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THE NEWSLETTER OF CITY AUDUBON WINTER 2017-2018WINTER 2014 / VOLUME / VOLUME XXXVIII XXXV NO. NO. 4 4

THE URBAN AUDUBON

A Summer Home of Our Own The Fall Roost: News to Shout from the Rooftops The 118th Christmas Bird Count

Winter 2017-2018 1 NYC AUDUBON MISSION & STATEMENT Mission: NYC Audubon is a grassroots community that works for the protection of Bird’s-Eye View Kathryn Heintz wild birds and habitat in the five boroughs, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers. t’s working: our efforts to restore and enhance habitats for migrating and nesting Vision: NYC Audubon envisions a day when birds across is succeeding—and yet no good deed goes unpun- birds and people in the five boroughs enjoy a healthy, livable habitat. Iished. This success is colliding with the seemingly endless new “glassy” construc- tion in our evolving cityscape that poses an immense threat to our migratory birds. THE URBAN AUDUBON Editors Lauren Klingsberg & Marcia T. Fowle From the green roof at the Jacob K. Javits Center, one can’t help but be Managing Editor Andrew Maas overwhelmed by the view of recently constructed buildings in the Hudson Yards. Newsletter Committee Ellen Azorin; Lucienne Bloch; Ned Boyajian; New towers are enclosing Parking Garage where we monitor the Tribute Suzanne Charlé; Diane Darrow; in Light. In Greenpoint, , from the Kingsland Wildflowers rooftop, shiny Meryl Greenblatt; Catherine Schragis Heller; Mary Jane Kaplan; Abby McBride; skyscrapers are emerging all around. No neighborhood is exempt from the rising walls Hillarie O’Toole; Don Riepe; of glass. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds are killed each year Carol Peace Robins by colliding with building windows in New York City. We must continue to sound the Printing & Mailing Kase Printing, Inc. alarm. Design Whitehouse & Company NYC Audubon’s Project Safe Flight has never felt more urgent. We are stepping Art Director Andrew Maas Publisher NYC Audubon up our collision monitoring and artificial light studies, and we are expanding our crowd- sourced, citizen-science reporting and mapping database, D-Bird. We are not doing BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Jeffrey Kimball this work alone. Many partners converge to protect birds from unfriendly human Executive Vice President Robert Bate infrastructure. Among the colleagues we count on for conservation partnership are Vice President Catherine Schragis Heller the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Wild Bird Fund, American Bird Conservancy, the Vice President Lawrence Levine Treasurer Fredric Spar National Audubon Society, and fellow independent urban Audubon chapters around Secretary Alexander Ewing the country. Immediate Past President Harrison D. Maas Directors Seth Ausubel; Karen Benfield; We count on your partnership too. Help NYC Audubon research, understand, and Drianne Benner; Christian Cooper; combat building-related bird mortality. Be alert as you travel about the city and take Richard H. Fried, VMD; Sarah Jeffords; Lauren Klingsberg; Deborah Laurel; time to record dead and injured birds. It’s easy and takes only a minute. On your mobile Jenny Maritz; Rachel Quiñones; device go to www.d-bird.org, set your location via your phone’s GPS, and report what John Shemilt; David Speiser; Alan Steel; Tom Stephenson; Michael Tannen; you’ve found. You can even upload a picture to help us identify the species of the bird Richard Veit, PhD and its condition. You can also help by making a year-end financial gift to NYC Audubon. Please ADVISORY COUNCIL: Co-Chair Marcia T. Fowle*; consider contributing as generously as your means will allow. This year you can make Co-Chair James R. Sheffield; an additional gift for D-Bird research. See page 19 and the enclosed envelope for more Oakes Ames*; Richard T. Andrias; Sarah Grimké Aucoin; Claude Bloch, MD; information. The birds that bring us together really need your support. Every gift of Marsilia A. Boyle; David Burg*; every size matters. That we are all giving something matters most. Thank you. Albert K. Butzel; Clifford Case; Rebekah Creshkoff; Andrew Darrell; Joseph H. Ellis; Andrew Farnsworth, PhD; Lynne Hertzog; Mary Jane Kaplan; Robert J. Kimtis; Kimberly Kriger; Janice Laneve; Pamela Manice; Seeking Suggestions for Board of Peter Rhoades Mott*; Dorothy Peteet, PhD; Don Riepe; Lewis Rosenberg Directors *Past President YC Audubon is seeking suggestions for new members of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR board of directors for three-year terms beginning in June 2018. Kathryn Heintz NTo make our board more representative of our city’s diversity, we DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION AND are especially interested in candidates who are racially/ethnically diverse, SCIENCE Bronx residents, women, and/or with NYC government policy and advocacy Susan Elbin, PhD expertise. Please submit your suggestions to Alexander Ewing, chair of the nominating committee, at [email protected].

RECYCLED 2 www.nycaudubon.org Supporting responsible use of forest resources In This Issue Winter 2017-2018 © NYC Audubon

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: Hooded Merganser © Mark Peck* Small Banner Photographs: Susan Elbin, Steve Nanz, and Don Riepe *This work is licensed under a Creative Commons 9 Attribution License. 6

© David Rodgers FEATURES 6 The Fall Roost: News to Shout from the Rooftops by Ellen Azorin

9 A Summer Home of Our Own by Carol Peace Robins

86 14 Looking Beyond Your Usual Turf: The 118th Audubon Christmas Bird Count and 21st Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

© Steve Nanz by Mary Jane Kaplan

15 In Memoriam: Irving Cantor and Sylvia Cohen

16 Holiday Gift Guide for New Birders by Hillarie O’Toole

1210 16 Kingsland Wildflowers

© John V. Phillips*

DEPARTMENTS 2 Nominating Committee Report 17 Acknowledgments 4 Conservation Notes 19 News & Notes 17 5 Volunteer! 19 Support NYC Audubon’s Mission 14 5 Book Review 20 2017-2018 Lecture Series 10 Events & Adventures

Winter 2017-2018 3 Conservation Notes Susan Elbin, PhD © Sean Sime ew York City Audubon is preparing Over the past six years, NYC Audubon for the 118th Christmas Bird has studied the American oystercatcher NCount. We have just concluded the under the leadership of NYC Audubon Field fall conservation season, focusing on making Biologist Emilio Tobón. In cooperation New York City safer for migratory birds via with the National Service at Gateway our Project Safe Flight and Waterbirds of National Recreation Area, New York City projects. Here are some Department of & Recreation staff highlights from the last half of the 2017 field at Arverne, and the Town of Hempstead at season. Nickerson Beach, we were able to band 40 oystercatchers this year. We found 33 nesting PROJECT SAFE FLIGHT pairs at Gateway, and know from our banding NYC Audubon continues to monitor work that many adults return to breed on sites in the City for dead or injured birds the same beaches every year. An interesting that have collided with buildings clad data point: a young American oystercatcher in reflective or transparent glass. NYC Studying the Tribute in Light, 2017 banded on June 12 at Arverne was seen near Audubon Conservation Biologist Kaitlyn Jacksonville, FL, on September 12—one day Parkins trained eight new volunteers for data collected at the Tribute to reveal how after Hurricane Irma hit the coast. this year’s monitoring of routes in midtown high-intensity artificial light impacts bird As part of our second fall NYC Shorebird and lower . We designed this behavior. The paper, of which I am a co- Blitz on August 27, 2017, volunteers counted season’s monitoring routes to align with our author along with Benjamin Van Doren, Kyle more than 6,000 birds at 38 survey locations New York University partnership project Horton, Adriaan Dokter, Holger Klinck, and throughout the five boroughs. Semipalmated that studies the effects of artificial light on Andrew Farnsworth, will be reviewed in the sandpiper, ruddy turnstone, and dunlin were night-migrating birds. We are still analyzing upcoming spring 2018 Urban Audubon. the most abundant species. The highest the data, but at first glance it appears that the Our biodiversity surveys on green roofs concentration of birds was at Breezy Point Lower West Side route, including One World continues to grow. In addition to monitoring on the Rockaway Peninsula, . Trade and 200 West Street, has proven to be wildlife on the Jacob K. Javits Convention This year was NYC Audubon’s ninth the deadliest for birds. Center green roof and Kingsland Wild- season monitoring horseshoe crabs, whose Also relating to our studies on artificial flowers, our team is spearheading the effort eggs are an important component in the diet light, NYC Audubon staff and volunteers to create and sustain a network of biolo- of many migratory shorebirds. We had a once again monitored the annual Tribute in gists conducting research on other green record 206 volunteers at our four sites, with Light from dusk to dawn for the numbers roofs across New York City. With funding groups from Patagonia, Metropolitan Society of birds caught in the Tribute’s powerful from the New York Community Trust, we of Natural Historians, Atlas Obscura, and the light beams. We had 37 volunteers engaged have been able to employ Fordham Univer- Trinity School. We counted 4,327 horseshoe in monitoring this year including NYC sity PhD Candidate Dustin Partridge as the crabs and tagged 800 individuals. Audubon Advisory Council Member coordinator of this project. Andrew Farnsworth and colleagues from CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Cornell University. There was heavy mi- WATERBIRDS OF NEW YORK HARBOR We hope many of you will join us for the gratory activity early in the evening, forcing In the fall 2017 issue of The Urban 118th annual Christmas Bird Count. Learn us to shut the lights off three times before Audubon, we reported that on Governors how you can participate in counts taking place 1 am. We thank our partners Michael Ahern Island 33 pairs of common terns had nested across the City’s five boroughs on page 14. If Production Services and The National Sep- this summer in the restored habitat on Lima you are traveling from December 14 to Jan- tember 11 Memorial & Museum for ensuring Pier and that we were able to band six adults uary 1, be sure to check in with the local bird the Tribute was once again safe for birds. and 49 chicks. The chicks fledged, and we clubs: there is sure to be a count happening This year’s Tribute in Light coincided are hopeful that some become part of the nearby. Participating in a count is not only a with the publication of a study born out regional population. Volunteers working rewarding experience, it is also one of the best of our many years of work monitoring the with Helen Hays of American Museum of ways to help scientists study impacts of cli- annual light display. The study, published this Natural History reported seeing two of our mate change on birds. September in the Proceedings of the National banded terns on Great Gull Island in Long Good birding! And please remember to Academy of Sciences, analyzes seven years of Island Sound on August 14. look for bands. 4 www.nycaudubon.org Volunteer!

