Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, October 29, 2016 to Sunday, October 30, 2016:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, October 30, 2016
A Bird Haunting at Greenwood Cemetery
Leader: Bobbi Manian
Focus: Peak of late fall migrants, sparrows and early winter songbirds
Meet: 8:00 am at the main entrance 25th Street/5th Avenue (Nearest subway: R train 25th stop; walk south one block)

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Freshkills Park (Staten Island)
Sunday, October 30, 2016, 10:00am
Bus Tour
Learn about the past, present and future of Freshkills Park development during a guided bus ride through the park. Stops at the top of the park’s hills offer beautiful panoramic views of Staten Island. This tour departs from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George.
Sign Up at EventBrite

Sunday, October 30, 2016, 1:00pm
Bus Tour
Learn about the past, present and future of Freshkills Park development during a guided bus ride through the park. Stops at the top of the park’s hills offer beautiful panoramic views of Staten Island. This tour departs from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George.
Sign Up at EventBrite

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Gateway National Park
Sunday, October 30, 2016, 7:30PM to 8:30PM
Lantern Tour of Fort Tilden
Fee Information: Free
Join a Park Ranger to experience and learn about historic Fort Tilden, in a different way. Bring a flashlight and dress for the weather.
Space is limited- Call (718) 338-3799 for reservations.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, October 29, 2016
New Jersey Hotspots
Leader: Robert Machover
Registrar: Karen Asakawa — avocet501@gmail.com or 347-306-0690
Registration opens: Monday, October 17
Ride: $40

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 9/3/2016 - 6/24/2017: 11:00 a.m.
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
Saturdays, September 3-November 26, 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

Classes: Thursdays, October 20, October 27, and November 3, 6:30-8:30pm
Beginning Birding
Trips: Saturdays, October 29, 8-11am, and November 12, 9am-3pm
Instructor: Tod Winston
Learn the keys to identifying the spectacular variety of birds that migrate southwards through New York City every fall. Even if you've never picked up a pair of binoculars, you’ll soon be identifying warblers, thrushes, waterbirds, and more—both by sight and by ear. Two fun and educational in-class sessions and field trips to Central Park and Jamaica bay (transport to Jamaica bay included). Limited to 12. $179 (125)
Click here to register

Saturday, October 29, 2016, 9:30am-4pm
Fall Foliage Hike in the Greenbelt, Staten Island
Guide: Gabriel Willow
With NYC Parks and the Greenbelt Conservancy
Meet at the Manhattan terminal of the S.I. Ferry and join us as we journey to Moses Mountain, which provides a panoramic view of Staten Island and points beyond. We'll look for migrating hawks, warblers, and other songbirds—with crimson sumac and other autumn foliage as a backdrop. Bring lunch and water. Transportation on Staten Island provided. Limited to 18. $43 (30)
Click here to register

Sunday, October 30, 2016, 9am-1pm
Fall Migration on Randall's Island
Guides: Gabriel Willow, Christopher Girgenti of Randall's Island
With Randall's Island Park Alliance, Inc.
Meet on the N.W. corner of 102nd Street and FDR Drive. We'll walk across the foot bridge to Randall's Island, an under-explored location in the East River that hosts restored freshwater wetlands and salt marsh. We'll look for fall migrants as we explore the results of recent restoration efforts. Two miles of walking and some modest climbs. Limited to 20. $40 (28)
Click here to register

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North Fork Audubon Society
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Special Event/Birdwalk, Fire Island Hawkwatch with Pat Hanly

Each fall season since 1974, HMANA (the Hawk Migration Association of North America) has monitored the various organized hawk-watches to count migrating hawks and keep a database of species trends. The Fire Island Hawkwatch is the only formal HMANA hawkwatch on Long Island.

NF Audubon member Pat Hanly will be serving as the official hawk counter on Saturday, October 29th, 8am – 4pm. Come out to the hawk-watch to view migrating hawks, learn about hawk migration, go for a bird walk around the Fire Island Lighthouse or just to enjoy the day. Travel on your own to the hawk-watch platform, Robert Moses State Park, parking lot #5. The platform is at the end of the road, west of the lighthouse. (map)

Contact Pat at pat@mattpres.com or call 312-0284 for more information.

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North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Jamaica Bay NWR
Leader: Lenore 718-343-1391

Walks are for beginners and experienced birders alike. Weather permitting, walks start at 9:30 AM unless indicated.
If in doubt, please call the trip leader.
Please note: all phone numbers are area code 516 unless otherwise indicated. In most cases, the contacts are also leaders for the respective walks. We would like to encourage carpooling, where possible.
Please note there is a $10 per car fee at Sands Pt. Call leader for parking ideas.
Schedule note: *** indicates 8 am official start time
*indicates new parking location

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NYC H2O
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 10am
Ridgewood Reservoir Community Tour

NYC H2O is offering free tours of the Ridgewood Reservoir to community members and the public.

The Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park is a 50+ acre natural oasis that straddles the border of Brooklyn and Queens. Built in 1859 to supply the once independent City of Brooklyn with high quality water, it became obsolete with the addition of new reservoirs in the Catskills in the 1950’s and was decommissioned in the 1980’s. Since then, nature took its course in a perfect case study of ecological succession. A lush and dense forest has grown in its two outside basins while a freshwater pond with waterfowl sits in the middle basin.

Join us to explore this incredible natural resource in the heart of NYC. Please make a reservation.

We will meet in the parking lot at 1 Vermont Place.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Caumsett State Park
Leader: Rich Kelly - 516-509-1094
Where: Caumsett State Park, 25 Lloyd Harbor Rd, Huntington, NY 11743, USA (map)

Trip Etiquette Notify the leader well in advance so they can coordinate car pooling and notify you of last minute meeting time or location changes. Be on time. We depart promptly.

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Point Lookout Town Park and Lido Preserve

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, October 29, 2016
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
About 230 different bird species have been recorded in Van Cortlandt Park and over 60 species breed here!
Free!

Sunday, October 30, 2016
Birding: Raptor Migration at Gateway Drive and Erskine Street (in Spring Creek Park), Brooklyn
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!

Moses Mountain Hike at 200 Nevada Avenue (in High Rock Park), Staten Island
1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Join us for a jaunt to Moses Mountain to experience the forest in its full fall glory. Enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view, and look for birds of prey.
Free!