Free Upcoming Event

Linnaean Society of New York
April 27, 2010
Members Slide Show
Moderator: Sean Sime, Photographer

This presentation comprises a selection of photographs of natural history including birds. All the images were all taken by our members. This evening will be an opportunity for the audience to participate and the photographers to share their expertise and experiences.

Sean Sime received a Masters in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the International Center for Photography in Manhattan. His photographs have appeared in Life magazine, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Time magazine, and National Wildlife.

The meeting is open to the public, without charge. Please join us for what promises to be a very exciting and fun evening. Enter the Museum at West 77th Street. If you would like to meet Sean prior to the talk, join us ay Pappardella's Restaurant, 75th Street and Columbus Avenue at 6 p.m. The reservation will be in the name of Alice.

Free Upcoming Event

Brooklyn Bird Club
Thursday, April 29th, 6:30 P.M.

Warbler Song Workshop with Tom Stephenson

The highlight of the spring migration no doubt are the warblers, small active colorful songbirds, known for their incredibly enchanting songs. With so many songs to remember, particularly with their musical variations, warblers present a challenging task for birders. Join us for a warbler song workshop presented by one of the best warbler song experts in the NYC area, Tom Stephenson.

Note: as a follow-up, Tom will be leading the Prospect Park walk the Saturday after the workshop. Check the field trips page for more information.

6:30 PM at the Litchfield Villa

New Jersey Marsh Sounds

My friend Sean just sent me an email describing a recent trip to southern New Jersey. He and a friend went in search of the elusive Yellow Rail. I really enjoyed his description of the night noises that they encountered and he graciously allowed me to post it here. I've added buttons that allow you to play the various bird's vocalizations:

********

Hey guys,

So Joe and I headed down to Turkey Point last night to try our luck for Yellow Rail again. We weren't super optimistic considering they hadn't been reported yet, but it was the only day I could steal away.

We arrived at the intersection of Turkey Point Road and Maple Street just after 11pm. Upon opening the door of the car, [Whip-poor-wills] and Great Horned Owl were calling. Joe was listening and I was changing out of my suit (left straight from work) and two [Chuck-wills-widow] started calling as well. The sound of these three species was just about a constant the entire night.

We headed out to the infamous 0.7 mile point and parked. The wind was calm at this point and the moon was very bright. Last year, there were probably a hundred or more Clapper Rails in the marsh that would at times rise to a deafening crescendo. What a difference. It was silent. We walked the entire length of the road and not a single rail called. Did hear a Barn Owl , which was nice. After walking back to the car we decided to play a tape for Clapper Rail. No response. Yellow Rail..no response. We waited and walked a bit more. We did see two giant meteors blazing through the sky, but no birds.

It was nearing 1am and we tried a Yellow Rail tape again. We got some ticking response, but single notes and not the full "song", if you could call it that. The wind started to pick up a bit and the moon seemed even brighter - enough that Seaside Sparrows were singing all around the marsh. We decided to catch a brief nap and get up when the moon set at 3:30am.

Fast forward to 3:30am. I roll down the window and immediately hear two Clapper Rails . We get out and hear them again. I thought I was hearing a distant Virginia Rail so we played a tape and two birds answered. We walked the length of road again occasionally playing the tape for Yellow Rail with no response. At this point we decided to walk back from the car towards Maple Street. About 200 yards from the car we stopped because we both though we were hearing ticking. We played the tape at 4:05am. The [Yellow Rail] answered .

As the three of you know I've never been a fan of "playing out" something to death, and thankfully this trip didn't push those boundaries. That said, there is absolutely no way we would have heard the Yellow Rail without attempting to play the recording.

We stopped for [Eastern Screech Owl] on the way out and listened to it's whinny in between the chorus of [Whip-poor-wills]!

Arrived home at 7:30 to a newly arrived House Wren and [Blue-gray Gnatcatcher] in my yard. All in all a great trip. ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Spring is also a time for baby bunnies. I spotted this 2-3 week old Eastern Cottontail hiding motionless in the leaf litter near Rick's Place. Let's hope Prospect Park's rabbits doesn't suffer the same fate as Central Park's.

