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the official blog of NYC audubon

The Haunting Songs of the Wood Thrush

Don Riepe | September 19, 2023:
Thrushes are perhaps the most beautiful songsters of the northeast woods, and the song of the Wood Thrush is memorable and haunting for both birders and poets. Learn more about the Wood Thrush's ethereal, flute-like song, and more about this bird in our latest species profile.  
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Find More Birds: Recipes for Birding Success

Suzanne Charlé | September 19, 2023:
Whether you're a newbie or veteran birder, Heather Wolf's Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are offers a whole world of clues, tips, and tricks. 
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Brooklyn Arcadia: A Lush Book to Inspire Nature and Culture Lovers Alike

Carol Peace Robins | September 19, 2023: 
Brooklyn Arcadia: Art, History, and Nature at Majestic Green-Wood by Andrew Garn is not just a bird book, but a celebration of a National Historic Landmark.
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Next Big Steps for Lights Out Legislation in New York City

Suzanne Charlé | September 19, 2023
In late 2021, NYC Audubon and the Lights Out Coalition celebrated the passage of Lights Out bills Int. 274 and 271, requiring City-owned and -managed buildings to turn off non-essential outdoor lights at night during peak avian migration periods. NYC Audubon and its partners are encouraging the New York City Council to consider expanding the “Lights Out” program to privately owned commercial and industrial buildings, as well as other buildings such as U.S. post offices, labs, and outpatient clinics.
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Horseshoe Crab Monitoring 2023 Season Recap

For nearly 15 years, NYC Audubon has been organizing a special opportunity for community scientists of all ages and backgrounds to come out to the beaches of Jamaica Bay in May and June during 12 nights around the full and new moon. The purpose? To monitor and tag Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs. During these special nights, thousands of horseshoe crabs come ashore along Plumb Beach and Big Egg Marsh in Jamaica Bay to spawn. See highlights from this season in our latest blog post.
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The Christian Cooper Chronicles

Carol Peace Robins | June 1, 2023: 
NYC Audubon Vice President Christian Cooper shares his passion for birds and chronicles his many adventures in the upcoming book Better Living Through Birding and National Geographic show Extraordinary Birder, both set to debut in June 2023. 
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What's in a Name? Dropping “Audubon”

Karen Benfield, NYC Audubon Board President | June 1, 2023: 
NYC Audubon Board President Karen Benfield explains why the organization's board of directors voted in March 2023 to change the organization's name. Hear from Karen about what the organization learned after its eight-month-long assessment of the Audubon name and why a change needed to be made to better serve its mission and work. The article concludes with over a dozen members of the community sharing their feedback about the organization's decision, both in favor and against it. 
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Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Don Riepe | June 1, 2023: 
Barn Swallows are one of New York City’s most ubiquitous summer birds, delighting onlookers with their acrobatic aerial displays. Learn all about these interesting birds in our latest species profile by Don Riepe. 
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Bird's Eye View: Summer 2023

Jessica G. Wilson, Executive Director | June 1, 2023: 
Executive Director Jessica G. Wilson shares her excitement about the future of NYC Audubon in light of the board's recent decision to change the organization's name, and how she has been inspired by the organization's work to center Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in all of its work across conservation, advocacy, engagement. 
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César Andrés Castillo, 1980-2023: A Remembrance

Donna Schulman | March 5, 2023: 
César A. Castillo, a beloved member of the City's birding community and an adjunct professor of biology and senior laboratory technician at Queen College, passed away from an illness on March 1, 2023. César was a passionate naturalist and a valued member of NYC Audubon's board of directors who generously shared his love of nature with others. We are grateful to be able to share this tribute to César, penned by fellow Queens County Bird Club member Donna L. Schulman.
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NYC Audubon to Change Name

Andrew Maas | March 22, 2023: The board of directors of New York City Audubon, a leading urban conservation organization, announced today that it will change its name as part of its continuing commitment to being an inclusive organization that is welcoming to all New Yorkers.
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Turn Off the Lights This Spring and Fall; Save Millions of Lives

