Treehugger Tuesday

A little bit of good news (for a change) from BirdLife International:

10 vital bird habitats saved through conservation action
BirdLife International
November 26, 2019

Since the late 1970s, the BirdLife Partnership has worked collectively to identify, document and protect the places of greatest significance for the conservation of the world’s birds. We call these vital places Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). BirdLife Partners and other experts have, to date, identified and documented more than 13,000 of these sites in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, and in the oceans, too. These sites provide the BirdLife Partnership, and other organisations, with focus to their conservation action, planning, and advocacy.

This is because birds and other wildlife are not evenly distributed across the world. IBAs cover about 7% of the terrestrial and 2% of the global sea area. Thus, concentrating our efforts on these areas is a cost-effective and efficient way of ensuring the survival of a large number of species.

However, currently around 33% of IBAs lack formal protection, and a further 45% are only partially protected. While these stats are cause for worry, they only serve to highlight the value of documenting these vital habitats so we can mobilise action to protect them.

Our IBA Programme brings focus to our efforts both at local and global levels, and means that while it is impossible for us to protect every last bit of nature in existence, we can at least throw our energy and collective influence behind saving those that will have the greatest impact to the persistence of biodiversity on the planet. Here are just a few examples…

1. Cousin Island, Seychelles

© Styve Reineck / Shutterstock

What makes it so special?

Encircled by white-gold sands and thriving coral reefs, this 27-hectare jewel of an island is blanketed in verdant native woodland, with areas of mangrove and a rocky outcrop protruding from the southern half.

Who lives here?

Seychelles Magpie-robin Copsychus sechellarum (Endangered), Seychelles Warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis (Near Threatened), Hawksbill Turtle (Critically Endangered)

How was it threatened?

Cousin Island had been cleared completely of native vegetation and planted from coast to coast with coconut trees. Restoration became a priority on discovering it was the last refuge of the Seychelles Warbler.

Our response:

In 1968 (thus predating IBAs themselves), BirdLife (then ICPB) launched a worldwide campaign to purchase the island outright. In 1975, it was declared a Special Reserve. The island is now 80% native forest, with ecotourism supporting its upkeep.

Read the entire piece here.

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming birding and nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 30, 2019 to Sunday, December 1, 2019:

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 30, 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, December 1, 2019, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Prospect Park First Sunday Walk
Meets at the Prospect Park Audubon Center at The Boathouse, the first Sunday of every month except July and August. Leaders are members of the Brooklyn Bird Club.
Bring binoculars.
Note: Meets at 8 a.m. except in the winter months of December, January, and February when the walk starts at 10 a.m.

**********

Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, December 1, 7:15 am - 8:45 am
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 birds that make Green-Wood their home – some at least temporarily.

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.

All walks are at a slow pace on easy to moderate terrain, but proper, close toed footwear is suggested.
$10 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $15 for non-members
Click here for our inclement weather policy.

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.

**********

New York City Audubon
Sunday, December 1, 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

**********

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

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Point Lookout Town Park (and Lido Preserve afterwards)
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.

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Heather Garden Birds & Tree Tour at Heather Garden (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Learn more about the winter birds and the importance of native plant species within Fort Tryon Park on this tour.
Free! ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

From the website mnn.com:

Wind and solar plants rise in the shadow of Fukushima's nuclear meltdown in Japan
Starre Vartan
November 14, 2019, 8:27 a.m.


Cherry trees in bloom can be seen behind the gate of an area evacuated in the town of Tomioka after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. In the spring, the government arranged buses for former residents to visit the zone for the first time in nine years to see the blossoms. It's a good metaphor for the next phase of the site's story, which will see renewable energy options bloom on the site. (Photo: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

In March 2011, a chain of events led to the most complicated nuclear accident that has ever occurred. It began with a magnitude-9.0 earthquake, followed by a tsunami that caused a meltdown of the nuclear reactor in Fukushima, Japan. It was an event that experts say is comparable to Chernobyl. People in a 20-mile radius of the plant were eventually evacuated, some of them never to return to their homes.

