Photo © Alexis Mychajliw

by Betsy McCully
Wednesday, September 2, 6pm
Central Park Arsenal at 64th St & 5th Ave

This slide-illustrated talk will concentrate on the Hudson's ancient and modern history. McCully will tell the story of the river from many perspectives- the geological, ecological, colonial, commercial, industrial, aesthetic and environmental. Betsy McCully is author of City at the Water's Edge: A Natural History of New York, and an Associate Professor of English at Kingsborough College/CUNY. No registration necessary. Free.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Wednesday, September 9, 6:30-8:30pm (class)
Sunday, September 13, 8:00am

Instructor: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Learn to identify the 30 plus species of warblers that visit Central Park during fall migration. Limited to 15.

$40 ($36 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Saturday, September 12, 9am -1pm

With Gateway National Recreation Area
Guide: Don Riepe
Participate in a yearly census at Jamaica Bay and learn about butterflies and other insects found in NYC parks. Limited to 20. Free.

To reserve, call (718) 318-9344.

Photo © NYC Parks

Sunday, September 13, 9am-1pm

With Transportation Alternatives
Guide: Gabriel Willow
Biking, Birds, and Art! Have you been meaning to learn more about the environment, attend more artistic and cultural institutions, and get more exercise? Check off all three resolutions with this trip! Take a leisurely ride up the lovely Hudson River Greenway from Columbus Circle to Fort Tryon Park, where we will explore their collection of tapestries and paintings in search of medieval birds (trip price includes group-rate admission), then head out into Fort Tryon Park to look for the real thing. Time permitting, we may also explore Inwood Hill Park. Meet at Columbus Circle. (Distance: 7 miles one-way.)

$36($32.40 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up and Transportation Alternatives members)

Photo © David Speiser

Monday, September 14, 6:30 -8:30pm (class)
Sunday, September 20 (trip)

Instructor: Starr Saphir
Even if you never picked up a pair of binoculars, you'll soon be identifying ducks, geese, thrushes, warblers and more. Limited to 13.

$40 ($36 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Fall Migration Birdwalks in Central Park
Wednesdays September 16, 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21
7:30 -10:30am

Instructor: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Meet at Central Park West and 72nd Street. Join us in observing varying waves of migrants that stop over Central Park during fall bird migrations. Bring binoculars. Limited to 15.

$85 ($76.50 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Melissa McDonald

Wednesday, September 16, 6-6:45pm

Guides: Gabriel Willow, Melissa McDonald with Solar One
Meet at the Solar One Building just south of 23rd Street at the East River. This walk through Stuyvesant Cove Park will be co-lead by NYC Audubon and Solar One naturalists. Participants will learn about Native plants and their relationship to birds and other wildlife. Refreshments to follow in the park. Limited to 20. Free

For registration contact Solar One at 646.576.5668 or E-mail melissa@solar1.org

Photo © David Speiser

Monday, September 21, 6:30 -8:30pm (class)
Sunday, September 27 (trip)

Instructor: Starr Saphir
Even if you never picked up a pair of binoculars, you'll soon be identifying ducks, geese, thrushes, warblers and more. Limited to 13.

$40 ($36 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © David Speiser

Vineyard Tour On The North Shore
Saturday, September 26, 9am-5pm

Guide: Gabriel Willow
NYC Audubon combines two of the main pleasures of life: wine and birding! We take a trip to visit Shinn Estate Vineyards, nestled on Long Island's bucolic North Fork, one of the rising star wine producers on the East Coast. Learn how sustainable farming can benefit birds and taste some of the fruits of their labors. The group will continue to Orient Point State Park in search of migratory shorebirds along the peninsula's scenic marshes and beaches. Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one, lunch, and comfortable shoes. 21+. NYC Audubon says: remember to drink & bird responsibly. Limited to 13.

$100 ($90 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Don Riepe

Saturday, September 26, 4 -7pm

Guides: Don Riepe and Mickey Cohen with the American Littoral Society
Meets: Pier 2, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Board the 100 ft. boat the "Golden Sunshine" to learn about the history, ecology and management of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Look for egrets, herons, shorebirds, waterfowl and migrating raptors. Includes a 3-hour narrated tour plus wine & cheese, fruit, snacks. Limited to 150.

