Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, December 2, 2017 to Sunday, December 3, 2017:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 2, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!

Sunday, December 3, 2017, 8am – 9am
Early Morning Bird Walk: 12 Birds of Winter
Not everyone flies south for the winter. Join Prospect Park Alliance to spot Prospect Park’s most common winter birds during their busiest time of day. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club, this tour leaves promptly at 8am.

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Bedford Audubon Society
December 2, 2017, 8:30am - 1:00pm
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with Naturalist Tait Johansson
Join Tait on an outing to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a haven for wintering waterfowl, often including impressive numbers of Snow Geese. Now that the West Pond has been repaired and is fresh water again, the Refuge should be an even better winter birding spot than it has been for the last 5 years.
Meet at Bylane at 7am for carpooling or at the Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center at 8:30.
Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Please let us know if you’d like to borrow binoculars.
Register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.
See more details

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, December 2, 2017, 7:30am
Prospect Park
Leader: Sean Zimmer
Meet: 7:30 AM at Grand Army Plaza (Stranahan Statue) entrance of Prospect Park
Focus: first winter songbirds, raptors, and lake species

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Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Snow Birds Walk
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Search for cardinals, yellow-rumped warblers, white-throated sparrows, and more.
View Details

Sunday, December 3, 2017
Winter Hike at Breezy Point
Location: Meet at Fort Tilden, Building 1 and carpool to Breezy Point
Join Mickey Maxwell Cohen, American Littoral Society naturalist, to the little known and winter-deserted western tip of the Rockaway Peninsula during a full-moon low tide.
View Details

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Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, December 3, 7:00am - 8:30am
Birding in Peace
Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean that there aren’t interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we’ll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.

$10 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $15 for non-members

For this program you will check in at the Gothic Arches, right at the main entrance.
Click here for our inclement weather policy.

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Hudson River Audubon Society
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Croton Point Park
Meet at 8am in the large parking lot
We will search the meadow for American Pipit and other grassland birds.
http://hras.org/wtobird/croton.html

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Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon
Saturday, December 2, 2017 - 9:00am
Montauk Point
Winter waterfowl abound including scoters, eiders, loons, gannets, and numerous pond ducks.
Registration: 631-885-1881

Directions: LIE to exit 70, Manorville. Go south on Route 111 to Route 27. Take Route 27 east all the way to Montauk Point Lighthouse. There may be a parking fee. Meet at the concession building at Montauk Point State Park.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Rye Playland and Environs
Leader: Tom Burke
Registrar: Louise Fraza — louisefraza@yahoo.com or 212-534-6182
Registration opens: Monday, November 20
Ride: $15 or public transportation

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 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
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Saturday, December 2, 2017, 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Old Mill Road – Richmond Town
Enjoy a walk back through Staten Island’s past as participants visit the ruins of three, pre-Revolutionary War mills, Bedell’s, Ketchum’s and Crocheron’s mills. Explore the watercourses which fed each mill. Discover the wildlife, the rich diversity of species which now call the mill-creeks home.
Participants will meet in the parking lot on Old Mill Road beside Saint Andrew’s Church.
For more information call Ray Matarazzo at 718-317-7666.

Saturday, December 2, 2017, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
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.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, Dec 2, 2017
Montauk Point
Leader: Arie Gilbert (917) 693-7178
Where: Montauk Point Lighthouse, 2000 NY-27, Montauk, NY 11954, USA (map)

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Alley Pond Park

Take the Long Island Expressway west to Exit 29 (Springfield Blvd.). Turn left onto Springfield Blvd. south. Go five blocks and turn left onto 76th Ave. Quickly turn left into the 76th Ave. parking lot. We will meet at the far end of the lot. For a street map that shows the parking lot (and the entire neighborhood), go to www.nycgovparks.org/parks/alleypondpark/map. For online directions, enter "76th Ave 11364" as the location.
Directions via Google Maps

Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
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.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Birding: Owls at Isham Street and Seaman Avenue (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels.
Registration is required for this program.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

The Common Gallinule is a medium-sized member of the rail family. Native to North America, it was once considered the same species as the Old World’s Common Moorhen but in 2011 was split off and renamed.

Adult gallinule have mostly dark plumage, white undertail, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. Immature birds, like the one pictured, are browner, lack the red shield and have a drab maroon bill.

