B : T M oF Wns Sa WNS Science and Management Strategy Conference in Pittsburg, PA, sponsored by Bat Conservation International and other organizations. The process of the disease remains

www.nycaudubon.org 1

Since March 2007, when researchers entered a cave near Albany, NY, and were dismayed to find sick and dying hibernating bats with a foamy white substance around their noses, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has claimed over a million bats.

Scientists continue to be mystified by the unprecedented mass die-offs: in some hibernacula, 90 to 100 percent of the bats are dying, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The most obvious symptom is a white fungus

encircling the noses of some, but not all, of the bats. Though it’s not clear how the fungus causes bats to die, it is clear that the sick bats deplete their fat reserves long before their normal emergence from hibernation; as a result, they starve to death. In all, 23 of the United States’ 45 bat species are susceptible.

The toll has been devastating. Alan Hicks, bat specialist for New York State Department of Environ-mental Conservation, says New York’s largest colony, in an abandoned mine, once stood at 200,000 hibernating bats. “Now 99 percent are dead.” Three species were completely wiped out: the endangered Indiana bat, the northern bat, and the eastern pipistrelle.

The pattern has repeated with grim regularity. This year in Connecticut, the population of one of the state’s largest hibernacula dropped from 3,300 wintering bats to fewer than a dozen; New Jersey’s Hibernia Cave population crashed from 27,000 to 1,753.

WNS has spread to a dozen states and two Canadian provinces. Hicks estimates that bat populations in the Northeast have decreased by 94 to 95 percent.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has earmarked up to $3 million this year to combat WNS and its effects. This past June, several hundred experts participated in

Flying Blind: The MysTery oF Wns Suzanne CharléNYC AUDUBONNEWSLETTER71 West 23rd Street Room 1523New York, NY 10010Tel: 212-691-7483Fax: 212-924-3870www.nycaudubon.org

4 LIGHTS OUT NEW YORK

6-7 EVENTS AND

ADVENTURES

10-11 VOLUNTEER

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

November-December 2010Volume XXXI, No. 6

continued on page four

NYC Audubon cordially

invites our volunteers to

attend John Rowden’s lecture

CSI:NY, NYC Audubon-Style:

Citizen Science Investigations

Wednesday, November 17,

for a special appreciation of

their many contributions to

our organization. The lecture

begins at 6pm, at the

Arsenal on Central Park,

64th Street at 5th Avenue

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Red Bat Found at Jamaica Bay

2 www.nycaudubon.org

NYC AUDUBONMISSION & VISIONMission: NYC Audubon is a grass-roots community that works for the protection of wild birds and habitat in the five boroughs, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers.

Vision: NYC Audubon envisions a day when birds and people in the five boroughs enjoy a healthy, livable habitat.

THE URBAN AUDUBONEditors Lauren Klingsberg & Marcia T. FowleNewsletter Committee Lucienne Bloch, Ned Boyajian, Suzanne Charlé, Leslie Chase, Melissa Husby, Peter Joost, Mary Jane Kaplan, Gloria Kuhn, Abby McBride, Don Riepe, Carol Peace Robins,Tod WinstonPrinting & Mailing Marx Myles, Inc.Design Whitehouse & CompanyPublisher NYC Audubon

THE URBAN AUDUBON is pub-lished six times per year (Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-Jun, Jul-Aug, Sep-Oct, Nov-Dec) by New York City Audubon Society, Inc.

BOARD OF TRUSTEESPresident Oakes AmesVice President Lynn HertzogCorresponding Secretary Marsilia A. BoyleRecording Secretary Peter JoostTreasurer Diane KeatingImmediate Past President Peter Rhoades MottBoard of Directors Richard T. Andrias, Andrew Farnsworth, Marcia T. Fowle, Diana Greene, Catherine Schragis Heller, Noel D. Humphreys, Mary Jane Kaplan, Ari Kavour, Jared Keyes, Robert J. Kimtis, Harrison D. Maas, Pamela Manice, Steve Nanz, Jayne Nozik, Dorothy Peteet, Don Riepe, Dimitri Sevastopoulo, John Shemilt, Peter Shen, David Speiser

ADVISORY COUNCILSarah Grimké Aucoin, Claude Bloch, Drianne Benner, Albert K. Butzel, Rebekah Creshkoff, Andrew Darrell, Joseph H. Ellis, Sandra Fiebelkorn, Richard Gershon, Janice Laneve, Melanie Lyons, E. J. McAdams, Mary Tyler Moore, George J. Mullen, Jr., Alexander Papachristou, Hector P. Prud’homme, Lynn Rollins, Lewis Rosenberg, James R. Sheffield

Executive Director Glenn Phillips

NYC AUDUBON71 West 23rd Street, Rm 1523New York, NY 10010Tel: 212-691-7483Fax: 212-924-3870www.nycaudubon.org

Small Photographs Susan Elbin, Steve Nanz, and Don Riepe

RECYCLED Supporting responsible use of forest resources

I felt almost as if they were my own children, those two osprey chicks whose nest we watched daily this summer. By July, the fledglings’ practice-flapping forced the parents to retreat to the crossbars that supported the nest. By September, both par-

ents had departed, leaving the two young birds to find their way south on their own. Watching this cycle, I am reminded that thirty years ago, when NYC Audubon

was founded, osprey were still suffering from the devastating effects of DDT. I am grateful to my predecessors, whose conservation efforts have made it possible for us to witness these magnificent creatures.

