I hope everyone has had a tolerable April! Mine has been exhausting. My cat Melon, who I love with my whole heart, nearly died last month of FIP, and I’ve spent the past four weeks ferrying her to and from the vet and treating the many complications that she’s been dealing with. Thank you to everyone who wished her well. She is my best friend and my only daughter and I cannot imagine my life without her.

As such, I have spent the past month almost entirely in my house and have therefore not seen many creatures in NYC. Scrolling back through my photos, I was afraid the only creature I could meaningfully report was seeing the spotted lanternfly nymph I found drowned in Melon’s water bowl. But then I saw this incredible footage I took in early April, of a flock of pigeons flying in a tight circle above some brownstones on an ethereal and smoky night. I wish I could include said video, but Buttondown does not yet have that capacity, so I hope you can believe me when I say the following stills came from a very captivating video.

When I saw these pigeons circling so intently, hovering over a stretch of a few buildings, I wondered, as many naturalists have before, why the hell they were doing that. I posted the video — which, again, is so much cooler than the above photo — to my instagram story, where people far wiser than I identified them as pigeons and several even suggested they might belong to a rooftop coop, one of the last in Brooklyn.

I had no idea that people ever kept and trained pigeon flocks on Brooklyn rooftops, let alone that the hobby was still alive! I cannot say with certainty if these pigeons were trained, but I did see them around a week later doing the same circling behavior above the very same roof, and so it is my scientific conclusion that they are very possibly cooped up on that there roof. I love learning about new hobbies! I learned in a Brooklyn Magazine article (the one linked above) that coop pigeons can get their electrolytes with red beet water. I also learned recently and totally unrelatedly, that hummingbirds prefer fruit punch gatorade to other gatorades. I like it when I learn about animals’ preferences.

Also, I want to thank Jane, Tommy, and Zoe for explaining the mystery of last month’s mysterious shell fragments scattered so artfully around a big rock. Apparently gulls drop shells from the sky onto the rock to break them up and eat them. Tool use, folks! Thrilling! I hope to see a gull in action doing just this one day.

Anyway, we’ve got a big month ahead of us. Spring migration continues apace, meaning the trees of the city are thrumming with small and unusually colorful birds that will surely make you smile. The 10th Annual Horseshoe Crab Mating Festival is happening on May 17 at 10 am, and you can bet I will be there to greet my many chelicerate friends. And there’s so much more — don’t miss the free fungi walk at Green-Wood, the Queer Birders’ ongoing spring migration walks, a sorghum workshop with NYRP, a week of great programming for Black Birders’ Week and a day of great programming for World Fish Migration day. Take care out there!

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May

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: May 1 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the spring migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a variety of birds! Registration required, capped at 30.

🌱 A Garden at the End of the World: Spatial Justice in Industrial Communities: May 1 @ 1pm. Walking from a former Art in the Parks project site in McGolrick Park to the industrial stretch of Greenpoint set against the NYC skyline, we will explore the transformative power of adopting overlooked spaces in the public realm. Registration required.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature - Nostrand & Sheepshead Bay Houses: May 2 @ 11am. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds! We'll slowly stroll through the Nostrand and Sheepshead complex, focusing on easy ways to notice birds around us. Registration encouraged.

🌳 The Value of Street Trees: May 2 @ 1:30pm. How do the trees on your neighborhood block help protect you and Marine Park? How do street trees support the natural environment? Come to Marine Park and learn about tips and techniques for taking care of the trees that keep your neighborhood healthy and beautiful.

🍄 Explore Green-Wood’s Fungal Biodiversity on Chestnut Hill: May 2 @ 2pm. Come learn about fungi at Green-Wood! Join MYCOmmunity Mapping Project on a community science dig to learn about the fungal lives beneath our feet. We will take soil samples under Green-Wood’s American chestnut trees to test for fungal DNA and contribute to a greater understanding of urban biodiversity. Free, registration required.

🐦 Governors Island Bird Tour: May 2 @ 2:15pm. Did you know that nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island? Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover what makes this island an excellent place for birding. Registration encouraged.