Like most of North America’s rail species they are marsh birds, found in freshwater or brackish marshes with tall emergent vegetation. They are often found in the company of the American Coot. Foraging while walking atop floating vegetation, swimming or walking in shallow water, their diet consists primarily of seeds from grasses and sedges, as well as, snails and other small mollusks.

Common Gallinule breeds over much of midwestern and southern North America through Central America and northern South America. They overwinter from the southern Atlantic states to South America.

While Common Gallinule populations have decreased between 1966 and 2014 the IUCN Red List lists their conservation status as Least Concern.

Their scientific name, Gallinula galeata, means little hen; helmeted.

Birding and Owl Ethics

Here's a little refresher from the ABA blog:

Considering Owl Ethics
By Nate Swick, on January 13, 2013
via The Nemesis Bird

The ethics of owl photography is one issue birders have discussed at great length, particularly in the modern era as we’ve seen the rise and increased ease of digital photography. We’ve even discussed it here at the ABA Blog on occasion. Owls, after all, are charismatic. They’re too infrequently seen. They can be devilishly hard to photograph. And on those rare occasions when the stars align and an owl is observed in daylight, it can be very easy to take things too far without really even realizing that you’re doing so.

Most birders do our best to abide by the ABA Code of Birding Ethics, particularly when it comes to disturbing roosting owls. But absent any sort of clear owl-specific advice, it can be hard to know precisely how much is too much until the owl flushes and every binocular-toter in the tri-county area is calling for your head.

At The Nemesis Bird, Andy McGann tackles this issue with a well put together post on photographing roosting owls, but the advice works just as well for those who just want to observe them:


• If you catch wind of the known whereabouts of an owl’s daytime roost, ask someone-who-knows for more information. However, this can often be an unproductive dead-end, because many birders are rightfully extremely guarded when it comes to trusting others with a bird’s well-being. On the bright side, their hearts are in the right place. The down side is that people can get totally bent out of shape when someone withholds information. TRY NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY. If possible, politely ask if you could possibly arrange to join them when they check up on that-roost-they-know-about.

• Target roosts that are located on PUBLIC LAND, especially those WITH POPULAR HIKING TRAILS. Why? Because the birds at these locations are simply more accustomed to seeing people walking around. Birds become desensitized to people walking in the areas where they always walk. Like city pigeons, but not quite that extreme.


Anyway, there’s far more and it’s good stuff. Go check it out! ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

From the website Electrek:

Cheapest electricity on the planet is Mexican solar power at 1.77¢/kWh – record 1¢/kWh coming in 2019, sooner
John Fitzgerald Weaver
Nov. 16th 2017

Per a press release from the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (Cenace) of Mexico, the department received bids for 3TWh of solar electricity, with the lowest bids being 1.77¢/kWh coming from Italian multinational ENEL Green Power.

This record low price of electricity on earth, just beats out the 1.79¢/kWh from Saudi Arabia, and is part of a pattern marching toward 1¢/kWh bids that are coming in 2019 (or sooner).

Mexico’s Department of Energy along with Cenace announced the results of the country’s ‘Third Long Term Auction.’ Fifteen bids were accepted from eight wind and solar power companies. ENGIE bid as Solar and Wind companies, Mitsui alongside Trina, ENEL and Canadian Solar were some of the better known names.

ENEL won bids on four projects total with tariffs of 1.77¢, 1.77¢, 1.94¢ and 1.80¢/kWh. The projects were sized 167MW, 122MW, 277MW and 116MW, respectively – totaling 682MW total. These four bids are the two lowest, and 4th/5th lowest bids ever for solar power projects.

Read the entire article here

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 25, 2017 to Sunday, November 26, 2017:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, November 25, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!

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Gateway National Parks
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Salt Marsh Detectives
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Investigate what makes a salt marsh and who lives there.
View Details

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 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
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturdays, September 2–November 25, 2017, 8-9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walks
Guides: NYC Audubon 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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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Grande Jones Beach
Leader: Mike Zito (516) 507-9419
Where: US Coast Guard, 1 West End Boat Basin, Freeport, NY 11520 (map)

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Point Lookout Town Park and Lido Preserve

From the Southern State Parkway, exit onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway south. Exit from the Meadowbrook at Loop Parkway (just before the Jones Beach toll booths) toward Point Lookout. The Loop Parkway ends west of Point Lookout at Lido Boulevard. Continue straight across Lido Boulevard into Point Lookout Park. Travel past the ticket booths and curve left into the very large parking lot on the south side of the park. Park in the southeast corner, closest to the private homes of the village of Point Lookout and the beach. We will walk east along the beach toward Jones Inlet. After returning to the parking lot, we will drive west on Lido Boulevard to Lido Beach Passive Nature Preserve on the north side of Lido Boulevard to walk through the bay marsh.