ake a difference for New to NYC Audubon’s conservation to conserve them. Harbor Herons are unable to transport them to MYork City’s wildlife by and science work, there are a Great Egret Foraging Study a rehabilitator. We need caring volunteering with NYC Audubon. variety of projects to choose from. volunteers collect data on foraging volunteers to transport these birds Unless otherwise noted, contact Project Safe Flight volunteers long-legged waders around New to licensed wildlife rehabilitators citizenscience@nycaudubon. monitor buildings in the City to York Harbor to help us better in the area. org if interested in any of the help us learn what effect they have understand how these birds use projects listed here. For up-to- on migratory birds; data collected our wetlands. Volunteer orienta- THE URBAN AUDUBON date information on early spring support our work to make tion dates for these projects will Join the newsletter committee and volunteer events such as beach migration through the City safer. be published in the spring issue of contribute your writing or editing clean-ups, please visit program volunteers The Urban Audubon. skills to four seasonal issues. www.nycaudubon.org/ monitor migratory shorebirds Meetings are bi-monthly in the volunteer-events. and horseshoe crabs so that BIRD TRANSPORTERS early evening. Email volunteer@ we may better understand how We often receive calls from nycaudubon.org if interested. CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS populations of these species are concerned individuals who If you’re interested in contributing changing and how we can work have found injured birds but

Book Review Suzanne Charlé

In Climate of Hope, the duo offers a throughout the world have signed on), says primer on how municipal governments, that although “stronger leadership from private businesses, and individuals can Washington would be greatly welcomed,” collectively win the battle against climate mayors, business leaders, and citizens will change. Global warming, according to the have “the last word on the fate of the Paris authors, will not be stopped “by slowing Agreement.” down economies but by speeding them up” There are dozens of avenues to reduce and by “empowering cities, businesses, and emissions and mitigate climate change: citizens.” restoring wetlands and fortifying local Bloomberg first met Pope after an aide defenses against natural disasters; combating told New York City’s then-mayor about heat through programs like Bette Midler’s the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” campaign. “MillionTreesNYC” program that planted Coal pollution was prematurely killing one million trees throughout New York City; Climate of Hope: How Cities, 13,200 Americans a year; the financial toll encouraging renewable power sources and Businesses, and Citizens Can in annual health costs exceeded $100 billion. cutting fossil fuel subsidies—the list goes on. Save the Planet Bloomberg pushed for a strategic plan, then Each of us has a part to play, such as using By Michael Bloomberg and offered a grant of $50 million. Soon after, public transportation, installing a green roof, Carl Pope a deal was brokered to close two outdated and considering our food choices. St. Martin’s Press, 2017 coal plants. Six years later, thanks in large Most important, as the authors under- measure to Beyond Coal, coal capacity in the score, we must “change the tenor and tone hey make an unlikely pair: Michael U.S. has been cut by half and greenhouse of the climate discussion—away from Bloomberg, the billionaire entre- gases have been significantly diminished. partisanship and toward problem solving preneur and former mayor of Premature deaths have dropped, while the . . . and away from Congress and toward T number of jobs in renewable energy sectors communities.” Bloomberg and Pope’s book New York City, and Carl Pope, the former executive director and chair of the Sierra has increased exponentially. is an optimistic and practical look at how to Club. But since they met in 2011, they’ve Bloomberg, co-chair of the Global meet the enormous challenge of stopping combined their ideas and resources to make Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy climate change. progress in addressing climate change. (over 7,000 local and regional authorities Winter 2017-2018 5 The Fall Roost: News to Shout from the Rooftops Ellen Azorin

reen roofs “are the next new habitats for New York City,” said GNYC Audubon Executive Director Kathryn Heintz in her words of praise for this year’s Fall Roost honorees, Gina Argento and Tony Argento of Broadway Stages. Longtime community boosters and envi- ronmentalists, this sister-brother team trans- formed the roof atop their film studios in 2 Greenpoint, Brooklyn, into a 22,000-square- 1 foot green habitat featuring native plants. With 1 funding from the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund, and working in partner- ship with a coalition including NYC Audubon and landscapers Alive Structures, the Argentos converted the rooftop—now known as Kingsland Wildflowers—into a green space that is a habitat for birds, bees, and other wildlife. The space also serves the Greenpoint neighborhood as a center for environmental education and outreach events through the spring, summer, and fall seasons. All this, in the midst of a heavily industrial area! 5 6 The evening’s second honoree was MaryJane Boland, the organization’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year, whose work on behalf of injured birds has touched the hearts of all who know her. Her dedication to bird rescue has become a calling. Friends and colleagues know that if there’s an injured bird that she can save, MaryJane can be counted on to drop everything she is doing to rescue the bird in trouble and take it to the Wild Bird Fund for rehabilitation. “The most rewarding thing is 9 10 to pick up one of those little creatures and know that you might possibly save its life,” says MaryJane. In the beautiful Edison Ballroom, adorned with native plant arrangements by Alive Structures Founder Marni Marjorelle, the atmosphere was more like a gathering of friends than a fund-raising event. But funds were raised, generously and enthusiastically. Particularly remarkable was the closing “crowd raise,” during which hands flew up throughout the room to pledge donations for scaling up 13 14 6 www.nycaudubon.org The Fall Roost: News to Shout from the Rooftops Ellen Azorin

NYC Audubon’s D-Bird initiative. Launched in 2014, D-Bird.org is an online database and data collection tool that enables anyone with a smartphone to report the location of birds found injured or killed by collisions with buildings. This innovative tool has allowed NYC Audubon to identify collision hotspots within the City that they had only anecdotal reports about or were previously unaware of, 3 4 like Morningside Heights in Manhattan. Over $20,000 was raised to reprogram D-bird, allowing this essential conservation tool to be easily shared with other cities across the country. Three enlightening short films shown at the Roost are available for viewing on NYC Audubon’s YouTube channel: www.youtube/ nycaudubon. Two of the films are moving 8 tributes to the honorees, while the other documents what makes NYC Audubon the 7 special organization it is. Thanks to Fall Roost Co-Chair Karen Benfield for producing these not-to-be-missed videos with Lark Song Media. And thank you to Co-Chairs Marcia T. Fowle, Catherine Heller, and Jenny Maritz for working so hard to make the Roost another 12 fantastic evening benefiting the birds of New York City.

This Page 1. Honorees Tony Argento and Gina Argento 2. Deborah Laurel and Dina Rosenthal 3. Chris Cooper and Carol Peace Robins 4. Jeff Kimball and Kathryn Heintz on Stage for D-Bird “Crowd Raise” 11 5. Marni Marjorelle and Gabriella Ciabattoni 6. Betsy McCully and Cathy Heller 7. Annie Barry and Rita McMahon 8. The Bailsmen 9. Honoree MaryJane Boland and Dr. Susan Elbin 10. Betty Hamilton, Bruce and Marcia T. Fowle 11. Karen Benfield 12. Bruce Patterson and Andrea Dixon, SC 13. Dustin Partridge and Alan Steel 14. Kathryn Heintz and Don Riepe Announcing the Raffle Winners 15. Tom Stephenson, Jeffrey Kimball, and Scott Stephens

All Fall Roost Photos: David Rodgers 15 Winter 2017-2018 7 Fall Roost Acknowledgments