NYC Audubon has had many successes over the last three decades. Peregrine fal-con nest abundantly in New York City. The heron nesting colonies in the harbor are now protected. Lights Out New York makes the city skyline safer for migrating birds (see page 3). Projects inimical to the City’s natural heritage, such as the Westway Highway, have been halted, and projects that enhance our environment, like the Staten Island Greenbelt, have been realized.

We have much more work to do. Forest and grassland birds continue to decline, and evidence points to the challenges of migration as a key factor. While NYC Audu-

bon has recruited scores of new buildings to Lights Out New York, the city’s millions of windows remain a collision hazard and the solution requires years of monitoring, scientific discovery and advocacy.

The waters of New York harbor are cleaner than they’ve been in a hundred years, yet persistent organ-ic toxins remain, sewage overflows are still a regular occurrence, and excess nitrogen from billions of gal-lons of sewage continue to flow into delicate ecosys-tems. Vigilance is required to ensure that the city, state, and federal governments follow through with their plans to reduce these threats, and further study, depending on hundreds of volunteers, is needed to document the value of these plans to wildlife.

I have seen what your support has accomplished over the last three decades, which inspires me to

meet our upcoming challenges. In this issue of The Urban Audubon, you’ll find a report on activities from last year and an envelope to support our annual appeal. Your end-of-the-year donations account for 20% of our budget. Please give generously to support the only organization fighting for the natural areas and the wild birds of the city: NYC Audubon. Your continued support will help to ensure that these first-year ospreys will make a return journey.

NYC Audubon wishes to thank Ben Whitehouse and Whitehouse & Company for donating the design of the special 30th Anniversary edition of our logo. The version in this issue of The Urban Audubon

features photographs by Don Riepe. Look for other logo versions featuring different photographers in future publications and at www.nycaudubon.org.

Osprey Fledglings

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PresidenT’s Perch Oakes Ames


Conservation notes Leslie Chase

Travelers have long been warned of the dangers they face when visiting New York and other big cities. But how can we warn the migrating birds of the dangers and pos-

sible death they face in our city? Whether it is the light disrupt-ing their navigational skills or the windows that reflect the sky and trees, building and glass are deadly for birds.

Since there is no way to warn migrating birds of the danger they face, we must do what we can to help make their journey a safe one. Programs like NYC Audubon’s Lights Out New York and Project Safe Flight are ways in which we can start to help.

This year Lights Out New York was a huge success with over 40 new buildings joining us and many partnerships forged or re-newed. The press was supportive all over the world. It is our hope that cities without their own Lights Out program will see what we have accomplished in New York City and join us in this en-deavor. All in all, it was a very rewarding experience to work with building managers and owners; their interest and cooperation was inspirational. Not only were our feathered travelers given a safer path, but the strong network of participants enabled us to share ideas and to affect change.

NYC Audubon’s success is measured by the darkened sky-line. Please ask your building to join us in April for spring migra-tion. Have an impact…prevent an impact! For information on our programs, please visit www.nycaudubon.org.

NYC Audubon would like to thank the Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Building Owners and Managers Association of New York, the Real Estate Board of New York, Con Edison, and the Urban Green Council for their support of Lights Out New York.

©Lynne C

assouto/Charles Sands/Leslie C

hase

The Chrysler BuildingRockefeller Center601 Lexington Avenue (formerly known as Citigroup Center)Time Warner CenterCon Edison Clocktower787 Seventh Avenue731 Lexington AvenueForest City Ratner Companies and the New York TimesSilverstein Properties: 529 Fifth Avenue 570 Seventh Avenue 575 Lexington Avenue 1177 Avenue of the Americas 7 World Trade Center 120 Broadway 120 Wall Street River Place I (residential) Silver Towers (residential)Durst Properties: One Bryant Park Four Times Square

675 Third Avenue 655 Third Avenue 733 Third Avenue 205 East 42nd Street 114 West 47th Street 1133 Avenue of the Americas 1155 Avenue of the AmericasBrookfield Office Properties: World Financial Center Rockefeller Center West Masonic Hall 71 West 23rd (home to NYC