$45 (no discount)

For reservations, call 718-318-9344 or email driepe@nyc.rr.com.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Sunday, September 27, 9:30 - 11:30am

Guides: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center and learn about bird species found in the area and their interconnectedness with the natural world on these captivating yet peaceful walks. Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River flyway provides the perfect habitat for native and migrating birds. Ages 8 and up welcome with an adult. Limited to 25.

$10

Registration not required. Inclement weather cancels; call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8am the day of the session to confirm.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Mondays, September 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, 5-6:30pm

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at Central Park West and 72nd Street. Witness the spectacle of autumn migration as songbirds follow the Atlantic flyway to their tropical wintering grounds. Look for tanagers, warblers, grosbeaks, vireos and other tropical migrants in the wilds of Central Park. Bring Binoculars. Limited to 15.

$70 ($63 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Friday, October 2 - Sunday, October 4

Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC
Cape May NJ is one of the best birding venues in the United States especially during fall migration. We will visit the Cape May Hawk Watch on two days, once late in the day and then early to get a good variety of hawks. We will also visit birding hotspots such as Higbee Beach, Cape May Point, Jake's Landing, and (new this year) Avalon Sea Watch, Cape May Meadows and Nummy Island. Limited to 12 (single room supplement $75).

$475 ($427.50 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © David Speiser

Saturday, October 3, 3 - 5pm

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at 104th and FDR Drive and walk across the foot bridge to Randall’s Island. Randall’s Island is a prime spot for viewing birds during fall migration due to its location in the east river. Explore the results of recent restoration efforts on the island. This trip will feature 2 ½ miles of walking and some modest climbs. Limited to 20.

$20

Photo © Don Riepe

Saturday, October 3, 10am - 2pm
Raindate: Sunday, October 4, 10am - 2pm

Instructors: Lloyd Spitalnik and Don Riepe
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center. This instructional trip is for all photographers. Big lens, small lens, point and shoot- everybody is welcome! Capture photos of birds in flight, insects, flora, and more. This calss will feature something for everyone. Limited to 16.

$90

Photo © David Speiser

Sunday, October 4, 9am - 5pm

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the clock in Grand Central Terminal and take the train to the marsh! Explore Constitution Marsh Audubon Sanctuary by canoe in Cold Spring, NY. Observe migratory water fowl and raptors in this tidal marsh. Trip will run rain or shine. In case of adverse weather conditions an alternative programming will be provided. Price includes round trip transportation to Constitution Marsh. Limited to 13.

$75

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Wednesday, October 7, 5 - 6:30pm

With the East River C.R.E.W.
Guide: Don Riepe
Meet at 96th Street and the East River Esplanade and experience East River ecology at water level. Circumnavigate Mill Rock Island with East River C.R.E.W. coxswains and a NYC Audubon naturalist. This program will require physical dexterity. Pre-registration is not available, first-come first-served only. Free.

Photo © David Speiser

Birds and History of Van Cortlandt
Saturday, October 10, 3 - 5pm

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the last stop on the 1 train, 242nd Street, park side. Explore this park and learn of its historical legacy while spotting migratory warblers, tanagers and other song birds along its scenic pathways, wetlands and ancient native forests. Limited to 20.

$20

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Barrier Island Birding, Robert Moses State Park, LI
Sunday, October 11, 10am -6pm

Guide: Joe Giunta, Happy Warblers LLC, Dr. Shaibal Mitra
Robert Moses State Park, a barrier island off the southern coast of Long Island, is an ideal location for bird watching in the fall. Bring lunch, water and binoculars. Limited to 40.

$55 ($49.50 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Tuesday, October 13, 6 - 8pm

Lecturer: Dyana Furmansky with Audubon New York and Wave Hill
Meet at National Audubon’s new office (225 Varick Street, 7th floor), which received a platinum LEED aware for environmental sustainability. Author Dyana Furmansky reintroduces audiences to Rosalie Edge, a New Yorker who founded Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and who in the 1930’s prodded the National Association of Audubon Societies to rethink cozy relationships with trapping and timber industries. Limited to 50. Free

Member registration begins 8/13, Non-members 8/20

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Saturday, October 17, 10 - 11:30am

With City of New York, Department of Parks and Recreation, Urban Park Rangers
Guide: Urban Park Rangers
Meet at the Ft. Greene Visitor Center, located inside the park on top of the hill near the entrance on Dekalb Avenue and Washington Park. Join the Urgan Park Rangers and learn about Fort Greene's rich history and discover which birds call it home. Limited to 25. Free.

