ANNUAL REPORT 2014 1 61626_NYC_Annual.indd 1 12/11/14 9:55 AM New York City Audubon works to protect wild birds and their habitats in the five boroughs of New York City, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers. We are an independent nonprofit with 10,000 members, donors, and volunteers whose dedication and support make our research, advocacy, and education work possible. NYC Audubon is affiliated with the National Audubon Society, and provides local services to its members. NYC Audubon is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law. NYC Audubon meets all of the Better Business Bureau’s Standards of Charity Accountability. OFFICerS, BoarD OF DIreCtorS, ADVISory CounCIl, anD StaFF President Seasonal Staff, Interns, Harrison D. Maas Trips & Classes Leaders Marielle Anzelone CREATING PARTNERSHIPS TO Executive Vice President Jarad Astin David Speiser Kate Biller Anita Cabrera PROTECT OUR BIRDS Vice President Elizabeth Craig Richard T. Andrias Phil Cusimano Melanie del Rosario ew York City Audubon, the principal voice for New York City’s birds and Treasurer Jennifer Dilone John Shemilt Henry Fandel their habitats, pursues its mission by means of three fundamental tools: Dennis Galcik Secretary Joe Giunta science-based conservation, educational outreach, and advocacy. We speak, Marsilia A. Boyle Clifford Hagen N Bridget Holmes and fight, for the City’s birds. Substantial accomplishments this past year have been Immediate Past President Liz Johnson Oakes Ames Stephen Karkuff empowered by fruitful partnerships—with City agencies, private corporations, fellow Donald Kass environmentalists, and bird enthusiasts—which have allowed us to bring our research Board of Directors Kimiko Kayano Brenda Torres-Barreto1 Paul Keim expertise and rigorously collected field data to bear in offering solutions to the complex Robert Bate2 Darren Klein Clifford Case Jeffrey Kollbrunner challenges facing our urban bird populations. Judy Craig Victor Koos Alexander Ewing2 Nim Lee In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we met with the National Park Service, Andrew Farnsworth Michael Lester Marcia T. Fowle Dave Manry government officials, and fellow environmentalists to influence the final draft of the Catherine Schragis Heller Joseph McManus Lynne Hertzog Alan Messer General Management Plan for Gateway National Recreation Area. We succeeded in Sarah Jeffords Peter Rhoades Mott Jeffrey Kimball Steve Nanz strengthening the plan’s protections of crucial habitats for breeding waterbirds and Robert J. Kimtis1 Joseph O’Sullivan Lauren Klingsberg Dustin Partridge horseshoe crabs. We also brought concerned parties to the table, including the Birders Lawrence Levine David Perry Coalition for Gateway, to discuss the future of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s West Eugene Nardelli2 Don Riepe Dorothy M. Peteet1 John Rowden Pond, and submitted the preferred restoration proposal to the Park Service. Peter Shen1 Anne Schwartz Fredric Spar Ann Seligman When snowy owls were culled at JFK airport last winter, we successfully Tom Stephenson Tara Mei Smith Nadir Souirgi collaborated with Audubon New York and utilized press and grassroots outreach Advisory Council David Speiser Sarah Grimké Aucoin Lloyd Spitalnik to pressure the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to utilize non-lethal Drianne Benner Emilio Tobon Garcia Dr. Claude Bloch Anika Tothá methods—and then partnered with the Port Authority to implement a new trap, band, Albert K. Butzel Terra Weiland Rebekah Creshkoff Dottie Werkmeister and relocate program. We also piloted a new partnership with Bryant Park Corporation, Andrew Darrell Gabriel Willow engaging the maintenance staff in reporting dead and injured birds as part of Project Joseph H. Ellis Tod Winston Mary Jane Kaplan Leigh Hope Wood Safe Flight. These contributions will supplement those from citizen scientists now able Robert J. Kimtis2 Kimberly Kriger 1 Term ended June 2014. to participate in the project via our new online database, D-Bird. Janice Laneve 2 Elected June 2014. Pamela Manice 3 Appointed September 2014. These are just a few examples of the growing partnerships that NYC Audubon E.J. McAdams1 4 Departed April 2014. Mary Tyler Moore has forged in the last year, in our efforts to safeguard the incredible diversity of birdlife Peter Rhoades Mott Dorothy M. Peteet2 ANNUAL REPORT that New York City enjoys—but must work tirelessly to protect. “On the ground,” Don Riepe Susan Elbin, Angela Lewis Rosenberg Januzzi, Barbara Lysenko, these efforts are made possible by our small but dedicated professional staff, and by our James R. Sheffield Tod Winston: writing, editorial production network of committed and passionate volunteers. None of our accomplishments would