Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for the weekend of Saturday, July 2, 2016 to Monday, July 4, 2016:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Sunday, July 3, 2016, 8am – 9am
Early Morning Bird Walk: Taking Wing
This is the time of year when young birds outnumber adult birds. Join the Prospect Park Alliance in search of fledglings as they test their wings!

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Gateway National Recreation Area
Every Sunday Weekly and Every Saturday Weekly from 06/04/2016 to 09/03/2016 11:00AM to 12:00PM
Birding for Beginners
Join us for an introduction to this fun hobby. Learn the basics of birding. Bring binoculars and a field guide or borrow them from wildlife refuge!
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Fee Information: Free

Every Sunday Weekly and Every Saturday Weekly from 05/28/2016 to 08/28/2016 9:30AM to 11:30AM
Camp Gateway Walk-up and Paddle
Try kayaking! Open to the public, ages 6 and up with an adult. No reservation required. Bring a snack, water and sunscreen.
Bus: Q35
Location: Floyd Bennett Field – Brooklyn, Seaplane Ramp
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Name: Ryan Visitor Center
Contact Phone Number: 718-338-3799

Every Saturday Weekly from 05/28/2016 to 08/27/2016 1:00PM to 3:30PM
Canarsie Walk-up and Paddle
Kayak tryouts for those who have never done it before. Open to the public, ages 6 and up with an adult. No reservations required.
Location: Canarsie Pier, Brooklyn
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Name: Ryan Visitor Center
Contact Phone Number: (718)338-3799

Every Sunday Weekly from 06/05/2016 to 09/04/2016 11:00AM to 12:00PM
Fort Tilden Bunkers Walking Tour
Join a Park Ranger for an exploration of Fort Tilden's gun batteries, and find out about the fort's role in the defense of New York Harbor.
1 mile.
Location: Fort Tilden-Building 1
Fee Information: Free

Saturday, July 2, 2016, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
Horseshoe Crab Tagging and Population Count
Meet at the Beach Center then travel to Crooke's Point to search for and tag horseshoe crabs. Visitors must show up no later than 6 p.m. in order to receive a special program parking permit for Crooke's Point. Wear appropriate shoes. Reservations are required, please call 718-354-4655 to make a reservation and for more information.
Location: Great Kills Park Lot G Beach Center

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Friday, July 1 - Monday, July 4
Boreal Birding in the Adirondacks
Guide: Gabriel Willow
NYC Audubon is for the first time offering a trip to the Adirondack region, NY state's wildest country. The Adirondack Park's 6 million acres constitutes 1/3 of the land area in NY State - the Park is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, greater in size than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Park combined! Within its boundaries are vast forests (ranging from deciduous to boreal) and rolling farmlands, towns and villages, mountains and valleys, and lakes, ponds and rivers. This diversity of habitat leads to an incredible diversity of plant and bird species, including several boreal specialties of the mountain spruce and fir forests that cannot be found in NYC such as gray jays and boreal chickadees. Join NYC Audubon guide Gabriel Willow and local Adirondack resident, guide, and President of the NYS Ornithological Association, Joan Collins on a four-day tour of this wild region. We will stay in the town of Saranac Lake at Amanda's Village Motel, a charming motel overlooking the Lake, spend our days exploring the mountains and valleys in the region, and dine at restaurants in Saranac Lake and nearby Lake Placid, NY. Transport by passenger van included. $770 ($220 single supplement)
Click here for a complete itinerary
Click here to register

Saturdays, May 7-July 30, 8-9:30am
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

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Sullivan County Audubon Society
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Our 23rd annual Sullivan County Butterfly Count. We cover the same 15-mile diameter circle as our Christmas Count. Participants can join a team, be a garden watcher if it is in the circle, or just allow your butterfly habitat to be counted. Every set of eyes is valuable as a spotter. To join call leader Renee Davis at 482-5044 before 7 pm. Rain date: Wed. July 6.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Bird Walks focus on wildlife happenings in the park and are led by NYC Audubon experts.
Free!

Plover Day! at Beach 86th Street and Shorefront Parkway (in Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk), Queens
11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Enjoy family-friendly games, crafts, and educational activities that raise awareness of this amazing shorebird.
Free!

Monday, July 4, 2016
Hallett Nature Sanctuary at Hallett Nature Sanctuary (in Central Park), Manhattan
2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
During these limited hours, visitors can explore the normally-closed Hallett Sanctuary at their own pace along the rustic trail.
Free!