Note: Washington park is the name of the actual street, not Washington park street or Washington park ave, as there are streets with those name.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Sunday, October 18, 9:30 - 11:30am

Guides: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center and learn about bird species found in the area and their interconnectedness with the natural world on these captivating yet peaceful walks. Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River flyway provides the perfect habitat for native and migrating birds. Ages 8 and up welcome with an adult. Limited to 25.

$10

Registration not required. Inclement weather cancels; call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8am the day of the session to confirm.

Photo © Andrew Baksh

Wednesday, October 21, 6:30 - 8pm (class)
Sunday, October 25, 9am - noon (trip)

Instructor: Gabriel Willow
Sparrows are one of the most challenging groups of birds to identify, and are often overlooked compared with their showier cousins such as tanagers and warblers. But they are subtly beautiful and fascinating species, especially once they can be distinguished. Learn to identify all those LBJs (little brown jobs). You might be surprised what you'll discover: was that a Swamp Sparrow hopping among the House Sparrows in the park? Learn their behavior, field-marks, songs, and more in this class. Followed by a field session in Central Park to seek out the underappreciated but fascinating sparrows. Limited to 15.

$45 ($40.50 for NYC Audubon members at the Senior/Student level and up)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

The Environment of New York Harbor: A 400-Year Arc of History
By Dr. John Waldman
Thursday, October 22, 6pm The Arsenal Gallery 64th Street and Fifth Avenue

Waldman will examine the enormous environmental changes experienced in New York Harbor, from its pristine condition on Henry Hudson's visit in 1609, through the ravages of the immigrant and industrial eras, to its radically different but nonetheless, ecologically functional state today.

Photo © Don Riepe

Fall Foliage and Raptor Migration at Sterling Forest
Sunday, October 25, 10am -5:30pm

Guides: Don Riepe, John & Mary Yrizarry
Explore this 20,000 acre-preserve near the peak of its fall color. Look for raptors, late fall migrants and late blooming wildflowers. Limited to 12.

$65

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge & Assateague National Seashore, VA
Thursday, November 5 - Sunday, November 8

With American Littoral Society
Guide: Don Riepe
Explore marshes, woods, and beaches of Assateague island and Chincoteague Wildlife refuge. Look for wild ponies, bald eagles, migrating hawks, falcons, waterfowl, shorebirds and lost of wintering snow geese. Includes guided hikes, evening programs, star watch, bus tour and a seafood dinner. Also visit a cypress swap and Bombay Hook Refuge. Limited to 25.

$365 (includes program, 3 nights accomodation, bus tour and Saturday dinners) ($180 single-room supplement)

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Saturday, November 14, 11am - 12:30pm

With City of New York, Department of Parks and Recreation, Urban Rangers
Guide: Urban Park Rangers
Meet at the Alley Pond Park Adventure Center off of Winchester Blvd (not to be confused with the Alley Pond Environmental Center on Northern Blvd). As the weather gets colder, some animals go into hibernation while others tough it out. Learn about the amazing adaptations of wildlife. Limited to 20. Free.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Sunday, November 29, 9:30 - 11:30am

Guides: Gabriel Willow
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center and learn about bird species found in the area and their interconnectedness with the natural world on these captivating yet peaceful walks. Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River flyway provides the perfect habitat for native and migrating birds. Ages 8 and up welcome with an adult. Limited to 25.

$10

Registration not required. Inclement weather cancels; call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8am the day of the session to confirm.

Photo © David Speiser

PHOTOGRAPHY IN FLORIDA
March 17-21 2010

Guide: David Speiser
Explore South West Florida with our photo trip focusing on the Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach Area. We will focus our photography efforts on waders and shorebirds. Since we will be travelling in mid-March we look for migrating Passerines as well. With side trips to shoot Burrowing Owls and the opportunity to walk the boardwalks of Corkscrew as well. We will be spending most of our days in the field, where field camera techniques will be discussed and practiced. We will focus on how to approach birds, proper camera technique, exposure, flash photography and more. In the evenings we will be able to look at our days shooting and try to see what went right and what went wrong. In the afternoons, when available our hotel is on the beach and you can relax in the Gulf, swimming pool or walk the beach and attempt to take some Pelican, shorebird, gull and terns. $1875 members, $2085 non members. (double room occupancy, single room occupancy $300)

To reserve space on the trip or for more information, please contact the NYC Audubon office at 212-691-7483 or email info@nycaudubon.org.

