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Dear friend of PSF, Trees are blooming; the temperatures are rising; the birds are singing; all these indicate that we are back in the exciting season we all love – spring. For most birders, spring is all about the fascination of migration which offers a daily show in all parks around town. As the birds stop over to refuel, birders are spectators in this amazing phenomenon. But some of these birders and nature lovers feel the need to be more than a spectator, joining PSF to help these incredible birds travel through our city safely. I want to send a warm welcome to all new volunteers for this new season of Project Safe Flight. This season, all major bird-kill zones are covered, but we still have a few open slots at the Jacob Javits Center, the MET and the World Financial Center. If you live or work near these buildings or simply wish to help, please contact me to arrange a schedule. In this first update, I’ll cover:
1. Numbers for this season so far A total of 22 birds were recorded in 2006, of which 14 died and seven were rehabilitated by Eileen Jones from Brooklyn. The rehabilitated birds could all (but one) be released to continue their journey to their breeding grounds.
The most uncommon bird found was a Peregrine Falcon on March 27th at the Javits Jacob Center. It had a federal band which indicates its provenance. We sent the bird to DEC’s pathologist and are still awaiting the results. But the bird probably died of collision with the building. Peak migration will most probably be around May 12th. Any help that week (transport of injured birds or street patrolling) would be greatly appreciated since we tend to get overwhelmed during these days. Please contact me if you wish to help. 2. Results of winter monitoring at the MET
Although 94 birds were observed to collide with this structure between September and November 2005 (with a death rate of 93%), only 2 birds were found during the winter months (both on December 19th). This certainly confirms our suspicion that mostly migratory birds are involved in collisions and not so much resident birds. No Cardinals, Starlings or House sparrow were ever found at this site even though they are abundant in the park. The three most common species involved in collisions at this site were Hermit Thrush, the American Robin and the White-throated Sparrow. So far this season, no birds have hit the MET, even though the migrants mentioned above have already arrived. While this assumption needs to be verified, it is possible that collisions start only when the trees’ canopy thickens. 3. Office help needed to better understand the bird collision problem As most of you know, Project Safe Flight started back in 1997. This means we still have a lot of information that has never really been entered into our database. As part of a US Fish and Wildlife Service grant, NYC Audubon wants to thoroughly analyze our bird collision data. Unfortunately, not all of this information is accessible to us since it is stored in hard copies and not in our electronic database. I am looking for someone to help me enter all this data in the database. Please contact me if you are able to dedicate a few hours a week for this important task. J Thank you 4. Birdathon You're invited to join in the fun of NYC Audubon's 1st Annual City Birding Challenge! On Saturday, May 13, birders of all skill levels and ages will scour the five boroughs in order to count as many bird species as possible and help raise money for New York City Audubon and our work to protect wild birds and habitat in New York City. This year, NYC Audubon is asking all you expert birders out there to lend your skills to a good cause. By competing in the City Birding Challenge you will help raise awareness about the importance of wild birds and habitat in New York City. If you’re a not-so-expert birder, lend your enthusiasm! You don’t have to be a pro to compete. Here's how it works: Teams of 2-4 people will have up to 24 hours to count as many bird species as possible throughout the five boroughs. The winning team will have its name inscribed on the City Birding Challenge Cup and make history as the first NYC Audubon City Birding Challenge winners. If some healthy competition isn’t what you're looking for, you can take part in the 22nd Annual Birdathon! Choose a park, a neighborhood, a borough or waterway within the five boroughs and start birding. Have friends sponsor your day of birding by collecting pledges beforehand. Can’t tell a pigeon from a peregrine? Don’t worry, there’s even a Beginning Birdathon. We’ve got something for everyone so register today! Be a Sponsor Don’t want to go birding but still want to support the Birdathon? Then be a sponsor! Support your friends, birders in your borough or even a City Birding Challenge team without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. You can pledge per species seen or a fixed amount through our secure website today! All events will be held on Saturday, May 13: 1st Annual City Birding Challenge Five boroughs of NYC, Midnight-Midnight Registration Fee: $100 per team (2-4 people) Registration Deadline: May 10 Rain or Shine 22nd Annual Birdathon! All five boroughs of NYC, Midnight-Midnight Registration: Free Beginning Birdathon! Noon – 2pm Leader: Gabriel Willow Location: Meet at Prospect Park Audubon Center, Brooklyn, NY FREE; Registration Required All donations are tax-deductible and benefit NYC Audubon programs. For full details, materials and to register for the Challenge or Birdathons, visit our website at www.nycaudubon.org or contact Emily FitzGerald at efitzgerald@nycaudubon.org or (212) 691-7483. Help make our first ever City Birding Challenge a success by spreading the word. Thanks from all of us at NYC Audubon! |
