Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming birding and nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, October 26, 2019 to Sunday, October 27, 2019:

Bedford Audubon Society
August 25, 2019 through November 25, 2019, 9:00am-5:00pm
Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch
Arthur Butler Sanctuary, Bedford, NY
Spectacular flocks of Broad-winged Hawks pass through our area in mid-September, but Accipiters such as Sharp-shinned + Cooper’s Hawks provide the most consistent flight throughout the fall hawk-watching season.

Join us for Science in Action: Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch to experience the miracle of raptor migration. Our data is combined with other Hawkwatch sites to create population and migration analyses that help us better protect raptors and their habitats.

Registration not necessary.
See more details

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8:00am - 10:00am
John Jay Homestead
400 Jay St, Katonah, NY 10536
Come “Jay Walking” with us… you’re sure to see more than jays this fall!

In partnership with Friends of John Jay Homestead. Naturalist Tait Johansson will lead you on a Bird Walk at the beautiful John Jay Homestead in Katonah. The woods, fields and shrublands of this State Historic Site should hold many migrant landbirds on this prime date for fall migration!
Meet at the main parking lot. Cost: Free. Level of difficulty: Easy-Moderate. Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914-302-9713.
See more details

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Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Hawk watching at Wildcat Ridge Wildlife Management Area
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Focus: Hawk watching diversity at a new debut location
Car Pool Fee: $25.00
Registrar Peter Dorosh Prosbird@aol.com (or backup Prosbird@gmail.com)
Registration Period: Oct 19th – Oct 24th
Note: This trip will require a 1-mile uphill hike and then birding at a stationary site. Please refer to the site description, below.
Site Profile: http://www.wcrhawkwatch.com/kiosk.html ; https://www.nynjtc.org/hike/hawk-watch-wildcat-ridge-wildlife-management-area
Please review our trip guidelines here: http://brooklynbirdclub.org/information-registration

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Prospect Park: Birdwatching for Beginners
Leader: Cyrus Baty
Birdwatching for Beginners meets at the Prospect Park Audubon Center at The Boathouse at 12 noon. Bring binoculars if you have them; otherwise, binoculars are available for loan.

Sunday, October 27, 2019, 9:00am - 10:00am
Fort Greene Park, North Brooklyn
Meet 9 am at the Urban Park Rangers Visitors Center https://tinyurl.com/FtGreeneVCtr
Leader: August Davidson-Onsgard AugustDavidsonOnsgard.com
Focus: Fall migration of songbirds at a historical park.
No registration necessary.
Nearest train stations: DeKalb Avenue station; exit and walk 5 blocks east on DeKalb Avenue; Also Fulton Ave A and G lines, walk north on South Portland Ave
Site references: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-greene-park ; https://tinyurl.com/FTGreeneMaylist

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Feminist Bird Club
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Governors Island

All walks follow the ABA Code of Birding Ethics

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Gateway National Park
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 10:00am — 11:00am
Birding for Beginners
View Details

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Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Floyd Bennett Field
Leader: Rob Jett
Registrar: Gabe Cunningham — gabecunningham@gmail.com
Registration opens: Monday, October 14 Public transportation

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Littoral Society of New York
Sunday, October 27, 2019, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Dead Horse Bay, New York’s Best Kept Secret Ecosystem
Floyd Bennett Field
Main Entrance Ranger Station
Hike the trails and shoreline at Dead Horse Bay with Gordon Lam, American Littoral Society naturalist and NYC Botanist, Zihao Wang. Explore the nature and fascinating history of this little known area, a living museum of the 1950s.  Warning: This is a hazardous area, teeming with broken glass and metal fragments. It is not an appropriate site for small children, carriages, or wheelchairs.  Sturdy, protective footwear is essential.  Having said this, we must comment that it is one of the most exciting and fascinating “beaches” in New York City.

DIRECTIONS TO D.H.B:
Subway: IRT #2 to Flatbush Ave.  Check Sunday train schedules ahead of time. Q-35 bus south to Floyd Bennett Field, last bus stop before the Gil Hodges Memorial (Marine Pkwy.) Bridge.

Car: Belt Pkwy. to Exit 11S. Take Flatbush Ave. south to the park. 

Bus: B41 to Nostrand Ave. then Q35 to the park entrance on your left. Meet the group at the parking lot near the small contact station and walk across Flatbush Ave. to D.H.B. trailhead.

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New York City Audubon
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8am – 11am
Beginning Birding Field Trip
Classes: Wednesdays, October 16-30, 6:30-8:30pm
Trips: Saturdays, October 26, 8-11am, and November 2, 8am-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. Three fun and educational in-class sessions and two field trips to Central Park and Jamaica Bay (transport to Jamaica Bay included). Limited to 12. $179 (125)
Click here to register

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 9am – 2pm
Fall Migration on Randall's Island
Guides: Gabriel Willow, Christopher Girgenti with Randall's Island Park Alliance
Join us for a trip to Randall's Island, an under-explored location in the East River that hosts restored freshwater wetlands and saltmarsh. 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. $36 (25)
Click here to register

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 9:00am – 10:30am
Van Cortlandt Park Bird Walks
Saturdays, September 7-November 23, 9-10:30am
Guides: NYC Audubon with the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
Meet at the southeast corner of the Mosholu Avenue park entrance. 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. No registration necessary. No limit. Free