Audubon) 225 Varick Street 850 Third AvenueJP Morgan Chase properties: Four buildings in midtown Manhattan, including corporate headquarters One building in downtown Manhattan Two buildings in Brooklyn

SOME OF THE PARTICIPATING BUILDINGS

Lights out new York


a WNS Science and Management Strategy Conference in Pittsburg, PA, sponsored by Bat Conservation International and other organizations. The process of the disease remains a mystery: in recent months, the fungus has been discovered in bats in Tennessee, Missouri and Oklahoma, but the die-offs were not as severe as

in the Northeast. “This is a case where every question you answer leads to more questions,” said Cal DuBrock, director of Pennsylvania Game Commission’s bureau of wildlife management.

Amey Marrella, Connecticut Depart- ment of Environmental Protection commissioner, worries that the massive die-off “is likely to have serious impacts on agriculture, forestry and other sectors of

our economy.” Paul Keim, known as the Batman of Brooklyn, is even more direct: “Bats are a keystone species. They pollinate 80 percent of the rainforest. If we lose them, insects will take over the earth.”

Paul Keim will be leading bat walks in New York City for NYC Audubon in summer 2011. Keim also leads tours for Prospect Park Alliance and the Bronx River Alliance.

Flying Blind…continued from page one

The 111th Christmas Bird Count will run from December 14, 2010 through January 5, 2011. Join in the fun and learn about birds in your neighborhood! Contact one of the compilers below to get schedule details.

For additional information about how to join a NYC Audubon group for this year’s count, call NYC Audubon at 212-691-7483. Results from past Christmas Bird Counts are available at http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.

BRONx-WESTCHESTER

Compiler: Mike Bochnik, Yonkers Audubon, [email protected], December 26, 2010

BROOKLYN

Compiler: Rick Cech, Brooklyn Bird Club, [email protected], Dec. 18, 2010

MANHATTAN Compiler: Susan Elbin, NYC Audubon, 212-691-7483 or [email protected], Dec. 19, 2010

QUEENS Compiler: Ian Resnick, Queens County Bird Club, [email protected] Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010

STATEN ISLAND Compiler: Ed Johnson, Staten Island Museum, 718-727-1135, ext. 110 or email [email protected], Dec. 18, 2010

the 111th Christmas Bird Count

2009 Christmas Bird Counters in Central Park

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reg Miller


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Urban parks, oases of green in a concrete desert, are often the only stopover habitats available to birds migrating through expansive metropolitan areas. Remarkable numbers of migrants touch down within cities and nowhere is this phenomenon more visible than in New York

City. Each spring and autumn, scores of birders descend upon the city’s parks to take advantage of the opportunity to see so many birds concentrated in such small spaces.

Although we all know how spectacular city parks can be for birding, it is less certain how good they are for birds. The high abundance of migrants typically occurring in urban parks cannot be as-sumed to indicate good stopover habitat because birds may be forced to use poor quality sites when habitat availability is so limited. The presence of so many species and so many individuals in the city’s

parks may simply reflect the fact that the birds have nowhere else to go.

In 2003, the Wildlife Conservation Society launched a research program to assess the qual-ity of New York City’s parks as stopover sites for birds. Most recently, with contributions from NYC Audubon, we radio-tracked 55 ovenbirds throughout Brooklyn’s magnificent Prospect Park to learn how long stopovers lasted, how much space birds used, and whether their movements indicated that the park provides suitable stopover habitat.

Studies in non-urban stopover sites have often found that upon arrival, migrants explore their new surroundings widely to obtain information about predation, competition, and resource distri-bution. Their movements become more clustered on subsequent days after suitable microhabitat has been encountered. Until now it has been en-tirely unknown whether migrants act in a similar fashion within cities. If habitat quality is low and levels of disturbance are high, birds may continu-ously move throughout the site without ever set-

tling, and then leave when the time and energy spent at the site outweigh the benefits. Our cadre of radio-tagged ovenbirds was entrusted to tell us how birds fare and how much time they wish to spend in one of the nation’s most urban places.

The birds spent an average of three days in the park during both spring and autumn. Sure enough, birds that stayed multiple days moved widely throughout the park on their first day and then settled on a small area in which to hang out for the rest of their stopover—just like their counterparts in more ru-ral settings. This suggests the birds were able to search for, locate, and occupy suitable habitat patches. ovenbirds covered an average of seven acres during their stopovers, which is only a small fraction of the 250 acres of forest Prospect Park has to offer. Forest size in this park appears to be more than sufficient to meet the area requirements of ovenbirds. The results of this study, recently published in the scientific journal Acta Oecologica, add to a growing body of encouraging evidence that urban parks in New York City and other cities can provide valuable stopover habitat for migratory songbirds.

