Hello again! I am emerging from a terrible weekend spent largely in the animal hospital attending to my most precious creature, my beautiful babygirl Melon. She’s back home now and we’re awaiting test results. Please keep her in your thoughts.

Forgive the lack of transition, but I am now going to pivot to another creature named Pepper, who I had the privilege of meeting early this month. Pepper was one of the highlights of my March, and I hope they can be one of yours soon.

Pepper lives at Marine Park, which I visited for the first time in early March. It was very cold and the park was very smelly but I saw a great many sights, some of which I will include below. I didn’t bring my binoculars which was stupid, but I admired these mergansers a great deal from afar. They were diving underwater and kept popping up in surprising places. Fun!

I also saw this diva—or rather, what remains of her. Now that spring is officially here, I am counting down the days until horseshoe crab season comes and my brain will be fixed.

I also came upon a fun mystery: this aggregation of broken shells around this rock. Why are the shells all here, and broken? Did they aggregate here because of the tide, or was someone eating them? Who was eating them! Show yourselves! If anyone has any leads in mind, please pass them along.

Anyway back to the creature of the moment: Pepper! As you may have guessed from my beautiful high-resolution photo, Pepper does not live in Marine Park proper with the other diamondback terrapins, the only brackish-water turtle species in North America. Instead, Pepper lives inside the nature center at Marine Park in a tank. Pepper was born in the wild in 2005 but then taken as a pet by someone who didn’t know how to take care of a terrapin, according to the label on Pepper’s tank. The label also informed me that Pepper can eat fish, crustaceans, marine worms, mollusks, and some insects, but Pepper’s favorite food is brown pellets. I resonated with Pepper deeply then, as someone who can eat cruciferous greens and antioxidant-rich berries but often decides to eat half a bag of Trader Joe’s Baked Cheese Crunchies. I love my orange pellets!

Anyway, if you’re ever awash in dread or melancholy or rage or wrath or any of those emotions that are becoming more and more familiar, I highly recommend hightailing it to Marine Park and saying hello to Pepper. Maybe you’ll even get to see Pepper popping a pellet or two.

If this email seems unusually long to you, it is. Spring is here, and the month ahead is chock-full of events. We’re talking early spring migration walks, iNaturalist challenges, and hikes alongside April’s ephemeral blooms, plus a bird walk at the Cloisters and a night hikes to peep the vernal pools of Queens. And don’t miss Gabriel Willow’s upcoming series of evening spring migration walks and his free woodcock walks in Bryant Park. Enjoy the creatures, and see you in May!

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April:

🌳 Restoration Fridays at Forest Park: April 3 @ 10am. Join NYC Parks and The Forest Park Trust for Forest Restoration Fridays this spring to engage in hands-on forest restoration work, including invasive species removal, trail restoration, and planting in our park. Registration required.

🐦 Bryant Park Woodcock Walk: April 3 @ 5pm. The American Woodcock is a regular visitor to Bryant Park in March and early April, and we’re hosting a special off-season birding tour to celebrate these unique birds. Join us for an after-work walk with guide Gabriel Willow, and learn about the wonderful worm-eaters who make Bryant Park their springtime home-away-from-home.

🐦 Birding at Soundview Park with The Bronx is Blooming: April 4 @ 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.

🐦 Spring Migration Bird Walk with NYC Bird Alliance, RISE, and Plover Project: April 4 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance, RISE and NYC Plover Project for a FREE guided birding tour along the Rockaway shoreline! Explore the beach with expert guides and discover a wide variety of coastal birds, while learning about their habitats eand conservation. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Spring Migration at Soundview Park: April 4 @ 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 the Urban Park Rangers on a birding adventure around Soundview Park to look for spring migrants that include warblers, raptors and more!

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Sunset Park: Mandarin-English: April 4 @ 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. Registration encouraged.

🌷 Signs of Spring Hike in Highland Park: April 4 @ 11am. njoy a forested walk starting in Highland Park Playground noticing the earliest signs of spring, from blooming flowers to migrating birds. Explore how you can track phenology (the timing of natural events) in your favorite parks and green spaces, and how climate change affects the timeline of plant and animal behaviors.

🐦🖊️ Field Sketching with Sam Philbert at Brooklyn Bridge Park: April 5 @ 11am. Join us for a field sketching workshop in Brooklyn Bridge Park! Learn tips to record and draw species in your environment to fill your own nature journal. Bring a drawing book or paper and something to write/draw to document your findings. Led by artist Sam Philbert. Registration required, capped at 20.