But now the former nuclear power plant site will have a new life as a hub for renewable energy. The Japanese government along with private investors has put $2.75 billion into developing 11 solar plants and 10 wind-power plants on former farmland that's now unusable. And that work has already begun in earnest: "More than a gigawatt of solar-energy capacity has been added — the equivalent of more than three million solar panels," according to the Wall Street Journal. (WSJ stories are paywalled).

This is all part of the plan for the northeastern Fukushima prefecture to generate 100 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2040. In addition to the solar and wind power, the plan includes a large hydropower project, geothermal power and a hydrogen fuel plant. (The video below goes into more detail. The most interesting part starts around 18:42. For most users, the video will begin there automatically but it if doesn't for you, scroll to that moment manually.)

In what seems like an unexpected statistic, areas hit by disaster that also receive adequate recovery financing can end up growing faster than unaffected areas. When Kobe, also in Japan, suffered an earthquake and devastating fires in 1995, the city built a now-very-successful biomedical industry. Fukushima, with its host of clean-energy technology, may now have the chance to do something similar and become a leader for the rest of Japan in this area.

"The grass-roots energy movement you see in Fukushima — changing the perspective of how electricity can be generated — that really sets in motion the transition that you have seen in places like Germany," Fitch Solutions analyst David Brendan told the WSJ.

The energy produced at the Fukushima site will be sent to the Tokyo metropolitan area. Additional power will be up and running to power the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

It's not just the Fukushima prefecture that's investing in solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power: Japan as a whole plans to generate a quarter of its power from renewable sources by 2030. (It gets about 17 percent of its energy from renewables currently.) The country has already done some pioneering work in that respect, including large-scale solar arrays on waterways, and serious grassroots energy conservation.

Japan once relied heavily on nuclear power, with 54 reactors providing 30% of the country's power before the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Now, after vigorous counterterrorism and earthquake rules for reactors, there are just nine reactors left, and the future for those is uncertain. Meanwhile, solar, wind and other power are getting serious investment for the future.

Wind and solar plants rise in the shadow of Fukushima's nuclear meltdown in Japan

A $2.5 billion investment in a renewable energy hub will bring about 2/3 of the power that the nuclear plant once did.

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming birding and nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 23, 2019 to Sunday, November 24, 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

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 23, 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, November 24, 2019
Rockaway Peninsula tour, Queens
Leader: Steve Nanz
Focus: Open space species, peak seabird, geese and duck migration
Car pool fee: $12.00
Registrar: Heidi Steiner email heidi.steiner@verizon.net or call before 8 pm 718- 369-2116
Registration Period: Nov 16th Nov 21st
Please review our trip guidelines here: http://brooklynbirdclub.org/information-registration

**********

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, November 24, 2019, 9:00am
Jones Beach State Park
Get ready to see winter waterfowl as well as many resident birds. There may be some surprises!
Registration: (631) 885-1881
Directions: Take either Meadowbrook Parkway or Wantagh Parkway to Ocean Parkway. Follow signs for the Coast Guard Station at the West End of Jones Beach. Meet at the parking lot by the restrooms.

**********

Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, November 23, 2019
South Shores of Jamaica Bay
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Registrar: Anne Lazarus — amlazarus47@gmail.com or 212-673-9059
Registration opens: Monday, November 11
Ride: $15

**********

New York City Audubon
Saturday, November 23, 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

Sunday, November 24, 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

**********

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

**********

New York City WILD!
Sunday, November 24, 2019, 11:30am
Now Get Out: Staten Island: Clove Lakes Park

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 !