Directions to Point Lookout Park via Google Maps | Directions to Lido Beach Passive Nature Preserve via Google Maps

Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
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.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Join NYC Audubon on birding walks through Van Cortlandt Park to discover wildlife happenings in the park.
Free!

Discovery Walks for Families: Beginning Birders - The North Woods at Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Why do birds flock to Central Park every spring and fall? We’ll find out as we explore Central Park’s woodlands, and learn the basics of bird identification along the…
Free!

Sunday, November 26, 2017
Discovery Walks for Families: Beginning Birders - Hallett Nature Sanctuary and The Pond at Chess and Checkers House (in Central Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Why do birds flock to Central Park every spring and fall? We’ll find out as we explore Central Park’s woodlands, and learn the basics of bird identification along the…
Free!

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Wild Bird Fund
Saturday, November 25, 2017, 9:00am - 12:00pm
Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Thanksgiving Edition
Please join WBF member and artist/naturalist Alan Messer for a Thanksgiving-season bird walk on November 25 (Rain Date, November 26) into Central Park for early winter birds. We'll check the southern part of the Reservoir for gulls and waterfowl including mergansers, coots, among our over-wintering duck species. Late migration hawks can be seen while we head to the Ramble for hermit thrushes, sparrows, finches, kinglets, and woodpeckers. We'll be…
Find out more » ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Normally I only post North American species for my “Friday’s Foto” series. Today I’ve decided to post about a Eurasian species that has only been recorded around a dozen times in the New World since 1900. The occasion being that one recently appeared in New York on one of Long Island's barrier beaches. I had the good fortune to see it.

The Corncrake, also known as the Corn Crake or Landrail, is a medium-sized rail related to moorhens and coots. Unlike most rails, which prefer wet or marshy habitats, this species makes its living on dry land. Described in most guides as “secretive”, they spend most of their time in tall grasses. Their diet is primarily made up of invertebrates such as earthworms and insects. They also consume plant material such as seeds of grasses and sedges.

This long-distance migrant breeds in Europe and central Asia, as far east as western China, wintering in Zaire, Tanzania and eastern South Africa. The vast majority of their global population is across Russia.

The conservation status of the Corncrake via the IUCN Red List is “Least Concern”.

Their scientific name, Crex crex, is supposedly derived from the sound that they make, which some describe as “two cheese-graters rubbed together”. In addition, the Greek word “krex” means "noisy braggart". Judge for yourselves:



Addendum - From Sean Sime's Facebook posting from that fateful day:

"When you accept the probability of a complete failure yet try anyway sometimes a miracle happens. Minutes before Rob and I arrived to the Corn Crake location we were told State Troopers were aggressively removing cars and people from the median and we should not attempt to park or walk near the bird. We took this unwanted yet predictable lump in stride and figured we would just see the bird and forget about photos. Knowing how eBird moderators are I still wanted to make an attempt to get a documentation shot. Rob drove 4 loops from turnaround to turnaround while I leaned out the window and, as we say in the business, "sprayed and prayed." 55 frames, 3 in focus, one happened to be this. Quite possibly the greatest bird I never got out of the car for!"

Treehugger Tuesday

From the website “Earther”:

Scientists Slam Republican Plan to Drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Maddie Stone
Friday 8:45am

When Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski re-ignited a decades-old push to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, she tried to make the case that science was on her side. Thanks to technological improvements, the Republican senator argued, drilling on ANWR’s oil-rich coastal plain will have a much smaller footprint in 2017 than it would’ve 30 years ago.

This week, dozens of Alaskan scientists called bullshit on this.

In a letter addressed to Murkowski and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, thirty seven top Alaskan wildlife biologists explained why drilling on ANWR’s coastal plain could spell disaster for Arctic wildlife.

The signatories, including retired former officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Geological Survey, explain that while the coastal plain is small—encompassing just 1.5 million acres of the 19 million acre refuge— it’s vital to the biodiversity of the region.