🍄 Fantastic Fungi Mushroom ID Hike: April 5 @ 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!

🌻 Heather Garden Highlights: April 5 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a flower walk in the beautiful Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park! Explore the blossoms and learn about the flowers and the history of this little gem. At 3 acres large, this garden is the largest public garden with unrestricted access in New York City and is home to over 500 varieties of plants!

🪰 Tick Talk: April 5 @ 1pm. As the temperature rises, the ticks begin to emerge. Join the Urban Park Rangers and learn about the ticks found in NYC parks and how to stay safe while enjoying the outdoors. We will also learn about tick identification, habitats and their role within the ecosystem.

🐦 Bryant Park Woodcock Walk: April 8 @ 12pm. The American Woodcock is a regular visitor to Bryant Park in March and early April, and we’re hosting a special off-season birding tour to celebrate these unique birds. Join us for an after-work walk with guide Gabriel Willow, and learn about the wonderful worm-eaters who make Bryant Park their springtime home-away-from-home.

🌳 Monthly Nature Exploration Hike Series: April 8 @ 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 plant species in Inwood Hill Park.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature: Intro to Birding - Chelsea and Elliott - Fulton Houses: April 9 @ 9:30am. 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.

🪼 Seining Kickoff Party: April 9 @ 11am. Looking for something fun and educational to do with students during spring recess? Visit Randall’s Island and help us kick off our seasonal seining program! Grab a pair of waders and help us as we drag a 30-foot-long seining net along the shore of the Harlem River and discover the amazing biodiversity found in our waterways.

🐛 Meet the Critters at Inwood Hill Park: April 10 @ 1pm. Even when school's out, our parks are still the city's natural classroom! Bring your kids to parks throughout the city for Kids Week during Spring Break. With programs led by our Urban Park Rangers, kids will get to experience nature in a hands-on and fun way. From stick bugs to snakes, meet the animals that call the center their home. For kids.

🌳 Forest Bathing in Riverside Park: April 10 @ 5:30pm. We invite you to join us in reconnecting with nature by participating in a guided Forest Bathing experience. Allow yourself to connect with the park in a way you never have before. The program includes a short, no more than a half-mile walk at a slow pace. Wear comfortable clothing and bring water, snacks, and a towel or cushion for sitting on the ground. Register here. 

🦅 Spring Birding in Van Cortlandt Park: April 11 @ 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.

🐦 Birding along the QueensWay: April 11 @ 9:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and The Trust for Public Land as we explore the QueensWay through birding! The QueensWay is an intiative to transform the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch that cuts through Forest Park into a new green space. Registration HIGHLY encouraged.

🐦‍⬛ All About Crows at Crotona Park: April 11 @ 11am. Humans and crows have had a long and complicated relationship across different cultures. But in recent years, scientists have discovered that there is an intelligence behind those eyes that is matched by few. Join the Urban Park Rangers to learn more about crows, a highly intelligent and sociable bird species.

🐦 Accessible Birding in Fort Tryon Park with Alex Wang: April 11 @ 11am. Fort Tryon 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 such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) pamphlets, Braille guides, and plush bird replicas.

🐦 Birding Tour of The Met Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park: April 11 @ 11am. he site of The Met Cloisters is one of the highest natural points in Manhattan and a vital habitat for varied species of birds. Inspired by the birds depicted in artworks at The Met Cloisters, join naturalist Gabriel Willow on a birding tour through scenic viewpoints within the Museum and through Fort Tryon Park. Registration required, tickets $40.

🌷 Spring Has Sprung Hike in Marine Park: April 11 @ 1pm. Join the Rangers on a spring discovery hike around the marsh! See what’s out and about along the trail.

🐦 Spring Birding at Wave Hill: April 12 @ 9:30am. Welcome migratory birds back to Wave Hill this spring! Explore the gardens with naturalist Gabriel Willow to look for resident and rare birds as they pass through on their northern journey or settle down for the season. Tickets $17, include admission to grounds.

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Sunset Park: Spanish - English: April 12 @ 9:30am. 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.

Join us at 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 some Juvenile Red-tailed hawks. Registration encouraged.

🌾 Volunteer Landscaping and Cleanup at Ridgewood Reservoir: April 12 @ 10am. Join NYC H2O and the NYC Parks Department as we remove invasive plants and plant native plants at Ridgewood Reservoir! Registration required.