Weekend's Birds & Blooms

The weather for Saturday's trip in Prospect Park started off cool and foggy, but we still managed to observe some interesting birds, some of which were recently arrived Spring migrants.

I was optimistic that some new birds had dropped in overnight because on my walk to meet the group at Grand Army Plaza I heard or saw Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler and Eastern Towhee. I suppose an ambivalent weather forecast scared some folks into sleeping in as only 4 people showed up for my tour. The 5 of us ended up seeing some really good birds. The morning began in the relative quiet at the Vale of Cashmere. A lone Ruby-crowned Kinglet sang his sweet, chattering song in a Black Cherry tree above our heads. A few minutes later, a Winter Wren began to serenade us from within a tangle of underbrush near the top of the ridge. We never did see that tiny wren with the big sound, but were satisfied just having been able to share his song.

The morning was colder than expected and we headed for the shelter of Sullivan Hill's woodlands when it started to shower. Thankfully, the rain didn't last very long, but identifying birds in the treetops against a white, overcast sky was, at times, exasperating. As we moved south through the park's wooded areas, the slow song of a Blue-headed Vireo drew my attention towards Payne Hill. On the hillside overlooking the Long Meadow, there was a small mixed flock of birds feeding within some oak trees. What at first seemed to be a single Blue-headed Vireo turned out to be several. They were the first of the year for most of us.

Overnight South winds are the ideal conditions when looking for arriving Spring migrants. Friday night it was coming out of the east, so I didn't expect a fallout of birds. By late in the morning, however, the wind shifted to the south and we did see some interesting flyovers. The first was a Great Blue Heron, followed by a pair of Great Egrets. A high flying Common Loon was seen over the north end of the park with a second, lower bird near the Terrace Bridge. When we were scanning Prospect Lake a flock of 30 Double-crested Cormorants seemed to be considering dropping in, but instead ended up continuing north.

Tree Swallows we moving through the area by mid-morning and I wanted to head down to Prospect Lake to look for other swallows. Mixed swallow flocks are common around the lake during migration and it wouldn't be unusual to see three or four different species at once. Once at the lake we spotted a couple of dozen swallows skimming back and forth, snatching up insects low above the water. The majority were Tree Swallows with a smaller number of Barn Swallows. We quickly spotted several Northern Rough-winged Swallows in the mix. There are two "brown" swallows that are fairly common around our area - Bank Swallow and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Both birds are mainly just brown on the upper surface of their body and white on the underside. The bank has a dark brown band across its chest, whereas the northern rough-winged has a very pale brown throat. My friend Peter likes to say that the rough-winged looks like it has "a 5 o'clock shadow". Picking out swallow species from a fast moving flock requires patience. I tell beginner birders that if they want to learn how to use binoculars, find a flock of swallows and try to identify all the different species. If they don't get dizzy and fall over, they'll become proficient at aiming their bins in no time.

In the wooded areas at the south end of Prospect Park (Peninsula woods and Lookout Hill) we discovered that flocks of Yellow-rumped Warblers had moved into the area. Up to that point I had seen a few of these common wood-warblers, but on Saturday it was clear that large numbers were beginning to flood through the city. Within the next couple of weeks you'll be certain to hear many birders say, after bringing their bins up to their eyes, "Just another yellow-rump".

Over the past week more butterflies have begun to appear around New York City. The most numerous, so far, has been Cabbage Whites. These European natives were introduced to Canada and have become naturalized in much of North America. Also seen this week was my first Question Mark of the season. A very ragged individual was circling and landing on a Hackberry tree in Prospect Park. The wings were so beat up that I couldn't be certain of the identification until I examined the photos on my computer.

Here is a slideshow of some of this past weekend's blooms:


Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/17/10
Notes: Linnaean Society field trip.
Number of species: 50

Ruddy Duck
Common Loon (2, flyover.)
Double-crested Cormorant (30, flying over Prospect Lake.
Great Blue Heron (1, flyover.)
Great Egret (2, flyover.)
Peregrine Falcon (Flying near Empire antenna tower.)
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
BLUE-HEADED VIREO (5.)
Tree Swallow (25.)
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (7, flying around Prospect Lake.)
BARN SWALLOW (8.)
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren (Singing at the Vale of Cashmere.)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (25.)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2.)
Hermit Thrush (10.)
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (75.)
Pine Warbler (3.)
Palm Warbler (12.)
Eastern Towhee (8.)
Chipping Sparrow (4.)
Swamp Sparrow (3.)
White-throated Sparrow
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, American Black Duck, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow ...Read more

Evolving Bird Songs

This week the New York Times published an interesting story about how some songbirds change their songs over time.

