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Stakeholder Profile: New York City Audubon Society

Items of Interest:

The NYC Audubon is focused on ensuring the integrity of breeding sites for migratory birds, with special focus on herons, egrets, and ibis in Jamaica Bay.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s herons and egrets began using New York Harbor’s islands for breeding. With these islands transformed into active breeding colonies, these birds became the focus of many research initiatives. One such initiative is the Harbor Herons Nesting Survey, an annual survey which now spans 20 years. Another initiative is NYC Audubon’s Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program which focuses on identifying wading bird foraging areas. During the breeding season of 2004, data relating to wading birds’ flight activity was collected for the Island of Canarsie Pol in Jamaica Bay.

The Shore Monitoring Program is a citizen-science initiative funded by a generous grant from the NYC Environmental Fund administered by the Hudson River Foundation. The program attempts to identify the foraging grounds of herons and egrets by following the birds’ flight lines from the breeding colonies to the foraging sites. As a first step, the main flight lines are identified by monitoring the colonies from various shore locations. The goal of the Harbor Herons Project is to conserve both the breeding sites and the foraging grounds of these birds in order to ensure their survival.

Activities/Projects:

Principal Investigator

Title

Start Date

Stop Date

Purpose

Paul Kerlinger

New York City Harbor Herons Project

1/1/2001

12/31/2004

To determine the distribution and population levels and stability of herons, egrets, ibis, and cormorants in the NYC/NJ harbor, the year 2004 will mark the 20th consecutive year of study in this long term monitoring project.

To provide information for improving management of the fauna within the Gateway NRA.

Yigal Gelb

New York City Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program

5/15/2004

8/15/2004

To determine the flight lines of herons, egrets, and ibis into and out of the Canarsie Pol colony. Using these flight lines, the Program will identify the main foraging grounds of this colony. It is hoped that knowledge gained through this program will help shape conservation efforts in Jamaica Bay.

Citations:

Gelb, Y. 2004. New York City Audubon Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program, Data and Findings. New York, NY: New York City Audubon, 19pp.

Gelb, Y. 2004. Inter-Colony Differences in Wading Bird Flight Patterns in New York Harbor. New York, NY: New York City Audubon, 24pp.

Kerlinger, P. 2004. New York City Audubon Harbor Herons Project: 2004 Nesting Survey. New York, NY: New York City Audubon, 30pp.

Blanchard, P.P., and Roman, J. 1996. Jamaica Bay coastal habitat restoration. New York City Audubon Society. 44pp. (JABBERT # 71, RIC # 517).

Kerlinger, P. 1996. Birder's guide: New York City. Wildbird 42pp.

Forgione, H. 1995. Jamaica Bay coastal habitat restoration project. Vegetation study report: Dubos Point Wetland Sanctuary and Bayswater Point State Park. Unpublished. Report prepared for the New York City Audubon Society. 8pp and 3 appendices.

Dancis, D. 1987. Jamaica Bay in history. New York City Audubon Society Newsletter. 2pp.

Trust for Public Land and the New York City Audubon Society. 1987. Buffer the Bay: a survey of Jamaica Bay's unprotected open shoreline and uplands. The Trust for Public Land, New York, N.Y. 34pp.

Lent, R.A., Litwin, T.S. and Giffen, N. 1985. Bird-habitat as a guide to ecologically-based management at Floyd Bennett Field, Gateway National Recreation Area. Final report, prepared for the New York City Audubon Society, Seatuck Research program. 54pp. (JABERRT # 135, RIC # 33).

Audubon Christmas bird count. Undated. Audubon Society. ?pp.

Trust For Public Land and the New York City Audubon Society. Undated. Buffer the Bay revisited, an updated report on Jamaica Bay’s open shoreline and uplands. Capital Cities/ABC. 61pp. (JABERRT # 1).

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