“Within the narrow coastal plain, there is a unique compression of habitats which concentrates a wide array of wildlife native to the Arctic,” including polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, and more, the letter reads.

Drilling proponents say the industry’s footprint would be limited to just 2,000 acres. But these scientists argue that framing is misleading. In reality, those 2,000 acres could be spread across most of the coastal plain, causing it to become criss-crossed with roads and well pads.

In effect, the result could be that even a small amount of industrial activity impacts virtually the entire region.

“Since the effects of industrial activities, starting with seismic surveys, are not limited to the footprint of a structure or to its immediate vicinity, it is highly likely that such activities would result in significant impacts on a variety of wildlife in the refuge’s narrow coastal plain,” the letter reads.

The scientists specifically call out polar bears, which are “highly vulnerable to disturbance due to oil and gas activities” and which have already been affected by drilling elsewhere on the North Slope. Three quarters of the coastal plain is designated critical habitat for these iconic Arctic predators.

On Wednesday, Murkowski unveiled the first draft of a bill that would open ANWR’s coastal plain to drilling, which Republicans are hoping to attach to a larger 2018 tax reform package. The bill would require the Department of the Interior to conduct two lease sales for at least 400,000 acres of land apiece over a ten year budget window.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that the plan would bring about 1.1 billion into federal coffers. But drilling opponents have argued that the math is fuzzier. When the left-leaning Center for American Progress crunched the numbers, it found that the federal government is more likely to see a return of just 37.5 million.

Contrasting this potential revenue is the intrinsic value of the refuge itself. At least according to these scientists—and many Alaskan Natives, and even some nuns—that’s something you can’t put a price tag on. ...Read more

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 18, 2017 to Sunday, November 19, 2017:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, November 18, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!

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Bedford Audubon Society
August 25, 2017-November 22, 2017 @ Arthur Butler Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road, Bedford Hills
Experience the Miracle of Migration at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch
The HawkWatch starts August 25! Join us at the Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch at the Arthur Butler Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road in Bedford Hills every day from 9am to 5pm, weather permitting, to experience the miracle of raptor migration. Our data is combined with other sites across North America to create powerful population and migration analyses that help us better protect raptors and their habitat.
See more details

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Jones Beach State Park region
Leader: Mike Yuan
Focus: Coastal waterfowl, dune relevant species, raptors
Car fee: $22.00
Registrar: Bob Washburn nyc_bob@earthlink.net
Registration Period: Nov 11th - Nov 16th
Please review our general trip information and guidelines on this page.

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Gateway National Parks
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Have a Hoot with a Ranger
Junior Rangers are invited to an owl adventure.
Time: 10:00am to 11:30am
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
View Details

Saturday, November 18, 2017
Winter Waterfowl Workshop
Join naturalist Don Riepe for a digital slide program on the many species of waterfowl in NYC during winter.
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
View Details

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Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday, November 18, 2017 - 8:00am
Wertheim NWR
Leader(s): John Gluth (631-827-0120) Vera Capogna (516-639-5430)
From the intersection of Montauk and William Floyd Highways in Shirley, proceed West on Montauk Highway 7/10 of a mile to traffic light (Smith Road) turn left, go over the railroad tracks and proceed to a right into Wertheim visitor Center. There are signs both on Montauk Highway and on Smith Road at the turnoff into Wertheim.

Sunday, November 19, 2017 - 9:00am
Morton NWR
Leader(s): Bob Grover (516-318-8536) Ken Thompson (631-612-8028)
Sunrise Highway east past Shinnecock Canal. Look for a North Sea Road Noyack sign and bear left on CR52. Stay on CR52 and then turn left at light onto CR38. After 1.4 miles on CR38, turn right onto Noyack Road after 5 miles turn left onto refuge.

(Nature walks will be cancelled if it is raining or snowing.)

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Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Birding in Peace

Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful Sunday morning walking tours to discover the many birds that call Green-Wood home. By September, all our nesting birds’ offspring will be on their own. Returning warblers will be in their less flamboyant fall plumage. Large numbers of blackbirds, flycatchers, sparrows, vireos, and swallows will also be passing through. By October, waterfowl are returning, and we’ll look for raptors heading south. November will bring back our overwintering denizen from the north.

Grab a copy of our Bird Checklist before you begin. Comfortable footwear is recommended.
$10 for members of Green‑Wood and BHS/$15 for non-members.
Click here for our inclement weather policy.