🐦 🏳️‍🌈 Birding and Park Clean-Up at Franz Sigel Park, Bronx: Join Queer Birders and Friends of 4 Parks or a combo bird walk / park clean up at Franz Sigel park in the Bronx with Leo Wexler-Mann! Spring migration is here and there are lots of fun birds to be found in our small pocket parks.

🐦 Warbler Watch in Forest Park: May 3 @ 9am. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see spring migratory birds. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Don’t miss out on the chance to see the beautiful tropical birds unique to the Americas as they briefly pass through NYC in the spring.

🐦 Intro to Birding in Marine Park: May 3 @ 9am. Explore the beauty of Brooklyn’s largest green space, Marine Park! Consisting of grassland and salt marshes, this park is habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds and waterbirds. This series is hosted in partnership with the Marine Park Alliance. Registration encouraged.

🌾 Volunteer Landscaping and Cleanup at Ridgewood Reservoir: May 3 @ 10am. Join NYC H2O and the NYC Parks Department as we remove invasive plants and plant native plants at Ridgewood Reservoir! Registration required.

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Seward Park, Mandarin-English: May 3 @ 10am. Join bird guide Xinyi Zhang for a Mandarin-English bilingual bird outing in Seward Park, and discover the resident and migratory birds that rely on small urban green spaces like this one! Registration encouraged.

加入鸟类向导 Xinyi Zhang，参加在 Seward Park 举办的 普通话–英语双语观鸟活动，一起探索依赖这种小型城市绿地生存的留鸟和候鸟吧！

🍄 Fantastic Fungi Mushroom ID Hike: May 3 @ 11am. Prepare to be amazed by the wonders of the forest and the incredible diversity of fungi waiting to be discovered. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with nature, expand your knowledge, and make lasting memories. Join us for this adventure you won't want to miss!

🦪 Oysters and Other Bivalves at The Battery: May 3 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers for an exploration of New York City history through the lens of the natural harbor and its oyster residents. Learn about oyster ecology and these small creatures that shaped our world.

🐦 Morning Birding in Washington Square Park: May 4 @ 8am. Join us for a early morning of birding at Washington Square Park, one of NYC’s most iconic green spaces. Although only 10 acres, Washington Square Park is rich in history and serves as a vibrant hub for New Yorkers. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Evening Birding in Central Park with Gabriel Willow: May 4 @ 5:30pm. Witness the beauty of migration in Central Park with Gabriel Willow as birds travel along the Atlantic Flyway. We’ll search for warblers, thrushes, and other migratory species while learning how to identify them and exploring their ecology and behavior. Registration required to join waitlist.

🐦 Intro to Birding - Chelsea and Elliott - Fulton Houses: May 6 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Hudson Guild for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds! We'll slowly stroll through the Chelsea NYCHA complex and nearby parks, focusing on easy ways to notice birds around us. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Intro to Birding - Chelsea and Elliott - Fulton Houses: May 7 @ 1:30pm. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Hudson Guild for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds! We'll slowly stroll through the Chelsea NYCHA complex and nearby parks, focusing on easy ways to notice birds around us. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: May 8 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the spring migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a variety of birds! Registration required.

🐦 Summer on the Hudson: May 8 @ 5:30pm. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Riverside Park Conservancy for this year's Summer on the Hudson series. Who knows what birds we'll discover while taking in views of the Hudson River?

🐦 Spring Birding in Conference House Park, Staten Island: May 9 @ 8am. Discover a diversity of spring migrants with longtime birder and Staten Island resident, Anthony Ciancimino. Expect to see a variety of species of songbirds, including warblers such as Pine & Palm, & Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and even some lingering waterfowl on the ponds & beach. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Birding at Soundview Park with The Bronx is Blooming: May 9 @ 8am. Join The Bronx is Blooming and NYC Bird Alliance for a special bird outing at Soundview Park! The Bronx is Blooming team has been tracking bird sightings in the park as part of a community science initiative. Participants are encouraged to download the Merlin Bird ID App ahead of time. Registration required.

