All levels of naturalists, including beginners,
are most welcome on Eastern Long Island Audubon field trips.
Most trips are free to attend,
however, sometimes the venue we are visiting has a fee.
We try to make a note of it in the notice.
Eileen Schwinn, Field Trip Chair
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, meet at 8:30 am
A Slow Crawl along Dune Road!
We will start at the Shinnecock Inlet at 8:30 am, we will quickly scan the Inlet, ocean and Shinnecock Bay. With low tide at approximately 10:00 am, we will be observing the mud-flats along the way, hopefully seeing the early south-bound shorebirds, primarily at one or two Trustee Roads and primarily at Tiana Beach, Bayside. For those who do not have Town of Southampton Beach Parking Permits, temporary ones will be distributed, courtesy of the Town Parks and Recreation Department. (These permits must be returned to the Leader at the conclusion of the drive, or upon your departing the Group). Please dress for the weather - which will be warm as the day goes on! We will not be doing much walking, but primarily staying in one place at each stop, which we will reach by driving west along Dune Road from the Inlet to just east of the Quogue-Post Lane Bridge. Clapper Rail, Osprey, American Oystercatcher, Willet, various Terns and shore-line nesting warblers (Yellow as well as Common Yellow-throated are usually heard all along our route) and will be our target birds. Restrooms are available at various locations along the drive. Please contact Leader, Eileen Schwinn at [email protected], to register and to be alerted if there is a change of plans due to weather.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024, meet at 8 am
Walk Around in the Water -
Cupsogue County Park!
Meeting at 8:00 am at the western end of the parking area at Cupsogue CP, we will walk a short distance to the north trail toward Moriches Bay, observing the various migrating shore birds gathering to fuel up for their continued journey south in the shallow water and on the sand flats. Low tide is approximately 10:00 am, giving us plenty of time to walk and mark our way to the best viewing areas near the spoil island in the bay. Arriving before 8:30 insures we will not be charged to park and explore the area. With restrooms available, as well as light snack/food truck-type food available, you may even decide to spend the day at the beach after our walk! Our walk will cover approximately 3 miles, and we will expect some areas of water which will be crossed. Please wear appropriate shoes or plan to walk barefoot! The sand is hot on the way to the shore and back, so some footwear is needed - it can safely be left on the shore as we approach the channel. Weather in August is sometimes a challenge - and the trip will be postponed if there is a threat of lightening in the area. Binoculars are a must - check if your local Library has one of the ELIAS-provided back-packs containing two pair of Binoculars, if you need a pair! A bird scope, if you have one, is very useful. Migrating shore birds can be very skittish, and we see them from a safe, non-disturbing distance. Please register with Leader, Eileen Schwinn at [email protected]. You will be notified if we need to postpone or change any information about the trip.
Saturday, September 7, 2024, time TBA
Suffolk County Farm, Yaphank!
Meet in the parking area of the Farm, we will walk the fields and farmyards, looking for hawks, falcons, and south-bound migrating song birds. Past trips have shown us Pipits, Meadowlarks, and Rusty Blackbirds! There are no guarantees, but it’s a great place with perfect habitat for so many species. The walk is approximately 2.5 to 3 miles, depending on recent bird reports. If there’s time, we will walk under the LIE and visit another piece of public land which may have different birds present. Please register with Eileen Schwinn at [email protected], who will notify you if there is any change in plans or weather-related issues.