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 9:30am – 10:30am
Queens Botanical Garden Bird Walks
Saturdays, September 14 and October 26,
Sundays, October 6, October 20, and November 3, 9:30-10:30am
Guide: Corey Finger with Queens Botanical Garden
Explore Queens Botanical Garden in search of migrant songbirds and learn about the valuable resources that the Garden offers birds and other wildlife. Binoculars available. Register for one date or the whole series of five walks (walk-ins welcome). Email info@queensbotanical.org or visit www.queensbotanical.org/calendar to register. Limited to 25 per walk. Free (with Garden admission)

Sunday, October 27, 2019, 9am – 12pm
Sparrow ID Workshop Field Trip
Thursday, October 24, 7-8:30pm (class); Sunday, October 27, 9am-noon (trip)
Instructor: Gabriel Willow
Sparrows are one of the most challenging groups of birds to identify, yet beautiful and fascinating once they can be distinguished. Learn to identify those LBJs (little brown jobs) by studying behavior, field marks, and songs. Sparrow species seen in prior years include Field, Swamp, Savannah, White-crowned, and Lincoln's. Limited to 12. $65 (45)
Click here to register

Sunday, October 27, 2019, 9:00am – 10:30am
Pelham Bay Park Bird Walks
Sundays, September 8-December 8, 9-10:30am
Guide: NYC Audubon with Pelham Bay Park
September 8: Meets at Rodman’s Neck Parking Lot
September 15-December 8: Meet at Orchard Beach Parking Lot
Join us to explore some of the best birding NYC has to offer. Come discover Pelham Bay Park's diverse habitat that attracts a variety of fall migrants. No registration necessary. No limit. Free

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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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North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8am – 12pm
APEC
Leader: Stephane (516) 423-0947
Alley Pond Environmental Center, 22806 Northern Blvd, Little Neck, NY 11362, USA (map)

Please inform walk leader that you are attending.
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.

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New York City WILD!
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8:30am
Now Get Out: Bear Mountain Fall Foliage Cruise
(Extra $)

For the FULL INFORMATION ABOUT EACH WALK click HERE to take you to the Eventbrite Profile page where you will find all details (scroll down to the thumbnails) for each of the outings and how to SIGN UP !

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Brookfield Park
575 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island
Join Protectors of Pine Oak Woods for a natural history tour of Staten Island’s newest open space park. We will view numerous salt creeks, freshwater wetlands, grasslands and beautiful scenery; a must for hawk watching. Brookfield Park stretches along the southeastern banks of Richmond Creek and runs from Richmond Avenue to Richmondtown.
Meet in the main parking lot at 575 Arthur Kill Road, just north of Armstrong Avenue.
For more information contact Ray Matarazzo at (718) 317-7666.

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Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, Oct 26, 2019
Hawk Mountain
Leader: Bob D. (848) 468-7207
Where: Clinton Station Diner, 2 Bank St, Clinton, NJ 08809 (map)
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from eastern Queens. Contact trip leader or assistant for carpool info and other questions. The map link is to the diner, where we will have breakfast and convoy to Hawk Mountain.

Hawk Mountain is one of the top hawk watch locations in North America, certainly the premiere Fall hawk watch in the Northeast. Located on the Kittatiny Ridge west of the Delaware Water Gap, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary protects 2,600 acres of the ridge and provides excellent viewing of migrating hawks as well as fall passerines.

Late October produces peak numbers of harriers and buteos, except for Broad-winged Hawks, which are notoriously early migrants. We also stand the best chance of seeing Golden Eagle and this time is also the sweet spot for accipiters, possibly even Goshawk.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is an organized non-profit operation with an established visitor center and miles of marked trails, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail. The ascent to the hawk watch is a manageable uphill walk of about a mile, a 30- to 45-minute climb. There is also an admission charge: $10 for adults; $7 for seniors.

We'll assemble as a group at 8 AM at a breakfast stop, Clinton Station Diner, in Clinton, NJ, about an hour-and-a-half from Queens. From there it’s another hour and 15 minutes to Hawk Mountain. Take I-78 west in NJ to Exit 13 and bear right at every turn to the diner. The diner is a rail car visible from the Interstate.

If you want to go directly to the hawk watch, contact me and I’ll provide those directions.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Rd, Kempton, PA 19529

If we get fair weather that day with favorable Northwest winds, we stand a chance of having a very productive outing.

Non members are welcome on our trips and we would appreciate a nominal $5 (or more!) voluntary donation for non-member participation. We prefer if you offer instead of being asked.
All persons (member or not) are required to offer contribution if they get a ride with another.
All persons are requested to Notify the leader at least 2 days in advance if they want to go on a trip.
Be on time. We depart promptly.

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South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Jones Beach Coast Guard Station Parking Area
From the Wantagh State Parkway, travel south. Upon entering Jones Beach State Park, exit at Bay Drive and continue west. Turn right (north) at entrance for Coast Guard Station and West End Boat Basin; turn right again for parking.
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, October 26, 2019
Audubon Bird Walk at Queens Botanical Garden, Queens
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Spot and identify creatures of flight and learn how QBG provides important resources for birds.