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Hudson River Audubon Society
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Jones Beach – Late Fall Migrants
Meet at 8am at the Coast Guard Station in West End II
This is a good time for a rarity or a western stray to show up. A variety of bird should be seen from seabirds, ducks, hawks, shorebirds and late land migrants.
http://hras.org/wtobird/jonesbeach.html

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Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, November 19, 2017 - 9:00am
Jones Beach State Park
By late November, many of the winter species have returned. We may see a variety of seaducks, raptors, and Snow Buntings. Lost birds from all over the country can end up at barrier beaches this season, so we may see something surprising!
Registration: 516-782-0293
Directions: Meadowbrook Parkway south, take first right into West End after drawbridge. Continue past tollbooth (no fee), Police Station, and stop sign, and make a right after the sign for the West End Boat Basin and Coast Guard. Meet by the little concession building facing the boat basin.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Leader: Joe DiCostanzo
Registrar: Pearl Broder — pbroder3@nyc.rr.com or 212-924-0030
Registration opens: Monday, November 6
Ride: $15 or public transportation

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 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
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturdays, September 2–November 25, 2017, 8-9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walks
Guides: NYC Audubon 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, November 18, 2017, 9am – 3pm
Van Trip to the Winter Waterfowl Workshop at Jamaica Bay
Register for our van trip to the Winter Waterfowl Workshop (see description below) and get to Jamaica bay the easy way - by passenger van! Bring lunch and water. Limited to 12. $53 (37)
Click here to register

Saturday, November 18, 2017, 9:30am – 12:00pm
"Duck Walk" starting at Macy's Manhasset
Walk starts in Macy's Manhasset parking lot, southwest corner, near Whitney Pond. Walk will proceed to other locations afterwards.
Wear water-resistant footwear, bring binoculars and drinking water. Wear long pants and socks so you do not touch poison ivy.
Leader: Jennifer - (516) 767-3454

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

From the Southern State Parkway, travel west to the Belt Parkway. Exit at Cross Bay Boulevard (Exit 17) south. Continue south on Cross Bay Blvd. through Howard Beach and over the North Channel Bridge (also known as the Congressman Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge). The entrance to the refuge parking lot is on the right side of the road, at a traffic light approximately one and a half miles past the bridge.
Directions via Google Maps

Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
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.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Join NYC Audubon on birding walks through Van Cortlandt Park to discover wildlife happenings in the park.
Free!

Sunday, November 19, 2017
Waterfowl Watch at the South Beach Fishing Pier at Ocean Breeze Pier, Seaview Avenue and Father Capodanno Boulevard (in Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and Beach), Staten Island
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
'Tis the season for the return of sea ducks, gulls, and grebes to the lower New York Harbor. We will stand at the end of the fishing pier to observe the wildlife in…
Free!

Birding: Owls at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Registration for this program is required.
Free! ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

From Fast Company:

The Largest Ever Tropical Reforestation Is Planting 73 Million Trees
The project in the Brazilian Amazon is using a new technique for planting trees that results in more, stronger plants–and hopes to cover 70,000 acres in new forests.
By John Converse Townsend
10.31.17

There are more habitable planets in our galaxy than humans living on planet Earth. But the nearest one is about 70 trillion miles away, which means that, for now, and for the foreseeable future, Earth is the only life-supporting rock hurtling through infinite space we’ll ever know. It’s really not the best idea to let it burn up–and key to keeping it cool are the massive rainforests of the Amazon. Sadly, we’ve had a hard time not cutting them down.

A new project should help prevent–or at least slow down–that hot future. If all goes to plan over the next six years, a project led by Conservation International will become the largest tropical reforestation project in history. Seventy-three million trees will sprout up across what’s known as the “arc of deforestation,” in the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Acre, Pará, Rondônia, and throughout the Xingu watershed. The short-term plan is to restore 70,000 acres (the area of 30,000 soccer fields) that have been cleared for pastureland to their former forested glory.

“If the world is to hit the 1.2°C or 2°C [degrees of warming] target that we all agreed to in Paris, then protecting tropical forests in particular has to be a big part of that,” M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, tells Fast Company. “It’s not just the trees that matter, but what kind of trees. If you’re really thinking about getting carbon dioxide out of atmosphere, then tropical forests are the ones that end up mattering the most.”

Read the entire article here

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 11, 2017 to Sunday, November 12, 2017:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, November 11, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!