CO-CHAIRS Drianne Benner Jim & Jill Sheffield SILENT AUCTION DONORS POPUP STORE: Karen Benfield Priscilla Bijur & Gerald Kane Mrs. C. Sidamon-Eristoff Berkshire Mountain Distillers HANDMADE DISHTOWELS Marcia T. Fowle Ardith Bondi Scott & Dhuane Stephens Birdland AnnasDrawingRoom Catherine Heller Virginia Carter Tom Stephenson Birds & Beans Coffee Art Goodies Jenny Maritz Clifford Case Leslie Sternlieb Peter Brant Banquet Atelier Chris Cooper Virginia Stotz Broadway Stages CrankosaurusPRESS HOST COMMITTEE John & Judy Day Shino Tanikawa Brooklyn Brewery Bridgetfarmerprintmaker Gina Argento Alan Drogin Terry Taylor Canopy Camp ColorJoy3 Tony Argento Margot Ernst Richard Veit, PhD John Derian EmmaPyleArt Karen Benfield & John Zucker Sandy Fiebelkorn Sam Wertheimer & Pamela Eagle Street Rooftop Farm Fuzzymug Broadway Stages Kate & Andrew French Rosenthal El Buho Mezcal Kategolding.ca Jeffrey Kimball & Pamela FXFOWLE Victor Emanuel Hatchetmade Hogan Deborah Elam CONTRIBUTORS TO Four & Twenty Blackbirds Karen Walsh Jennifer & Philip Maritz Mark & Rebecca Campbell THE D-BIRD EXPANSION Irving Farm Coffee Roasters KeiandMolly Joyce F. Menschel Gibbel CAMPAIGN Jacob K. Javits Convention Librarian Artist Edward & Diana Greene Gina Argento Center Nadine Westcott David & Miriam Gross Ann Bailey Kings County Brewers North Circle Studio Linda Gui Robert Bate & Tracy Meade Collective OhLittleRabbit Nancy Hager Karen Benfield & John Zucker Stew Leonard’s SKT Ceramics The Durst Organization Lynne Hertzog Marsilia A. Boyle MasterVoices Zen Threads Marcia & Bruce Fowle Jill & Ken Iscol Chris Cooper Rockjumper Philip Fried & Bruce Tracey Eve Johnson Sarah DeBlois & Arthur Sills Second Stage SPECIAL THANKS Patterson Peter Joost & Janice Laneve Alexander Ewing & Wynn Babylonstoren Vineyard Karen Benfield Cathy & Lloyd Heller Tatiana Kaletsch Senning Wildlife Conservation Society Video Production, Silent Alan Steel, Jacob K. Javits Mary Jane Kaplan Marcia & Bruce Fowle Wolf Conservation Center Auction Convention Center Elinor Kass Rich Fried & Stella Kim Zeiss Sarah Jeffords Wendy Brandes Mark & Rebecca Campbell Director of Photography: Kekst Jane Kendall & David W. Gibbel Karen Benfield & John Zucker Rob Bondy Jade Lau Dietz Alex Gutierrez Nora Benoliel Director of Photography: Virginia Stowe Holly Kennedy Romano Cathy & Lloyd Heller Marcy Boyle Joey Bearese Michael & Mary Tannen Robert Kimtis & Susan Richard Katz Christine Burgin & William Editor: Matt Hensel Bynum Jeffrey Kimball & Pamela Wegman Producer: Lark Song Media/ Andrea Krantz & Harvey Hogan Chris Cooper Karen Benfield Sawikin Stefan Knust Don Riepe Additional Bird Footage Robert Krinsky Agatha Koch Whitney Donhauser Copyright: Cathy Weiner Anonymous Carol Landess Deborah Laurel Susan Elbin Videos Linda & Jerry Atkins Heather Loebner Heather Loebner Alexander Ewing & Wynn Ann B. Bailey Tom Loizeaux E.J. McAdams Senning Deborah Jones Robert Bate & Tracy Meade Timothy & Karen Macdonald Edith McBean Joe Giunta Storyboards Claude & Lucienne Bloch Hope Matthiessen & David Alice McInerney Kathryn Heintz MaryJane Boland Boorstin Rita McMahon Cathy and Lloyd Heller Wildtones.com Marsilia A. Boyle E.J. McAdams & Kathleen Alan Messer Deborah Jones Bird Call Ringtones Linda & Stephen Breskin Ruen Thomas & Louise Middleton Jeff Kimball Conservancy Edith McBean Clark Mitchell Deborah Laurel Alive Structures Alexander Ewing & Wynn Alice McInerney Daniel Piselli Harry Maas Floral Art Senning Rita McMahon Don Riepe Rita McMahon Richard H. Fried & Stella Kim Joseph & Deborah McManus Deborah Rivel Garret Oliver studiokat/Kat Nemec Laura & David T. Harris Alan Messer Lew & Sheila Rosenberg Jeff & Kellye Rosenheim Graphic Design Kathryn & Vincent G. Heintz Judy Miller Neil Runyon Buddy Ryan Ethan & Lauren Klingsberg Clark Mitchell David Slavin & Bari Moss Will Schragis Dan Hort and Enterprise Peter Joost & Janice Laneve Melinda Papp Chris Smeall & Ann Fabian John Shemilt Printing Deborah Laurel Mona Payton Fredric & Winnie Spar Nadir Souirgi Cheryl Reich & David Tracy Pennoyer Alan Steel Alan Steel David Rodgers Dewhurst Margot Perron & Michael Leslie Sternlieb Tom Stephenson Photography Genie & Donald Rice Feller Gini Stowe Paul Sweet Don Riepe Jean Pettibone Michael Syracuse Laura Whitman and Thomas 501 Auctions and WMC Lew & Sheila Rosenberg Warrie & James Price Dick Veit Danziger Productions John Shemilt Cristina Profumo Nancy Ann Ward Gabriel Willow Fredric & Winnie Spar Rachel Quiñones Sam Wertheimer & Pamela Tod Winston Elise Boeger, Marcia Fowle, Leslie Sternlieb Alison Bruce Rea Rosenthal Lynne Hertzog, Deborah D. Bruce Yolton Donald & Genie Rice Tod Winston RAFFLE DONORS Laurel, Ro McIntyre, Julia & Deborah Rivel June Yuson Patagonia Phoebe Rosenheim CONTRIBUTORS Carol Peace Robins Fishs Eddy Mady Ahern Steven & Barbara Rockefeller YOUNG BIRDER RAFFLE Eagle Optics Our Benefit Chairs for Their Anonymous Elizabeth Barlow Rogers TEAM Wendy Ludwig Hard Work and Dedication to Catherine Barron Jeff & Kellye Rosenheim Jordan Spindel Roland Foods the Cause Robert Bate & Tracy Meade Donna & Steven Schragis Ryan Zucker 8 www.nycaudubon.org A Summer Home of Our Own Carol Peace Robins

nlike most summer houses, which © NYC Audubon © Carol Peace Robins are far afield from the year-round Uhome, NYC Audubon’s home couldn’t have been more conveniently located—a seven-minute ferry ride from the southern tip of Manhattan. The house where NYC Audubon summered this year on was also historic, having been built in 1879 as officer housing when the island served as an Army base. And as vacation houses do, it welcomed plenty of guests this summer, at least 3,800 in all from New York City NYC Audubon’s House on Governors Island, Gabriel Willow Leads a Bird Walk, One of the to countries including Holland, Australia, Nolan Park House #17 Over 50 Offered to Island Visitors this Season China, and Kenya. There were locals, too, like the kids from on the glass, plus they learned how marking how to make their very own bird nests. the island’s summer camps. On a day I visited, transparent, reflective windows with opaque What about actual bird species? Guide NYC Audubon Executive Director Kathryn images can keep birds from colliding with Gabriel Willow and Governors Island Heintz was on the porch showing young them. volunteer Annie Barry were delighted to campers how to use binoculars. Suddenly, a Then there were the beautiful art displays lead many walks for birders of all levels. cardinal made a grand entrance: red bird, on and installations. Marna Chester and Artist- One fall day, Gabriel’s group included John, red bench, right in front of the house. The in-residence Autumn Kioti designed creative a remarkable nine-year-old whose parents fledgling birders were enthralled—and a few bird-themed works displayed through most had brought him and friends for his birthday naturalists were born. of the summer. Sabine Meyer, National celebration. Not only did John sometimes As I entered the house, I saw walls Audubon’s photography director, curated an beat Gabriel in spotting the migrating papered with bird drawings by budding immersive show based on the summer issue warblers, but he had each bird’s specifics at young artists. One remarkable likeness of a of Audubon Magazine with works from artists his fingertips with an app on his iPad Mini. scarlet tanager was created by a six-year-old. Tristan Spinski and Andrew Garn, as well as New York State eBird Hotspot When his parents suggested exploring more an exhibit featuring stunning photographs Moderator Ben Cacace shares Gabriel of the island, he replied that they could go; of the 2016 Audubon Photography Awards and Annie’s delight with Governors he’d rather stick around with NYC Audubon winners. Jeff Mertz created a two-panel Island. When he first visited in 2015, the staff and volunteers to draw more birds. video installation featuring awe-inspiring eBird island list was 155 species. By this The house’s front windows sported nature and bird footage captured from areas September there were 24 more—including washable drawings of birds. This activity was around New York City. Artist Linda LaBella 11 species that Ben himself discovered and great for two reasons: children loved drawing came one day to show kids and adults alike added. The place has its unique aspects, © Carol Peace Robins too, he says, “like the unassuming puddles in a fenced-in maintenance area where shorebirds are regularly seen, including the American oystercatcher and a wide variety of sandpipers.” And birding on the island is only going to get better now that Governors Island has extended its season to include all of May and October, key migration months. Hope to see you out on the island next Kids Had Fun Drawing Birds and Placing Them on the House’s “Bird Wall of Fame.” year! Winter 2017-2018 9 Events and Adventures © Steve Nanz • WINTER BIRDING ALONG jays, titmice, and other resident • NYC Audubon Events THE HUDSON: , THE species is fascinating as well. • Partnership Events BRONX Warm up after the walk with a hot Overnight Trips Sundays, December 10, January 14, chocolate by the fireplace at the and February 11 Loeb Boathouse. Limited to 15. • WATERFRONT BIRD WALK AT 9:30-11:30am $36 (25) per walk THE BATTERY, SOUTHERN TIP Guide: Gabriel Willow OF MANHATTAN With Wave Hill • GOVERNORS ISLAND Tuesdays, December 5, December Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center. WINTER WALKS 12, January 9, and January 16, The valley hosts an Fridays, December 15, January 8-9am impressive diversity of bird species, 12, February 9, and March 16, Guide: Gabriel Willow even during the winter months. 1-3:30pm Pied-billed Grebe With The Battery Conservancy Come explore the beautiful gardens Guide: Gabriel Willow Meet at the Netherlands Memorial and woodlands of Wave Hill and Enjoy a quick ferry ride before • CENTRAL PARK RESERVOIR: Flag Pole located at the entrance to observe the hardy birds that spend arriving at this up-and-coming GULLS AND WATERFOWL 101 the park on the corner of Broadway, the winter in this urban oasis. Walks birding destination. Governors Tuesday, December 19, 4:30-6pm Battery Place, and State Street. run rain or shine. Ages 10 and up Island is typically closed to the and Wednesday, February 21, 5:30- Join Gabriel Willow to explore welcome with an adult. No limit. public at this time of year, so this is a 7pm the diverse wintering birds that See www.wavehill.org for admission chance to search for winter residents Guide: Jacob Drucker find food and habitat on lower rates. NYC Audubon members enjoy while enjoying some peace and quiet Manhattan birders know that Manhattan's waterfront, such as two-for-one admission a stone's throw away from lower the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis ducks, geese, loons, grebes, and Manhattan. Limited to 15. $36 (25) Reservoir can be a great place to gulls. Seals may also be seen. Free; • WINTER WATERFOWL ID per walk enjoy an abundance of waterfowl, RSVP preferred. Visit tbcevents. WORKSHOP particularly during the winter eventbrite.com for more info. Thursday, December 14, 6-7:30pm • WINTER WALK IN VAN months. Gull numbers also peak (class) and Sunday, December 17, CORTLANDT PARK, on the Reservoir in the winter, but 10am-1pm (trip) Saturday, December 16, 9-10:30am these difficult to identify birds are • MEMBERS-ONLY Guide: Gabriel Willow Guide: Nadir Souirgi often far away, and overshadowed DECEMBER WALK IN CENTRAL If it walks like a duck, and quacks Enjoy this ecologically diverse park by colorful and charismatic ducks. PARK WITH TOD WINSTON like a duck, it's probably a duck . . . with extensive woodlands and the This workshop will leave you better Wednesday, December 6, but is it a dabbling duck or a diving Bronx's largest freshwater lake. Look prepared to find your own black- 8-10:30am duck? Or could it be a grebe? This for rarities such as wintering owls, headed gull in Central Park or THIS WALK IS FULL class will help you distinguish the land birds like snow buntings and beyond, and pick out the loons and differences among ducks, geese, Lapland longspurs, or even spot the grebes from the opposite side of the • WINTER BIRDS AT JAMAICA loons, grebes, and more. Following odd migratory goose species like Reservoir. Limited to 15. $36 (25) per BAY our class, we'll put our newfound cackling goose, barnacle goose, or walk Saturday, December 9, 10am-1pm skills to work as we seek out the greater white-fronted goose. Limited Guide: Don Riepe diverse mix of dabbling ducks, bay to 15. $36 (25) • NEW YEAR'S DAY BEACH WALK, With American Littoral Society and ducks, sea ducks, grebes, loons, and , QUEENS Gateway National Recreation Area cormorants to be found in Central • THE FRESHWATER PONDS OF Monday, January 1, 11am-2pm Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Park's Reservoir. Limited to 12. $65 'S SOUTH SHORE Guide: Don Riepe, Mickey Cohen Refuge Visitor Center for a slide (45) Saturday, December 16, 9am-4pm With American Littoral Society and program on winter birds and Guide: Tod Winston Gateway National Recreation Area wildlife followed by a walk around • CENTRAL PARK WINTER WALKS Visit up to seven South Shore Welcome in the New Year with a the ponds and gardens. Learn Fridays, December 15, January 12, freshwater ponds that provide brisk hike along the beach, dunes, about bird migration, survival, and February 9, and March 16, 9-11am refuge to a surprising variety of and woods of Fort Tilden to look for adaptation to cold temperatures Guide: Gabriel Willow wintering waterfowl—and great loons, scoters, and long-tailed ducks. and look for owls, raptors, finches, Some of the best sightings await viewing opportunities to birders. Visit the hawk-watch platform for and waterfowl. For info and hardy nature-lovers willing to Possible sightings include hooded views of New York Harbor and the reservations, contact Don Riepe at venture out in winter. Several mergansers, green-winged teal, Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy champagne, 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail. species of owls are found in Central ring-necked ducks, northern pintails, coffee, and cookies afterward at the com. No limit. Free Park in the colder months, along and redheads. We’ll also make Rockaway Artists Alliance. For more with "winter finches" such as pine a short stop or two by the bay to information, contact Don Riepe at siskins, redpolls, and crossbills. look for loons, grebes, and sea 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail. Observing the adaptations for ducks. Transport by passenger van com. No reservations necessary. No cold-weather survival among blue included. Limited to 12. $94 (66) limit. Free 10 www.nycaudubon.org © Lloyd Spitalnik • WINTER BIRDING ON THE loons, grebes, scaup, eider, northern layers of clothing while the birds many varieties of birds. Hunt for SOUTH SHORE OF LONG harriers, and purple sandpiper. will be getting by with just their rarities such as common goldeneye, ISLAND Transport by passenger van included. feathers. Marvel at the wonders lesser black-backed gull, and Iceland Saturday, January 6, 9am-6pm Limited to 12. $95 (67) of winter survival on this Jamaica gull. Limited to 15. $36 (25) Guide: Gabriel Willow Bay winter walk. Limited to 15. Winter in New York brings the • JAMAICA BAY WINTER BIRD $40 (28) • WINTER BIRDS OF DEKORTE excitement of possibility: Will snowy WALK PARK, NJ owls appear in the dunes? Will Saturday, January 6, 9:30-11am • INTRO TO BIRDING: BIRD Sunday, January 7, 9am-2pm harlequin ducks move westward Guide: Corey Finger WALK IN CENTRAL PARK Guide: Gabriel Willow from Cape Cod and Montauk Though winter birding can be Saturday, January 6, and Sunday, Come explore the wilds of the New and appear in closer waters? Will uncertain, there are always birds March 4, 8-10:30am Jersey Meadowlands at DeKorte irruptive northern finches and around at Jamaica Bay. A walk Guide: Tod Winston Park. Here, the Hackensack River bohemian waxwings move south around the West Pond in winter Are you curious about "birding" meets extensive coastal marshes, from Canada? All of these species should provide sightings of a variety but don’t have much (or any) creating a rich habitat for wildlife— and more are possible on Long of diving and dabbling ducks, gulls, experience? Come on a relaxed especially wintering waterfowl and Island in the winter, along with flocks of geese, and some hardy winter walk to some of Central raptors. We'll be on the lookout for more expected species such as songbirds. We'll be bundled up in Park’s hotspots to go over birding large flocks of canvasback, northern