🐦 Birding in Brooklyn Bridge Park: May 9 @ 9am. Join us as we explore the woodlands and meadows of beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park, plus enjoy waterbirds along the East River. This outing will also follow a Project Safe Flight (PSF) route, where our community science volunteers help monitor bird collisions and rescue injured birds. Registration required.

🐦 Birding along the QueensWay: May 9 @ 9:30am. Come discover this evolving green space and help observe which birds are using the habitat as we continue to expand the Queensway.The QueensWay is an intiative to transform the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch that cuts through Forest Park into a new green space. Registration encouraged.

🌻 Wildflowers of Green-Wood: May 9 @ 10am. Take a moment to stop and smell the roses—or to be more accurate, the many wildflowers that grow at Green-Wood! Led by environmental guide Molly Nash Rouzie, this hands-on program will teach you how to identify common and seasonal blooms by observing flower shapes, colors, leaf characteristics, and growth habits. You’ll also learn about flowering cycles, pollinators, and the vital roles these plants play in local ecosystems. Tickets $25 for non-members.

🐦 Bilingual Birding Spanish - English at Sunset Park: May 9 @ 10am. Join us in the diverse neighborhood of Sunset Park. A small hidden gem, this green space is known to provide breathtaking views of Manhattan. A wide variety of birds have also been sighted here, including juvenile Red-tailed Hawks! Registration encouraged.

Comparte con NYC Bird Alliance un paseo en Sunset Park. Este espacio verde es conocido por ofrecer vistas impresionantes de Manhattan, especialmente al atardecer.  Aquí también se ha observado una gran variedad de aves, incluidas algunas aguilillas. No es necesario registrarse, pero se recomienda.

🐦 Accessible Birding in Fort Tryon Park with Alex Wang: May 9 @ 11am. Fort Tryon Park offers stunning views of the Palisades and Hudson River from its soaring cliffs of bedrock. The park features many well-paved walkways designed to accommodate a wide range of mobility needs for birders with stroller, wheelchair, walker, cane, and other mobility aids. Led by birding guide and educator Alexandra Wang (Avian Alex), M.S. Ed., this inclusive outing offers specialized resources.

🦪 Oysters & Origins - Black History on the Half Shell: May 9 @ 1pm. Oysters were once a daily staple of Brooklyn life — and by the mid-1800s, Black oystermen were at the heart of the waterfront industry that fed the borough and shaped its shoreline. Join us at the Lott House for an afternoon of history with Ben “Moody” Harney, of TheRealMotherShuckers, will demonstrate historic oystering tools and techniques. Registration required, 10+. Tickets $15.

🌱 Stewarding Sorghum from Seed with NYRP: May 9 @ 1pm. Join Maya Marie and the NYRP Urban Ag team to learn about the Afro-Indigenous origins of sorghum, cultivation techniques, and more. Participants will have a chance to get into seeds, learn about transplanting vs. direct seeding, and help sow a crop of sorghum in the Teaching Garden. This session is part 1 of 3 in The Sweetness of Sorghum, a hands-on Deep Routes workshop series honoring the foodways that connect plants, peoples, and lands across Afro-Indigenous diasporas. Registration capped but you can join a waitlist.

🔥 Scent of Ritual - The History & Craft of Incense: May 9 @ 2pm. This Field Meridians workshop offers a focused exploration of incense as both material practice and cultural ritual, with particular attention to its role in grief, remembrance, and spiritual reflection. Centered on themes of loss and honoring, the class examines how incense has long been used to mark time, memorialize the departed, and create spaces for contemplation. We trace its history—from ancient timekeeping and ceremonial use to its role as a precursor to modern perfume and its applications in healing practices. Tickets $50.