For Some Birds, It’s Not Always the Same Old Song
By Henry Fountain
Published: April 19, 2010

Songbirds are not born with songs in their heads, but learn them from others. And as in a game of telephone, it would seem natural that, over generations, the songs might change.

That is what happens with many species, some more dramatically than others. The songs of indigo buntings change so much, for example, that songs that are five years apart are almost completely different.

But with other species, the songs are more stable. Now, thanks to some old audio recordings, researchers have determined just how stable some songbirds’ songs can be.

The songbird in question is not just any old bird, but a member of a famous group of finches that Charles Darwin studied in the Galápagos Islands. Using recordings of Geospiza fortis, the medium ground finch, made 38 years apart, Jeffrey Podos of the University of Massachusetts and Eben Goodale, who is now at the University of California, San Diego, found that some songs have persisted over four decades.

The researchers conducted a statistical analysis of songs, using elements like number of notes, note duration and trill rate. As they report in Biology Letters, in each year’s recordings there is a lot of variability in the songs. But from one period to another, there are some songs that match quite closely.

“Seemingly random songs are maintained over time,” Dr. Goodale noted. “There must be some force maintaining these songs.” As to what that might be, there is no clear answer as yet. But he said one potential clue is that, unlike many songbirds, Darwin’s finches learn their songs not from a neighbor but from their fathers. ...Read more

Queens Hawkcam

Jeff Kollbrunner's Red-tailed Hawk webcam in Queens is up and running. The veteran parents are currently feeding three hatchlings at their nest.

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of April 24th-25th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, April 25, 2010
Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
Central Park North Woods
Meet 7:30am at the Central Park entrance at CP West and 103rd Street, NYC
Trip Leader: Sandy Paci
Questions about the walk, contact Sandy at cell # 917-207-6691
Nearest subway lines: Check www.hopstop.com for subway directions from your location.


Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Jamaica Bay & Far Rockaway
Leader: Richard ZainEldeen
Registrar: Ellen Hoffman (ehof33 [AT] gmail.com)
Registration opens Monday 4/12.
Ride: $15.

Sunday, April 25, 2010
Central Park Flora
Leader & Registrar: Joyce Hyon
Registration opens Monday 4/12.
Public transportation.


Littoral Society
Sunday, April 25, 2010
NYCA Spring Bird and Wildflower Hike
Meet 10am at the Jamaica Bay Refuge visitor center for a slide program and hike to look for warblers and wildflowers.
Leaders: Andrew Baksh, Don Riepe. Call (718) 318-9344; E-mail: Driepe [AT] nyc.rr.com.
Cost: Free


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, April 24, 8am – noon
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Welcome spring migration with this series of trips to NYC's best birding hot spots: Central Park, Prospect Park, and Jamaica Bay NWR. All are recognized by National Audubon as Important Bird Areas (or IBAs), and all are beautiful, accessible by public transportation, and full of birds. The varied habitats of these destinations will provide opportunities to see a great variety of songbirds, shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl. Come see the best nature the city has to offer! Limited to 20.
Members: $67.50, Non-members: $75 (non-member registration available on Wednesday, January 13)


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, April 24, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
A weekly Ranger-led birding walk of the Salt Marsh Nature Trail.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Fresh Kills Tours
10:00 a.m.
Witness the dramatic transformation, as well as the turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and…
Location: Freshkills Park/William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Fresh Kills Tours
1:00 p.m.
Witness the dramatic transformation, as well as the turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and…
Location: Freshkills Park/William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Animal Tracks
10:00 a.m.
Animals leave all types of signs that they’ve been around. Use your investigating…
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center (in Blue Heron Park Preserve), Staten Island
Cost: Free

