The borough is going to the birds, literally.
Upcoming events include ways to watch, feed, and help these feathered friends.
The Great Backyard Bird Count in Flushing Meadows Corona Park goes first on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 9 am.
Organized by the FMCP Stewardship Team and part of the international GBBC, this three-hour excursion asks volunteers to collect data on wild birds to help scientists understand global migration patterns.
People with all levels of experience and knowledge are invited. (Enthusiasm is the most important prerequisite.)
The group will meet at David Dinkins Circle, which is near FCMP’s entrance from the 7 train walkway, whose official name is “the passerelle.”
Next up is the Winter Bird Walk and Film on Jamaica Bay, which is also on Feb. 15, but starts at 10 am.
This is a chance to explore nature with the borough’s greatest outdoorsman, Don Riepe, who is the American Littoral Society’s official Jamaica Bay Guardian. The long-time Broad Channel resident and tireless photographer knows the area like the back of his hand. His resume includes Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Chief Ranger, Co-chair of the Jamaica Bay Task Force, ALS Northeast Chapter Director, and NYC Audubon Advisory Board Member. His articles and photographs have been published in such journals as “Scientific American,” “Parade,” and “The New York Times.”
Admission is $10, and the group meets at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at 175 Cross Bay Blvd. After the walk, Riepe will screen a short film on local flora and fauna produced by Columbia grad students Naeem Amarsy and Natalie Ruiz inside JBWR.
Stay inside on Feb. 20 for Birds & Their Environs: Real and Imagined at the Voelker Orth Museum in Flushing.
To start at 1:30 pm, participants will make winter bird feeders after learning about their diets during this two-hour workshop. The group will also make a bird collage.
Admission is $4 or $10 for a family. Materials will be provided and light refreshments will be served.
Voelker Orth, which dates to 1891, is also a great place to explore. Located at 149-19 38th Ave., the two-and-a-half story Victorian landmark provided shelter to three generations of a German-American family. It also has a Victorian garden, and even though it’s a stone’s throw from one the borough’s most transited roadways, Northern Boulevard, various bird species — everything from more common cardinals and blue jays to exotic hummingbirds and waterthrushes — stop by. Monarch butterflies make frequent stops at the house during their annual migrations, too.
Images: American Littoral Society