🦆 Bird Watching/ Observación de Aves at Ridgewood Reservoir: May 10 @ 8am. Join author and naturalist Heather Wolf for a bird walk at the Ridgewood Reservoir. With the weather turning it's a great time to come out and enjoy the reservoir and see some birds! 🐦🕊️

Únase a la autora y naturalista Heather Wolf para un paseo de aves en el Ridgewood Reservoir. Estamos en la temporada alta de migración, ¡así que es un buen momento para salir y disfrutar del embalse y ver algunas aves! 🐦🕊️

🐿️ Mother Nature Mammals Exploration in Kissena Park: May 10 @ 11am. Celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day by learning about some of the most doting mothers of the natural world! Rangers will highlight a variety of mammal species found in NYC Parks and talk about many ways mother mammals care for their babies and make sure their young ones have a bright future ahead of themselves.

🐦 Birding in Cooper Park Houses: May 13 @ 11am. oin NYC Bird Alliance to look and listen for birds! We will be slowly moving through campus to a local nearby park. The group will meet in front of the Cooper Park Older Adult Center. Registration encouraged.

🌳 Monthly Nature Exploration Hike Series: May 13 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a monthly hike exploring Inwood Hill Park. The hike will begin at the Inwood Hill Nature Center. This month’s hike will be highlighting re-introduced species in Inwood Hill Park.

🐦 Prospect Park Birding with the Young Conservationists: May 13 @ 5:30pm. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Young Conservationist Council member Ryan Mandelbaum and get to know the spring bird migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a dazzling variety of migratory birds. Registration encouraged. 

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: May 15 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the spring migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a variety of birds! Registration required.

🐦 Spring Birding in Van Cortlandt Park: May 16 @ 9am. 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 outing is held in partnership with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. Registration required, capped at 20.

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Sunset Park, Mandarin-English: May 16 @ 9:30am. Join bird guide Xinyi Zhang for a Mandarin-English bilingual bird outing in the small but beautiful Sunset Park. This green space is known to provide breathtaking views of Manhattan, especially at sunset. A wide variety of birds have also been sighted here, including Brown-headed Cowbirds, Cedar Waxwings, and Common Nighthawks. Registration encouraged.

本次英语/普通话双语观鸟活动由和领队Xinyi Zhang（张心怡）带队，我们将一同探索小而美的日落公园。日落公园坐拥令人窒息的曼哈顿天际线景观，在日落时分更为动人。同时，我们能在日落公园看到为数众多的不同鸟类，包括褐头牛鹂、雪松太平鸟和美洲夜鹰。

🌳 Meet Your Street Tree Pt. 2: May 16 @ 10am. Get to know your tree neighbors, with your human (and more than human) neighbors with Field Meridians. We’ll be strolling through Brower Park to identify the trees that provide shade, beauty, and habitat for species of all kinds. We’ll practice our observational skills through writing and sketching and learn about our shared past and future with them in a time of unprecedented global ecosystem change. Tickets required, $15 suggested donation.

🏖️ Plumb Beach Clean Up: May 16 @ 10am. Join NYC H2O for a Volunteer Cleanup at Plumb Beach! Gloves, garbage bags and pickers will be provided. Registration required.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature - Birding in Wyckoff Gardens and Gowanus: May 16 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Friends of Thomas Greene Park and the Public Housing Community Fund to look and listen for birds! We'll stroll through the Gowanus and Wyckoff Gardens NYCHA complexes, which are full of large trees and lush vegetation, perfect habitat for song birds. Registration encouraged.

🐛 Bugging Out at Green-Wood Cemetery: May 16 @ 10:30am. Herbivores and carnivores, pollinators and parasites, beautiful and, sometimes, frightening, at least 950 species—and counting—of insects and spiders have been identified in Green-Wood. Join us for an eye-opening afternoon of insect watching, which, like birdwatching, allows you to observe these tiny invertebrates in their natural habitat. Tickets $25 for non-members.

🐦 Governors Island Bird Tour: May 16 @ 2:15pm. Did you know that nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island? Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover what makes this island an excellent place for birding. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Intro to Birding in Marine Park: May 17 @ 9am. Explore the beauty of Brooklyn’s largest green space, Marine Park! Consisting of grassland and salt marshes, this park is habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds and waterbirds. This series is hosted in partnership with the Marine Park Alliance. Registration encouraged.