© Lloyd Spitalnik basics and see sparrows, finches, pintail, bufflehead, and northern ducks, and more. Binoculars shoveler. And we'll scan the skies available. Limited to 15. $36 (25) for hunting raptors including per walk rough-legged and Cooper’s hawks, northern harriers, and perhaps even • RANDALL'S ISLAND WINTER a snowy or short-eared owl. We WALK can warm up at the environmental Saturday, January 6, 9-11am center and learn about the Guide: Nadir Souirgi Meadowlands' ecology. Transport Explore this lesser known spot by passenger van included. Limited in the , where recently to 12. $88 (62) restored freshwater wetlands and Purple Sandpiper saltmarsh provide habitat for . . . Continued on Page 12

Overnight Trips • MONTAUK WINTER • WINTER WATERFOWL at Daunt's Albatross in Montauk exploration begins with three days WEEKEND: SEALS, SURF, AND WEEKEND AT MONTAUK and transport by passenger van on the mainline coast, visiting SEABIRDS Saturday, January 27, 9am-Sunday, included. Limited to 12. $295 ($55 the salt marshes and beaches Friday, January 12-Sunday, January 28, 7pm single supplement) to the south before heading to January 14 Guide: Gabriel Willow the beautiful fishing village of Guide: Don Riepe The gatherings of sea ducks around • PUFFINS, WARBLERS, Camden. From there we will With American Littoral Society Montauk Point are the largest winter AND LOBSTER BOATS: THE explore nearby hills, meadows, Spend a weekend at the concentrations in New York State; the ENCHANTING COAST OF MAINE and marshes in search of elusive luxurious Manor House during Christmas Bird Count on Montauk Saturday, May 26-Saturday, June 2 rails, upland sandpiper, and the peak winter birding time Point consistently tallies from 125 Guide: Gabriel Willow Nelson’s and vesper sparrow. at Montauk Point. See seals, to 135 species, one of the best totals Come along with NYC Audubon The next four days we'll stay at scoters, loons, eiders, goldeneye, in the Northeast. Species that come and explore Maine's “Country of the the Monhegan House Inn on and much more. Includes 2 to feed on the Point’s rich kelp Pointed Firs”: land of lighthouses, enchanting Monhegan Island, nights lodging, 5 meals, 5 guided and mussel beds include common quaint villages, and lobster where seeing over 30 warbler hikes, 2 evening programs, and and red-throated loon, common pounds—all nestled in a setting of species in one day is not free pickup at the LIRR station eider, all three scoter species, primeval pine forests, bogs, and uncommon. Last but not least, in Montauk. For reservations bufflehead, common goldeneye, bucolic islands. Home to some we'll travel to a puffin nesting and details, contact Don Riepe great cormorant, and red-breasted of the East’s last true wilderness, colony. While on the water, we'll at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@ merganser. Harlequin duck and Maine hosts populations of Atlantic keep our eyes open for whales and gmail.com. $395 ($130 single king eider also occur here regularly puffin, bear, moose, shorebirds, porpoises. $1,950 ($595 single supplement) during the winter. Accommodations and dozens of warbler species. Our supplement)

Winter 2017-2018 11 Events and Adventures (continued)

