chimney swifts too swift for my liking
I spent much of last month traveling, which meant I did not get my shit adequately together to go out and behold wildlife in New York City’s beautiful parks, forests, and waterways. But I did spend a lot of time beholding the wildlife that hang out around my roof, which is a lovely place to watch the sunset — specifically the gauzy blush haze encircling Brooklyn’s ominous 74-story condo, a.k.a. the Sauron Tower.
Many of the non-human visitors on my roof are little guys I can see basically anywhere, but even these encounters can be filled with a degree of wonder. On a recent rooftop picnic, my friends and I watched as a yellowjacket returned time after time to carve out a mouthful of chicken that had fallen out of a taco and carry its repast elsewhere, presumably to its colony. I could hardly blame them. That taco was good!
My most surprising rooftop neighbors have been the swooping diamonds I’ve learned are chimney swifts. When I first saw one overhead at sunset — a dark, erratic streak in the sky — I assumed it was a bat. What else, I reasoned, emerges in small, chittering swarms at dusk? But the more I watched the flying things, the more I felt certain they could not be bats, especially as I’d gotten to observe bat-flight up close on a recent bat walk. Their wings were too sleekly angled and beat too stiffly to be a bat. Luckily Gabriel Willow helped me ID these birds as chimney swifts.
Chimney swifts are birds about the length of a soda can and the color of soot. They spend most of their lives on the wing and can fly up to 500 miles a day, zooming through the air at 60 miles per hour or more in pursuit of flying insects. In the air, they look like boomerangs. Their eyes are black and cartoonishly huge, which helps the birds focus at high speeds and dart into their homes in chimneys, where they rest at night. And their feet are too tiny to perch upright like other birds, so instead, the swifts cling to the vertical wall of a chimney to sleep.
Historically, chimney swifts roosted inside trees and caves. When European settlers cleared out forests, the swifts adapted to live inside chimneys, as Ben Graham wrote in Audubon. But in the last half century, chimney swift populations have dropped significantly as people construct newer, shittier chimneys — imagine a metal-lined chute as opposed to a nice knobbly masonry — and insect populations have crashed. There are some great guidelines on how to make your chimney swift-friendly, but I am under no delusions that anyone reads this newsletter has a chimney, let alone would have the power to maintain it.
.jpg?utm_source=simbler&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=chimney-swifts-too-swift-for-my-liking)
What we lowly tenants can do is admire the swifts from afar. When the birds circle my roof at dusk, I tried following them with my eyes to see if I could see one dive into a chimney, but I have yet to succeed — they are simply too fast and too small. Therefore I have decided to respect the chimney swifts’ right to privacy. Besides, the swifts are about to depart the city to spend their winters in the warmer skies of South America, away from the prying eyes of the likes of me.
As we officially enter fall, there are birds galore stopping over in our beautiful city, resting and refueling on their way to warmer climes. The events below have warblers, raptors, and plenty of sparrows for you to enjoy. Thanks for reading!
A small plug: I recently took a wonderful essay writing workshop through Workshops for Gaza, which is a group that offers online workshops and classes in any genre to raise funds for Palestinians in Gaza. There are some very cool workshops coming up about poetry, comics, TV writing, and even a Disco Elysium livestream, and everything is recorded if you want to check out an older workshop on a rainy day. And if you’d have a workshop to teach, reach out!
One more thing: If you’d like to help me offset the costs of hosting this newsletter, you can choose to pay a monthly subscription (at a level of your choosing). Thank you to all the subscribers who have stayed with me after I fumbled the earlier payment links; it’s been now been fixed!
September
🦆 Prospect Park Birding with Gabriel Willow: Fri. Sept 27 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to get to know the fall migrants of beautiful Prospect Park. The meadows, forests, and waterways of Prospect Park attract a dazzling variety of migratory birds on their way south, including warblers, tanagers, cuckoos, and more. Registration required, capped at 30.
🦅 Van Cortlandt Park Birding with Alyssa Bueno: Sat. Sept 28 @ 9am. Wrap up Climate Week 2024 with 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 required, capped at 20.
🦜 Birding on the QueensWay with Woo Sung Park: Sat. Sept 28 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance's Woo Sung Park and The Trust for Public Land and explore the QueensWay as Climate Week 2024 wraps up! The QueensWay is an intiative to transform the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch that cuts through Forest Park into a new green space. This blossoming new park is sure to attract many bird species this fall. Registration encouraged.