What Lurks Below?
1:00 p.m.
Explore the depths of Indian Lake from the shore and find out what wondorous creatures live…
Location: Crotona Nature Center (in Crotona Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Prospect Park in Bloom
1:00 p.m.
Spring is here and the flowers and trees are blooming. Take a guided nature walk and learn…
Location: Picnic House (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free ...Read more

Free Upcoming Event

Queens County Bird Club
Wednesday 4/21, 8:00 pm
Salt Marshes: All You Want to Know
Location: Alley Pond Environmental Center
Guest Speaker: Dr. Judith S. Weis, Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ

Upcoming Class & Walk

New York City Audubon Society
Distinguishing Birds by Their Song
Thursday, April 22 6:30-8:30pm (class)
Sunday, April 25 8am-12pm (field trip)
Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Do you ever wonder who is singing? Learn to identify the large variety of migrant and resident birds in New York City. Limited to 15.
Members: $40.50, Non-members: $45 (non-member registration available on Wednesday, January 13)

New Birds & Blooms

The early blooming trees, such as elms, maples and boxelders, have begun fruiting and are peppering the earth with their green and red keys. In only a week dozens more species of plants have flowered and several new species of migrant songbirds are appearing around the city.

One of the most noticeably change are the yellow, dangling catkins adorning all the different species of oaks. These clusters of tiny flowers are attracting swarms of insects which, in turn, will feed flocks of hungry wood-warblers and other neotropic songbirds. Most of these birds are just passing through on their way to breeding grounds in North America's boreal forests, but some will stay and nest in our local parks. Other trees and shrubs that have exploded with blossoms are bitter orange, cherries, crabapples, hawthorns, jetbead, magnolias and redbuds. Some of the notable wildflowers brightening the landscape are daffodils, dandelions, grape hyacinth, red columbine and virginia bluebell.

Last weekend I spotted my first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers of the season. As usual, I heard the lisping, wheezy calls of this tiny, hyperactive songbird long before I actually saw him foraging in a tree. In one morning I observed 4 of them along the edges of Prospect Park's waterways. Last year there was a pair nesting in a locust tree next to Nellie and Max's nest tree at Nellie's Lawn. Hopefully, some of these gray songbirds will attempt to nest in Brooklyn this year. I'd love to get a photograph of a gnatcatcher harassing a Red-tailed Hawk. The size comparison would be funny as the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher probably weighs as much as one of the hawk's toes.

Another species to suddenly appear around the city parks is the Hermit Thrush. Unlike their cousin, the American Robin, which can be found foraging nearly anywhere, these thrushes are seen almost exclusively in wooded habitats. Listen for their beautiful song in the early morning and late afternoon. Several years ago I participated in a montane breeding bird survey in the Catskill mountains. One bird that we heard all the time was the Hermit Thrush. They would begin singing at around 4am and could still be heard after sunset, until around 8pm.

Two other notable species arrivals list week were Chipping Sparrow and Winter Wren, the latter of which has been serenading people with its explosive song in the morning at Prospect Park's Vale of Cashmere.

Here's a slideshow of some of this week's blooms.


Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 04/10/10
Number of species: 44

Ruddy Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Laughing Gull
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
WINTER WREN
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
HERMIT THRUSH
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Eastern Towhee
CHIPPING SPARROW
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Nothing says "Spring" like gardens carpeted with rows of dazzling, multi-colored tulips. During another era, however, speculating on these coveted flowers was also a means to great wealth.

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of April 17th-18th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, April 18, 2010
Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Prospect Park
Meet 7 am at Grand Army Plaza entrance (Stranahan Statue)
Trip Leader: TBA
Cost: Free


Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Prospect Park
Leader: Rob Jett (a.k.a. "The City Birder")
No registration.
Meet at Grand Army Plaza (Stranahan Statue) at 7:30 a.m.
Public transportation.