• LOWER MANHATTAN POCKET • BIRDING THE BATTERY, or long-eared owl. Limited to 15. $36 search of saltwater species such PARK BLITZ SOUTHERN TIP OF MANHATTAN (25) as common goldeneye, long-tailed Sunday, January 7, 9-11am Sunday, January 14, 10-11:30am ducks, loons, as well as horned and Guide: Jacob Drucker Guide: Jacob Drucker • WINTER EAGLES ON THE red-necked grebes. Transport by Couch's kingbird, Scott's oriole, Join guide Jacob Drucker at the HUDSON passenger van included. Limited to and western tanager are the crown convergence of the East and Sunday, January 21, 9:20am-4pm 12. $87 (61) jewels of extraordinary rarities that Hudson Rivers to search for Guide: Gabriel Willow found refuge in lower Manhattan's winter waterbirds and discover Join NYC Audubon in seeking out • SOARING RAPTORS: EAGLES pocket parks in recent winters. We the nooks and crannies of The one of the most incredible avian AND OWLS OF THE HUDSON will search several of these parks Battery. Who knows what hardy spectacles in New York: bald RIVER VALLEY, NY for "half-hardy" songbirds and hope songbirds could be tucked away in eagles wintering along the frozen Sunday, February 4, 12-7pm for something unusual, starting the southernmost of Manhattan's Hudson River by the dozens or even Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers with Madison, Union Square, and parks? Limited to 15. $36 (25) hundreds. We will travel in comfort LLC Gramercy Parks. We will then have by Metro-North to Croton Point You don’t have to travel to Alaska the option to work our way south, • EAGLE WATCH AND BIRD Park, where we will look for eagles to see our country’s emblem, the covering Stuyvesant, Tompkins WALK AT , before hiking up to Croton Point . Thanks to one of the Square, and Washington Square MANHATTAN to seek out wintering short-eared most successful reintroduction Parks. Rarities or not, this is a great Saturday, January 20, 8:30-10:30am and snowy owls, snow buntings, programs on record, many eagles route to see a few early-year birds Guide: Annie Barry horned larks, and other cold-weather now soar over the nearby Hudson that won't be seen until spring. Come along for a winter hike specialties. Limited to 20. Round- Valley. Travel with us to see this Limited to 15. $36 (25) through the various landscapes trip Metro-North fare ($20.50) not spectacular raptor and try to and habitats of Inwood Hill Park. included in trip price. $53 (37) spot the secretive short-eared • SNOW BIRDS OF FLOYD Located at the northern tip of owl. Transport by passenger van BENNETT FIELD AND FORT Manhattan where the Harlem • DUCK WALK AT BAISLEY included. Limited to 12. $94 (66) TILDEN, QUEENS River meets the Hudson, Inwood POND PARK AND WILLOW LAKE Saturdays, January 13 and January Hill Park offers shoreline vistas, PRESERVE, QUEENS • SUPERB OWL SUNDAY 20, 10:30am-4pm mature forest, and the last natural Sunday, January 28, 8:30am-2:30pm Sunday, February 4, 3-5pm Guide: Gabriel Willow saltmarsh in Manhattan. We'll Guide: Corey Finger Guide: Gabriel Willow Winter brings many rare birds to the begin on the Hudson shore in is the best place Come along for a winter woodland City that can’t be found here at any search of the bald eagles that have to see wintering ring-necked ducks walk in search of owls to celebrate other time. Perhaps most exciting been sighted there frequently in and redheads in New York City. "Superb Owl" Sunday. Join are the “snow birds” of the Arctic recent winters, then move into the A wide variety of both dabbling naturalist Gabriel Willow on a walk tundra, such as snow buntings and forest to search for wintering and and diving ducks regularly winter around the beautiful Van Cortlandt snowy owls, that can occasionally be year-round birds, and finally to the in the pond, including American Park in the Bronx, where we will look found in tundra-like habitats further saltmarsh to look for wintering wigeon, ruddy ducks, gadwall, and for pellets, white-wash, and other south. Transport by passenger van ducks. Some hilly walking required. northern shovelers. We'll also look signs of roosting great horned, included. Limited to 12. $88 (62) per Limited to 15. $36 (25) for wintering songbirds and gulls. long-eared, northern saw-whet, and walk From Baisley Pond Park we'll move other owls. They're secretive and shy • FEEDER WATCH to Willow Lake Preserve to see creatures, so finding one is never • AUDUBON'S BIRDS OF AND OWL PROWL common mergansers and the pair guaranteed, but it's always worth AMERICA GALLERY Saturday, January 20, 9:30-11am of bald eagles that have wintered looking. We will also observe winter New-York Historical Society Guide: Corey Finger here the past two years. Habitat songbirds and waterfowl. Limited to Experience John James Audubon's Explore the depths of the largest next to the lake often hides a variety 15. $36 (25) spectacular watercolor models contiguous forest in Queens. of wintering sparrows and other © Ellen Michaels for the 435 plates of The Birds of Highlights include the feeding songbirds. Transport by passenger America and their corresponding station at the famed Waterhole van included. Limited to 12. $63 (90) hand-colored plates. The newly and a search for owls in the pine opened gallery features a different groves. Common feeder sightings • WINTER WATERFOWL OF THE bird and related works by Audubon include woodpeckers, black-capped BROOKLYN COAST that rotate every month: chickadee, American goldfinch, and Saturday, February 3, 9am-3pm December 11: Yellow-billed Cuckoo usually at least one brown creeper. Guide: Kellye Rosenheim January 8: Prothonotary Warbler Past years have also seen ruby- Join Kellye Rosenheim on a tour February 5: Purple Finch crowned kinglet and pine warbler. of Brooklyn’s most productive Visit www.nyhistory.org/ On the owl prowl, look for sightings coastal winter waterfowl sites. We’ll exhibitions/audubons-birds- of great horned, northern saw-whet, visit Bush Terminal Piers Park, america-focus-gallery to learn more. Gravesend, and Calvert Vaux in Great Horned Owl 12 www.nycaudubon.org WINTER BIRDS OF BARNEGAT, NJ • WINTER BIRDS OF DEKORTE by passenger van on S.I. included. • EARLY MEMBER REGISTRATION Sunday, March 11, 9am-4pm PARK, NJ Limited to 12. $57 (40) FOR UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday, February 10, 9am-2pm Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC More winter and early spring Explore Barnegat Inlet’s expansive Guide: Nadir Souirgi • JAMAICA BAY WINTER THAW events will be posted at www. beach to view the winter birds that Explore the the wilds of the New BIRD WALK nycaudubon.org and available gather where land, bay, and sea meet. Jersey Meadowlands at DeKorte Saturday, February 24, 10am-1pm for registration for contributing Search for harlequin ducks, horned Park. We'll take trails through Guide: Don Riepe NYC Audubon members starting larks, Lapland longspurs, snow wetland and saltmarsh habitat to With American Littoral Society and on Monday, February 5, at 9am. buntings, as well as snowy and short- look for a rich diversity of wintering Gateway National Recreation Area (Registration will open to all on eared owls. Transport by passenger van ducks and rarities such as rough- Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Monday, February 19.) legged hawk, short-eared owl, Refuge for a slide program and hike included. Limited to 12. $115 (80) and northern shrike. Transport by around the ponds and gardens to TO REGISTER FOR ALL NYC passenger van included. Limited to look for very early signs of spring • WINTER BIRDS OF SANDY HOOK, AUDUBON EVENTS and for more 12. $88 (62) as well as late winter birds. For NJ information, visit www.nycaudubon. more information and to register, Saturday, March 24, 10am-5pm org or call Danielle Sherman at • RANDALL'S ISLAND WINTER contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC 212-691-7483 x304 unless otherwise WALK or [email protected]. No limit. Sandy Hook, a spectacular barrier specified. Saturday, February 10, 9-11am Free island at the northernmost point of Guide: Jacob Drucker the New Jersey coast, hosts a variety IMPORTANT INFORMATION Situated at the junction of the • WINTER WALK AT INWOOD of species including Arctic-bound • Contributing Members East River and , HILL PARK, MANHATTAN migrants and harbor seals that lie on (Student/Senior level and up) Randall's Island is an excellent Saturday, March 3, 10am-12pm the beach to warm up in the sun. Other receive a 30% discount on place to observe birds using these Guide: Nadir Souirgi possible sightings include loons, sea most local trips and classes major waterways to facilitate their Inwood Hill Park, simply put, ducks, snow buntings, and horned (on discounted events, the movements. The presence of is a jewel. Nestled between the larks. Transport by passenger van discounted price appears converging currents, a saltmarsh Hudson River, , included. Limited to 12. $103 (72) in parentheses after the restoration project, excellent and Seaman Avenue, this last nonmember price). See thickets, and lots of open space tract of largely undeveloped oak • BEGINNING BIRDING membership form on page 19. makes Randall's Island a great and tulip forest transports you to Classes: Wednesdays, April 4, 11, and • Classes meet at 71 West 23rd place to go birding. Some species another world and another time. 18, 6:30-8:30pm Street, Suite 1523. like horned lark, snow bunting, Glacial "pot holes," towering trees, Trips: Saturday, April 14, 8am-2:30pm • For paid trips requiring advance red-throated loon, and Bonaparte's and stunning river views create an (Jamaica Bay) and Saturday, April 21, registration, the meeting gull are more likely to be found at unrivaled birding backdrop. Search 8-10:30am (Central Park) location will be disclosed Randall's than anywhere else in New for wintering species, including Instructor: Tod Winston in your trip registration York County. Limited to 15. $36 (25) ducks in the tidal marsh. Limited to Learn the keys to identifying the confirmation email. 15. $36 (25) spectacular variety of birds that migrate • For coach and van trips, the • BIRDING GEMS OF STATEN through New York City every spring. meeting location is in front ISLAND: WINTER AT FRESHKILLS • WINTER BIRDS OF THE Even if you've never picked up a pair of of 71 West 23rd Street unless PARK BARRIER ISLANDS, LI binoculars, you’ll soon be identifying otherwise specified. Sunday, February 11, 8am-3pm Saturday, March 3, 9am-5pm warblers, thrushes, waterbirds, and • We depart promptly at the Guide: Cliff Hagen Guide: Tod Winston more—both by sight and by ear. Three stated start time. With NYC Department of Parks & Several bird species that nest in fun and educational in-class sessions • For all overnight trips, Recreation the far north spend the winter at and field trips to both Central Park and membership in NYC Audubon Winter at is an Jones Beach, in a habitat similar Jamaica Bay (transport to Jamaica Bay at the Student/ Senior level and exciting time for birding. The grass- to their summer homes. We’ll included). Limited to 12. $179 (125) up is required. covered slopes offer plenty of seed visit Point Lookout and Jones © Laura Meyers and shelter to huddled flocks of Beach in search of harlequin horned larks, snow buntings, and ducks, common eider, scoters, sparrow species, as rough-legged horned larks, and snow buntings. hawks soar overhead. Down below Transport by passenger van the mounds are a crisscross of included. Limited to 12. $93 ($65) tidal creeks filled with a variety of waterfowl. Grebes, geese, and coots swim alongside over a dozen species of ducks including teal, mergansers, and pintails. Transport Gadwall Winter 2017-2018 13 ELookingvents and Be yondAdve nturYoure sU (sualcontinu Turfed ) Mary Jane Kaplan

The 118th Audubon Christmas Bird Count December 16-December 23, 2017 ed by the National Audubon Society, the Christmas Bird coastal areas like Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways among its 11 Count (CBC) is the nation’s longest-running citizen-science territories, participants usually spot thousands of snow geese and bird project. brant, as well as a good selection of ducks and shorebirds. LSince the 1950s, the CBC has been organized geographically in “circles” 15 miles in diameter, each overseen by a volunteer BROOKLYN compiler who coordinates the circle’s counts and is responsible for While this circle, like Queens’s, includes areas fronting the ocean submitting the final data to National Audubon. The five New York (the 43,000 birds counted in 2015 included 1,470 gannets), its 11 City boroughs belong to five different circles; the circles are in turn territories are various enough to have included rarities like sora and divided into “sectors” (or “territories”) to make counting more painted bunting. The most recent records can be found in the winter manageable. A participant can join a different count every year—or 2016 issue of the Brooklyn Bird Club’s newsletter, The Clapper Rail, even several counts in the same year if they occur on different days which can be found at www.brooklynbirdclub.org/clapper-rail. within the count period. (One notable count marathoner had done 500 counts as of 2016.) BRONX So it’s worth taking a look at counts beyond your usual turf. The borough has two territories for the count: West and East. Regular participants include some ambitious birders who go out at four in the morning to count owls. Results for 2016 can be found at Numbers from this borough’s 10 sectors are compiled at the hras.org/bwcbc.html, which also shows counts for the Westchester Museum of Staten Island, which holds the records of 105 years areas included in this circle. Two goose species new to the count— of CBCs in the borough. The 2016 count was notable for the pink-footed and cackling—were found in 2016. participation of a team of boy scouts and for the sighting of a grassland species new for the count—the grasshopper sparrow. MANHATTAN Enthusiastic owlers were rewarded by spotting multiple numbers Central Park is where the Christmas Bird Count originated in of great horned, eastern screech-, and short-eared owls. Last year’s 1900, when ornithologist Frank Chapman proposed that the holiday results can be found by visiting netapp.audubon.org/cbcobservation tradition of competitive bird shooting be replaced by a bird census. and searching for count code NYSI. Today, birders who regularly participate in the Central Park count may not realize there are 11 other count sectors in Manhattan. In QUEENS fact, 21 of the 80 species sighted in the borough last year were found This count is managed by the Queens County Bird Club, which outside Central Park; large numbers of birds were seen in Inwood posts on its website a map of its circle and those it overlaps with Hill Park, Riverside Park, and Randall’s Island. Results for 2016 are (www.qcbirdclub.org/qcbc-cbc). Because the Queens circle includes posted at www.nycaudubon.org/cbc. Note that the official name of © Matt Cuda/Audubon Photography Awards © Camilla Cerea/Audubon

