#NewsFlash | Jamaica Bay’s Shorebird Festival Is Aug. 14
Queens is for the birds!
Spread out over roughly 9,155 acres with estuaries, sand dunes, and woodlands, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is NYC’s best bird-watching spot, and in August, it’s full of sandpipers, godwits, and yellowlegs.
In other words, it’s the ideal place and time for the 16th annual Shorebird Festival on Saturday, Aug. 14, starting at 11:30 am. Attendance is free with a $15 suggested donation.
Birdwatching, 11:30 am to 3 pm
Guides facilitate shorebird spotting at the south end of Jamaica Bay’s East Pond. If possible, a separate group might hike to the north end at 11:30 am.
West Pond Living Shoreline Tour, 1 pm to 2 pm
Explore the restored shoreline where more than eight acres of habitat are being created. Walk the construction zone and learn about community efforts to save the resource.
Swarovski Optik Booth, 11 am to 3 pm
Test out the latest from this world-renowned manufacturer of binoculars, spotting scopes, and other optic equipment.
Tabling and Activities with Program Partners, 11 am to 3 pm
Family Bird Walks, 11 am to noon & 1 pm to 2 pm
These family-friendly tours follow the paths around the visitor center for an easy birding experience. Tours leave from the front of the visitor center.
There’s also a children’s schedule.
Ranger’s Choice Jr. Guided Walk, 10 am to 11 am
A Park Ranger leads a walk through Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with help from Junior Ranger Activity Books. All ages welcome (ages 5-11 encouraged).
Junior Ranger Group Swear-In Ceremony, 11 am
Those who present completed activity books earn a badge and become official Junior Rangers of Gateway National Recreation Area. All ages welcome (ages 5-11 encouraged).
Bird Olympics, noon
Compete for take-home medals while learning about ways birds overcome obstacles. (All ages welcome, ages 5-11 encouraged).
Make-Your-Own Puppet (Show), 2 pm
Rangers and children create puppets using craft supplies. Then, they help them come alive. (All ages welcome, ages 5-11 encouraged).
Over the past 25 years, aficionados have seen at least 330 species – almost half the total species in the Northeast – at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, whose address is 175-10 Cross Bay Blvd. in Broad Channel.
Editor’s note: The Shorebird Festival is organized by the American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and New York City Audubon.
Images: NYC Audubon
