Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, July 21, 2018 to Sunday, July 22, 2018:

Eastern Long Island Audubon
Saturday, July 21, 2018, 8:00am
Dune Road Exploration
Leader: Eileen Schwinn
Meet at TIANA BEACH BAY SIDE PARKING LOT, in Hampton Bays. Since Super Storm Sandy, the Tiana Beach bay side has been a very welcome stop for resident birds, as well as early southward-bound migrating shore birds. Join us for a long stay at low tide, and perhaps, an exploration along other Hot Spots of Dune Road. Bring sunscreen, water, and a hat (although there is a covered pavilion to view from, if necessary). Town of Southampton Temporary Parking Permits will be available to non-residents. For more information, please contact Eileen Schwinn at beachmed@optonline.net or call: 516-662-7751 the day of the Field Trip. Rain or shine!

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Freshkills Park Alliance
Sunday, July 22, 2018, 3:00pm
Kayak Tour
Kayak through Freshkills Park and enjoy a two-mile excursion along the tidal waterways.
Read More
Sign Up

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Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, July 21, 2018, 10:00am to 11:00am
Birding by the Bay
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Fees: Free
View Details

Sunday, July 22, 2018, 10:00am to 11:30am
Osprey Watch Guided Walk
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Every Sunday Weekly from 05/20/2018 to 09/30/2018
Fees: free
Learn all about the amazing osprey on this guided walk of the West Pond Trail.
View Details

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Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Birding in Peace
Summer Birding Sundays
Except for some lingering individuals, by the end of the first week in June nearly all the northbound migrants will have disappeared from the city. Locally nesting birds will be incubating eggs or busily raising their first broods. In July we should see the offspring of our resident Red-tailed Hawks bravely preparing to leave the nest. Warbler songs will be replaced by chirring Cicadas and the tweets of fledgling birds. Butterflies and dragonflies are abundant. By late-July, expect the arrival of the first southbound migrants.

Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful Saturday/Sunday morning walking tours to discover the many birds that call Green-Wood home. Green-Wood’s official birding checklist is available to pick up from the security guard at the main entrance on 25th Street or to print here. 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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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Orienteering in Central Park
Leader and registrar: Sherry Felix — slfelix@hotmail.com or 646-339-0138
Registration opens: Monday, July 9
Public transportation.
Meet at 77th Street and Central Park West at 6:00 pm
When you head into regions unknown in search of a special bird, you may think you can rely on your cell phone’s map and compass apps—but batteries die and GPS signals fade. This is why finding one’s way using an orienteering compass and understanding how to read topographic maps is still vital. Join former urban park ranger and Audubon environmental educator Sherry Felix in the Ramble and and learn how to navigate with a compass—plus a few ways to navigate without any aids at all. See how to get around an obstacle and try the new three-legged compass walk.

Please bring an orienteering compass with a transparent plastic plate, download and print the...

- orienteering exercise map, and the
- Tupelo Meadow triangulation exercise map.

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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
Saturday, July 21, 2018, 9:00am – 10:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks
Guide: 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 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, call 212-691-7483. No registration necessary. No limit. Free

Saturday, July 21, 2018, 12pm – 3pm
Kingsland Wildflowers Open House Saturdays
Where: Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof and Community Engagement Center, 520 Kingsland Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Tour the native plant garden and visit our community engagement space as we open Kingsland Wildflowers to the general public on Open House Saturdays. Free. Email njackson@nycaudubon.org to learn more.

Sunday, July 22, 2018, 8:45am – 4:00pm
Croton Point Park
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at Grand Central Station and travel in comfort aboard Metro-North to visit Croton Point Park, overlooking the Hudson River about one hour north of the city. This beautiful 500-acre park is a wonderful mix of forest, wetlands, and grasslands that are home to hard-to-find breeding bird species such as Indigo Bunting, Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark. Great Horned Owls, Willow Flycatchers, and Orchard Orioles breed in nearby woodlands. Bring lunch for a picnic in one of the riverside pavilions. Limited to 20. Round-trip Metro-North fare ($20.50) not included in trip price. $50 (35)
Click here to register

Sunday, July 22, 2018, 11:00am – 1:30pm
Kingsland Wildflowers: Newtown Creek Bike Tour
Where: Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof and Community Engagement Center, 520 Kingsland Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Join Newtown Creek Alliance for a guided bike tour to see and discuss ecological and industrial activity near and along the Newtown Creek shoreline. Once a vast tidal wetland, the Creek quickly became one of the busiest waterways in the county, leaving a significant legacy of environmental destruction and contamination, leading to the ultimate designation as a federal superfund. However, improvements are underway and the past 2 decades have seen improvements to water quality and with it a returning ecology where fish, crabs and a plethora of shorebirds now exist amongst the challenging conditions.

The bike tour will stop at key locations that highlight the industrial history, pollution issues and ecological activity along the Creek. The tour will take place almost exclusively within a heavy industrial zone. To minimize conflicts with traffic and noise, the tour will take place on a Sunday when most businesses are closed. Nevertheless, the route runs along industrial roads and is recommended for experienced bicyclists.

The tour will begin at Manhattan Avenue Street End Park in Greenpoint and end at Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof (also in Greenpoint). Along the way, we will visit Long Island City, Blissville, Maspeth and East Williamsburg. Total route is approximately 10 miles. Participants are encouraged to bring water, sun protection and a small snack. There will be ample opportunity for photography and bird watching along the route as well. Space is limited. $5. Learn more and register on Eventbrite.

These events are run in conjunction with the Kingsland Wildflowers project and are made possible with generous support from the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund and the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Bird Walks at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Join NYC Audubon on a walk through the park to observe the many species of birds in Van Cortlandt Park.
Free!

Animal of the Month Club: Northern Harrier at Arthur Kill Road and Brookfield Avenue (in Brookfield Park), Staten Island
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The Northern Harrier is considered one of the most agile and acrobatic raptor in North America. Join the Urban Park Rangers in Brookfield Park as we look for the Northern Harrier.
Free!

Sunday, July 22, 2018
Orchard Beach Lagoon Birding Excursion (Intermediate) at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Few experiences compare with being on the open water in New York City. Prior canoe experience preferred; for ages 8 and older. Registration is required.
Free!

The New York City Naturalist Club: Raptors of Inwood Hill Park at Isham Street and Seaman Avenue (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
The New York City Naturalist Club hosts a birding expedition, during which guests of all skill levels can watch for eagles under the guidance of the Urban Park Rangers. Binoculars are encouraged.
Free!

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Young Birders Club
Saturday July 21, 2018 (Rain date 7/22/18)
Nickerson Beach (Nassau County, Long Island)
Trip Leader: Josh Cantor
Member Josh Cantor will lead this trip. Josh, a junior at SUNY ESF, is halfway through his 2018 "Young Birder Odyssey" - aka Big Year (he had 372 species for the year as of June 16th!). A longtime resident Long Island birder, Josh is very familiar with Nickerson Beach and its wonderfully accessible nesting colonies.

This promises to be a very exciting trip! We'll be looking for breeding Common and Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers, and Black Skimmers, along with other shorebirds on the beach. If you enjoy taking pictures of birds, you'll have some really fantastic opportunities on this trip!

Watch your Inbox for directions and details on meeting time and location.

Plan to bring binoculars and a camera!

Trip Registration Form due by 7/13/18