Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, January 23, 2016 to Sunday, January 24, 2016:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, January 24, 2015
Jones Beach, Long Island
Leader: Mike Yuan
Focus: coastal species, waterbirds, sea ducks, raptors, dune passerines
Car Fee: $22.00
Registrar: Mike Yuan mjyuan@gmail.com
Registration Period: January 16th - January 21st

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Gateway National Parks
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Hike the Trails of the North Forty Natural Area
Location: Floyd Bennett Field
Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Fee Information: Free
Join American Littoral Society naturalist Mickey Maxwell Cohen to discover the enigmas of the winter woods. Participants will carpool from the Ryan Visitor Center to the North Forty trailhead. A magnifying glass will be helpful.
This is an American Littoral Society/ Gateway NRA partnership program.
Approx. 2 miles.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Pelham Bay Park
Leader: Rob Jett
Registrar: Louise Fraza — louisefraza@yahoo.com or 212-534-6182
Registration opens: Monday January 11
Ride: $15

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, January 23, 2016
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, January 23, 9am – Sun, January 24, 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 ($50 single supplement)
Click here to register

Saturday, January 23, 2016, 8:30am – 10:30am
Eagle Watch and Bird Walk at Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Guide: Annie Barry
Meet at the western end of Dyckman Street in front of La Marina restaurant and join Annie Barry for a winter hike through the various landscapes and habitats of Inwood Hill Park. Located at the northern tip of Manhattan where the Harlem River meets the Hudson, Inwood Hill Park offers shoreline vistas, a relict forest and the last natural saltmarsh in Manhattan. We will begin with an eagle watch on the Hudson shore, then move into the forest to search for wintering and year-round birds, and finally to the saltmarsh to look for wintering ducks. Some hilly walking required. $36 (25)
Click here to register

Sunday, January 24, 2016, 12pm – 2pm
Winter Seals and Waterbirds of NY Harbor
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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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Hempstead Lake State Park

Notes:
All walks start at 9:00 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, January 23, 2016
Birding: Super Winter Bird Walk at Grand Army Plaza Arch (in Grand Army Plaza), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!

Sunday, January 24, 2016
Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Forest Avenue and Silver Lake Park Road (in Silver Lake Park), Staten Island
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!