The Eastern Screech-Owl Was Counted 14 Times during the 2016 A Group of Participants Birding during the Christmas Bird Count Christmas Bird Count in Staten Island. in the Ramble, Central Park, December 14, 2014 14 www.nycaudubon.org Looking Beyond Your Usual Turf Mary Jane Kaplan

the circle is New Jersey-Lower Hudson, since it also includes New all boroughs. Compilers will ensure participants are directed to Jersey’s Meadowlands. territories where they would be most useful. As noted in National Each circle’s count day ends with a gathering in a warm place, Audubon’s 2014 “Birds and Climate Change” report, the CBC plays where participants refuel and socialize as territory coordinators work an essential role in monitoring the health of our bird populations. together to compile the data for the entire circle. New participants, But it’s also a lot of fun, so sign up! even those less skilled at spotting and identifying, are welcome in

CB COUNT CIRCLE DATE CONTACT EMAIL Brooklyn Saturday, 12/16 Bobbi Manian [email protected] Staten Island Saturday, 12/16 Cliff Hagen [email protected] Queens Sunday, 12/17 Corey Finger [email protected] NJ-Lower Hudson (Manhattan) Sunday, 12/17 Kaitlyn Parkins [email protected] The Bronx Saturday, 12/23 Michael Bochnik [email protected] © Fyn Kynd* The Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-February 19, 2018

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) has a shorter history than the CBC, but is equally important for monitoring bird populations. Begun in 1998 as a joint effort of National Audubon, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Bird Studies Canada, the goal of the GBBC is to capture a snapshot of bird numbers in a short period of time. Citizen scientists are asked every February to spend at least 15 minutes counting birds in their backyards—or anywhere else. (New Yorkers without backyards are not excused.) Submit a separate checklist for each new day and location, or the same location if you counted at a different time of day. With eBird, it’s easier than ever to submit your data. The 21st annual GBBC takes place from Friday, February 16 to Monday, February 19, 2018. For more information, go to gbbc.birdcount.org. American Tree Sparrow

In Memoriam: Irving Cantor and Sylvia Cohen Born in New York City in 1920, Irving (Irv) Cantor birded Sylvia Cohen will be remembered as a special person who was here and, later, worldwide for more than 90 years. He participated known by and friendly with virtually all Central Park birders. She in his first Audubon Christmas Count in Central Park as a child first took an interest in birds while wheeling her baby carriage in the (once doing the count alone). Later he became the organizer of park, and upon seeing a Blackburnian warbler, quickly developed a the Bronx Christmas Bird Count. Always keen to mentor neophyte lifelong passion for birding, which she shared with her late husband birders, Irv approached the task with warmth, intelligence, and Moe. The couple could usually be seen birding the Ramble in all good humor. Never tiring of field trips, he would offer budding seasons. Sylvia was one of the first Central Park “regulars” to birders rides in his car (then uncommon to own in Manhattan) so explore the north end of the park, now a popular birding area. they could experience the great birding spots outside the City as Sylvia’s natural history interests extended to butterflies, dragonflies, well. In later years, Irv focused more of his time in Central Park, and plants. She was an ardent conservationist who worked to where he observed that the great waves of spring migrants had preserve Central Park’s bird habitats and was one of the original strikingly diminished in numbers. He never lost his enthusiasm for members of the Central Park Woodlands advisory board. Sylvia the thrill of discovery, which he shared with his wife, Jean. enjoyed her regular visits to the park through her late nineties.

Winter 2017-2018 15 Holiday Gift Guide for New Birders Hillarie O’Toole

s someone in your life new to birding? (Or do you hope this THE GIFT OF GEAR person will catch the bug?) Check out our helpful gift ideas to Finding binoculars for beginners Inurture a budding enthusiasm for the avian world. Purchasing is tricky, especially when even good gifts through Amazon? Go to smile.amazon.com and register “New “inexpensive” binoculars easily range York City Audubon Society Inc” as your charity to have the Amazon over $200. The Bushnell Falcon 133410 binocu- Smile Foundation donate 0.5% of the purchase price to support lars (7x magnification, 35 mm lens) are available NYC Audubon. for under $50 and serve well as an introductory pair before committing to a more permanent, advanced set. THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE For the youthful beginner, Peterson’s Field THE GIFT OF STEWARDSHIP © NYC Audubon Guides for Young Naturalists: Backyard Birds by One of the most memorable gifts Jonathan Latimer and Karen Nolting is a I received as a child was . . . a whale. great place to start. Illustrated by Roger Tory My aunt had adopted a humpback Peterson, the field guide includes 20 of the whale in my name. While at first I was most frequent backyard visitors in the U.S. disappointed I couldn’t bring my new and Canada. Easy to navigate and colorful, Cetacean friend home, I was inspired to it is recommended for ages 8-12 but can be learn all I could about the whale’s habitat Fledgling American enjoyed by any age. and behavior, and how to keep it safe. Oystercatcher Banded at For the eager and inquisitive adult, Birding You can do the same for someone with Arverne for the Curious by Nate Swick is a quick read the gift of a bird. New York City’s shores are the nesting sites for filled with fun activities like creating a list of many endangered and threatened shorebirds. By adopting a banded birds in your backyard and producing a sound bird, you’ll help support NYC Audubon’s efforts to track and map of birdcalls. The author highlights the protect them. Your gift comes with a beautiful photo of the species, many challenges of bird identification in a way a field update on where it was banded, and the tracking number of that will keep the new birder from becoming the actual bird you sponsored. To adopt a bird for a friend or family discouraged. member, visit www.nycaudubon.org/adopt-a-bird.

Kingsland Wildflowers

We have put the garden to bed for the winter months, but Greenpoint Eco- Konstancja Annie Novak Schools Program Maleszyńska Open House New York as we begin to plan programming at Kingsland Wildflowers Sustainability Richard Mazur Open Space Alliance for next season, we’d like to take time to thank everyone Coaches, National Jacob McIntosh for North Brooklyn Wildlife Federation National Fish and Plant Group involved in making 2017 an amazing year for education, Greenpointers.com Wildlife Foundation Riverkeeper programming, tours, and research on the green roof: Lauren Grisanti New York City Rooflite Growing Chefs Department of Dr. Eric W. Sanderson ArcheWild Geoffrey Cobb Doreen Zion Art Larissa Hayden Environmental Renee Sandoval Atlas Obscura Cold Comfort String Duke’s Liquor Box Ian Hays Protection Benjamin Solotaire Jessica Sirbu Balnaves Band Eagle Street Rooftop Erika Jozwiak New York City Soil & Shino Tanikawa Alyssa Benner Gabriel Townsend Farm Kings County Brewers Water Conservation Zafer Tawil Birds & Beans Coffee Darriau Evergreen Exchange Collective District Trio Xalam Broadway Stages Department of Natural The Fortune Society Desiree LaVecchia New York State Trout in the Classroom Brooklyn Chamber of Science, LaGuardia Four Harbors Audubon New York City Council Assemblymember Untapped Cities Commerce Community College Society Member Stephen Joseph R. Lentol Martynka Wawrzyniak CUNY Go Green Brooklyn Levin Wild Bird Fund Joyann Cirigliano Joe Diamond Green Food Solutions Alliance

Funding for the Kingsland Wildflowers project is provided to New York City Audubon by the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund.

