Check out my Green-Wood sponsored tours on their calendar pages here. You can also find me on Bluesky here
Celebrate your inner nerd with my new t-shirt design! Available on my Spreadshirt shop in multiple colors and products.

Monday, December 22, 2025

Upcoming Trips

Below are the final local birding/nature trips for 2025; Saturday, December 27 - Sunday, December 28, 2025:

Green-Wood Cemetery

Birding in Peace
Sunday, December 28, 2025, 7:15am - 8:45am
Description: Experience Green-Wood before our gates open to the public and discover some of the birds that call the Cemetery their winter home. For species that migrate south after breeding, Brooklyn is their Miami during the colder months. Led by birding expert Rob Jett, this winter tour offers the chance to spot waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches, and other birds that stick around for the season. By February, you may even catch the first north-bound birds beginning to return.
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Urban Park Rangers

Saturday, December 27, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn
9:00am–11:00am
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free

Birding: All About Crows at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
11:00am–12:00pm
Join the Urban Park Rangers to learn more about crows, a highly intelligent and sociable bird species.
Free

Sunday, December 28, 2025
Birding: Winter Birds at Forest Avenue and Silver Lake Park Road (in Silver Lake Park), Staten Island
10:00am–11:30am
Join us on this Ranger led walk along the trails identifying various woodland birds and winter waterfowl.
Free

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Sunday, December 14, 2025

Best of Fortnight

Winter doesn't officially begun until December 21st, however, I feel like we're already there, especially after today's snowstorm. That said, here are my winter photos taken during the first two weeks of December 2025:

Merlin at dusk

Northern Mockingbird

White-breasted Nuthatch

Baltimore Oriole

Cooper's Hawk

Tufted Titmouse

Mandarin Duck, Tiergarten, Berlin

Common Moorhen, Tiergarten, Berlin

Great Tit, Tiergarten, Berlin

European Blackbird, Tiergarten, Berlin

European Robin, Tiergarten, Berlin

Grey Heron, Tiergarten, Berlin

Common Gull, Spree River, Berlin

Hooded Crow, Mitte, Berlin

Sparrowhawk, Tiergarten, Berlin

Black-headed Gull, Spree River, Berlin

Red-shouldered Hawk

Snowstorm in Brooklyn

Green-Wood Cemetery, Hill of Graves

Mourning Doves

Great Blue Heron

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Berlin

Friday, December 12, 2025

Familiar Silhouette

Hooded Crow (maybe not so familiar)

 

Monday, December 08, 2025

Upcoming Trips

Below are the birding/nature trips from Saturday, December 13 - Sunday, December 14, 2025:

Brooklyn Bird Club

Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturday, December 13, 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: A member of the Brooklyn Bird Club
Description: Whether you’re just starting out or have already joined the birding ranks, this introductory bird outing is for you. Join a member of the Brooklyn Bird Club to learn the basics of birding and search for the dozens of species that visit Prospect Park through all seasons.
Registration: No registration necessary.
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Staten Island Hotspots and Waterways
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Leader: Tom Preston
Description: We will visit several locations in Staten Island on this trip. There is good birding year round on the island. In winter coastal spots are often productive, but we will visit inland areas too.The exact spots will be finalized later, based on conditions and reports. Staten Island has many productive and easily accessible birding spots, we will visit a number of them.
Registration: JoAnn Preston email jocrochet@verizon.net Members and drivers get priority.
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Green-Wood Cemetery

Birding in Peace
Sunday, November 14, 2025, 7:15am – 8:45am
Description: Stop by this fall and you’ll see a variety of species passing through. By September, the offspring of summer’s nesting birds will be on their own. Returning warblers will be in their less flamboyant fall plumage. You’ll also spot blackbirds, flycatchers, sparrows, vireos, and swallows on the move. By October, be on the lookout for returning waterfowl and raptors heading south. And by November, you’ll see the return of our overwintering feathered denizens from the north.
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South Shore Audubon Society

Mill Pond Park
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Leader: Members of SSAS
Description: Use street parking on the westbound side of Merrick Road. The park is four blocks west of the Wantagh State Parkway. Meet at the gazebo.
Registration: Registration is required by calling Joe Landesberg at 516-467-9498
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Urban Park Rangers

Saturday, December 13, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn
9:00am–11:00am
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free

Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Entrance - Baisley Blvd. & 157th Street (in Baisley Pond Park), Queens
9:00am–12:00pm
Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Discover which waterfowl have returned for the winter season.
Free

Sunday, December 14, 2025
Winter Birding at Wave Hill, Bronx
9:30am–11:00am
Explore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands to observe birds in their winter habitat.
Free

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Tuesday, December 02, 2025

Upcoming Trips

Below are the birding/nature trips from Saturday, December 6 - Sunday, December 7, 2025:

Brooklyn Bird Club

Introduction to Birdwatching
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: A member of the Brooklyn Bird Club
Description: Whether you’re just starting out or have already joined the birding ranks, this introductory bird outing is for you. Join a member of the Brooklyn Bird Club to learn the basics of birding and search for the dozens of species that visit Prospect Park through all seasons.
Registration: No registration necessary.
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Gull Identification Workshop in Coney Island
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:30am - 12:00pm
Leader: Dennis Hrehowsik and Bobbi Manian
Description: Brush up on your Gull ID skills in time for the Christmas Bird Count! Join Bobbi Manian and Dennis Hrehowsik at Coney Island for a gull ID workshop.
Registration: No registration necessary.
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First Sunday Bird Outings
Sunday, December 9, 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: A member of the Brooklyn Bird Club
Description: Join a member of the Brooklyn Bird Club in search of dozens of species that visit the park through all seasons. Learn about the different habitats in Prospect Park and why they are important for all types of birds.
Registration: No registration necessary.
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Gateway National Parks