🌸 Spring Cherry Blossoms Hike: April 12 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a super hike of all the best cherry trees in Central Park, from Pilgrim to Cherry Hill to the Great Hill and the Reservoir! Hopefully we catch them in peak bloom.

🐦 Birding on the High Line: April 14 @ 8:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and The High Line for our first-ever bird outing along this iconic stretch of green space. As we stroll the park, we’ll look for early spring migrants found on and around the High Line. This unique elevated park acts as a transitional corridor for birds, making it an exciting place to spot a variety of species during migration. Registration required, capped at 20.

🌱 Drop-in Ecology Session at Jefferson Market Garden: April 15 @ 8am. Curious about conservation science? Looking for a peaceful start to your day? Stop by Greenwich Village's Jefferson Market Garden for a drop-in ecology session! Explore the Garden with NYC Bird Alliance scientists and learn about the many migrants that forage in this rich habitat.Registration encouraged.

🐦 NYCHA in Nature: Intro to Birding - Chelsea and Elliott - Fulton Houses: April 16 @ 1:30am. Join NYC Bird Alliance and Hudson Guild for this beginner-friendly session to learn more about birds and birding in NYC! We'll slowly stroll through the Chelsea NYCHA complex and nearby parks, focusing on easy ways to notice birds around us. No experience necessary! Binoculars provided. Please note this outing is weather permitting. Registration not required but encouraged. 

🦇 A Batty Film Night: The Invisible Mammal: April 16 @ 6pm. Join us for a fundraiser screening of The Invisible Mammal: “Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and the sixth mass extinction, filmmaker Kristin Tièche explores the crucial roles that bats play in our shared environment, and how a team of women bat scientists set out to save a North American bat species from a deadly fungal disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS) to create a better future for both bats and humans.” Tickets $30.

🌷 Sherman Creek Educational Tour: April 17 @ 10am. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Sherman Creek to explore the diversity of spring wildflowers. Volunteers will learn how to identify these plants and how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🦆 Birding at Mount Loretto Unique Area, Staten Island: April 18 @ 8am. Join Staten Island resident and longtime birder, Anthony Ciancimino, as we explore the diverse habitats found at Mount Loretto Unique Area. With 200 acres of land, this is a one of the best places to spot migrating birds in the area. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Bilingual Birding at Sunset Park: Mandarin-English: April 18 @ 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. 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。

🐦 NYCHA in Nature: Bushwick Houses: April 18 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance for a morning of beginner-friendly birding to look and listen for birds! We'll slowly stroll through the Bushwick complex, focusing on easy ways to notice birds around us. No experience necessary! Binoculars provided. Please note this outing is weather permitting. Rain Date scheduled for 4/25. Registration encouraged.

🌳 Spring Tree ID in Central Park: April 18 @ 11am. In this workshop, participants will learn key strategies for identifying trees in spring by examining new leaves, budding branches, and flowers. The workshop will cover their branching structures, leaf patterns, flowers, and other identification clues. Following the instructional segment, participants will take part in a hands-on identification walk to practice their tree identification skills.

🌳 "Barking Up The Wrong Tree" Identification Hike: April 18 @ 1pm. Is it a London Plane or a sycamore? A cottonwood or a black locust? A bald cypress or a dawn redwood? Many trees look almost identical and are misidentified. Join the Urban Park Rangers to learn different ways to identify some common species of trees that are often confused for each other.

🦇 Build Your Own Bat House Brooklyn: April 18 @ 12pm. Join Gotham Bat Conservancy and Makerspace for a special workshop to welcome the bats back to New York City! Together we will learn all about New York’s flying mammals, and build our very own bat houses- supplemental bat housing that you can bring home and mount in your own space. All building supplies are included in the workshop cost, no experience required, and families are highly encouraged. $225 per family.

🦇 Build Your Own Bat House Brooklyn: April 18 @ 12pm. Join Gotham Bat Conservancy and Makerspace for a special workshop to welcome the bats back to New York City! Together we will learn all about New York’s flying mammals, and build our very own bat houses- supplemental bat housing that you can bring home and mount in your own space. All building supplies are included in the workshop cost, no experience required, and families are highly encouraged.$225 per family.

🦅 Hawk Watch in Tompkins Square Park: April 18 @ 1pm. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. We offer birding programs throughout the year. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.

🌷 Pressed Botanicals Workshop in Randall’s Island Park: April 18 @ 1pm. Join us for a relaxing, creative, free workshop where you’ll learn how to press and arrange flowers and leaves to create beautiful works of art hosted by RIPA’s Horticulture Team at Randall’s Island Park!