Littoral Society
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Exploring the Trails at Dead Horse Bay
Hike the trails and beach at New York's best kept natural secret -- Dead Horse Bay, along the edge of Jamaica Bay. Join naturalist Mickey Maxwell Cohen, author of Exploring the Trails of Dead Horse Bay and discover little known woodlands, coastal thickets, and a treasure-laden beach. Wear sensible footwear; no sandals. Meet at 2 PM at the main entrance parking lot at Floyd Bennett Field.
Reservations required; call Gateway NRA at (718) 338-3799


New York City Audubon Society

Saturday, April 17, 10am-1pm
Peregrines of Lower Manhattan
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet on the east side of City Hall Park near the Brooklyn Bridge on-ramp. The peregrine falcon is a bird of myth and legend. This charismatic animal is the fastest flyer in the world. Incredibly, New York City now boasts the world’s highest population densities of this formerly endangered species; roughly 15 pairs nest on buildings and bridges around the city. We will learn more about this species as we visit some of their favorite haunts, and may even glimpse them on the nest. Limited to 15.
Members: $18, Non-members: $20 (non-member registration available on Wednesday, January 13)

Saturday, April 17, 10am-1pm
Songbirds & Insects: Prospect Park Photography
Instructor: Steve Nanz
Meet at Grand Army Plaza at the corner of the park nearest the Brooklyn Library. Prospect Park is one of the most important places for migratory birds in New York City. The park’s varied landscapes provide habitat for multiple species. Shoot spring songbirds and learn insect macro photography, using conservation friendly field photography techniques. Bring your digital camera and long and short lens if you have one. Limited to 8.
Cost: $50


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, April 17, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
High Rock Park and Greenbelt
Join naturalist and educator Howie Fischer to search out the early spring birds that frequent the parks woodlands this time of year. Listen to the early sounds of spring as migrant birds begin to sing for mates. If the weather conditions and wind direction blow in our favor, we may be able to identify some singing warblers, thrushes, sapsuckers, flickers, sparrows and other migratory specialties that are likely in mid-spring.
Call Howie at 718-981-4002 for more information.

Saturday, April 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Restoration Workshop at Great Kills Wildflower Garden
Enter Great Kills Park by the Buffalo Road entrance from Hylan Boulevard and meet in the 2nd Buffalo Road parking lot (across from the ranger station). From there we will go to the wildflower plot at the Education Center to prepare for this year’s planting. Protectors will supply gloves and tools (& refreshments). After a two hour work session (our 166th consecutive monthly workshop), we will take a short walk over nearby trails. If there is demand we will walk to Crooke’s Point and return.
For more information call Don Recklies at (718)768-9036 or Chuck Perry at (718)667-1393.

Sunday, April 18, 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Miller Field Beach
We will walk the beach area looking for plants and animals. We might see some migrating ducks, geese and hawks. Bring water and dress for the weather. Meet at the new parking lot next to the picnic area and ranger station. Go to the end of New Dorp Lane and make a left into the park. Drive on the main road toward the administration building. We will meet in the new parking lot beside the building.
For more information call Cathy at 1-917-596-4198.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, April 17, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
A weekly Ranger-led birding walk of the Salt Marsh Nature Trail.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Litter Critters
10:00 a.m.
Take a walk through the park, pick up some natural and man-made litter, and use it to make…
Location: Blue Heron Nature Center (in Blue Heron Park Preserve), Staten Island
Cost: Free

Living Fabric
11:00 a.m.
With the arrival of spring, Van Corlandt Park has been draped in a cloak of vibrant…
Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Understories: Secrets of the Forest Floor
12:00 p.m.
Life abounds in the soil beneath our feet! Uncover a world of mosses, ferns, fungi, and…
Location: Belvedere Castle (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Happy Birthday Salt Marsh Nature Center
10:00 a.m.; 2:00 p.m.
The Salt Marsh Nature Center is celebrating ten years as Brooklyn's premier nature center!…
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Spring Migration
10:00 a.m.
Along with the temperatures, migration season is heating up! Welcome back our fine,…
Location: Albert H. Mauro Playground (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), Queens
Cost: Free

Park to Park: Heyerdahl Hill
11:00 a.m.
Journey on the Greenbelt’s Red Trail to explore the haunted hill of Heyerdahl and the…
Location: High Rock Ranger Station (in High Rock Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free

Earth Day Eco-Treck
12:00 p.m.
Pay your respects to Mother Earth on an extended hike through Pelham Bay Park. …
Location: Pelham Bay Ranger Station (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Arbor Day Celebration
2:00 p.m.
Arbor Day is April 30, but we can get an early start appreciating all things trees. Learn…
Location: Clove Lakes Park Playground (in Clove Lakes Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more

Free Upcoming Event

The Linnaean Society of New York
April 13, 2010
Bird Diversity in a Neotropical Country: Costa Rica
Speaker: Rafael Guillermo Campos-Ramirez, Caligo Ventures, Inc.