🪶 Beach Cleanup and Coastal Birding Event at Norton Basin Natural Area: Sat. Sept 28 @ 10am. Join New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a beach clean-up and coastal birding event. Volunteers will remove debris from the coastline to improve the ecosystem and mitigate plastic pollution, while enjoying nature and spotting shorebirds migrating south. Attendees are advised to wear close-toed shoes, sunscreen and clothing they don’t mind getting a bit dirty.
🪼 Community Science Seining: Sat. Sept 28 @ 10am: Discover the amazing biodiversity of the East River as Brooklyn Bridge Park staff and marine biologists use a seine net to catch-and-release incredible organisms that live below that water’s surface. Be ready for exciting discoveries! All ages are welcome at this free event.
🦜 Birding at Sherman Creek Park: Sat. Sept 28 @ 11am. Join NYC Queer Birders and the New York Restoration Park for a walk at Sherman Creek Park, which borders the Harlem River. Meeting spot: Riley-Levin Children’s Garden.
🍄 Fantastic Fungi Mushroom ID Hike at Seton Falls Park: Sat. Sept 28 @ 11am. This Urban Park Ranger led hike will take you through the forest to learn how to identify fungi. Participants will learn about the crucial role that mushrooms play in an ecosystem and how natural decomposition takes place. In-person registration.
🦜 Accessible Birding at Kissena Corridor Park with Alex Wang: Sat. Sept 28 @ 11am. Join NYC Bird Alliance's Alex Wang on an a stroll through Kissena Corridor Park in Flushing, Queens! This green space connects Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Kissena Park and provides excellent habitat for migrating birds. Wang offers augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) pamphlets, Braille pamphlets and plush birds for an inclusive birding tour.
🦅 Field Sketching with Sam Philbert: Sun. Sept 29 @ 12pm. Bird guide and artist Sam Philbert will lead a field sketching workshop on Governors Island! Learn tips to record and draw species in your environment to fill your own nature journal. Governors Island's diverse habitat supports the nearly 240 bird species spotted on the island so far, and makes for great art inspiration. Bring a drawing book or paper and something with which to write/draw to document your findings! Registration required. Limited to 30.
💧 Walking the Harlem River: Lost Waterfronts and Buried Creeks: Sun. Sept 29 @ 12pm. Join NYC H2O for a walk that will explore the history of lost waterways in Marble Hill and Kingsbridge, where the Harlem River was rerouted more than a century ago, and its tributaries filled in. We will follow the route of the proposed daylighting of Tibbetts Brook, which once flowed into Spuyten Duyvil Creek, and will consider how this buried waterway could be reconnected with the Harlem River, and become part of the proposed Harlem River Greenway. Registration required.
🦝 Urban Wildlife - Raccoons at Travers Park Queens: Sun. Sept 29 @ 2pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers in honor of International Raccoon Appreciation Day to learn more about this adaptable and resourceful species. We will discuss all things raccoons and make a raccoon themed craft. Best for kids.
🦜 Central Park Evening Birding: Mon. Sept 30 @ 5:30pm. Witness the beauty of fall migration with Gabriel Willow as birds follow the Atlantic Flyway northwards. Look for warblers, thrushes, and other migrants in the landscape of Central Park, and learn about the finer points of their identification and ecology. Registration required. Limited to 30.
October
🦜 Fall Birding at Green-Wood Cemetery: Sat. Oct 5 @ 8am. Enjoy fall migration at beautiful Green-Wood Cemetery. We'll look and listen for finches, warblers, woodpeckers, and waterbirds—plus the cemetery's famous Monk Parakeets! Beginning birders welcome, and binoculars available upon request. Registration required. $28 for NYC Bird Alliance, members. $42 for non-members. Limited to 15.
🪶 Arverne East Nature Preserve Tour: Sat. Oct 5 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance's Woo Sung Park, a Queens birder and Park Ranger, as we take a stroll through the newly opened Arverne East Nature Preserve in Far Rockaways, Queens to see a variety of sparrows and other birds stopping over in New York City, as well as shorebirds like Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, and Black Skimmers. Registration encouraged.
🎣 Community Science Fishing: Sat. Oct 5 @ 10am. Discover the East River’s amazing biodiversity first hand through our free catch-and-release fishing clinics!
🦜 Birding by Ear in Herbert Von King Park: Sat. Oct 5 @ 10am. It’s Bird Appreciation Month. Join NYC Parks and learn about different bird calls you may hear during the peak of fall migration. Enjoy bird-watching and decorate your own bird whistle.