🐦 Hunter's Point South Park Spring Nature Walk: April 18 @ 5pm. This Spring, the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is partnering with Gabriel Willow to host three nature tours in Hunter's Point South Park. Learn about the great potential these habitats have both as an oasis for migrating birds and also how they serve as buffers from storms and sea level rise, and increase the resiliency of our waterfront and neighborhoods. Registration required.

🦇 Night Hike in Crocheron Park: April 18 @ 8pm. Explore the park at night and learn how animals and humans adapt under the cover of darkness.

🐦 Intro to Birding in Crotona Park: April 19 @ 10am. Join NYC Bird Alliance this spring to explore beautiful Crotona Park. Its meadows, flowering trees, and sizable pool provide excellent habitats for a variety of birds, including woodpeckers, warblers, and wading birds. Registration encouraged.

🌷 Spring Blooming Hike: April 19 @ 11am. Spring has sprung. Flowers and trees are in full bloom this season. Learn some ways to identify these spring beauties and the important roles they play in our ecosystem.

🦋 Micro Hike in Van Cortlandt Park: April 19 @ 1pm. Honey, I shrunk the park! Join the Urban Park Rangers to discover the hidden wonders of the microscopic world!

🦋 Waking the Pollinator Garden: April 19 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we prepare the nature center gardens for the spring planting season. Be prepared to get your hands dirty.

🌸 Spring Cherry Blossoms Walk in Flushing Meadows: April 19 @ 2pm. Spring has sprung. Enjoy the scenic views and learn more about the variety of iconic flowering cherry trees of Queens’ flagship park.

🐸 Vernal Pools Night Hike: April 19 @ 7pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers to explore vernal pools at night when they are alive with chirping frogs, and breeding salamanders. Learn about how these ephemeral habitats are an important and vital part to the larger ecosystem of New York.

🐦 Evening Birding in Central Park with Gabriel Willow: April 20 @ 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. THIS OUTING IS AT CAPACITY. REGISTER TO JOIN THE WAITLIST.

🐦 FREE Spring Birding Tuesdays in Bryant Park: April 21 @ 8am. 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!

🦇 Bat Cafe: Roots and Roosts: April 21 @ 7pm. Join us in person for our live discussion series, Bat Café. We will explore the many trees that bats call home. Learn the importance of native canopy species, tree identification, and roost summer roost ecology and maternal roost ecology. Enjoy a short film!

🐦 FREE Spring Birding Thursdays in Bryant Park: April 21 @ 5pm. 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!

🐦 Cleared to Land Bird Migration in NYC at Green-Wood Cemetery: April 23 @ 6:30pm. Join journalist Ryan Goldberg, author of Bird City: Adventures in New York’s Urban Wilds, for a conversation with Dr. Shannon Curley about how birds and birders are shaping this city, including places like Green-Wood. Free, get tickets here.

🐦 Morning Birding at Prospect Park with Gabriel Willow: April 24 @ 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 is free but required. Space is limited to 30 participants.

🍄 Fungi Walk at Udall's Cove Park Preserve: April 24 @ 12pm. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Udall's Cove Park Preserve to explore the diversity of spring fungi. Volunteers will learn how to identify these organisms and learn how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🌷 Spring Ephemerals Walk at Idlewild  Park: April 24 @ 12pm. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Idlewild Park to explore the diversity of spring wildflowers. Volunteers will learn how to identify these plants and learn how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🌷 Spring Ephemerals Walk at Alley Pond Park: April 24 @ 5pm. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Alley Pond Park to explore the diversity of spring wildflowers. Volunteers will learn how to identify these plants and learn how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🌷 Spring Ephemerals Walk at Inwood Hill Park: April 24 @ 5pm. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Alley Pond Park to explore the diversity of spring wildflowers. Volunteers will learn how to identify these plants and learn how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🐦 FREE Spring Birding Thursdays in Bryant Park: April 24 @ 5pm. 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!

🐦 Intro to Birding in Owl's Head Park: April 25 @ 9am. Discover this small hidden gem  with the Young Conservationists! Owl's Head Park contains rolling hills, meandering pathways, and breathtaking views of the New York skyline and striking Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Registration not required but encouraged.

🐦 Spring Birding at Alley Pond Park: April 25 @ 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 not required but encouraged.

