THE NEWSLETTER OF NEW YORK CITY AUDUBON SPRING WINTER 2017 2014 / VOLUME / VOLUME XXXVIII XXXV NO. NO. 1 4 THE URBAN AUDUBON Saltmarsh Loss and Restoration Feathered Friends: A New Afterschool Program Birding by Subway: Are You Kidding? Horseshoe Crab Festival NYC AUDUBON MISSION & VISION Mission: NYC Audubon is a grassroots community that works for the protection of PRESIDENT’S PERCH Jeffrey Kimball wild birds and habitat in the five boroughs, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers. arch marks the very beginning of spring migration. Traditionally, this is a time Vision: NYC Audubon envisions a day when of great excitement and anticipation for us nature lovers: Snow melts, flowers birds and people in the five boroughs enjoy a healthy, livable habitat. Mbloom, and of course, skies fill with migrating birds. This spring, however, ush- ers in an ominous mood as we adjust to a new administration in Washington that does not THE URBAN AUDUBON seem to understand the value, either intrinsic or economic, of a healthy environment. Editors Lauren Klingsberg & Marcia T. Fowle We face the imminent threat that new federal policies will roll back many of the gains Managing Editor Andrew Maas that those of us at NYC Audubon have made over the years to preserve the environment Newsletter Committee Ellen Azorin, and make New York City habitats more wildlife-friendly. Through changes in political ap- Lucienne Bloch, Ned Boyajian, Suzanne Charlé, Diane Darrow, Meryl Greenblatt, pointments, regulatory policies, and federal funding, many of the programs that have been Catherine Schragis Heller, Mary Jane a mainstay for preserving and protecting wildlife around New York City—and throughout Kaplan, Abby McBride, Sarah McGullam, the country—could be severely undermined. Hillarie O’Toole, Don Riepe, Carol Peace Robins NYC Audubon is not a lobbying body. But we do have a voice, and as citizens we can help move the dial. For example, by contact- Printing & Mailing Kase Printing, Inc. ing the offices of our elected representatives, we can Design Whitehouse & Company TAKE ACTION! Art Director make our passions known. Phoning is thought to Christina Rubin RECEIVE NYC AUDUBON Publisher NYC Audubon be more effective than letter writing in this age of ACTION ALERT EMAILS robo-letters. Better yet is to show up in person at THE URBAN AUDUBON is published four Stay current on pressing times per year (spring, summer, fall, and any sort of town hall or public meeting. It might environmental issues that require winter) by New York City Audubon Society, seem old-fashioned, but in fact, this is a highly ef- immediate action. Enroll to receive Inc. fective method. environmental action alerts from BOARD OF DIRECTORS But it’s not always about legislation. As our NYC Audubon by sending your President Jeffrey Kimball Executive Director Kathryn Heintz says, there’s email to communications@ Executive Vice President David Speiser never going to be legislation passed that prohibits Vice President Catherine Schragis Heller nycaudubon.org. Treasurer Fredric Spar the use of glass windows in buildings. But by edu- Secretary Alexander Ewing cating and influencing architects and developers, Immediate Past President Harrison D. Maas we can promote environmentally friendly alternatives, like the use of bird-safe glass. And Directors Robert Bate; Karen Benfield; Drianne Benner; Chris Cooper; by encouraging building managers to turn off their lights from midnight to dawn during Richard H. Fried, VMD; Sarah Jeffords; peak bird migration times (following our Lights Out New York Program) we can save tens Lauren Klingsberg; Deborah Laurel; of thousands of birds every year. Lawrence Levine; Eugene Nardelli; Rachel Quiñones; John Shemilt; Alan Steel; Perhaps most important, we must promote the message that taking care of the Tom Stephenson; Michael Tannen environment and working to mitigate climate change are economically prudent moves. As a businessman, our president would be well advised to run the numbers and realize the ADVISORY COUNCIL Co-Chair Marcia T. Fowle; Co-Chair James R. cost/benefits of preserving the environment sooner rather than later. Rapid warming of the Sheffield; Oakes Ames; Richard T. Andrias; earth will surely lead to massive refugee influx, agricultural disasters, and economic turmoil Sarah Grimké Aucoin; Claude Bloch, MD; around the world. Marsilia A. Boyle; David Burg; Albert K. Butzel; Clifford Case; Rebekah Creshkoff; The good news is that change is built into our political system. This time it may hurt Andrew Darrell; Joseph H. Ellis; Andrew us, but it has worked in our favor in the past—and it will again in the future. As we delight Farnsworth, PhD; Lynne Hertzog; Mary in spring migration, we must do everything in our power to fight for the health of the planet. Jane Kaplan; Robert J. Kimtis; Kimberly Kriger; Janice Laneve; Pamela Manice; Peter Indeed, the only way to continue America’s greatness is