Admission to all lectures* of the Linnaean Society is free. Come join us as we listen and watch informative presentations! At regular meetings the Society presents speakers on natural history topics. Lectures may be popular or technical and often are illustrated with slides. Regular meetings are at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings, September through May. The Annual Meeting and Dinner, with the election of officers, is held during the second week of March. The Society may hold informal summer meetings (on the third Tuesday of June, July or August at 7:30 p.m.); as summer meetings are scheduled they will be announced. (*Note: The Annual Meeting and Dinner is held at a private club for members of the Society and their guests only and is closed to the public. All other programs are open to the public.)

Unless another venue is noted, programs are held in the American Museum of Natural History, usually in the Lindner Theater; please enter at West 77th St. between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue.

Friday's Foto

This was one of two groundhogs I encountered in Green-Wood Cemetery this week who were uncharacteristically active during the early afternoon.

Birding by Ear

It's not too late to start listening to your bird song CDs. The climax of the Spring songbird migration is about a month away and I have some recommendations for preparing your ears.

When I hear a Blackburnian Warbler's high-pitched song resonating through the forest canopy, I can actually see its fiery orange throat and facial pattern in my mind. By knowing the songs and calls within a woodland filled with hundreds of singing birds, a structured, organized image of the surrounding creatures emerges out what, to the uninitiated, may be perceived as random, chaotic noise. The morning chorus on a May morning can be appreciated by just sitting with one's eyes closed and listening. Barring any severe hearing disorder, anyone can learn to recognize the songs and calls of their neighborhood birds. The best tool available, in my opinion, is the Peterson Field Guide Series "Birding By Ear".

For the northeastern United States, you need to have both "Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America" and "More Birding by Ear Eastern and Central North America". The series each come with three CDs worth of lessons. Bird songs are grouped into similar sounding categories with each category having a very simple, well explained set of mnemonics and other teaching tools. Rather than skipping around from disc to disc, I recommend using iTunes or similar music library program to upload the selective tracks and create the following playlist:

Sing-songers (Birding by Ear - disc 1, track 4)
Warbling Songsters (Birding by Ear - disc 2, track 6)
Wood Warblers & a Warbling Wren (Birding by Ear - disc 3, track 1)
Warblers: Buzzy (More Birding by Ear - disc 2, track 1)
Warblers: Simple (More Birding by Ear - disc 2, track 2)
Warblers: Two-Parted (More Birding by Ear - disc 2, track 3)
Warblers: Complex (More Birding by Ear - disc 2, track 4)
Empidonax Flycatchers (More Birding by Ear - disc 1, track 4)

I find listening during my subway commutes to be the most productive. Where and when you choose to listen is your call, but just do it regularly. I guarantee that within a couple of weeks you'll be surprised at the number of birds you'll be able to recognize by sound alone. ...Read more

Weekend Birds

I spent much of Sunday with family, but did get out on Saturday for several hours of birding around Brooklyn.

I started off just after first light by cycling down to Dreier-Offerman Park (aka Calvert Vaux Park) where I met my friend Heydi. From their we moved north along Gravesend Bay, the Shore Promenade Park, Narrows Botanical Garden, Veterans Memorial Pier and finally ended the morning at Owl's Head Park.

Weather forecasts had called for south wind and unseasonably warm temperatures. I anticipated that the wind would also help transport some more migrant birds into our area. One thing I didn't count on was a cold, thick bank of fog slipping over Gravesend Bay and the lower harbor by late morning. It made for some interesting photographs, but not very productive bird finding. We did, however, manage to find a few new Spring migrants.

Dreier-Offerman was not very birdy but we did find a few Laughing Gulls along Coney Island Creek. In addition, several Tree Swallows were seen flying in from the south or zig-zagging across the bay. Both species were new for us for the Spring.

