Join NYC Bird Alliance bird guide Annie Barry to go birding in one of New York’s most special and unique green spaces. We'll be joined by Governors Island Nature, who fosters engagement with the Island’s 120 acres of open spaces and pro­motes hor­ti­cul­ture prac­tices that sup­port bio­di­ver­si­ty. Governors Island is host to a wide array of avian visitors throughout the year, including raptors, woodpeckers, warblers, and other songbirds. Though substantially transformed over the past few centuries, the island’s placement in the middle of the upper harbor continues to make it a natural stopover spot for migrating birds. 

Registration required. NYC Bird Alliance members only. Limited to 30.

Accessibility: Governors Island contains a variety of terrain, from hilly, grassy areas to paved and cobblestone paths. The latter can be difficult to walk on with strollers, for example. Public restrooms are located near the meeting point.

Directions:  A ferry ride is needed to access the Island. The ferry leaving from the Battery Maritime Building, Lower Manhattan (10 South Street) is an eight-minute ferry ride. Participants should take the 9:30 am ferry at the latest to make the start of the event. You can view the ferry schedule here; ferries before 10:30 am are free, but you should reserve tickets in advance. (The R, 1, 4, and 5 subways are just a few blocks away from the ferry terminal.)

Photo: A Ruby Crowned Kinglet sitting on a branch facing the sun. Credit: Joe Tanen