**********

North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, November 23, 2019, 9:30am – 1:00pm
"Duck Walk"
Starts at Whitney Pond
Leader: Jennifer - cell (516) 941-7434 or home (516) 767-3454
Where: 40.786853, -73.703315 (map)

Wear water-resistant footwear, bring binoculars and drinking water. Wear long pants and socks so you do not touch poison ivy.

**********

Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, November 23, 2019, 8:00am – 3:00pm
Grand Jones Beach
Leader: Ian Resnick (917) 626-9562
Where: Boat Basin West End - Jones Beach State Park NY, Jones Beach Island, Point Lookout, NY 11569 (map)
We will start this field trip at Jones Beach West End - the gazebo at the boat basin adjoining the Coast Guard Station - see map. We will proceed both on foot and by vehicle to other locales in the Jones Beach area.
Please bring lunch.
If you have a scope, please bring it to the first location; it may be useful in others as well.

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Hempstead Lake State Park
From the Southern State Parkway, take Exit 18 (Eagle Avenue) south to Field 3 (use second park entrance and make an immediate left turn.)
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.

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Birding: Waterfowl at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
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. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels. Beginners are welcome.
Free!

Birding: Shorebirds and Fall Migrants at Lemon Creek Pier (in Lemon Creek Park), Staten Island
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our park rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Appropriate for all skill levels.
Free! ...Read more

120th New York State Christmas Bird Count

The 120th Annual Christmas Bird Count begins Saturday, December 14, 2019. If you'd like to participate with one of the many groups of birders in our area (of all skill levels) here is an abbreviated listing of the local counts. Below only includes the team coordinator information for the 5 boroughs of New York City, as well as, Long Island. A comprehensive listing for New York State can be found here.

Count Code Count Name Contact Email Phone Saturday, December 14, 2019 NYBR Brooklyn L.I. Bobbi Manian roberta.manian@gmail.com Sunday, December 15, 2019 NJLH Lower Hudson NJ/NY Kaitlyn Parkins kparkins@nycaudubon.org NYQU Queens County Corey Finger 10000birdsblogger@gmail.com NYQW Quogue-Water Mill L.I. Steven Biasetti sbiasetti@eastendenvironment.org 516-767-3454 Tuesday, December 17, 2019 Friday, December 20, 2019 Saturday, December 21, 2019 NYMK Montauk L.I. Jennifer Wilson Pines jwpines@gmail.com NYNN North Nassau Angus Wilson Brent Bomkamp oceanwanderers@gmail.com bbomkamp@gmail.com Sunday, December 22, 2019 NYBW Bronx-Westchester Region Michael Bochnik http://www.hras.org/bwcbc.html 914-237-9331 Tuesday, December 24, 2019 Thursday, December 26, 2019 Friday, December 27, 2019 NYCS Central Suffolk County L.I. Eileen Schwinn beachmed@optonline.net NYSM Smithtown L.I. Richard Gostic 631-219-3836 Saturday, December 28, 2019 NYSN Southern Nassau County L.I. Pat Lindsay & Shai Mitra pjlindsay@optonline.net 631-666-7624

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming birding and nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 16, 2019 to Sunday, November 17, 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, November 16, 2019, 8:00am - 1:00pm
Leader’s Choice with Naturalist-in-Residence Tait Johansson
Do you like surprises?
If so, save the date for a very Special Field Trip: Leader’s Choice with Naturalist-in-Residence Tait Johansson. November is the best month for rarities – while we may not be chasing a Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Tait will scout out the latest and greatest for the group to see.
Time and location to be determined! Will be within 1 ½ hrs. drive of Westchester.
Cost: Free.
Level of Difficulty: Easy-Moderate.
Please register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914-302-9713.
See more details

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Exploring New Horizons and Adventures in Brooklyn and Queens
Leader: Ryan Goldberg
Focus: discovering newly opened preserves and trails in Brooklyn and Queens, including Marine Park (Seba Avenue trailhead on Gerritsen Ave), Shirley Chisholm State Park and Sunrise Cove Park (Broad Channel)
Car Pool Fee: $10.00
Registrar: Janet Schumacher email - janets33@optonline.net
Registration Period: Nov 9th - Nov 14th
Links: https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2019/05/20/a-new-trail-shows-off-marine-parks-wild-side/; https://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/hiking/marine-park; https://parks.ny.gov/parks/200/maps.aspx; https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/sunset-cove-park/map
Please review our trip guidelines here: http://brooklynbirdclub.org/information-registration

Saturday, November 16, 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.