If you would like to learn more about our other studies of migratory birds in New York City, please contact me at [email protected].

shouLd i staY or shouLd i go? Chad Seewagen

Ovenbird Spotted in Prospect Park


EvEnts and advEnturEs

• ASSATEAGUE NATIONAL SEASHORE AND CHINCOTEAGUE REFUGE WEEKENDThursday, November 4–Sunday, November 7Guide: Don RiepeWith American Littoral SocietyExplore marshes, woods, and beaches of Assateague island and Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge. See wild ponies, bald eagles, migrating hawks, falcons, waterfowl, shorebirds and lots of wintering snow geese. Mammals include river otter and the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel. On the way home we will visit a cypress swamp and the Bombay Hook Refuge. Includes three nights of double-occupancy lodging, five guided hikes, two evening programs, star watch, safari bus tour and seafood dinner. For more information, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]. Limited to 25. $375 ($180 single room supplement)

• VAN CORTLANDT BIRD CLUBSaturdays, November 6-November 27, 8amGuide: Andrew Baksh or Urban Park Rangers (who guide first Saturday of the month)With Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Urban Park RangersMeet at Van Cortlandt Nature Center. The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson and Allan D. Cruickshank got

their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds. These walks celebrate the tradition set forth by these great ornithologists. Participants will look for various species of migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

• BEGINNING BIRDING Mondays, November 8 and 15, 6:30-8:30pm (classes); Saturdays, November 13 and 20 (trips)Instructor: Starr SaphirEven if you’ve never picked up a pair of binoculars, you’ll soon be identifying thrushes, warblers, and more. This class will include field trips to Central Park and Jamaica Bay, two of New York City’s best birding destinations.

Limited to 13. $40 for package of 2 classes and 2 field trips.

• NATURE IN THE GARDEN DISCOVERY WALKSSundays, November 14 and 28, 9:30-11:30amGuide: Gabriel WillowWith Wave HillExplore Wave Hill’s woodlands and gardens and discover the world of insects, flowers, trees, birds and their fascinating habitats on these naturalist-led walks, offered jointly by Wave Hill and NYC Audubon. Ideal for ages 5 and up and their curious adult companions. Rain or shine, so dress for the weather! Space is limited; advanced registration recommended, online, at the Perkins Visitor Center when you next visit or by calling 718.549.3200 x305. Fee: Free for Wave Hill Members/

Non-members $5. Free for NYC Audubon Members with 2-for-1 admission to the grounds.

• SNOW GEESE AND TUNDRA SWANS OF BRIGANTINE, NJSunday, November 14, 9:30am-4:30pmGuide: Joe GiuntaBrigantine, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is one of the east coast’s premier sites for waterbirds, offering a diversity of species and panoramic views. Transportation included. Limited to 12. Bring lunch, water, and binoculars. $85

• WINTER WATERFOWL WORKSHOPSaturday, November 20, 10am-1pm Guide: Don RiepeWith Gateway National Recreation Area

• NYC Audubon Events• Partnership Events

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Snowy Owl at Assateague National Seashore


• TO REGISTER FOR ALL NYC AUDUBON EVENTS and for more information, visit www.nycaudubon.org or call 212-691-7483 unless otherwise specified.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Classes meet at 71 West 23rd St. room 1523.

• Members at the Student/Senior level and up receive a 10% discount on most local trips and classes. See membership form on page 11.

• For all bus and van trips, the meeting location is in front of 71 West 23rd St. in Manhattan unless otherwise specified.

• We depart promptly at the stated start time.

• For all overnight trips membership in NYC Audubon at the Student/Senior level and up is required. See membership form on page 11.

Meet at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a slide ID program, and walk to look for wintering waterfowl. Learn about their behavior and biology, and how to identify them in the field. To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]. Limited to 25. Free.

• WINTER WILDLIFE WORKSHOPSunday, December 12, 10am-noonGuide: Don RiepeWith Gateway National Recreation AreaMeet at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for an easy hike around the West Pond, gardens and upland woods. Learn how plants and animals adapt to winter, and look for waterfowl, owls and wintering birds. To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]. Limited to 25. Free.

• NEW YEAR’S DAY BEACHWALKSaturday, January 1, 2011, 11am-1pmGuides: Mickey Cohen, Don RiepeWith the American Littoral SocietyMeet at Building #1 in Fort Tilden, Breezy Point, Queens. Start out the New Year with a brisk hike on the beach. Visit the dunes, woods, and hawk watch platform. Afterwards, enjoy cookies, cake, coffee, tea and champagne. To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]. No limit. Free.