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Bedford Audubon Society
August 25, 2017-November 22, 2017 @ Arthur Butler Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road, Bedford Hills
Experience the Miracle of Migration at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch
The HawkWatch starts August 25! Join us at the Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch at the Arthur Butler Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road in Bedford Hills every day from 9am to 5pm, weather permitting, to experience the miracle of raptor migration. Our data is combined with other sites across North America to create powerful population and migration analyses that help us better protect raptors and their habitat.
See more details

November 12, 2017, 8:00am - 1:00pm
Edith Read Sanctuary/Marshlands Conservancy, Rye
A favorite trip among members! Targets include waterfowl, Great Horned Owls, and lingering songbirds
Depart Bylane at 7:15am or meet us at the boathouse on Playland Lake at 8am
Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate
Please let us know if you’d like to borrow binoculars
Register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713
See more details

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 11, 2017
A New Jersey Tour: Lake Takanassee and Sandy Hook National Seashore
Leaders: Peter Dorosh and Ryan Goldberg
Focus: Late sparrows, raptors, upland wetland birds, ducks and seabirds, coastal waterfowl, open space birds, dune relevant species
Car fee: $25.00
Registrar: Peter Dorosh, Prosbird@aol.com or text only cell 347-622-3559
Registration Period: Nov 4th - Nov 9th
Note: due to Daylight Savings ending (Nov 5th) the leaders will try to leave by 6 […]
Please review our general trip information and guidelines on this page.

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Prospect Park, Bartel Pritchard Park Entrance
Leader: Steve Nanz
Registrar: Kathleen Howley — kathleenhowley@gmail.com or 212-877-3170
Registration opens: Monday, October 30
F train to the 15th Street – Prospect Park station
Meet at the Bartel Pritchard entrance at 8:00 am

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 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
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturdays, September 2–November 25, 2017, 8-9:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walks
Guides: NYC Audubon 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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North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, November 11, 2017, 8am – 12pm
Nassau County Museum of Art
Where: One Museum Dr, Roslyn, NY 11576, USA (map)
NOTE EARLY START TIME

See "Walk locations" for directions.
Wear water-resistant footwear, bring binoculars and drinking water. Wear long pants and socks so you do not touch poison ivy.
Leader: Peggy (516) 883-2130

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NYC H2O
Saturday, November 11, 2017, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Ridgewood Reservoir Community Tour

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 Vermont Place.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, November 11, 2017
South Shore Potpouri
Leader: Ian Resnick (917) 626-9562
Where: Lofts Pond, Baldwin, NY 11510, USA (map)

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, November 12, 2017
Jones Beach West End 2

From the Southern State Parkway, exit onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway south. After entering Jones Beach State Park, exit right (west) into the West End. Continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.

From the Wantagh State Parkway, travel south. Upon entering Jones Beach State Park, exit at Bay Drive and continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.

Directions via Google Maps

Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
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.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Join NYC Audubon on birding walks through Van Cortlandt Park to discover wildlife happenings in the park.
Free!

Birding: Winter Birding at Bush Terminal Park, Brooklyn
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free!

Sunday, November 12, 2017
Fall Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his knowledge of bird species and their behaviors on these captivating walks at Wave Hill, the perfect habitat for resident and migrating birds.

Birding at 110th Street and Morningside Drive (in Morningside Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free! ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Scoters are a family of seaducks that are normally seen fairly far offshore. This Surf Scoter not only was hanging around on Jamaica Bay, but was also just a stone's throw from the shore.

Nicknamed by hunters "skunk-head coot", this large seaduck is one of three species of scoter that are native to North America. The other two being Black Scoter and White-winged Scoter (the surf being the only one with all black wings when seen in flight).

Breeding in northern freshwater lakes, their large range includes from western Alaska through Central Labrador in Canada. Overwintering offshore on both sides of this continent, their range extends as far south as Baja California on the west coast and down to South Carolina on the east coast.

Diving for prey on or near the bottom, the Surf Scoter's diet is mostly mollusks but they also feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans, echinoderms, small fish and marine worms.

Their conservation status via IUCN is "Least Concern". They may have gone through a serious decline early in the 20th century, but now is mostly stable or only slightly declining. Wintering concentrations are vulnerable to oil spills and other pollution.

The Surf Scoter's scientific name, Melanitta perspicillata, means black duck; spectacled.