**********

Gateway Nation Parks
Saturday, November 16, 2019, 10am — 1pm
Winter Waterfowl Workshop
View Details

**********

Great South Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 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.)

**********

Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 6:30am - 8:00am
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 birds that make Green-Wood their home – some at least temporarily.

By September, offspring of these nesting birds 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 feathered denizens from the north.

All walks are at a slow pace on easy to moderate terrain, but proper, close toed footwear is suggested.
$10 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $15 for non-members
Click here for our inclement weather policy.

**********

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 9:00am
Sunken Meadow State Park
We will investigate the trails, ponds, and seashore to see what birds are leftover from the fall and which birds have arrived for the winter.
Registration: (585) 880-0915
Directions: Take Sunken Meadow State Pkwy north to end, meet in the northwest corner of field 1.

**********

Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Leader: Joseph DiCostanzo
Registrar: Pearl Broder — pbroder3@nyc.rr.com or 212-924-0030
Registration opens: Monday, November 4
Ride: $15 or public transportation

**********

Littoral Society
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Hike the Trails of the North Forty Natural Area
Floyd Bennett Field
Ryan Visitors Center
It’s almost winter, the perfect season for discovering the hidden secrets of the North Forty Natural Area at Floyd Bennett Field. Join American Littoral Society naturalist Gordon Lam and NYC Botanist Zihao Wang to look for flora, fauna, and maybe even a bit of history. Participants will carpool from the Ryan Visitors’ Center to the North Forty trailhead.

DIRECTIONS TO FLOYD BENNETT FIELD:
• Subway: IRT #2 to Flatbush Ave. Check Sunday train schedules ahead of time. Take the Q-35 bus south to Floyd Bennett Field, last stop before the Gil Hodges Memorial (Marine Pkwy.) Bridge.
• By Car: Belt Pkwy. to Exit 11S. Take Flatbush Ave. south to park.  Bus: B41 to Nostrand Ave. then Q35 to the park entrance.  Proceed to the Ryan Visitors’ Center to meet the group.

Zihao Wang is a botanist inspired by the local flora of NYC. He found his love for native plants while exploring the natural areas of the five boroughs. The surprisingly diverse community of rare plants hidden in the city motivated him to study field botany. He then went on to become a botanical consultant and gain a deep understanding of the ecological communities of the New York metropolitan area. He can't wait to share his passion for wild plants and explore the wonderful wilderness with more people.

**********

New York City Audubon
Saturday, November 16, 2019, 9am – 3pm
Van Trip to the Winter Waterfowl Workshop at Jamaica Bay
Register for our van trip to the Winter Waterfowl Workshop (see description above) 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 16, 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

Sunday, November 17, 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

**********

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

**********

New York City WILD!
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 9:30am
Now Get Out: Tarrytown, NY: Rockefeller State Park Preserve

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 !

**********

North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, November 16, 2019, 9:30am – 12:00pm
Nassau County Museum of Art
Leader: Peggy - 516-883-2130
Where: Nassau County Museum of Art, One Museum Dr, Roslyn, NY 11576 (map)

Wear water-resistant footwear, bring binoculars and drinking water. Wear long pants and socks so you do not touch poison ivy.

