SECOND ANNUAL MONARCH/POLLINATOR FESTIVAL AT JAMAICA BAY

Monarch Butterfly
© Ellen Michaels

Saturday, September 28, 10am-3pm
With American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, Gateway National Recreation Area

Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. We'll begin the day with presentations on Monarch Butterflies, Black Swallowtails, and other pollinators, followed by hikes around the gardens looking for them! During lunch, enjoy a dance performance by Sova Dance and Puppet Theater. We'll end the day by visiting Fort Tilden with naturalist Don Riepe for a hike along the dunes to see migrating monarchs and other butterflies. For more information, contact American Littoral Society at 718-474-0896 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . No registration necessary. Free (donation suggested) 

Monarch/Pollinator Festival Schedule:

9:45am: Registration

10:00-10:15am: National Park Service Introduction

10:15-10:45am: "Butterflies, Moths, and Other Jamaica Bay Pollinators" (Presentation by Don Riepe)

10:45-11:30am: "Life History of the Black Swallowtail" (Dr. John Potente)

11:30am-12:30pm: Walk around the gardens to look for pollinators (Groups)

12:30am-1:15pm: Lunch (bring your own) and "Marvelous Metamorphoses" performance by Sova Dance and Puppet Theater

1:15pm: Bus to Fort Tilden for monarch migration (Beach 193rd Street Parking Lot)

3pm: Bus returns to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Directions:

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located along Cross Bay Blvd in southern Queens approximately 2¼ miles south of Howard Beach and ¼ mile north of Broad Channel. Q52 and Q53 buses stop on Cross Bay Blvd at the Visitor Center parking entrance traffic signal. The flat 10-minute walk to the Visitor Center from the subway A train stop at Broad Channel is approximately ¾ mile; limited free shuttle service at program start and end.

FALL FOR BIRDS AT THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN

American Kestrel
Courtesy The New York Botanical Garden

Sunday, October 6, 10am-6pm
With The New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden hosts a day of informative conversations, musical performances, bird walks, and more. The day begins with several bird walks: Birding & Photography, Birding for Families, and Birding for Beginners, led by expert guides Gabriel Willow, Debbie Becker, Jeff Ward, and others. Visitors of all ages can learn how to make their own window decals to prevent bird collisions with artists from Materials for the Arts. Learn about urban bird conservation issues and ways you can help through conversations and Q&A’s with American Bird Conservancy, NYC Audubon, and National Audubon’s Plants for Birds program, moderated by urban birder, writer, and activist Annie Novak. Enjoy a solo cello and electronics piece, For the Birds, composed by Judith Shatin and performed by Amanda Gookin, co-founder of PubliQuartet. For more information and programs schedule, visit www.nybg.org/event/fall-for-birds.

SECOND ANNUAL RAPTORAMA! FESTIVAL AT JAMAICA BAY

Bald Eagle Up Close at 2018 Raptorama!
© NYC Audubon

Sunday, October 20, 10am-3pm
With American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, Gateway National Recreation Area

Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a program on hawks and owls, plus a live demonstration where one can get up-close views of local hawks, owls, and eagles. After lunch, we’ll go to Fort Tilden to see the many hawk species flying south for the winter. For more information, contact American Littoral Society at 718-474-0896 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . No registration necessary. Free (donation suggested)