16 www.nycaudubon.org Volunteer Acknowledgments

New York City Audubon’s conservation and education work would not be possible Ted Huneke JB Stephanie Loria JB Steven Huppert TIL Aimee Lusty JB without the help of hundreds of volunteers who donate thousands of hours each Elizabeth Jacobsson JB Harry Maas CBC, EO, OA year. If you volunteered during the period from October 2016 to September 2017 and John Jacobsson JB Alec Machiels JB Amaya Javeri JB Charlotte Machiels JB your name is not on this list, please let us know. We strive to keep accurate records Amit Javeri JB Joshua Malbin JB for our funders and want to make sure you receive the recognition you deserve. Joanne Jaworski JB Melissa Malloy HH Sarah Jeffords OA Laura Mandel WE Rob Jett IBT Laure Moutet Manheimer LEGEND Mika Berger-Wills JB Phil Cusimano JB Jana Gabrielova CBC Brandon Johnson JB EO CBC = Christmas Bird Amanda Bielskas WE Charlotte Dalvito JB Ed Gaillard CBC Carol Johnson JB Pamela Manice EO Count Chris Blair JB Constance Dalvito JB Dennis Galcik JB Rachel Johnstone JB Fran Manushkin PSF CON = Conservation Jennifer Blanchard JB Stephanie Damoff JB Carla Garcia HH William Johnstone JB Patrick Markee EO EO = Education and Claude Bloch EO, UA Diane Darrow OA, PSF, Evelyn Garcia EO Deborah Jones OA Janet Marinelli JB Outreach Lucienne Bloch UA UA Andrew Garn EO, WE Peter Joost EO Jenny Maritz FR, OA FR = 2016 Fall Roost Elise Boeger CBC. EO. John Dawson JB Tony Gazso CBC Lamiya Jubaed EO Florence Martin JB HH = Harbor Herons OA Johnny Dawson JB Sophie Gell JB Christopher Joya EO Genevieve Masci JB IBT = Injured Bird MaryJane Boland IBT, WE Leslie Day IBT Evan Gever JB Mary Jane Kaplan EO, Jennifer Masci JB Transporters Ardith Bondi CBC, IBT Virginia Day TIL Rebecca Gibbel IBT OA, UA Rob Mastrianni CBC, IBT and Raptors Avi Bonime TIL Gina De Cesare PSF Joe Girgente JB, PSF Gail Karlsson HH Irina Mateescu EO NYC Group Victoria Booth IBT Christine DeMauro JB Chris Girgenti EO, HH Laura Karol IBT Niki Matsoukas CBC JB = Jamaica Bay Ned Boyajian UA Wolfgang Demisch CBC Joe Giunta FR Ellen Kastel EO, HH, JB DeeDee Maucher JB (includes Donegal Browne IBT James Dennis IBT Lisa Glass EO Jennifer Keller JB Kelly Maxwell OA Horseshoe Crab Jamie Buckner JB Preeti Desai JB Michael Glendinning Michael Keller JB Jennifer Mazzanti CON and Shorebird John Burke HH Martin Dessejour JB CBC Jennifer Kepler JB, TIL, Jane McAndrew JB Surveys) Michelle Burke JB Meelan Dessejour JB Yekaterina Gluzberg HH, WE Abby McBride UA OA = Office Anita Cabrera JB Alice Deutsch CBC, JB JB, PSF Ellen Kessler HH Annie McBride JB Administration Ben Cacace JB Kelly Dickinson PSF Doug Gochfeld TIL Jeff Kimball EO, WE, OA Rosemary McGinn JB MP = McGolrick Park Claire Cammarata TIL Ben Dobson JB Elizabeth Gold JB Cameron King EO Ro McIntyre OA PSF = Project Safe Mark Canavera JB Tenzin Dolma JB Richard Gold IBT Bridget Klapinski JB Eric McKean HH Flight Elisa Caref JB Joanne Dolman EO Beryl Goldberg TIL Lauren Klingsberg OA, Sandy McKee JB TIL = Tribute in Light Hugh Carola HH Linda Domsky WE Rachel Goldberg CBC UA Rita McMahon HH UA = The Urban Ginny Carter EO Rita Donlon IBT Abby Goldstein CBC Pete Klosterman EO, TIL Robert McMinn IBT Audubon Noeleen Casey-Tomasi JB Jane Dowling JB Sadie Goldstein CBC Stefan Knust TIL Tenzin Meluna/Neluna WE = Website and Jeffrey Cedeno EO Kathy Drake CBC Nicolas Gonzalez JB Jeff Kollbrunner IBT, UA JB The eGret Joan Cesario JB Alan Drogin CBC Karenna Gore JB Jeff Kolodzinski HH Alan Messer EO eNewsletter Robert Cesario JB Mary Drugan PSF Lindsey Gorman PSF Mary Beth Kooper HH Stephen Messina JB Rebecca Chalmers JB Raymond Duffy Jr. HH Louise Gouck CBC Myra Kornides PSF Laura Meyer IBT Michelle Chan CBC Andrew Dwork JB John Granger JB Heather Kramer JB Rebecca Meyer CON Patricia Aakre EO Erin Chapman JB Bianca Dwork JB John Grayley HH Jeff Kraus HH, JB Laura Meyers UA, WE Colin Ackers JB Suzanne Charlé UA Greg Elbin CON Alex Green JB Lynn Kraus JB Scott Meyers JB Cheryl Adams EO Franci Chauca TIL Willis Elkins HH Meryl Greenblatt CBC, David Krauss CBC Ellen Michaels UA, WE Molly Adams IBT, JB, TIL Ken Chaya CBC Suzie Elliott CBC, EO EO, OA, UA Debra Kriensky UA, WE David Millstone JB Rifat Ahmed HH Maurice Chen JB Neil Emond CBC, WE Jason Gregg TIL Joseph Kulhanek HH Pippa Millstone JB Hyung Jin Ahn EO Ally Cheng EO Eric Engen MP Renata Grieco PSF Dave Künstler HH Karlo Mirth JB Sara Alaica UA Emily Cheng JB Toni Erlich EO Christina Grimaldi IBT Ben Kupstas JB Alexander Mishkin JB Barb Alpert EO, TIL Steve Chesler MP Sandy Ewing JB, OA Camille Gubello CBC Tara Kurz OA Henry Mishkin JB Joshua Alvarez EO Michael Christopher JB Charles Falivena JB Ariane Guidicelli PSF Brian Lancaster JB Carine Mitchell EO Maggie Ambrosino IBT Rob Ciardullo CON Nicholas Falivena JB Cynthia Guile EO, PSF Karen Larsen CBC, EO, Ursula Mitra CBC DivyaW Anantharamaninte r 2016-2017Andrew Clapper HH Taylor Le Falkctur JB e SDavideri Haasee sJB TIL Monica Molenaar JB Zweigart CON, JB Christa Clay JB Andrew Farkas JB Nancy Hager EO, OA Noah Molenaar JB All lectures are free and open to the public. This series has been made possible by the support of ClaudeCarrie and LaSeur Lucienne CBC Bloch. Haruka Aoki EO Jane Clay JB George Farkas JB David Halloran JB Deborah Laurel OA Graham Montgomery TIL Felicity Arenno TIL, UA Joanne Coco CBC Lindsey Feinberg HH Kelvin Harriot JB Jacky Lee JB Kathy Mooney IBT Karlie Arkins CBC Chloe Cohen JB Edlira Fejzo EO Lucien Harriot JB Kathy Lee IBT Malcolm Morris CBC Seth Ausubel OA Julia Cohen JB Mike Feller HH Laura Harris OA Jon Leland JB Anne Mortimer-Maddox Amy Aversa IBT Phoebe Cohen JB Sandy Fiebe IBT Ruth Hart EO Christine Leotta JB EO, OA Ellen Azorin UA Jared Cole CBC Sandy Fiebelkorn IBT Larissa Hayden JB Jesse Lerer JB Ava Moskowitz JB Marc Badner JB Isadora Colmenares JB Corey Finger JB Thomas Heinimann HH Katie Leung IBT Lynne Mullins HH Remi Badner JB Pio Colmenares JB Howard Fischer JB Kathryn Heintz UA Elias Levenson JB Steve Nanz UA, WE Serene Bagcilar WE Nicholas Comparato JB Kerry Fitzgerald TIL Catherine Schragis Heller Hadley Levenson JB Gunda Narang HH, OA, Kristin Bannister FR Esmeralda Connors TIL Jonathan Flothow JB FR, OA, UA Lawrence Levine OA PSF Ben Barkley TIL Chris Cooper EO, OA Lisa Flutterman PSF Kellie Hendry JB Richard Li CBC Christine Nealy JB Caryl Baron CBC Ariel Cordova-Rojas HH Andy Foltz CBC Lynne Hertzog CBC, WE Zhiwei Li JB Marian Nelson IBT Suzanne Barraza CBC Jules Corkery IBT Natasza Fontaine JB Tim Hettler MP Richard Lieberman CBC Elizabeth Norman JB David Barrett TIL, WE Sunny Corrao CBC, JB, Jacob Ford TIL Chinami Hikita-Dwork JB Emily Liebert JB Annie Novak CBC, PSF, Annie Barry EO, JB TIL Marcia Fowle EO, FR, UA Windyn Hines CBC Christine Lin JB TIL, UA Sarah Basset HH Sybil Costello EO, UA Mike Freeman CBC Kate Holmes JB Bailey Link JB James O’Brien IBT Robert Bate OA Karen Coughlin EO Susan Freytes HH, JB Don Hooker JB Brian Link JB Luke O’Brien CBC, JB, Maggie Bell JB Liz Craig CON Richard Fried OA Kyle Horton TIL Jeann Linsley PSF MP Karen Benfield CBC, FR, Hilary Cresko CON Anita Friedman OA Bobby Horvath IBT Joanna Lisanti EO Michael O’Brien TIL JB, OA Erika Crispo JB William Lancaster Fuchs Nancy Horwitz JB Yuriy Litvinenko JB Lisa Ochs EO, JB Drianne Benner OA Sara Crosby TIL JB Robert Houston PSF Anna Liu JB Bill Oddo EO Matthieu Benoit JB Mallory Culbert EO Mayuko Fujino CBC Cecil Howell JB Heather Loebner EO, Victoria Olmstead HH Kristen Berger JB Monica Cuoco PSF Elizabeth Fuller EO Benjamin Huneke JB JB, OA Daniel O’Shoney JB

Winter 2017-2018 17 Volunteer Acknowledgments (Continued)