🐴 👠 🦀 10th Annual Horseshoe Crab Festival: May 17 @ 10am. We're back with the 10th Annual Jamaica Bay Horseshoe Crab Festival! This festival celebrates the ancient mating ritual of these charismatic "living dinosaurs" that come to our shores each year, helping provide a vital food source for migrating shorebirds like the endangered Red Knot!

🐦 Birding in Midtown Esplanade with EsplanadeFriends: May 17 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and EsplanadeFriends to discover the Esplanade and its adjacent green spaces. Expect to see many water birds right off the coast.

🐦 Spring Warblers at Prospect Park: May 17 @ 10am. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see spring migratory birds. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Join us on a birding adventure around Prospect Park to look for spring migrants that include colorful warblers and more!

🌳 All The Leaves Are Back! Spring Tree Walk in McCarren Park: May 17 @ 11am. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a stroll under the new spring leaves. Learn to identify some of our beloved park trees and explore the visible and hidden ways in which trees come back to life in this season of renewal.

🦋 NYRP Butterfly Workshop at 50 Cent Community Garden: May 17 @ 11:30am. Experience a Butterfly Workshop at 50 Cent Garden, participants will build mini habitats, observe pollinators, and gain tips to support butterfly populations. Connect with neighbors, spark creativity, and leave inspired to transform your own space into a thriving butterfly haven.

🐚 Techno-Fossil Color Shifting with Field Meridians: May 17 @ 2pm. Tajah Ellis has conducted independent field research to source and retrieve logwood from the Jungles of Central America , expanding the definition of intuitive science and reclamation of sourced material histories, bringing it into the future as a techno-fossil with knowledge and memory. Ellis will lead a natural dye session showcasing the range of color and tone that can be achieved from this specific wood and ones similar – Palo de Brazil (Sappanwood), a close cousin and Mahogany, a close friend in the same region. Tickets required, $35 suggested donation.

🐝 World Bee Day Insect Exploration in Juniper Valley Park: May 20 @ 3pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a walk to learn the important role these fascinating insects play for the environment and humans. Then create your own bee craft to take home!

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: May 22 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the spring migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a variety of birds! Registration required.

🐦 Spring Birding in Alley Pond Park: May 23 @ 9am. Alley Pond Park is an ecological treasure. Containing both fresh and saltwater wetlands, forests, tidal flats, meadows, and glacier-formed landscape, this park supports a vast array of birds. Join NYC Bird Alliance to discover this green space for yourself! Registration encouraged.

🐦 Accessible Birding in Fort Tryon Park with Alex Wang: May 23 @ 11am. Fort Tryon Park offers stunning views of the Palisades and Hudson River from its soaring cliffs of bedrock.The park is designed to accommodate a wide range of mobility needs for birders with stroller, wheelchair, walker, cane, and other mobility aids. Led by birding guide and educator Alexandra Wang (Avian Alex), M.S. Ed., this inclusive outing offers specialized resources. Registration encouraged.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature - Intro to Birding at Redfern Houses: May 23 @ 1pm. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds including a resident of the Redfern Houses the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron. These birds have built their nests in the Rockaways, specifically at the Hammel and Redfern NYCHA housing complexes.

🐦 Governors Island Bird Tour: May 23 @ 2:15pm. Did you know that nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island? Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover what makes this island an excellent place for birding. Registration encouraged.

🦆 Bird Watching/ Observación de Aves at Ridgewood Reservoir: May 24 @ 8am. Join author and naturalist Heather Wolf for a bird walk at the Ridgewood Reservoir. With the weather turning it's a great time to come out and enjoy the reservoir and see some birds! 🐦🕊️

Únase a la autora y naturalista Heather Wolf para un paseo de aves en el Ridgewood Reservoir. Estamos en la temporada alta de migración, ¡así que es un buen momento para salir y disfrutar del embalse y ver algunas aves! 🐦🕊️

🐦 Spring Birding at Wolfe's Pond Park, Staten Island: May 24 @ 8am. 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.