Photo © Tom McDonnell

November 14 - 22

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Travel for a week to the magical land of the Maya in Southern Mexico. See the great ruins of Chichen Itza, Coba, and Tulum. Explore coral reefs and white sand beaches. Hike through the jungle in search of monkeys, jaguars, and other exotic creatures. And of course, see the incredibly diverse birdlife of the region: there are close to 550 species of birds in the Yucatan, of which 14 are endemic and found nowhere else, including wintering familiar Neotropical migrants. The trip includes transportation within Mexico, transfers, hotels, some meals and nautral and cultural explorations. Limited to 9, $2340 per person double occupancy, $500 single supplement.

To register for national and international trips or for more information call 212-691-7483.

Photo © Lloyd Spitalnik

Sunday-Sunday, January 17 - 24, 2010

Guide: Don Riepe
Honduras is a land of unique beauty containing a wealth of pristine habitats, over 500 miles of coastline, Central America's largest wilderness rain forest, and Mayan ruins. Stay at Pico Bonito and other upscale lodges with expert guides. For more info call (718) 318-9344; e-mail: driepe@nyc.rr.com

To register for national and international trips or for more information call 212-691-7483.

Photo © David Speiser

March 20 - 28, 2010

Guide: Gabriel Willow
Escape the cold and follow our migrant species to a tropical getaway! Spend a week at the world-renowned Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge, a 200-acre wildlife sanctuary in Trinidad's rain-forested Northern range, and at the charming Blue Waters Inn in Tobago. Participants will travel with expert local guides to visit several unique natural areas throughout both islands, including spectacular beaches, rain forests, and wetlands. In addition to our wintering local species, see parrots and macaws, dozens of species of hummingbird, toucans, trogons, kingfishers, and other exotic tropical species including some that are rarely seen anywhere else, such as the rare, cave-dwelling Oilbird, which nests near Asa Wright, and the gorgeous Scarlet Ibis. We will also explore charming local villages and discover local coral reefs from a glass-bottomed boat, and possibly even witness nesting sea turtles. Don’t miss this incredible journey to a true tropical paradise. Limited to 15. $2520 for members, $2800 for non-members, $390 single room supplement.

To register for national and international trips or for more information call 212-691-7483.

Photo © David Speiser

April 17 - 24, 2010

Guides: Carol Borneman, Don Riepe
Visit Merritt Island Refuge, Viera Wetlands, Orlando Wetlands, Fort DeSoto Beach and several other great places during peak spring migration. See Endangered Florida scrub jay , Endangered whooping crane, sandhill crane, crested caracara, roseate spoonbill, bald eagle, purple gallinule, swallowtail kite plus alligators, manatees, butterflies and lots more wildlife. Cost: $1,795 includes , airfare, lodging ( double occupancy), breakfast & lunches, guides, park fees, van rental, gas & tolls.

For more information & reservations Call (718) 318-9344; e-mail: driepe@nyc.rr.com

August 17-31; September 1-November 1

Jamaica Bay

Saturdays, August 22 & 29 only. 9am sharp - Leave from the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge visitor's center

Central Park

Mondays & Wednesdays, 7:30am sharp - Leave from the southeast corner of 81st Street and Central Park West
Tuesdays, 9am sharp - Leave from 103rd Street and Central Park West, parkside
Saturdays, 7:30am sharp - Leave from 103rd Street and Central Park West, parkside

Guide: Starr Saphir
Join guide Starr Saphir for regularly-scheduled birdwalks in Central Park and Jamaica Bay.
No registration necessary!
All StarrTrips are non-smoking.
For further information call Starr at 917-306-3808.

$8 ($4 full-time students)

Photos © Keith Ellenbogen

Third Tuesday of each month, 6pm
at the Coffee House, 20 West 44th Street, 6th floor

Host: Cal Vornberger
NYC Audubon Camera Club is an online resource for NYC Audubon members who are interested in wildlife photography. The group also hosts monthly events featuring workshops and speakers.