🦜 Fall Bird Outing at Randall’s Island: Sat. Oct 5 @ 10am. Join NYC Parks and experienced bird guide, Efua Peterson, for a tour of Randall’s Island Park in search of feathered friends in the fall! We’ll meet at the Urban Farm and migrate to the Freshwater Wetland and Salt Marsh. We’ll have a limited number of binoculars for participants to borrow
🍄 Autumn Mushroom ID Hike: Sat. Oct 5 @ 11am. Autumn brings big changes to the forest floor and many fungi are active in our parks! Join the Urban Park Rangers on a hike on the Kieran Trail to explore seasonal mushrooms.
🦪 Coastal Ecology, Oysters and Other Bivalves: Sat. Oct 5 @ 11am. Oysters and other bivalves act as natural filters for our shores. Learn more about these phenomenal creatures and other marine life at this Billion Oyster Project site along The Narrows. Participants will also learn how to record relevant data used for scientific study.
🦜 The Birds of Woodlawn Cemetery: Sun. Oct 6 @ 8am. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a morning bird outing and tour of the cemetery. Tod Winston and Joseph McManus will look for spring migrants and year-round residents, while Woodlawn Cemetery Director of Historical Services Susan Olsen will share stories about the cemetery’s history. $28 for NYC Bird Alliance and Woodlawn Conservancy members, $42 for non-members. Capped at 15.
🐦 Fall Birding at Inwood Hill Park: Sun. Oct 6 @ 8:30 am. Join Annie Barry in a walk through Inwood Hill Park, a last tract of largely old-growth oak and tulip forest. Glacial "pot holes," towering trees, and stunning river views create an unrivaled birding backdrop. Registration required. $28 for NYC Bird Alliance members, $42 for non-members. Limited to 15.
🪶 Pelham Bay Park Birding with the Young Conservationists: Sun. Oct 6 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance's Young Conservationist Council member, Ryan Mandelbaum, to explore New York City's largest park this fall. Pelham Bay Park's forested areas, salt marshes, and grassy meadows offer rich habitat for a variety of migrating birds. Scopes may come in handy. Registration encouraged.
🐿️ Urban Wildlife- Muskrats and More: Sun. Oct 6 @ 10am. Join the Urban Park Rangers to spot rodents in the wetlands of the Idlewild Park Preserve! Rangers will lead a guided hike of the preserve and describe the resident rodents of New York City, such as muskrats, moles, squirrels and more
🌾 Volunteer Landscaping and Cleanup at the Ridgewood Reservoir: Sun. Oct 6 @ 10 am. Join NYC H2O and the NYC Parks Department as we remove invasive plants and plant native plants at Ridgewood Reservoir! Registration required.
🪶 Birding- Fall Migration: Sun. Oct 6 @ 1pm. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see spring migratory birds. Beginners are welcome. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a birding adventure around The Ramble to look for fall migrants that include warblers, raptors and more!
🦜 Central Park Evening Birding with Gabriel Willow: Mon. Oct 7 @ 5pm. Witness the beauty of fall migration with Gabriel Willow as birds follow the Atlantic Flyway northwards. Look for warblers, thrushes, and other migrants in the landscape of Central Park, and learn about the finer points of their identification and ecology. Registration required, capped at 30.
🦋 Monarch Mania: 7th Annual Pollinator Festival: Tues. Oct 8 @ 10am Join us at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for a festival celebrating monarch butterflies and other pollinators! Come learn from naturalists and experts about our local pollinators, including butterflies, moths, bees, and birds. Activities and crafts for the whole family. This is a free event but donations to support this festival are kindly appreciated. No registration required.
🪶 Birding in the Midtown Greenway: Wed. Oct 9 @ 5pm. This fall, join NYC Bird Alliance and EsplanadeFriends to discover the East River Esplanade through the newly opened East Midtown Greenway! This green corridor spans from 53rd to 61st Street. Join NYC Bird Alliance guide, Andrew Reiter, and expect to see many water birds swimming in and flying over the East River. Registration encouraged.
🪶 Hunter's Point South Park Fall Nature Walk: Thurs. Oct 10 @ 9am. This fall, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is partnering with Gabriel Willow for a nature tour of the park that will focus on the restored tidal marsh ecosystem, with some ecological history of NYC weaved in. Registration encouraged.
🦜 Bird Watching/ Observación de Aves at Ridgewood Reservoir: Sat. October 12 @ 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!This event will be in both Spanish and English. Registration required.
