Wear comfortable light hikers. Any questions, email the registrar. Members wanting to do Saturday-Sunday 2 day trip can alert the registrar.
Car fee: $100.00
Registrar: Peter Dorosh Prosbird@aol.com (preferred) or 347-622-3559 text only
Registration Period: April 1st - May 30th

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Littoral Society
Friday, June 5 - Sunday, June 7, 2015
Montauk Spring Weekend
Trip leaders: Mike Bottini, Mickey Maxwell Cohen and Don Riepe of the American Littoral Society.
With our friends at NYC Audubon, join us for a great natural history weekend at the luxurious Montauk Manor House. Visit the “Walking Dunes” (cranberry and orchid bogs), Lighthouse Beach (tidal pools), Camp Hero Bluffs, Point O’Woods Walk and Big Reed Pond. See nesting pine and prairie warblers, bank swallows, screech owls, Baltimore orioles and enjoy the beautiful beaches.
Trip Cost: $395.00 per person, double occupancy. $120 extra for single occupancy (total $515.00). If you would like us to match you with another same sex attendee for the double occupancy room rate, please contact us.
Price includes 2 nights at the stately Montauk Manor House (with heated pool and jacuzzi), 5 meals, 5 guided hikes and 2 evening programs. Plus free pickup at the LIRR station in Montauk and optional paddleboarding/kayak trip.

For information or to make a reservation call our Northeast Chapter Office at (718) 474-0896; email donriepe@gmail.com; or visit https://spring-montaukweekend.eventbrite.com.

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, June 6, 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt 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.

Saturday, June 6, 2015, 9am – 3pm
Biking and Birding: Jamaica Bay
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at Grand Army Plaza. Bike your way through Brooklyn neighborhoods and along scenic greenways to Jamaica Bay, to look for migrant shorebirds as well as breeding egrets, oystercatchers, and more. This is a 16-mile trip; return by subway from Broad Channel. Bring binoculars, water, lunch, and your bicycle. Limited to 15. $40 (28)
Click here to register

Sunday, June 7, 2015, 9:30am – 3:00pm
Spring Hike in the Greenbelt, Staten Island, with Gabriel Willow
Guide: Gabriel Willow
With NYC Parks and the Greenbelt Conservancy
Meet at the Manhattan terminal of the S.I. Ferry and begin your tour on water. Explore trails within the 3,000-acre Staten Island Greenbelt and visit High Rock Park, Walker Pond, and the Pouch Camp property: 143 acres of unspoiled woods and wetlands. Look for spring migrants and learn about the Greenbelt’s ecology. Includes refreshments at the Greenbelt Nature Center and transportation on Staten Island. Limited to 20. $43 (30)
Click here to register

Sunday, June 7, 2015, 7pm – 9pm
Sunset EcoCruise to the Harbor Heron Islands: Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
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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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Ward Pound Ridge
Meet: 7:30am at museum parking lot
We explore this excellent area and top the day off with a club sponsored BBQ.

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.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Park at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds.
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, June 7, 2015
Early Morning Birdwalk: Local Nesters at Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Discover hidden nests! Get a glimpse of the lives of busy bird parents and their hungry nestlings.
Free!

Bird Watching at the Ridgewood Reservoir at Ridgewood Reservoir, Queens
8:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Start your day with an early morning bird watching walk led by Steve and Heidi Nanz of the Brooklyn Bird Club.
Free! ...Read more