Staff Christina Rubin: design be possible without the generous support and participation of friends like you. Kathryn Heintz,3 Glenn Phillips4 PHOTOGRAPHY We count on you to stay involved and enable us to continue fighting for our Executive Directors Cover: (left to right) NYC Audubon; François city’s birds. Yoryi De La Rosa Portmann; Don Riepe; Susan Elbin, PhD Alexandra DeCandia Angela Januzzi Pages 3, 4: NYC Audubon Darren Klein Page 5: (top to bottom) With thanks, Debra Kriensky Chris Kreussling; Barbara Lysenko Anikó Totha Andrew Maas Page 6: NYC Audubon Adriana Palmer Page 7: (top to bottom) Kaitlyn Parkins NYC Audubon; Elizabeth Joseph O’Sullivan Craig; NYC Audubon Tod Winston Page 8: NYC Audubon Harry Maas Page 9: (top to bottom) David Speiser; Don Riepe President 2 61626_NYC_Annual.indd 2 12/11/14 9:55 AM ConSerVatIon GoalS oF uring the past year, New York City Audubon the 2011-2015 continued to safeguard birds and their habitats StrategIC Plan across the five boroughs of New York City, via our science-based bird conservation work. Leaders in the field, we are the only organization solely dedicated 1. Focus our conservation work on activities that will to conservation, research, education, and advocacy have the most significant strictly for the City’s wild birds. We focus our impacts on bird species of conservation programs on activities that will have the most significant impacts on conservation concern and their Dbird species of conservation concern and their habitats habitats. —while utilizing synergistic partnerships with key • Improve stopover habitat quality NYC Audubon organizations and agencies in the City. and reduce threats to birds is the only organization from buildings, artificial light, and Progress toward achieving our strategic plan reflective glass in Manhattan and is best illustrated by our two flagship programs: dedicated solely to throughout the City Project Safe Flight and the Waterbirds of New York conservation, • Focus on three regions for Harbor. These two programs address over-arching priority bird species within New conservation issues that impact birds of greatest research, education, York City: conservation need in our region: safe passage during • Jamaica Bay, the Northeast’s and advocacy strictly for migration and good quality nesting and foraging most significant wetland the City’s wild birds • Western Long Island Sound/ habitat during the breeding season. Documenting The Narrows, a highly land bird diversity, addressing collisions with built urbanized estuary, yet one of structures, and improving upland stopover habitat are the primary foci for Project great ecological significance Safe Flight. Waterbirds of the New York Harbor focuses on the role of herons, • Staten Island, the least egrets, gulls, oystercatchers, and their allies as bioindicators of aquatic habitat developed of all five boroughs quality. Through population monitoring; behavioral, reproductive and ecological • Contribute substantially to assessments; and habitat protection, our staff is able to provide key information to changes in law, regulations, and government programs that resource managers for regional planning and protection of vulnerable species. protect birds and their habitats in New York City 2. Increase the number and diversity of people engaged in the conservation of NYC birds • Provide additional quality programs that bring New Yorkers closer to nature • Engage more students in class trips and afterschool programs related to Important Bird Areas • Expand opportunities for citizen science in all five boroughs • Engage more New Yorkers in public advocacy This American oystercatcher was banded in Georgia before we encountered it in New York City. Understanding oystercatchers’ migration patterns and comprehensive habitat needs enables us to protect this species of conservation concern. 3 61626_NYC_Annual.indd 3 12/11/14 9:55 AM Highlights Project from the Past Year’s Safe Flight Conservation Program Activities mortality data in New York City. Now when a person finds a dead or injured bird, they can report that bird online through D-Bird. Using an interactive map, users record the date, time, location, and species name of the dead or injured bird. These data are stored in a searchable database for use by NYC Audubon researchers. he goal of Project Safe Flight is to make the City Data collected through D-Bird are intended to complement safer for migrating birds. Supported by the Leon the more scientifically rigorous monitoring data collected in Project Levy Foundation, the USFWS Neotropical Migra- Safe Flight. This reporting system will allow NYC Audubon to bet- Ttory Bird Conservation Act, and Audubon’s Toyota TogetherGreen, ter capture the scope and degree of collision-related bird mortality