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Kissena Park: Mandarin-English: May 24 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance's Xinyi Zhang, for a Mandarin-English bilingual bird outing! We will explore the beautiful Kissena Park in Queens. This green space contains a wide variety of trees as well as a lake that make great habitat for migrating and resident birds alike. Registration encouraged.

加入NYC Bird Alliance的张欣怡（Xinyi Zhang），参加一次中英文双语观鸟活动！我们将探索皇后区美丽的Kissena公园。这个绿地拥有多样的树木和一个湖泊，为候鸟和留鸟都提供了理想的栖息环境

🐦‍⬛ Birding, Grief and Interdependence in Black Birder’s Week in Prospect Park: May 24 @ 10am. In challenging times some people turn to nature and more specifically birding to keep them grounded, to be present, to observe lifecycles in the natural world and to then bring joy. Think of how you process grief, does nature play a role in your process? If not, would you like to incorporate nature in that process? Join Field Meridians to bird with the intention of working through difficult feelings and we will note how we feel before and after our bird outing. Tickets required, $15 suggested donation.

🐦 Spring Migration at Crotona Park: May 24 @ 11am. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a birding adventure around Crotona Park to look for spring migrants that include warblers, raptors and more!

🐟 Seining at Marine Park: May 24 @ 11am. Our experienced Urban Park Rangers teach the ecology of our waterways on every seining program. Get ready to get your hands wet; seining programs use nets to catch fish. All equipment is provided; this program is recommended for ages 8 years and older. Participation is first-come, first-served.

🐦 Evening Birding in Central Park with Gabriel Willow: May 25 @ 5:30pm. Witness the beauty of migration in Central Park with Gabriel Willow as birds travel along the Atlantic Flyway. We’ll search for warblers, thrushes, and other migratory species while learning how to identify them and exploring their ecology and behavior.

🐦‍⬛ Black Birders’ Week Birding with New York Restoration Project and Evergreens Cemetery: May 27 @ 9am. Join this birdy and historical stroll. Straddling both Brooklyn and Queens, Evergreens Cemetery was established in 1849 and is a burial spot for several notable Black families and individuals. In addition to being an archive of New York City history, it contains extraordinary trees and habitat for wildlife including birds. Registration highly encouraged.

🐢 🐸 Reptiles and Amphibians at Alley Pond Park: May 27 @ 11am. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we explore the park, looking for and learning about the turtles, snakes, frogs, and salamanders that call New York City home.

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: May 29 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the spring migrants of “Brooklyn's Backyard,” beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a variety of birds! Registration required.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature - New Lane Houses: May 29 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds! We'll meet infront of New Lane houses to begin and see what birds we notice around us before heading to Alice Austen House and Park.  Registration highly encouraged.

🐦‍⬛ Black Birders Week: Birding at Morningside Park: May 29 @ 5:30pm. Join NYC Bird Alliance and West Harlem Art Fund for a birding walk in historic Morningside Park. This park was also designed by the famed Central Park architects, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted!Registration encouraged.

🐦‍⬛ Black Birders Week - Birding at the Bronx River Forest: May 30 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Bronx River Alliance for a bird outing in the Bronx River Forest!  Extending south into the New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx River Forest is a remnant of the original forests and floodplains that once blanketed the Bronx River corridor. Recent projects led by NYC Parks and the Bronx River Registration encouraged.

🐦‍⬛ Black Birders Week - Birding at Riverside Park: May 30 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and the Riverside Park Conservancy on  a bird outing on the last day of Black Birders Week 2024! Right on the edge of the Hudson River, Riverside Park provides beautiful views of the water and great habitat for migrating birds. Registration encouraged.

🐟 World Fish Migration Day Coastal Ecology: May 30 @ 10am. Celebrate the migration of fish as we observe this Billion Oyster project site. We will be monitoring the cages that these oysters live in, and record what types of fish and macro-invertebrates that use these cages as a habitat. All of our recordings will be submitted to the greater fish count of the lower Hudson river and its connecting waterways.