to work to make our environment a Rhoades Mott; Dorothy M. Peteet, PhD; livable and sustainable habitat for all of its living creatures. Don Riepe; Lewis Rosenberg EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kathryn Heintz ANNUAL REPORT 2016 AVAILABLE ONLINE ON MARCH 3 DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE NYC Audubon’s Annual Report 2016 will be available March 3 on our website at Susan Elbin, PhD www.nycaudubon.org/annual-report. To request a print copy, contact the office at 212-691-7483. RECYCLED Supporting responsible use of 2 www.nycaudubon.org forest resources IN THIS ISSUE SPRING 2017 ©Don Riepe NYC AUDUBON 71 West 23rd Street Suite 1523 New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212-691-7483 Fax: 646-606-3301 www.nycaudubon.org Cover Photograph: Barn Swallow Chicks, ©Lloyd Spitalnik Small Banner Photographs: Susan Elbin, Steve Nanz, and Don Riepe 6 FEATURES ©Sybil Costello 4 Be Bold by Kathryn Heintz 4 Remembering Mary Tyler Moore 6 Saltmarsh Loss and Restoration in Jamaica Bay by Don Riepe 7 Kingsland Wildflowers 9 8 Birding Cemeteries in the Five Boroughs: Staten Island’s Moravian Cemetery ©François Portmann ©François by Mary Jane Kaplan 8 Assure Your Own Legacy of Protecting Birds 9 Feathered Friends: A New Afterschool Program by Chris Cooper 10 The Marbled Godwit by Carol Peace Robins 11 11 Birding by Subway: Are You Kidding? by Marcia T. Fowle and Kellye Rosenheim ©Don Riepe 18 Horseshoe Crab Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge 20 Spring NYC Shorebird Blitz DEPARTMENTS 2 Annual Report 2016 12 Events and Adventures 4 Volunteer! 17 Book Reviews 20 5 Conservation Notes 18 News & Notes 10 Winter/Spring 2017 Lecture Series 19 Acknowledgments and Annual Meeting Spring 2017 3 REMEMBERING BE BOLD Kathryn Heintz MARY TYLER MOORE t is late February as we go to press on our spring issue. We ©Geraldine de Haugoubart ew York City find the governance of our nation in flux. We are adapting and Audubon mourns Iforming an action-based response. Environmental causes— Nthe loss of Ameri- including bird conservation and habitat protection—are among the can icon Mary Tyler Moore, targets of the new administration, along with the arts, education, who passed away in January. liberty, and many hallmarks of humanity. Science is under siege, as The legendary television ac- is truth itself. tress and producer was also New York City Audubon will continue its work, which is renowned for her love and ad- now at great risk. So much has been accomplished, and we have vocacy for animals. Through momentum. We run a thrifty operation and will persevere. It will humor, she transformed our take courage and fortitude. Now is not the moment to be silent. We Mary Tyler Moore with society’s perspectives on ask that our members stay informed on policy issues, be vigilant, Former Executive Director women, especially profes- and speak up. E.J. McAdams sional women. With pas- We are a small but nimble organization and can share sion, she changed our city’s environmental action alerts quickly. Be sure your email is enrolled approach to raptors, especially a certain red-tailed hawk. Mary to receive our eGret email newsletter. Email is the most rapid and Tyler Moore involved herself personally and publicly in the cause cost-effective way for us to reach you with Audubon action alerts. of her upstairs neighbor Pale Male and supported New York City Please also consider following like-minded environmental advocacy Audubon when he and we needed her influential voice most. She organizations such as Natural Resources Defense Council, The Sierra made a difference. Club, The Nature Conservancy, League of Conservation Voters, In the photo above, Mary Tyler Moore, honored at the 2005 American Bird Conservancy, and Environmental Defense Fund. We Fall Roost for her efforts on behalf of Pale Male and his mate are all in this together. Lola, is pictured with then-Executive Director E.J. McAdams. Financial support is always welcome; your time and engagement She remained a member of New York City Audubon’s Advisory in the environmental cause are needed most. Council for the next 10 years. VOLUNTEER! ork in NYC Audubon’s THE URBAN AUDUBON CONSERVATION PROJECTS York City. Volunteers are needed to Wfriendly office or in the field Join the newsletter committee and Become a citizen scientist and help monitor designated buildings for and make a difference for the City’s contribute your writing skills to conduct conservation research; bird collisions, rescue injured birds, wildlife. There are many ways to four seasonal issues. Meetings are read below about the various ways and record any casualties. Orienta- help. If interested in any of the proj- bi-monthly in the early evening. to get involved. All orientations are tions will be held Monday, March ects listed below, please contact us held at our office unless otherwise 20, and Thursday, March 23, 6-7pm. at [email protected].