Elaine O’Sullivan EO François Portmann IBT, UA, Don Riepe HH, UA, WE Lisa Scheppke HH Richard Veit OA Joe O’Sullivan EO, JB WE Carol Peace Robins UA Oscar Schiff JB Carla Vel IBT Hillarie O’Toole UA Peter Post CBC Lewis Rosenberg CBC, UA Robert Schmunk IBT Paola Velasquez JB Steven Ottogalli TIL Ed Power JB Sheila Rosenberg UA Kim Scottaline IBT Rosa Velasquez JB Rhea Parekh EO Elizabeth (Beth) Powers JB Julia Rosenheim EO, JB Vicki Seabrook PSF Rebecca Vitale JB Jacob Park JB Mamta Prakash CBC Kellye Rosenheim UA Luke Seitz TIL Heather von Rohr PSF Harald Parzer JB Clara Propp JB Phoebe Rosenheim EO Ann Seligman EO, IBT, JB, OA Heather Walsh CBC Stefan Passlick CBC Eleanor Propp JB Linda Rosovicz HH Wynn Senning JB Brittany Wang EO Daisy Paul IBT, JB Catherine Quayle OA Chloe Rotonda JB Alketa Shabani EO John Wang JB Peter Paul JB Kellie Quiñones EO, OA Jerry Rotonda JB Ari Shalam JB Jeff Ward EO Ellen Pehek HH Rozanna Radakovich OA John Rowden TIL Nathaniel Shalam JB Nancy Ward OA Anders Peltomaa EO, TIL Miriam Rakowski CBC Jeanne Roy IBT Helen Shaskan IBT Joanne Wassmer CBC Ana Perez CBC Jose Ramirez-Garofalo CON, Christina Rubin UA Jim Sheffield EO, OA Martynka Wawrzyniak JB Tom Perlman CBC HH, JB Corey Rubin JB John Shemilt OA Mitch Waxman UA, WE Opal Peron-Feller HH Ginger Ray EO Adam Rudt FR Daniel Sheth JB Dottie Werkmeister JB Stacy Pesarchik JB Mariana Regalado JB Todd Russo CBC Daniel Sheth Jr. JB Erinn White CBC Angela Phillips CBC Melissa Rex JB Steven Sacco JB Elaine Silber CBC Penny White TIL Elizabeth Platt JB Yosef Rex JB Purbita Saha JB Sean Sime TIL Candace Whittemore IBT Daniel Polgardy JB Julio Rezende EO Alanis Santiago EO Richard Simon IBT Chana Widawski JB Steve Pontillo CBC Stu Richel EO Stepanie Sardelis JB Brooke Skelly CBC Andy Wildenberg CBC Sarah Porter JB Peter Richter IBT Barbara Saunders IBT Kiersten Skog JB Henry Wildenberg CBC Samantha Slevens JB Alylah Williams JB Gerald Slevin CBC Laurie Williams EO GIVE A GIFT MEMBERSHIP Sparrow Slevin CBC Gabriel Willow HH, UA Show that you care by giving a gift that makes a difference. Jason Smith JB Simon Wills JB Lynsy Smithson JB Jill Wilpon JB Help protect wild birds and habitat in New York City with a gift membership to NYC Cameron Sofia JB Margaux Wilpon JB Audubon. Members receive The Urban Audubon newsletter and The eGret enewsletter; Liliana Sofia JB Elizabeth Wisker CBC enjoy discounts on field trips and classes; and make a difference in the City’s wildlife Ben Solotaire JB John Wittenberg CBC Elizabeth Sorrell JB Louise Woehrle JB and natural areas. Mike Soszynski PSF Julia Wood JB [ ] American Kestrel Circle $2,500 [ ] Conservationist $250 [ ] Supporter $100 Fredric Spar OA Jackie Wu JB [ ] Family $75 [ ] Dual $50 [ ] Friend $25 [ ] Student/Senior(65+)$15 Jennie Spector EO, JB Amy Yee IBT David Speiser OA, UA, WE Andrew Yim JB [ ] Dual/Senior (65+) $30 [ ] New [ ] Renewal Jordan Spindel FR Roger Yim JB Lloyd Spitalnik UA, WE Bruce Yolton IBT, WE Additionally, I would like to make a donation to NYC Audubon in Margaret Stevens EO Patricia Youngquist EO the amount of $ _____. Cathy St. Pierre IBT Alison Zachritz JB Alan Steel OA Kara Zang JB Tom Stephenson EO, OA Chris Zavelo OA Gift Membership Recipient Information: Walter Strachowsky JB Yiwen Zhao JB Louise Stracke PSF Melissa Zostant HH Alva Strand CON Ryan Zucker CBC FR Name: ______Eliza Strickland JB Marsha Zuckerman JB T.M Stuart WE Address: ______Charlotte Succop JB VOLUNTEERING Greg Succop JB ORGANIZATIONS Will Succop JB American Littoral Society CON, Email: ______Alex Summers HH EO Karen Susnitsky PSF Atlas Obscura JB Debbie Swanback CBC Bank of America JB Gift Membership Contributor Information: Lauryn Tacoronte JB The Battery Conservancy EO Mary Tannen CBC Corporation EO Michael Tannen OA Christodora EO Name: ______Jeanne Tao PSF Earth Matter EO Lili Taylor TIL The Friends of Governors John Theiroff PSF Island EO Address: ______Crystal Thiele EO Linnaean Society of New York Isaac Thomas JB EO Rochelle Thomas CBC, EO Metropolitan Society of Natural Phone: H: ______C: ______Email: ______Nancy Tognan HH Historians JB Andrew Tomasi JB National Park Service EO [ ] Enclosed is my check payable to NYC Audubon Liam Tomasi JB Patagonia JB Helaine Trock JB EO [ ] Charge my credit card: [ ] VISA [ ] MC [ ] AMEX [ ] DSC Phyllis Tseng JB Randall’s Island Park Alliance Nellie Tsipoura HH EO Vasant Tulyani JB Sadhana EO CARD #: ______Exp. Date: ______Security Code: ______Andrew Turk HH Trinity School JB Yuko Ulrich JB The Trust for Governors Island Mail this form with your payment to: Anne Van der Veer JB EO Brandon Vande Plasse HH Rangers EO NYC Audubon • 71 West 23rd Street, Suite 1523 • New York, NY 10010 Kelly Vande Plasse HH Sara Varon MP Conservancy EO Membership in NYC Audubon does not include National Audubon membership or Audubon Magazine. Donations to NYC Audubon are Brenda Vaughan OA Waterfront Alliance EO tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. NYC Audubon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. John Vazzana JB Wave Hill EO P.J. Vazzana JB The Wild Bird Fund CON, EO 18 www.nycaudubon.org News & Notes Support NYC Audubon’s Mission

ABBY McBRIDE ILLUSTRATING THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO PROTECT NEW YORK CITY’S WILD BIRDS FROM THE SEABIRD CAPITAL Congratulatations to Urban Audubon n addition to becoming a member or GIVE A MATCHING GIFT Newsletter Committee Member Abby making a one-time donation, there Supporters can double or triple the value of McBride on receiving a Fulbright-National are several ways to play a larger role donations through their employers’ matching Geographic Storytelling Fellowship. For I in supporting NYC Audubon’s mission to gift programs. Contact your company’s her year-long fellowship, Abby is traveling protect wild birds and their habitat in the five personnel office to learn how. Be sure to to New Zealand, the "seabird capital of boroughs of New York City: specify New York City Audubon as the the world," to write and illustrate stories designee. on how the country's residents are GIVE MONTHLY working to save these birds, which are Provide ongoing monthly support to ensure LEAVE A LEGACY declining globally at an alarming rate. our birds are protected throughout the year. When you designate New York City Audubon Abby has been providing her beautiful You can make a huge difference for as little as a beneficiary in your will, IRA, life insurance wildlife illustrations to The Urban as $5 per month. See the membership form policy, or investment/bank account, your gift Audubon for over 20 years, including the below or donate online at www.nycaudubon. will support the conservation of the birds “Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture” sketch org/donate. you love for many years to come. Visit www. from our fall 2017 issue. You can follow nycaudubon.org/leave-a-legacy, or contact us her digital storytelling work for National BECOME A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN Geographic at voices.nationalgeographic. to learn more. KESTREL CIRCLE org/author/amcbride. Soar above the rest by making a donation To learn more about any of the above, contact KATE ORFF RECIPIENT OF of $2,500 or more. American Kestrel Circle Director of Development Kellye Rosenheim MACARTHUR FELLOWSHIP GRANT patrons enjoy special access and exclusive at [email protected] or 646-502- New York City landscape architect tours. See the membership form below or 9611. Save paper, time, and money by making Kate Orff was awarded this fall with a donate online at www.nycaudubon.org/ your contribution online 24/7 at MacArthur Foundation Fellowship for donate. Contact us to learn more. www.nycaudubon.org/support-us. her groundbreaking work addressing ecological issues in the field of architecture and urban design. Kate is the founder of SCAPE, a landscape architecture and urban design firm with BECOME A MEMBER Contributing members are essential to our conservation and outreach work. projects across the five boroughs ranging As a member of NYC Audubon, you will receive The Urban Audubon newsletter and The eGret email from community gardens to large- newsletter; enjoy discounts on field trips and classes; and make a difference in helping to protect the City’s wildlife and natural areas. scale coastal initiatives like the Living [ ] I would like become a member by making a recurring donation in the amount of $______Breakwaters Project in Staten Island. NYC each month. Audubon worked with Kate to publish I would like to become a member by making a one-time donation: Bird-safe Building Guidelines in 2007, as [ ] American Kestrel Circle $2,500 [ ] Conservationist $250 [ ] Supporter $100 well as design our soon-to-be-constructed [ ] Family $75 [ ] Dual $50 [ ] Friend $25 [ ] Student/Senior(65+)$15 stormwater capture park at Justice Avenue [ ] Dual Senior (65+) $30 [ ] New [ ] Renewal Park, Queens. Congratulations to Kate on [ ] Additionally, I would like to make a donation to NYC Audubon in the amount of $ ______. this well-deserved award. [ ] I’m already a member but would like to make a gift in the amount of $ ______. [ ] Please direct my gift to D-Bird research SAFE FLIGHT IPA BEER TAKES OFF This fall, NYC Audubon collaborated with Name: ______Brooklyn brewery Kings County Brewers Collective on “Safe Flight IPA,” a limited- Address: ______batch beer brewed to raise awareness about bird collisions with windows. Pete Phone: H: ______C: ______Email: ______Lengyel, brewer of the beer and one of the three founding members of the Bushwick, [ ] Enclosed is my check payable to NYC Audubon Brooklyn-based brewing collective, was [ ] Charge my credit card: [ ] VISA [ ] MC [ ] AMEX [ ] DSC inspired to create Safe Flight IPA after CARD #: ______Exp. Date: ______Security Code: _____ learning of the 100 of millions of birds that Mail this form with your payment to: perish annually in the U.S from striking NYC Audubon • 71 West 23rd Street, Suite 1523 • New York, NY 10010 windows. We hope the brew is continued Membership in NYC Audubon does not include National Audubon membership or Audubon Magazine. Donations to NYC Audubon are tax-deductible to the extent seasonally in the fall and spring! allowed by law. NYC Audubon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Winter 2017-2018 19 New York City Audubon NON-PROFIT 71 West 23rd Street ORGANIZATION Suite 1523 U.S. POSTAGE PAID New York, NY 10010 Permit No. 02743 New York, NY

DATED MATERIAL: Winter 2017-2018 Newsletter

2017-2018 Lecture Series All lectures are free and open to the public. This series has been made possible by the support of Claude and Lucienne Bloch.

ONE MORE WARBLER THE NATURE SPECTACLES OF SPARROWS AND PEOPLE BIRDING ANTARCTICA By Victor Emanuel NEW JERSEY AND SPARROW PEOPLE By Tom Stephenson Thursday, December 7, 7pm By Joanna Burger By Rick Wright Thursday, March 15, 7pm Victor Emanuel, the founder Wednesday, January 24, 7pm Tuesday, February 27, 7pm Among the most exciting and of VENT, the largest avian Rutgers professor and scientist Prolific author Rick Wright exotic of all birding locales, ecotourism company on Joanna Burger is a behavioral will share his expertise Antarctica also offers some of the earth, shares his journey from ecologist whose primary and read passages from most challenging and rewarding inspired youth to world’s top interests are in the adaptive his forthcoming book, the experiences. Join NYC Audubon birder in his recently released significance of social behavior in Peterson Reference Guide to Board Member Tom Stephenson book, One More Warbler. For vertebrates, ecological risk, and North American Sparrows. to learn about traveling there and our lecture series, this master biomonitoring. She is also the Among his publications are see stunning photos of penguins, raconteur will share some of his author of several books for lay two scholarly works on the albatross, elephant seals, snow biggest adventures, rarest finds, naturalists on birds, butterflies, Latin and German animal petrels, giant icebergs, and more. and the people who mentored parrots, and pine snakes. For literature of the late Middle Tom is the author of The Warbler and encouraged his passion our lecture, Dr. Burger will Ages as well as the American Guide, inventor of the Bird Genie along the way. (See our review acquaint us with the rich natural Birding Association’s field app, and birdwalk leader for the of One More Warbler in the experiences that can be had in guides to birds of New Jersey Brooklyn Bird Club and NYC summer 2017 Urban Audubon.) the state next door, New Jersey. and of Arizona. Audubon.

Our lectures are held at Reidy Hall at the Unitarian Church of All Souls, located on Lexington Avenue between 79th and 80th streets in Manhattan.

20 www.nycaudubon.org