Jamaica Bay Late Summer Shorebirds & More

Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and search the mudflats and ponds of Jamaica Bay (the NYC locale with the most recorded species of birds) for herons and egrets, Forster's and Common Terns, Clapper Rail, and American Oystercatcher, as well as the many migratory plovers and sandpipers that are headed south from their arctic breeding grounds. Species could include Least, Semipalmated, Western, and White-rumped Sandpipers, plus Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed & Long-billed Dowitchers, Willet (a locally nesting species), and more. Learn the finer points of identifying these challenging species. We might even encounter some uncommon breeding woodland species such as Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher, or White-eyed Vireo.

Bring binoculars if you have them, plus water, snacks, sunscreen, and shoes you don't mind getting muddy. Walking will be about 1-2 miles, over flat but potentially muddy ground and gravel paths. There can be intense sun and many mosquitoes at Jamaica Bay.