• MONTAUK WINTER WEEKEND, LONG ISLAND, NYFriday, January 7–Sunday, January 9Guides: Mickey Cohen, Don RiepeWith American Littoral SocietyVisit Montauk during peak winter birding season and stay at the luxurious Manor House. See many sea ducks, loons, and seals. Includes double-occupancy lodging, 5 meals, 5 guided hikes, 2 evening programs, a star watch, plusfree pickup at LIRR station. To register, contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]. Limited to 60. $375($130 single supplement; no member discount)

• ECUADOR: BIRDING THE ANDES FROM NORTH- WESTERN TO EASTERN SLOPESEco-Adventure TourJanuary 15-25, 2011Guides: Don Riepe, William PerezHome to more than 1,600 species of birds, Ecuador is a birding paradise. Explore celebrated neotropical reserves on the slopes of the Andes and in the Ecuadoran highlands with NYC Audubon expert Don Riepe and skilled local guide William Perez. The spectacular array of likely sightings includes hummingbirds, parrots, trogans, toucans, and other hard-to-find species. Lodging in cloud forest sites including Maquipucuna Lodge and Sachatamia Lodge. Cost: TBA. For more information contact Don Riepe at 718-318-9344 or [email protected]

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Snow Geese


voluntEEr!

OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

Working in our busy and friendly office, you will know you are making a difference for the city’s wildlife. Help answer inqui-ries about wildlife, our field trips, classes, events, and conservation work. We also need help mailing letters, doing research, entering data, photocopying, and filing. Word-processing skills and knowledge of birds is helpful, but not required. This is also a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a small nonprofit. Volunteer shifts are available for morning and after-noon hours, five days a week. Contact Tod

Winston at 212-691-7483 or email [email protected].

PROJECT SAFE FLIGHT

Thousands of songbirds migrate through New York City and an estimated 90,000 birds die annually because of collisions with buildings. We need individuals to monitor buildings throughout the city for bird col-lisions during spring and fall migrations. You will rescue birds that are stunned and injured, and collect data on birds that have died. Contact Leslie Chase at [email protected] to volunteer for this project.

BIRD TRANSPORTERS

We often receive phone calls from con-cerned citizens who have found injured birds, yet they are unable to transport them to medical facilities. We need caring and compassionate volunteers to transport injured birds to licensed wildlife rehabili-tators and veterinarians where they can receive proper medical attention. Contact Leslie Chase at [email protected] to volunteer for this project.

THE ARSENALCENTRAL PARK64TH STREET AT 5TH AVENUE

CSI: NY, NYC AUDUBON-STYLE: CITIzEN SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONSBy John RowdenWednesday, November 17, 6pm Wildlife mysteries abound in New York City, and NYC Audu-bon relies on a top-notch team of Citizen Scientists to inves-tigate those mysteries. Migration presents a particularly dif-ficult array of questions. Join John Rowden, NYC Audubon’s manager of citizen science, in exploring those questions, and learn about some of the answers we uncovered with the help of our CSI: NY volunteers.

ARCTIC ADVENTURES OF THE SNOWY OWLBy Denver Holt, Founder and President of The Owl Research InstituteWednesday, December 15, 6pmThe Owl Research Institute has been studying Snowy Owls in Barrow Alaska since 1992. Researchers have learned a great deal about this majestic species, from feeding and breeding ecology to important information about its seasonal and irruptive movements.

SAVE THE DATES:

THE DOUBLE LIVES OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTSBy Susan ElbinWednesday, February 9, 2011, 6pm

THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF BIRDINGBy Richard CrossleyWednesday, April 13, 2011, 6pm

INVESTIGATING THE PRIVATE LIVES OF BIRDSBy Bridget StutchburyWednesday, May 11, 2011, 6pm

ANNUAL MEETING AND LECTURE: MIGRANT SONGBIRDS IN NEW YORK’S LAKE ONTARIO BASINBy Mike BurgerWednesday, June 8, 2011, 6pm

All lectures are free and open to the public. This series has been made possible by the support of the Corcoran Group and Dr. Claude Bloch

2010-2011 Lecture Series


Named for its distinctive two-note whistle ( bob-white), this cheery, little

gallinaceous bird is the only quail species found in the northeast. Once abundant in its range across 38 states, bobwhite populations have declined by over 65 percent during the last 20 years according to a website (www.quailforever.com). The principal cause is usually habitat change. Bobwhite need open quality grassland and edge thickets to survive. As more farmlands, weedy edges and fields succeed into forested areas or become developed into malls and housing sub-divisions, quail populations, inevitably decline. Harsh northern winters also diminish quail populations, and predation by feral cats, raccoons, opossum, and hawks can be major destructive factors in mortality, especially as escape cover disappears and urbanization helps elevate these predator populations. Hunting pressure further depresses populations and in late fall can disrupt covey formation, leading to mortality of young birds. According to Jim Ash, the Director of the South Fork Nature Museum and a well-respected naturalist, the bobwhite has drastically declined on much of Long Island and they struggle to find one on annual Christmas bird counts in his area.