Jamaica Bay Winter Waterfowl Workshop
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Leader: Don Riepe
Description: Join the American Littoral Society for a digital slideshow program followed by a walk around West Pond and East Pond to look for wintering waterfowl and other wildlife. This is an all-weather event, so please dress for the conditions. For more information, contact Don Riepe at don@littoralsociety.org or go to American Littoral Society's website at www.littoralsociety.org
Registration: Not required.
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Linnaean Society of New York

Rye Playland and Environs
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Leader: Tom Burke and Gail Benson
Description: Rye Playland, located on Long Island Sound in northeastern Westchester County, is about 30 miles from New York City. We will begin our walk at Playland Park & Read Sanctuary and move later to the Marshlands Conservancy; at both, the terrain is easy, and we’ll walk about a mile at each location. We typically have lunch at Marshlands and finish by walking to the marsh in the early afternoon. We will search for birds on Long Island Sound, Playland Lake, and Milton Harbor, as well as in the woods and fields at both locations.
Registration: Mary Jane Boland — mjboland3@gmail.com
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Jones Beach and Point Lookout
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Leader: Joseph DiCostanzo
Description: Jones Beach State Park and nearby Point Lookout are among the best locations in the area for viewing wintering ducks, loons, grebes, geese, gulls, shorebirds, passerines, raptors, and owls. The state park occupies 6.5 miles of a barrier island along the Atlantic coast of Nassau County and contains varied habitats, including ocean beaches, bays, dunes, and forested areas. eBird records for January include over 100 avian species, and we will be on the lookout for exciting rarities, including Snowy Owl, Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpiper, Razorbill, Murres, Horned Lark and Lapland Longspur.
Registration: Miriam Rakowski — rakowskimiriam@gmail.com
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NYC Bird Alliance

Wolfe's Pond Park, Staten Island
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 8:00am - 9:30am
Leader: Anthony Ciancimino
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance at one of Staten Island's hidden gems, Wolfe's Pond Park. Explore the park’s diverse habitats and spot wintering birds like Northern Pintails, American Black Ducks, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Staten Island resident and birder, Anthony Ciancimino will led us through the space.
Registration: Registration page
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Fall Birding in Van Cortlandt Park
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Rich Aracil
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance on a bird tour in one of the Bronx's largest green spaces. Participants will look for various species of resident and migrant birds and discuss a wide range of avian topics. This event is held in partnership with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance.
Registration: Registration page
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Baisley Pond Park, Queens
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Woo Sung Park
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance in Queens at Baisley Pond Park. With wetlands, native plants, and lush greenery all around, the park provides the perfect habitat for a wide variety of bird species. Its the ideal time to spot the last of fall migrants and start spotting winter waterfowl.
Registration: Registration page
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Fall Birding at Floyd Bennett Field
Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30am - 11:00am
Leader: Heydi Lopes
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance at Floyd Bennett Field, one of NYC's top spots for spotting winter wildlife! This former airfield-turned-natural haven offers a variety of habitats, from marshes to meadows, perfect for spotting everything from raptors and warblers to shorebirds.
Registration: Registration page
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Queens County Bird Club

Montauk
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 7:30am - 4:30pm
Leader: Ian Resnick (917) 626-9562
Description: We will start the trip viewing from the back of the restaurant specified by the map. Parking is in the lot on the opposite side of Montauk Hwy.
Registration: Please contact trip leader for meeting time and location.
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South Shore Audubon Society

Jones Beach Coast Guard Station Parking Area
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Leader: Members of SSAS
Description: 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.
Registration: Registration is required by calling Joe Landesberg at 516-467-9498
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Sullivan County Audubon Society

Hurleyville Rail Trail Winter Walk
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 8:00am
Leader: Maura Muller will lead, and KimSu Theiler will assist.
Description: Meeting at Morgan Outdoors in Hurleyville, where Lisa Lyons, proprietor and SCAS member, will open her store for SCAS for bathroom access, and a quick introduction to the store and its nature events and rentals. Maura will lead, and Kimsu will assist in a winter bird walk on the Hurleyville Rail Trail (https://sullivanoandw.com/hurleyville/). The location was chosen because the paved trail will allow people of all ages and mobility to negotiate the terrain in the winter climate, and Saturday was chosen so members who are up in Sullivan County only on the weekends can join the walk, and the members who go to church on Sunday, can also join.
Registration: Call Scott to register at 914-799-1313.
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Urban Park Rangers

Saturday, December 6, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn
9:00am–11:00am
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free

Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Brookville Boulevard and 144 Avenue (in Brookville Park), Queens
11:00am–12:00pm
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see winter waterfowl. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free

Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
1:00pm–2:00pm
Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Discover which waterfowl have returned for the winter season.

Sunday, December 7, 2025
Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Parking Lot (in Manhattan Beach Park), Brooklyn
11:00am–12:30pm
Birding programs are an all-inclusive safe space and appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free

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