🐦 Intro to Birding in Marine Park on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and 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.
🐦 World Migratory Bird Day Birding at Conference House Park: Sat. Oct 12 @ 9am. Discover a diversity of early spring migrants with longtime birder and Staten Island resident, Anthony Ciancimino. Expect to see a variety of species of songbirds, including warblers, vireos, and tanagers. Waterfowl can be present in numbers off the beach and ponds as well. Registration encouraged.
🦅 Van Cortlandt Park Birding with Woo Sung Park on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 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. Registration required, capped at 20.
🦆 Crotona Park Birding on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance bird guide and Bronxite, Rich Aracil, and explore the beautiful Crotona Park. Its meadows, flowering trees, and sizable pool provide excellent habitat for a variety of birds including woodpeckers, warblers, and wading birds. Registration encouraged.
🦜 Birding with an Indigenous Perspective at Wave Hill: Sat. Oct 12 @ 9:30am. Join Bronx-based BIPOC birder Haley Scott from the Feminist Bird Club on a birding walk with an indigenous perspective. Hear about the effects of colonialism on bird populations and how common bird names evolved from the Algonquin language to reflect the language of European settlers. It’s peak fall migration, so expect to spot a wide variety of birds in the garden and skies. $17; including admission to the grounds.
🦜 Bilingual Birding at Alley Pond Park on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 9:30am. Alley Pond Park contains fresh and saltwater wetlands, forests, tidal flats, meadows, and glacier-formed landscape, all supporting a vast array of birds. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a stroll through this green space in English and Spanish, led by naturalist Oliver Lopez. Registration encouraged. Alley Pond Park es un tesoro ecológico. Este parque, que contiene humedales de agua dulce y salada, bosques, marismas, praderas y paisajes formados por glaciares, alberga una gran variedad de aves. Únete a NYC Bird Alliance en el Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias para un paseo por este espacio verde en inglés y español, dirigido por el naturalista Oliver Lopez.
🦅 7th Annual Raptorama! Part 1 Jamaica Bay: Sat. October 12 @ 10am. It's that time of the year again, time for Raptorama! Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center to learn about the hawks and owls of Jamaica Bay. See some of these amazing raptors during a live demonstration, and go on walks with experts to get a look at hawk species flying south for the winter. While this event is free, donations to support this festival would be appreciated. Registration link to come.
🦅 Accessible Birding in Fort Tryon Park on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 11am. Enjoy the beautiful Fort Tryon Park as it commands sweeping views of the Palisades and the Hudson River. Past encounters include a variety of birds such as Bald Eagles and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Accessibility is enhanced by birding guide and educator Alexandra Wang (Avian Alex), M.S. Ed. Registration encouraged.
🦅 Governors Island Bird Tour on World Migratory Bird Day: Sat. Oct 12 @ 2pm. Nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island, which provides excellent habitat all year round. Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover all of the birdlife the island has to offer. Binoculars are available to borrow.
🦪 Birds, Boats, and Bivalves on the Bronx River: Sun. Oct 13 @ 9am. This guided tour takes paddlers through the lower saltwater portion of the Bronx River (to the river mouth and back), featuring a duality of estuarine and urban habitat that is also home to an oyster bed. Come and learn how birds, oysters, and other wildlife coexist and depend on the Bronx River for resources. Registration required, $30.
🦢 Canarsie Park Birding with Russell Jacobs: Sun. Oct 13 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon) bird guide, Russell Jacobs, and visit the coastal woodlands, tidal channel, and one of the only freshwater ponds in Brooklyn. Expect to see herons, shorebirds, flycatchers, vireos, warblers, and sparrows. All birding levels welcome!
🦗 Insect Ecology and Conservation Awareness: Sun. Oct 13 @ 11am. In autumn, insects search for cozy hibernation habitats to overwinter, which can be challenging to find in an urban environment. Join Urban Park Rangers in making bug hotels, using materials found in nature to provide safe and warm homes for insects and learn about insects’ contributions to our ecosystem.
🦆 Birding at Great Kills Park with Dana Barbato: Wed. Oct 16 @ 5:30pm. This park has everything: sandy beaches, green woodlands, wet saltmarshes, trails for biking and hiking, and more. Part of the Gateway National Recreation Area's Staten Island unit, this park offers much-needed habitat for a diverse array of bird species. Registration encouraged.