In the 1970’s and 80’s, the bobwhite could be seen in good numbers at the Jamaica Bay Refuge. It was always exciting to hear their whistle call and see them run across the trails like little footballs with legs. By 1990, they had virtually disappeared at the Refuge, probably due to the growing number of raccoons and feral cats in the area. In order to help grassland birds such as quail, pheasant, meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow and upland sandpiper, NYC Audubon partnered with the National Park Service in

creating a 100+ acre grassland at Floyd Bennett Field in the mid-1980’s.

Despite this unique effort, bobwhite, as well as other grassland birds continued

their downward trend and are no longer present on Floyd Bennett Field with the exception of some

wintering meadowlarks. Unless conservation groups and state wildlife agencies fight to protect quality grasslands and give some incentive for landowners to maintain wildflower/weedy edge areas, the bobwhite quail will continue its decline as a breeding species in the greater New York City area.

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norThern BoBWhiTe Quail Don Riepe


Volunteer Acknowledgments

Ambiorix Acevedo TGNancy Acevedo TGAndy Ackerman HHAyah Ahamed TGCarl Albright TGSahelle Alfred TGTiffany Almonte TGBarbara Alpert EO/PSFElizabeth Alvarez TGAmé Alvarez TGJacklyn Ambrecht TGIvelise Andiro TGEddie Andujar TGMariellé Anzelone UAAnibal Aracil HHArden Astin NAIJarad Austin NAIKathryn Baecht EOAndrew Baksh NAIMalik Bandadgo TGNaya Barihana TGJonathan Barrahona TGChance Barreh TGCatherine Barron HHSue Beck HHJennifer Beirne HHChanda Bennett NAIJane Bernstein OADhrity Bhowmik TGLucienne Bloch UAJean Bourque NAIRon Bourque NAINed Boyajian UACrystal Bradley NAIGrezzel Brewer TGJoyce Brewster TGClaudia Brumbaugh HHbuildOn Kids 20 TGJoanna Burger CON/HHJohn Burke HHCarol A. Butler TGMichelle Cabral TGAlice Cai TGEllie Castillo TGSuzanne Charlé UALeslie Chase PSF/TGLeonor Chavez EO/HHJudy Chen HHDorcas Cheng EO/HH/TGJennifer Chiappetta TG

Marco Chiappetta TGAlan Chilcott NAIMichael Christopher NAINoelia Cilli NAIToni Cindrich OACharlie Clarkson HHHerbert Coles TGYvonne Collery NAIChristina Colon NAIJames Cox NAIElizabeth Craig CON/UAAbby Cramer CON/TGRebekah Creshkoff PSFSara Crosby PSFSarah Darleus TGDiane Darrow PSFKatie Davis NAIYoryi De La Rosa HHBeth DeCelles HHChris DeSantis TGBey Devletian HHJosh Diamond NAIDemi Diaz TGMaggie Doutre NAIJames Duarte TGRachel Elbin CONGreg Elbin TGSuzie Elliott UATarlan Ellis PSFDonna Evans HH/NAI/PSFLloyd Fales UAAndrew Farnsworth UANantelis Figueroa TGCorey Finger UAPeter Flint PSFMarcia Fowle UADavon Francis TGAnn Fridlind HHJeff Friedrich NAIDennis Galcik NAISammi Gay TGSarah Geline PSFAshley George TGChelsea Gibson TGJean Gilfillan PSFWendy Giman EODoug Gochfeld NAIDario Goldfarb NAIJack Goldwasser TGAbel Gomez TG

Bianca Gonzalez TGHeather Gordon PSFJessica Green PSF/TGDori Griffiths NAIHelen Gross EOSheldon Gross EOColin Grubel HHRomulo Guroz TGMonica Guzman TGWill Hall PSFKathy Han TGMatt Hannah NAIWendy Harnson TGWendi Harrison HH/OADaryl Hartshorne PSFPatrick Harty PSFMark Hauber HHTom Helleberg UASandi Hemmerlein HHKiera Hepford HHPaul Herther TGLynne Hertzog NAIMary Holden TGBobby Horvath CON/PSFSusan Houston PSFMelissa Husby UAChinasa Ibeh TGEunice Im TGTanya Ingram NAIPeter Joost UAMary Jane Kaplan UAChristine Karatnysky PSFParidee Kasitchiranant TGDonald Kass OA/NAI/TGPaul Keim EOLena Kelly HH/NAI Anthea Kirby TGLauren Klingsberg UAKirsten Klipp CON/OAJeff Kollbrunner CON/HHSandra Koponen UAJason Koutoudis CONGloria Kuhn UAJoe Kulhanek HHHenry Lam TGJared Lamenzo NAIKenny Lao PSFDawn Lavigne NAIAnn Lazarus PSFWilliam Lennoz TG