🐛 Bugging Out at Green-Wood Cemetery: May 30 @ 10:30am. Herbivores and carnivores, pollinators and parasites, beautiful and, sometimes, frightening, at least 950 species—and counting—of insects and spiders have been identified in Green-Wood. Join us for an eye-opening afternoon of insect watching, which, like birdwatching, allows you to observe these tiny invertebrates in their natural habitat. Tickets $25 for non-members.

🐟 Summer on the Hudson - World Fish Migration Day: May 30 @ 11am. Wade into the Hudson River for World Fish Migration Day! Collect and count species of fish in partnership with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

🐟 World Fish Migration Day at Randall’s Park Alliance: May 30 @ 2pm. Learn about the many different species of fish found in the river and help us in the fish monitoring process by counting and measuring fish we capture in the net. All fish will then be released back into the river. Swing by any time between 2 and 4 PM!  

🦅 Governors Island Bird Tour: May 30 @ 2:15pm. Did you know that nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island? Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover what makes this island an excellent place for birding. Registration encouraged.

🌾 Volunteer Landscaping and Cleanup at Ridgewood Reservoir: May 31 @ 10am. Join NYC H2O and the NYC Parks Department as we remove invasive plants and plant native plants at Ridgewood Reservoir! Registration required.

🍄 The Many Uses of Mushrooms: May 31 @ 11am. You should never eat a mushroom you find out in the woods, but mushrooms can be helpful in other ways! Did you know that some mushrooms can be used as band aids? Let’s explore together to find mushrooms that help us increase our survival skills.

Ongoing:

🛳️ Urban Naturalist Tour: Abandoned Islands of the East River at Sunset: Join Classic Harbor Line Join aboard a cozy, elegant, 1920s-style Manhattan yacht -- as we travel past abandoned islands rich with history and modern day wildlife! Throughout the journey, our knowledgeable naturalist-guide (Gabriel Willow or Russell Jacobs) will share insights into the conservation efforts aimed at preserving these precious ecosystems. Bring binoculars! (This is an affiliate link!)

🏳️‍🌈 🐦 Queer Birders Spring Migration Walks: From April 14-May 27, join Queer Birders on spring migration walks in Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. QUEENS: Hunter's Point South Park: Tuesdays 7am, meet at 50th Ave & Center Blvd (right off the 7 train). MANHATTAN: Central Park: Wednesdays 7am, meet at W 103rd St entrance. BROOKLYN: Prospect Park: Wednesdays 7am, meet at The Boathouse.

🐦 Spring Birding in Bryant Park: Tuesdays at 8am through June 2, Fridays at 5pm through June 5. Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call Bryant Park home during migratory season with guided tours led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. Located in the heart of Midtown, Bryant Park is a hotspot for avian visitors and birders alike. Past sightings include warblers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes, and even a Chuck-will’s-widow!

🐦 Tuesday Evening Spring Migration Bird Walk Series: Join noted urban naturalist Gabriel Willow for a six-week series of bird walks that celebrates spring migration in NYC! Join Gabriel on an easy tour through Central Park to witness the wonders of spring migration. Groups limited to 15 people. Bring binoculars if you have them. Register for the whole series or just one walk.

🐦 Wednesday Evening Spring Migration Bird Walk Series: Join noted urban naturalist Gabriel Willow for a six-week series of bird walks that celebrates spring migration in NYC! Join Gabriel on an easy tour through Central Park to witness the wonders of spring migration. Groups limited to 15 people. Bring binoculars if you have them. Register for the whole series or just one walk.

🦪 Shoreline Cleanup with the Billion Oyster Project: On Thursdays at 2pm, loin us in collecting debris from New York City's shorelines to prevent it from re-entering the waterways when the tide returns. This is important in achieving our goal of protecting the biodiversity that lives near our reef sites.

🌹 New York Restoration Project: Everyone deserves access to high-quality public green space. If you’re interested in forest stewardship, volunteer with the NYRP in the parks of northern Manhattan clearing invasive plants, mulching, and clearing litter. Volunteer dates listed in the link above. Registration required.