🦆 Wildlife Outing at Madison Square Park with Alyssa Bueno: Thurs. Oct 17 @ 12pm. Join a wildlife outing in Madison Square Park to discover the flora and fauna that make the park ecologically rich. Outings are offered the third Thursday of every month. Registration link to come.
🐦 RBESNA Birding with Russell Jacobs: Sat. Oct 19 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to explore the Rockaway Beach Endangered Species Nesting Area (RBESNA). This stretch of beach becomes a vital foraging habitat in the fall for sandpipers and other shorebirds making their way south. Registration encouraged.
🦅 Raptors in the Autumn Sky at Wave Hill: Sat. Oct 19 @ 10am. Keep your eyes on the sky as you look for migrating hawks soaring and circling above the Hudson River. Be inspired by our feathery friends as you fashion a raptor glider for the autumn breezes. Best for kids. At 11:30AM, families can enjoy a storytime program.
🌻 Autumn Wildflower Walk at Marine Park: Sat. Oct 19 @ 11am. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a walk to discover the soon-to-be dormant wildflower population. Learn how to find wildflowers and collect and prepare seeds for planting in this unique habitat.
🦅 7th Annual Raptorama! Part 2 Marine Park: Sat. October 19 @ 2pm. It's that time of the year again, time for Raptorama! For Part 2 of this annual festival, meet us at Marine Park's Salt Marsh Nature Center to learn about hawks, eagles, owls, and more. See some of these amazing raptors during a live demonstration, and go on walks with experts to get a look at hawk species flying south for the winter. While this event is free, donations to support this festival would be appreciated. Registration link to come.
🐦 Pelham Bay Park Birding with Rich Aracil: Sun. Oct 20 @ 9am. Join NYC Bird Alliance to explore New York City's largest park this fall. Pelham Bay Park's forested areas, salt marshes, and grassy meadows offer rich habitat for a variety of migrating birds. Registration encouraged.
🐦 Birding With Ryan at East 4th Street Community Garden: Sun. Oct 20 @ 10am. Join local birder and garden member Ryan Goldberg for a fall birding event. We'll check the garden's trees for migrating birds and the skies for passing hawks, and we'll also talk about birding in the city and the wonders of migration. Bring binoculars if you have them.
🐦 Central Park Birding with the Young Conservationists: Wed. Oct 23 @ 7:30am.Witness the beauty of fall migration with NYC Bird Alliance's Young Conservationists as birds follow the Atlantic Flyway northwards. Look for warblers, thrushes, and other migrants in the landscape of Central Park, and learn about the finer points of their identification and ecology. Registration encouraged.
🐟 Release of the Fishes at Hudson Park Wetlab: Wed. Oct 23 @ 3pm. The Wetlab is a research aquarium that houses dozens of species of fish and invertebrates all caught within the Park as part of our ongoing Fish Ecology Survey. The animals are released regularly to ensure that their behaviors are minimally impacted. Celebrate the end of the Wetlab season with our River Project team and bid farewell to the wonderful wildlife that served as marine ambassadors this year. Light refreshments and a wide range of activities for all ages.
🪶 Hunter's Point South Park Fall Nature Walk: Thurs. Oct 24 @ 9am. This fall, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is partnering with Gabriel Willow for a nature tour of the park that will focus on the restored tidal marsh ecosystem, with some ecological history of NYC weaved in. Registration encouraged.
🦅 Van Cortlandt Park Birding with Andrew Reiter: Sat. Oct 26 @ 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. Registration required, capped at 20.
🎃 Halloween Themed Cleanup at Broad Channel: Sat. Oct 26 @ 10am. Join JBRPC to help remove trash and debris from Broad Channel American Park while enjoying incredible views of the Bay while dressed in your best Halloween Costume!Gloves, bags, and tools will be provided. Please fill out a volunteer survey before the start of the event.
🌳 Woodlands Hike at Inwood Hill Park: Sat. Oct 26 @ 10am. Celebrate City of Forest Day with NYC Parks. Learn all about the biodiversity of the oldest growth forest on Manhattan Island with the Urban Park Rangers.
🐦 Accessible Birding in Carl Schurz Park with Alex Wang: Sat. Oct 26 @ 11am. Found in the Upper East Side, Carl Schurz Park is a picturesque green space that park offers beautiful sights and sounds of waterbirds. Warblers, sparrows, raptors, and more also use this park as a stopover during migration. Accessibility is enhanced by birding guide and educator Alexandra Wang (Avian Alex), M.S. Ed. Registration encouraged.