Andrew Leong TGWilliam Leung TGLinda Levine TGJessica Li TGYiru Li TGHong Lian TGJacqueline Liang TGLinda Liang TGKevin Lin TGEmily Loffredo HH/TGCecily Lopez TGDarrielle Lopez TGEliana Lopez TGOscar Lopez TGCecily Lopez TGJean Loscalzo NAIAmy Lu TGSusan Ludmer-Gliebe UALindsey Ludwig NAIKimberly Lugo TGShonda Luke TGRon McCullough EOEllen McKnight PSFMaria Maderra TGJennifer Magee CON/PSFDarin Magras TGColleen Mahoney TGElizabeth Maker TGDaniela Mariot TGLouie Marquez PSF/TGDaisy Martinez NAIMaya Martinez TGE.J. McAdams UAAbby McBride UAAna McCoy TGLori McFadden PSFAlex McKown PSFJennifer Mejia TGLuis Melo TGKathleen Mendes TGEric Miller NAIAmy Mills TGAriel Miranda TGLinda Mohammed TGJim Moran TGPeter Rhoades Mott UALydia Mrvica TGMax Mueller TGSahar Muradi TGJim Muran TGSara Murray PSFAlexis Mychajlia OASteve Nanz UAJudy Natkins OAJennifer Neumann NAI/PSFEllen Newhouse NAINate Newhouse NAI

Sam Newhouse NAISally Newman PSFSanjot Singh Nijjar TGNadiya Nottingham HHAngie Nunez TGDonald Nus TGChang Ok TGBrandon Olivero TGJoseph Olivero TGAdam Osborn HHJoseph O’Sullivan HHAdriana Palmer HH/OA/TG/

NAI/PSFIlona Parkansky NAINanyelis Paulino TGIsabelle Pequignot NAISteve Pequignot NAIMillicen Perez TGKenny Perrero TGDorsha Person TGRosemary Peters TGJoel Pollick NAIGregory Poterewicz NAIJeanne Quarto TGKellie Quinones EOEstefani Quiroz TGKomolo Quiroz TGRomuto Quiroz TGMarilyn Reed NAIEsther Regelson PSFFelicia Richards TGDon Riepe HH/UACarol Robins NAIDave Robins NAICarol Peace Robins UAJermaine Rodney TGFalone Rodriguez TGShari Romar EORaymond Rosa TGNajip Rosario TGChristina Rubin CON/EOGonzalo Rumirez TGKate Ruskin CONCharles Sands TGAmbar Santana TGCrystal Santana TGJennine Sawwan TGAlisa Schmukler TGMeriah Schultz PSFBrianna Seara TGChad Seewagen UAAnn Seligman CON/EO/NAILenore Shaw OAJames Sheffield UAValencia Sheton TGNancy Simmons TGDonna Simmons TGSukhmani Singh TG

New York City Audubon’s conservation and education work would not be possible without the help of hundreds of volunteers donat-ing thousands of hours each year. If you volunteered from January

to September 2010 and your name is not on this list, please let us know! We strive to keep accurate records for our funders and want to make sure you re-ceive the recognition you deserve.


Partnership Acknowledgments

Conservation is not possible without working partnerships. NYC Audubon collaborates with gov-ernment agencies and other nonprofit and community organizations to reach broader audiences and achieve conservation goals. Recent partnerships have included the following organizations:

Adam Snetman PSFLiz Sorg HHDavid Speiser UAStayc St. Onge NAI/EOJeanette Sternberg NAIGretchen Stoddard NAINadine Straka NAIVivian Sukenik OALisa Synoradski NAIAlbert Tejada TGLydia Thomas HHKelsey Thomas OAKaren Thompson PSF Emilio Tobon HHLainga Tong PSFAda Torres TGDenise Trezza PSF Nicholas Truesdale CONKristy Truong TGAndrew Turk HHGretchen Van Matre EOJohn Vazzano NAIPJ Vazzano NAISusan Vente NAIPiper Wallingford CON/PSFSteve Walter NAIDeborah Waxenberg TGNina Webb CONRobin Weiss NAIAdam Welz PSF Dorothy Werkmeister NAIJessica White PSFYvonne Wilburne TGBonnie Williams OAShanyse Williams TGDan Wilner UAMarie Winn EO Tod Winston CON/HH/NAI/

PSF/UAKing Wong TGCrystalYakacki NAIYa Yi TGDarren Zap HHLeigh Zarem NAISean Zhang TGJoan Zofnass PSF