It was very strange watching the thick fog rolling in to Gravesend Bay and enveloping the Verrazano Bridge. The warm, dry morning quickly transformed into a damp, cold, winter-like walk. Along the rocky shoreline, at least 14 Purple Sandpipers were still present. Many of the sandpipers were showing their namesake purple sheen on new, breeding plumes. Gulls were few and far between (or just impossible to see), but we did find one Bonaparte's Gull. There were also still a few Common and Red-throated Loons fairly close to shore. The large flock of overwintering scaup has been reduced to a couple of dozen birds in a few scattered groups. The Horned Grebes that are still present have transitioned to breeding or near-breeding plumage.

The trees along the Shore Promenade were depressingly devoid of birds. We found our first Gray Catbird of the season at a small park called "Narrows Botanical Garden". The "park" is a couple of blocks south of Owl's Head Park and next to the Veterans Memorial Pier. Within a couple of weeks catbirds will be a common sight in our parks and backyards until their departure next fall.

Finally, at Owl's Head Park we sat down on the grass next to a very obliging Pine Warbler that foraged for insects on the lawn. The warbler seemed to be acting more like a pigeon than a wood-warbler. It was a very nice way to end the morning.

Date: April 3, 2010
Locations: Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay, Shore Promenade Park, Narrows Botanical Garden, Veterans Memorial Pier, Owl's Head Park

1) Brant (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
2) Canada Goose (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
3) Mute Swan (1, Dreier-Offerman Park )
4) Gadwall (4, Dreier-Offerman Park)
5) American Black Duck (7, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
6) Mallard (Dreier-Offerman Park)
7) Greater Scaup (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
8) Lesser Scaup (Gravesend Bay)
9) Bufflehead (2, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
10) Red-breasted Merganser (5, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
11) Red-throated Loon (1, Gravesend Bay)
12) Common Loon (3, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
13) Horned Grebe (6, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
14) Double-crested Cormorant (3, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
15) Purple Sandpiper (14, Gravesend Bay)
16) Bonaparte's Gull (1, Gravesend Bay)
17) Laughing Gull (4, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
18) Ring-billed Gull (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
19) Herring Gull (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
20) Great Black-backed Gull (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
21) Rock Pigeon (Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay, Owls Head Park)
22) Mourning Dove (5, Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
23) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1, Owls Head Park)
24) Downy Woodpecker (2, Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
25) Northern Flicker (12, Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
26) Eastern Phoebe (1, Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
27) Fish Crow (5, Dreier-Offerman Park)
28) Tree Swallow (4, Dreier-Offerman Park, Gravesend Bay)
29) Carolina Wren (1, Dreier-Offerman Park)
30) American Robin (Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
31) Gray Catbird (1, Narrows Botanical Gardens)
32) Northern Mockingbird (2, Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
33) European Starling (Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
34) Pine Warbler (2, Owls Head Park)
35) Song Sparrow (6, Dreier-Offerman Park)
36) White-throated Sparrow (1, Dreier-Offerman Park)
37) Dark-eyed Junco (6, Owls Head Park)
38) Northern Cardinal (Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
39) Red-winged Blackbird (Dreier-Offerman Park)
40) Boat-tailed Grackle (1, Dreier-Offerman Park)
41) Brown-headed Cowbird (2, Dreier-Offerman Park)
42) House Sparrow (Dreier-Offerman Park, Owls Head Park)
...Read more

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of April 10th-11th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, April 11, 2010
Discover Tours
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Celebrating the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Centennial year
Meet 10 am at the Eastern Parkway entrance
Note: There is an admission fee; members get in free.
Trip Leader: TBA


New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, April 10, 9:30-1pm
Spring Birding at the Greenbelt
Guide: Gabriel Willow
With the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and the Greenbelt Conservancy
Meet at the Manhattan terminal of the Staten Island Ferry and begin your tour on the water. Explore the Staten Island Greenbelt, a nearly 3,000-acre preserve and a flagship park of New York City, replete with wetlands, woodlands, meadows, old-growth forest, and 35 miles of hiking trails. Includes refreshments and transportation on Staten Island. Limited to 20.
Members: $22.50, Non-members: $25 (non-member registration available on Wednesday, January 13)


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Sunday, April 11, 10 a.m. to 12 noon
DISABILITIES Nature Walk
Stroll the paved pathways of Mount Loretto Unique Area with naturalist and Special Education teacher Cliff Hagen to explore the sights and sounds of a grassland ecology. Cliff encourages people with disabilities and their families to join in a slow walk around the park for discussion of wildlife and the ecology of this parkland.
For more information call Cliff Hagen at 718-313-8591.