Carol Peace Robins | February 27, 2023: 
The bright skyline of New York City may be emblematic of "the city that never sleeps," but the nocturnal glare is dangerous for the millions of migrating birds that travel along the Atlantic Flyway. Learn about this fundamental problem and the ways that NYC Audubon is working towards solutions. 
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PSF FALL 2022

Project Safe Flight Unwrapped: Fall 2022
Katherine Chen | February 27, 2023: 
Results are in from the Fall 2022 Project Safe Flight season, the 26th year of our signature community science research program studying bird collisions in NYC. See key findings from this season, which saw record volunteer participation and coverage of all five boroughs for the first time in the program's history. 
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Expanding NYC Audubon's Reach: Meet Roslyn Rivas

Mary Jane Kaplan | February 27, 2023: 
NYC Audubon is introducing New York City to birds through expanding its programming in all five boroughs, hiring new guides, forming new community partnerships, and making its programs more accessible to a wider audience. Find out how Public Programs Manager Roslyn Rivas is making all that happen! 
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Volunteer Profile: Junko Suzuki, Determined Birder

Phil Roosevelt | February 27, 2023: 
NYC Audubon's passionate volunteer corps has sustained its conservation work for over 40 years. Meet Audubon Christmas Bird Count surveyor Junko Suzuki.
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Marcia Fowle Takes Flight

Lauren Klingsberg | February 27, 2023:
Since Marcia T. Fowle joined NYC Audubon as its first executive director in 1992, she's supported the organization in too many additional ways to count, including roles as president of the board of directors, longtime co-editor of The Urban Audubon, and co-chair of both the advisory council and Fall Roost committee. Learn about Marcia's many contributions to our organization as we wish her and her husband, bird-friendly architect and longtime NYC Audubon supporter Bruce Fowle, a happy move to their new home in Vermont. 
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Birding while Busy

Hillarie O'Toole | February 27, 2023: 
Excited about spring migration, but don't know how you'll find the time? You're not alone. Get tips on how to fit birding into your busy daily life.
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Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

Don Riepe | February 27, 2023: 
The Laughing Gull, the striking "summer gull" of the East Coast known for its infectious guffaw, has had its ups and downs in New York City. Read about the resilience of this gregarious species and its Jamaica Bay nesting colony. 
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Discover the Thriving Bird Community on the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center's Network of Green Roofs: Over 50 Species Found

Dustin Partridge, PhD | February 1, 2023
At the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, our conservation team has been thrilled to document a staggering 51 bird species thriving on its network of green roofs! This impressive feat is even more remarkable when you consider the building's past reputation for being a danger to birds due to its untreated glass. Learn about the two latest species found at the Javits Center, and why we are seeing an ever-increasing number of birds on its rooftop.
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CBC 2022

A Wonderful 123rd Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Katherine Chen | December 23, 2022
Thank you to all who joined NYC Audubon for the 123rd Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count on December 18. It was an extraordinary Sunday, with over 200 community scientists fanning out across Manhattan and Northern New Jersey for bird surveys at 35 different locations—seven within Central Park alone! While we are still sifting through the data from all our counts, we are sharing some initial highlights reported by volunteer counters. 
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Project Safe Flight Points the Way to a Bird-friendly Future

Suzanne Charlé |  November 15, 2022: 
Get the latest updates on Project Safe Flight, NYC Audubon's signature campaign to protect migrating birds in New York City. Learn how we use our research to reduce window collisions. 
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Introducing the Volunteers of Project Safe Flight

Carol Peace Robins |  November 15, 2022: 
Get to know the volunteers of Project Safe Flight, who devote themselves to rescuing injured birds in the City, and in doing so, collect research data crucial to NYC Audubon's advocacy efforts.
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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Tod Winston |  November 15, 2022: 
Get to know the interesting ecology and evolving family tree of the Yellow-rumped Warbler, New York City's only winter-time warbler species. 
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Songs in a City Soundscape: Tips for Birding by Ear

Hillarie O'Toole |  November 15, 2022: 
Learn how to become more connected to the sounds of birds in New York City and explore the ways in which birdsong is impacted by human noise.
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Book Review: Sounds Wild and Broken by David George Haskell

Suzanne Charlé | November 15, 2022:
We review Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction, by David George Haskell.
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