**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, November 17, 2019, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Acme Pond and the North Forest
Hylan Blvd and Holton Avenue, Staten Island
The woodlands and ponds of this little known area will be explored during an approximately two mile hike. Once heavily farmed, the Acme Pond area has developed into a nicely wooded forest over the past 150 years with sweetgum, white oaks and hickories as the dominant trees. The pond is reputed to be the home of large bass and provides a secluded location for many birds as well as snakes and turtles.
Meet at the corner of Hylan Boulevard, and Holton Avenue.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at (718) 869-6327.

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, November 17, 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.

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Queens Park of the Month: Kissena Corridor Park at 56th Road and 146th Street (in Kissena Corridor Park), Queens 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The Queens Park of the Month series features some highlights of some local favorite parks.
Free!

Birding: Owls at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Be wise and join this Urban Park Ranger-led hike, as we look for this bird of prey. Participants are selected by lottery. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, November 6.
Free! ...Read more

Treehugger Tuesday

From the website Mother Nature Network:

Ocean Cleanup mission takes aim at rivers
Mary Jo DiLonardo
October 28, 2019, 4:04 p.m.

Boyan Slat's plastic-free dream is taking shape.

The group behind the mission to rid our oceans of plastic has opened a second front in the war by pulling plastic from the world's most polluted waterways before it gets to the ocean.

The Ocean Cleanup team unveiled a group of Interceptors, which are currently in operation on two rivers in Malaysia and Indonesia. By their estimate, roughly 80% of the world's plastic reaches the ocean through 1,000 rivers. The goal is to clean up those rivers by 2025, pulling in roughly 50,000 kilograms of plastic a day with each river Interceptor.

"To truly rid the oceans of plastic, we need to both clean up the legacy and close the tap, preventing more plastic from reaching the oceans in the first place," said founder Boyan Slat.

The river element was unveiled less than a month after the team successfully collected plastic in the ocean after a rocky few months.

The ocean element is back on track

"Our ocean cleanup system is now finally catching plastic, from one-ton ghost nets to tiny microplastics! Also, anyone missing a wheel?" announced Slat. It was a buoyant moment for a project that has had its ups and downs.

Slat became the poster boy for entrepreneurship when he quit university and launched the project at 18. He had come up with the idea after diving in Greece as a teenager, recognizing the scope of the problem — and coming up with a potential solution. He has been the face of the project ever since, through good times and bad.

The Ocean Cleanup was redeployed in June after spending four months in the shop and has been in testing mode for the last few months. The second deployment was a quieter affair than the first, when the much-lauded cleanup system began trolling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to collect plastic waste. However, the Ocean Cleanup was forced to return to port in Hawaii just a few months after being launched because the passive floating system was catching plastic, but it wasn't necessarily retaining it and an 18-meter end section had broken away from the main frame.

Undeterred by their critics, the team behind the Ocean Cleanup said the mishap was all part of the process.

The basic principle behind the iterative design process is to test, learn, and repeat until you have a proven concept. We do not know with certainty that these proposed options will solve the issues we have encountered. In fact, there may still be further unknowns, as is the nature when doing something that has never been done before. What we do know, is that every day we are not yet operational the plastic pollution problem is not getting better.

How it works (and why it didn't before)

Ocean Cleanup is a Netherlands-based group of about 80 engineers, researchers, scientists and computational modelers. Dubbed 001/B or Wilson, it consists of a 2,000-foot (600 meter) U-shaped boom with an attached woven skirt. It acts like a floating artificial coastline. The boom prevents plastic from flowing over it, while the skirt stops debris from escaping underneath it. It's set up to collect everything from big items like massive fishing nets as well as microplastics, all without disturbing marine life below.

It was the system's finally realized ability to capture the tiniest of plastic pieces that signaled the team had rounded the corner.

"After beginning this journey seven years ago, this first year of testing in the unforgivable environment of the high seas strongly indicates that our vision is attainable and that the beginning of our mission to rid the ocean of plastic garbage, which has accumulated for decades, is within our sights," Slat said in a news release and the video above.