Sunday, April 11, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Protectors Semi-Annual Meeting
Join Protectors at the Zoo, for a joint program, focusing on the wildlife of our Island parks. Come learn more about how our habitats are uniquely suited to the furry, feathered and scaly creatures that share this small island with us. Come away with a better appreciation for the work that Protectors and the Staten Island Zoo does each and every day. Please call Hillel Lofaso at (718) 751-6629. The Staten Island Zoo is located at 614 Broadway.


Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, April 10, 2010, 8:00am
Alley Pond Park
Meet at 76th St. parking lot.
Leader: Eric Miller (917-279-7530, snakebird10 [AT] aol.com)


Staten Island Museum
Sunday, April 11, 2010, 9:00-11:00am
Early Migrants at Conference House Park
Meet in Visitor Center parking lot at western end of Hylan Blvd.
Weekend Ecology Walks offered by the Nature Section
FREE monthly walks! Enjoy the beauty & ecology of Staten Island. Wear comfortable shoes, and bring binoculars if possible.
To register and confirm meeting places call Seth Wollney at (718) 483-7105.



Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, April 10, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
A weekly Ranger-led birding walk of the Salt Marsh Nature Trail.
Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Urban Wildlife Appreciation Day
11:30 a.m.; 3:00 p.m.
Get up close and personal with NYC’s wild residents. Learn about squirrels, raccoons,…
Location: Cloisters Lawn (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Sunday, April 11, 2010

In Bloom Series: Part I - Early Bloomers
11:00 a.m.
As the days become longer and warmer, the early spring wildflowers are starting to emerge.…
Location: Belvedere Castle (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Hunter Island Hike
1:00 p.m.
Discover the diversity of habitats on Hunter Island: salt marshes, forests, and open fields.
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park), Bronx
Cost: Free

Trees in the City
2:00 p.m.
Trees are an important part of our everyday lives. You’ll be shocked at all the items…
Location: Clove Lakes Park Playground (in Clove Lakes Park), Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more

Friday's Foto

For many birders, the arrival of the Eastern Phoebe around New York City's parks is a sign that Spring migration has finally started.

March Birds

During the month of March I added 12 more species to my NYC year list, bringing my total to 125. All but one was found in Brooklyn, the 12th was seen in Queens County.

March is rarely a time when birders get to add a lot of species to their year list, especially since the bulk of migrating birds are still two months away. Of the 12 species that I added this month, 8 are birds that I would have definitely seen later in the year. Ring-necked Ducks are strictly overwintering waterfowl that tend to depart by April. Common Ravens are rarely seen around New York City, however, I did see one last year at Pelham Bay Park, in the Bronx. Boat-tailed Grackles are common at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, but the one I just saw at Marine Park is new for me in the borough of Brooklyn (I only saw one in Queens last year). The biggest surprise of March was seeing Black Vultures. Not only was the trio I observed at Green-Wood Cemetery a first for me in Brooklyn, it was a first for New York City. After reading some of the opinions on the New York State birding list, I suppose we'll be seeing more of them in the future.

Note that nearly all my birding over the last three months has been done by bicycle or public transportation.

114) Ring-necked Duck (Prospect Park, 03/05/10)
115) Brown-headed Cowbird (Greenwood Cemetery, 03/07/10)
116) Ring-necked Pheasant (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 03/17/10)
117) American Oystercatcher (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 03/17/10)
118) Field Sparrow (Floyd Bennett Field, 03/19/10)
119) Eastern Phoebe (Prospect Park, 03/20/10)
120) Common Raven (Queens County, 03/20/10)
121) Boat-tailed Grackle (Salt Marsh Nature Center--West, 03/21/10)
122) Black Vulture (Greenwood Cemetery, 03/24/10)
123) Turkey Vulture (Greenwood Cemetery, 03/24/10)
124) Osprey (Greenwood Cemetery, 03/24/10)
125) Wilson's Snipe (Four Sparrow Marsh, 03/28/10) ...Read more