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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Saturday Bird Walks Return!

Posted in Around the Garden, Birding Bite on September 1 2011, by Ann Rafalko

Debbie Becker’s ever-popular Bird Walks return this Saturday with a hunt for those tiny gems of the garden; hummingbirds! The walks begin at 11 a.m., leaving from the Reflecting Pool in front of the Visitor Center. A limited number of binoculars are available for loan at the Visitor Center Information Booth, so if you have a pair, bring them along, and be sure to wear sturdy shoes.

The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer bird-watchers a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. The Garden’s magnificent 250-acres of outdoor gardens and collections, open meadows, native forest, and waterbodies such as the Bronx River and Twin Lakes entice birds migrating through the area in spring and fall and those that stay to nest in summer or to spend the winter.

We talked to some visitors and staff about their favorite birds and why they love birding at the Garden.

Upcoming Bird Walk themes include:

– In Pursuit of Hummingbirds September 10
– Great Hawk Migration September 24
– In Search of the Great Horned Owls November 19
– Annual Bird Count December 10
– Great Backyard Bird Count February 18

Tell us (by leaving a comment): What is your favorite bird? Have you had a great birding experience at the Garden?

Comments

Johnny Kay said:

I wanted to know if there are any Wren’s living in the gardens that we would be able to see on Feb.18th. More specifically a Splendid Wren (blue wren?). I’ve recently fallen in love with the creature. Would be really nice to actually see one.

Ann Rafalko said:

Johnny – Hello! And thank you for your question. Wrens do frequently call the Garden home, but the sighting of a splendid wren (Malurus splendens) native to Australia is highly unlikely.

A more likely sighting might be some of the spectacular warblers (http://bit.ly/lk8hf0) that migrate through this area in fall and spring, but much like the weather, we cannot possibly begin to predict their movements. Your best bet is to stay tuned to the blog, join our free Saturday bird walks, and to follow both the Garden (@nybg) and Debbie Becker (@debbiebecker1) on Twitter.

Happy bird watching!