However, with the Ocean Cleanup's success comes a new question: If you clean up the plastic, are your endangering the health of the neuston, an ecosystem that lives at the top surface of the water? This question about the neuston — which is comprised of bacteria, protozoans, certain species of fish, jellyfish, sea anemones, vellela and crabs — has come up several times this year, as the linked story explains. In response, the Ocean Cleanup has been communicating with the biologist who originally raised the question and that they are adjusting the system and its environmental impact as they go. (There's some continued back-and-forth on Twitter on the best way to do this.)

Learning from mistakes

The bumps and ongoing adjustments are part of the process. In fact, it was the problem that sent them back to port in December that helped them solve a deeper issue. The offshore crew noticed on Dec. 29 that the section was detached and after some debate, determined that the boom must return to port because both end sections contained sensors and satellite communication had been compromised.

Late last year, the boom was struggling in places to hold on to plastic that it gathered.

"It has been four weeks since we deployed System 001 in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). In this time, we have observed that plastic is exiting the system once it is collected, so we are currently working on causes and solutions to remedy this," Slat wrote on the group's website in late November. "Because this is our beta system, and this is the first deployment of any ocean cleanup system, we have been preparing ourselves for surprises."

"Although we are not harvesting plastic yet, based on the current results, we are positive we are close to making it work," Slat said at the time.

One reason the system didn't work as hoped has to do with speed. To catch the plastic, the system typically has to move faster — or in some cases, slower — than the plastic it's hoping to catch, Slat said. The fix put in place — one inspired by sailing — ensured that the the system will not travel at the same speed as the plastic.

There are still obstacles to be overcome and problems to be solved, but the team is making progress and building momentum as this BrightVibes video explains: ...Read more

Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming birding and nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, November 9, 2019 to Sunday, November 10, 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

**********

Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Brooklyn Coast Potpourri
Leader: Heydi Lopes
Focus: open field species, late sparrows, raptors, late shorebirds, potential rarity.
Car Pool Fee: $10.00
Registrar Mike Yuan email mjyuan@gmail.com
Registration Period: Nov 2nd Nov 7th
Note: This trip’s locations will be at the discretion of the leader, depending on what’s being reported.
Please review our trip guidelines here: http://brooklynbirdclub.org/information-registration

Saturday, November 9, 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.

**********

Eastern Long Island Audubon Society
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 8:30am
Smith Point
Leader: Byron Young
At the southern end of William Floyd Parkway, you will find Smith Point Park.
Meet on the west side of the large parking lot closest to the FINS tower.
There are usually a great many small birds hanging out by the basketball courts, birds should still be migrating as we look for both land birds and check out the ocean for any pelagic birds and winter ducks. Over 200 species have been seen here, so maybe we could have a good day. In addition to a large collection of gulls in the parking lot, which we will check for Lesser Black-backed Gulls, the parking lot features its own herd of deer. Although frowned on by the NPS, if you would like to bring them a left over Halloween pumpkin, they would surely enjoy it.

**********

Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 8:30am
Suffolk County Farm
350 Yaphank Avenue, Yaphank
Leader(s): Vera Capogna (516-639-5430) and John Gluth (631-827-0120)
Take Sunrise Highway to exit 57N, Horseblock Rd. Bear right onto County Road 21, Yaphank Ave. Travel approximately one mile to the Cornell Cooperative Extension on left. Turn left onto the entrance road. Take your first right and follow down and meet at the visitors parking area on your left

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

**********

Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Prospect Park, Bartel Pritchard Park Entrance
Leader: Roberta Manian
Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper — marybeth@nyc.rr.com
Registration opens: Monday, October 28
Public transportation

Sunday, November 10, 2019
Croton Point Park
Leader: Paul Keim
Registrar: Miriam Rakowski — miriamrakowski@hotmail.com or 212-749-7376
Registration opens: Monday, October 28
Public transportation