NYC Audubon Program LegendCON=Conservation EO=Education and OutreachHH=Harbor HeronsNAI=Natural Areas Initiative–

includes I.W.A.S.H and Cunningham Park Breeding

Bird CensusOA=Office AdministrationPSF=Project Safe FlightTG=Together Green Volunteer DaysUA=The Urban Audubon

American Bird ConservancyAmerican Birding AssociationAmerican Littoral SocietyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryAmerican Sign Language, Inc. Audubon New YorkBaruch CollegeBronx Academy of PromiseBronx River AllianceBryant Park CorporationCentral Park ConservancyColumbia UniversityCornell Cooperative ExtensionCUNY Queens CollegeFieldston SchoolFordham UniversityGreen-Wood CemeteryHarbor Estuary ProgramJamaica Bay EcowatchersKingsborough Community CollegeLong Island City Community BoathouseMetropolitan Waterfront AllianceNational Audubon Society

National Park Service, Gateway National Recreation AreaNew Jersey Audubon SocietyNew Jersey Meadowlands CommissionNew York AquariumNew York Botanical GardenNew York City Department of CorrectionsNew York City Department of Environmental ProtectionNew York City Department of Parks

and RecreationNew York City Department of Parks

and Recreation, Central Park Arsenal

New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Urban Park Rangers

New York Police Department Harbor Unit

New York State Department of Environmental ConservationNew York University Wallerstein

Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education

New York Water TaxiNew-York Historical SocietyOur Lady of Miracles School, BrooklynOur Lady of Trust School, BrooklynPoetry Society of AmericaProspect Park AllianceProspect Park Audubon CenterQueensborough Community CollegeRockaway Waterfront AllianceRocking the BoatSebago Canoe ClubStaten Island Greenbelt ConservancyTeatown Lake ReservationTHE POINT Community Development CorporationThe WildLabToyotaTransportation AlternativesUSDA/Aphis, Wildlife ServicesVan Cortlandt Park ConservancyWave HillWild Bird FundWildlife Conservation Society

[ ] Supporting $100 [ ] Family $50 [ ] Individual $25 [ ] Student/Senior (65+) $15 [ ] Subscription $10 [ ] New [ ] Renewal

JOIN NYC AUDUBONMembers are essential to our education and conservation work. Help protect birds and habitats in the five boroughs by joining our flock. As a DIRECT Member of NYC Audubon you will:• Receive six issues of The Urban Audubon• Enjoy discounts on field trips and classes• Make a difference in your city’s wildlife and natural areas.

Mail this form with your payment to: NYC Audubon 71 West 23rd Street Room 1523, New York, NY 10010

DIRECT Membership in NYC Audubon does not include National Audubon membership or Audubon Magazine. Donations to NYC Audu-bon are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. NYC Audubon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

GIVE A GIFT OF DIRECT MEMBERSHIPShow that you care by giving a gift that makes a difference.

Help protect wild birds and habitat in New York City with a gift membership to NYC Audubon.

Giver ________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________ Email: _________________________________

Recipient:_____________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________

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Phone: _______________________ Email: _________________________________

[ ] Enclosed is my check payable to NYC Audubon[ ] Charge my credit card: [ ] VISA [ ] MC [ ] AMEX

CARD #: __________________________________Exp. Date: ____________


New York City Audubon

71 West 23rd Street

Room 1523

New York, NY 10010

DATED MATERIAL:November-December 2010 Newsletter

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Permit No. 02743New York, NY

Holiday Gift idEas

“I BIrd NY” T-ShIrTS Do you bird NY? We do! These shirts are popular both with local birdwatchers and with out-of-town visitors. Printed on light blue organic cotton, we have adult sizes ($20) and children’s sizes ($15) in stock.

CommoN TerN PIN Home to the largest tern colony in the Western Hemisphere,

Great Gull Island provides nesting habitat for endangered roseate tern and common tern, threatened in New York State. This sterling silver pin ($50) was designed by sculptor Richard Malenky. A portion of the proceeds supports research and conservation at Great Gull Island.

IITTaLa GLaSS BIrdS Internationally renowned artist Oiva Toikka’s collection of handmade glass birds, distributed by Finnish design company Iittala, features a red cardinal ($285). Commonly seen around New York City throughout the winter, the northern cardinal is a beautiful symbol of the holiday season.

GIve The GIfT of memBerShIPShow your friends and family you care with a gift that makes a

difference. Help protect wild birds and habitat in New York City with a gift membership to NYC Audubon. Gift memberships are available at any level and include all regular membership benefits plus a set of eight holiday cards.

Visit www.nycaudubon.org or call the office at 212-691-7483 to order any of these gifts.

Happy Holidays!

Documents

B : T M oF Wns Sa WNS Science and Management Strategy Conference in Pittsburg, PA, sponsored by Bat Conservation International and other organizations. The process of the disease remains