💧 Walking the Harlem River: Lost Waterfronts and Buried Creeks: Sat. Oct 26 @ 12pm. Join NYC H2O for a walk that will explore the history of lost waterways in Marble Hill and Kingsbridge, where the Harlem River was rerouted more than a century ago, and its tributaries filled in. We will follow the route of the proposed daylighting of Tibbetts Brook, which once flowed into Spuyten Duyvil Creek, and will consider how this buried waterway could be reconnected with the Harlem River, and become part of the proposed Harlem River Greenway. Registration required.
🌳 City of Forest Day- Tree Identification at Seton Falls Park: Celebrate City of Forest Day with NYC Parks. Walk with the Urban Park Rangers and enjoy the autumn colors! Learn ways to identify the trees of techniques such as branch patterns, leaf shape, and bark characteristics.
🐦 Mandarin-English Bilingual Intro to Birding in Marine Park: Sun. Oct 27 @ 9am. Explore the beauty of Brooklyn’s largest park, Marine Park, in both English and Mandarin! Consisting of grassland and salt marshes, this park is habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds and waterbirds. 英语/普通话双语活动，探索布鲁克林最大的公园Marine Park的美景！Marine Park坐拥大片草地和湿地，为各种迁徙的鸣禽和水禽提供了宝贵的栖息地。本系列活动由Marine Park协会共同组织。
🍁 Fall Foliage Hike at Forest Park: Sun. Oct 27 @ 10am. Discover the beauty of Forest Park on a colorful autumn hike with the Urban Park Rangers. We will take in the scenic views of the season while learning the scientific processes of fall foliage. Maples, oaks and hickory are some of the most colorful species we will see.
🌙 Night Hike at Van Cortlandt Park: Sun. Oct 27 @ 7pm. Explore the park at night and learn how animals and humans adapt under the cover of darkness.
Ongoing:
🐦 Before Work Birding: From August 28 to November, join NYC Queer Birders on early morning birding walks. Wednesday mornings will meet in Prospect Park by the Boathouse and walk to the Peninsula. Friday mornings will meet at Central Park by the Boathouse and walk around The Ramble.
🐦 Evening Migration Walk Series in Central Park: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 5pm. Join naturalist Gabriel Willow to witness the spectacle of autumn migration as songbirds follow the Atlantic Flyway to their tropical wintering grounds. Look for tanagers, warblers, and other neotropical migrants in the wilds of Central Park, and learn the finer points of ID. $30 per walk, registration required, capped at 15.
🐋 Whale-watching on the American Princess: The American Princess is a ferry vessel with indoor/outdoor seating that departs from Pier 3 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in the waters around NYC on Weds-Sun. You might see humpback whales, pods of bottlenose dolphins, and seabirds or falcons diving for prey. American Princess partners with Gotham Whale, a nonprofit dedicated to the study, advocacy for and education about the whales and marine mammals of New York City. Adult tickets are $69, special pricing for seniors and kids. It’s a splurge, but a lovely jaunt around the ocean.
🍁 Classic Harbor Line NY Harbor Eco-Cruise: Join urban naturalist Gabriel Willow for a captivating cruise up the Hudson. Admire the Palisades of the Hudson River through the skylights of the ship’s heated and enclosed observatory, or while catching the breeze on her bow. Observe New York's most dramatic natural wonders and foliage as the seasons change. This is a spectacular season for cruising the Hudson River north of NYC, and will be a true delight for you and your guests. $118, registration required.
🦪 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.
🦀 Hudson River Park’s Wetlab Look-ins: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3-6pm and Saturdays from 11a-5pm, visit Hudson River Park’s Wetlab to see a rotating exhibit of fish and invertebrates collected in the park as part of an ongoing Fish Ecology Survey. Animals are also regularly released to ensure that their behaviors are minimally impacted, meaning there’s always something new to explore at the Wetlab.
🌹 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.
🐟 Open Hours at Brooklyn Bridge Park Environmental Education Center: Visitors of all ages can get to know Brooklyn Bridge Park with rotating monthly educational themes, a 250 gallon aquarium filled with critters from the East River, a 10’ scale model of Brooklyn Bridge Park, crafts, a reading corner, and much more. New 2024 hours are Thursdays 3-5 PM, Fridays 3-5 PM, and Saturdays 1-5 PM! All sessions are free and drop-in.
Thanks for reading! As always, you can view this email online for potentially updated list of events.