**********

New York City Audubon
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 7am – 7pm
Hawk Mountain, PA
Guides: Tod Winston, Hawk Mountain Education Specialist
Visit Hawk Mountain at the peak migration time for raptors such as Golden Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, and Northern Goshawks. We'll also enjoy an orientation from a Hawk Mountain docent and seek out wintering finches and other songbirds at the Visitor Center's feeder station. The path to the hawk watch site is a .75-mile hike through mountainous woodland.
Bring lunch. Group program, trail admission, and transportation by van included. Limited to 12. $139 (97)
Click here to register

Saturday, November 9, 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

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 9:30am – 7:00pm
Snow Geese and Tundra Swans of Brigantine, NJ
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Brigantine, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is one of the East Coast's premier sites for waterbirds, offering a diversity of species and panoramic views. Bring lunch and water. Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $125 (87)
Click here to register

Sunday, November 10, 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

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 9:30am – 11:30am
Birding at Wave Hill
Sundays, September 8, October 13, November 10
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Wave Hill
Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his extensive knowledge of bird species and their behaviors on these captivating walks. Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River flyway provides the perfect habitat for resident and migrating birds. Ages 10 and up welcome with an adult. Limited to 20 per walk. NYC Audubon members enjoy two-for-one admission (see www.wavehill.org for more information).

**********

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

**********

New York City WILD!
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 8:00am
Now Get Out: Poughkeepsie Two Bridges Walk

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 10:00am
Now Get Out: Croton Aqueduct Trail: Croton Dam to Ossining, NY

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 !

**********

North Shore Audubon Society
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 9:30am – 12:00pm
Point Lookout and Lido Preserve - leaderless walk
Where: 40.588320, -73.584722 (map)
Meet in the southeast corner of the parking lot for Point Lookout Town Park. The lot is due south of the last exit of Loop Pkwy.
Wear water-resistant footwear, bring binoculars and drinking water. Wear long pants and socks so you do not touch poison ivy.

**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Saturday, November 9, 2019, 12:00pm-2:00pm
High Rock Park and Pouch Camp
200 Nevada Avenue, Staten Island
Join Ray Matarazzo for a fall foliage hike to Stump Pond. Investigate this unique corner of the Greenbelt with one of Staten Island’s finest environmental educators. The walk will focus on the identification of trees, some of the most colorful species, Hickory, Maple, Sweetgum and Tupelo.
Participants will meet in the parking lot at 200 Nevada Avenue.
For more information call Ray Matarazzo at (718) 317-7666.

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Bloomingdale Park
Maguire Avenue and Ramona Avenue, Staten Island
Fifty years ago the area now known as Bloomingdale Park was sandy pine-oak woodlands littered with everything imaginable, including burnt out stolen cars and trash cans. A hike today through the woodlands of Bloomingdale Park will reveal the effects of a half century of time and human intervention. Participants will observe the power of nature to reclaim the woods from damage wrought by humans.
Meet at the corner of Maguire Avenue and Ramona Avenue.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at (718) 869-6327.

**********

South Shore Audubon Society
November 10, 2019
Mill Pond Park
Use street parking on the westbound side of Merrick Road. The park is four blocks west of the Wantagh State Parkway.
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.

**********

Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Wings Over Wave Hill Weekend at Wave Hill, Bronx
9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
This Veteran’s Day weekend, spend a day or two—or three—enjoying a plethora of activities devoted to birds both big and small.

Sunday, November 10, 2019
Wings Over Wave Hill Weekend at Wave Hill, Bronx
9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
This Veteran’s Day weekend, spend a day or two—or three—enjoying a plethora of activities devoted to birds both big and small.

Flora and Fauna Walk of Highbridge Park with Tod Winston at W 158th Street and Edgecombe Avenue (in Highbridge Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Come on a morning nature walk through Highbridge Park, an ideal spot to see many species of animals, insects, and birds.
Free! ...Read more