🐦 Birding Basics at Green-Wood Cemetery: April 25 @ 10am-12pm and April 26 @ 10am-12pm. This engaging two-day course introduces beginner birders to the why, where, how, and what of birding, building confidence and curiosity along the way. he course concludes with a guided walk through the Cemetery, where you’ll put your new skills into practice and hear Green-Wood come alive with birdsong. Tickets $30 for both days, registration required.

🪵 Life Under a Log in Seton Park: April 25 @ 11am. Lets take a walk in the woods, rolling over logs to see who lives underneath and learn about the lively ecosystems dead trees create. We will also log our findings in the iNaturalist app.

🌾 Marine Park Biomarathon: April 25 @ 11am. Join NYC Parks staff on a hike around Marine Park to explore the diversity of spring wildflowers. Volunteers will learn how to identify these plants and learn how to make iNaturalist observations of any other signs of nature you find along the way.

🐛 Buds, Birds, and Bugs Bonanza in Brooklyn Bridge Park: April 25 @ 1pm. This program will focus on the many birds found at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Participants are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app to collect data.

🌷 Spring Wildflower Hike: April 25 @ 1pm. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk around the trails as we learn how to identify native wildflowers. Beginner friendly.

🐦 Birding in Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island: April 26 @ 8am. Uncover Clove Lakes Park, a hidden gem nestled in Staten Island, known for its scenic lakes, lush woodlands, and diverse wildlife. Numerous warblers, vireos, tanagers, and other migratory songbirds can be seen here. Clove Lakes Park is home to one of the largest and oldest trees in NYC. Led by Staten Island resident and longtime birder, Anthony Ciancimino. Registration not required but encouraged.

🐦 Spring Birding in Van Cortlandt Park: April 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. This outing is held in partnership with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. Registration not required but encouraged.

🐦 Wings Over Wave Hill Weekend - Spring Birding: April 26 @ 9:30am. xplore the gardens and woodlands with birder-naturalists Gabriel Willow and Ryan Mandelbaum to look for resident and rare birds as they pass through on their northern journey or settle down for the season. Beginning birders are encouraged to join this morning birding walk as part of the Wings over Wave Hill festivities, but birders of all levels are welcome! $17; includes admission to the grounds.

🌍 Park Pals: Celebrating Earth Day in Jamaica Bay!: April 26 @ 10am. In celebration of Earth Day, we’ll explore what it means to take care of our planet through fun, hands-on activities that encourage even our youngest park stewards to make a difference.

🦅 Raptors in Long Pond Park: April 26 @ 11am. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see birds of prey. Learn about the different raptors that call Staten Island “home-” including bald eagles, ospreys, hawks and vultures! Binoculars will be provided.

🐦 Spring Migration in Alley Pond Park: April 26 @ 11am. Join us for a journey into the world of avian migration in Alley Pond Park! As spring breathes new life into the landscape, witness the spectacle of hundreds of bird species making their annual journey north.

🌷 Spring Flowering Tree ID in Astoria Park: April 26 @ 11am. Let's identify flowering trees that bloom in the spring. Learn about the ecological benefits that our native trees provide with their subtle beauty.

🐛 City Nature Challenge Bio Blitz in Central Park: April 26 @ 1pm. This program will focus on identifying all living organisms. Participants are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app to collect data.

🪼 Seining at Valentino Pier: April 26 @ 1pm. Come Join the Urban Park Rangers for an exploration of New York Harbor. Come see what denizens of the deep Rangers can catch with a seining net

🪲 Insects of the Night in Pelham Bay Park: April 26 @ 7:30pm. Rangers will show you how to attract and identify the diverse menagerie of friendly nocturnal insects that fill the night skies of your local park.

🐦 Evening Birding in Central Park with Gabriel Willow: April 27 @ 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. THIS OUTING IS AT CAPACITY. REGISTER TO JOIN THE WAITLIST.

🐦 FREE Spring Birding Tuesdays in Bryant Park: April 28 @ 8am. 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!

🐦 FREE Spring Bird Walks at The Battery: April 29 @ 8am. Join Gabriel Willow to explore the diversity of migrating birds that find food and habitat in The Battery. This walk is hosted in partnership with The Battery Conservancy. The group will meet at the SeaGlass Carousel located near the entrance to The Battery near State Street and Pearl Street. Registration encouraged.

🐦 Prospect Park Birding with the Young Conservationists: April 29 @ 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 HIGHLY encouraged.

🐦 FREE Spring Birding Thursdays in Bryant Park: April 30 @ 8am. 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! Registration is free but required.

Ongoing:

🐦 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.