Tag: Nature Programs

c. Jordan Rathkopf

2019 Earth Day Preview

April 22, 2019

Join Prospect Park Alliance and community partners for our annual Earth Day Celebration at the Prospect Park Audubon Center! This environmental extravaganza, which focuses this year on protecting Prospect Park’s beloved animal species, takes place from 1–4 pm on Sunday, April 28.

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Among the free activities at this afternoon of environmental fun:

Catch-and-Release Fishing: Did you know that Prospect Park’s waterways are filled with many species of fish including largemouth bass? Learn all there is to know about fishing in the city, and try your hand at the sport, catch-and-release style with the DEC Bureau of Fisheries. This event is geared towards all ages and participants can borrow equipment on site. 

Insect Discovery Hike: Discover Prospect Park’s not-so-creepy crawlies on an Insect Discovery Hike with the Urban Park Rangers. Don’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty as we search high and low for amazing insects to discover their connection to us, and the importance of parks to provide habitats for them.

Bird Encounter + Spring Migration Bird Walk: Prospect Park has been designated one of New York’s Important Bird Areas (IBA), which are critical for bird conservation. During spring migration season, hundreds of species of birds visit Prospect Park to rest, recuperate from their long journey and fill their bellies. At the Audubon Center, Wildlife In Need Of Rescue and Rehabilitation will have a special exhibition of live raptors rescued from all around NYC and Long Island. Then head out for a bird walk to learn the importance of city parks to their wellbeing, the issues birds face and how you can help.

Lakeside Clean-Up: Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s only lake, a vital resource for the fish, amphibians and waterfowl that make up this precious ecosystem. Lend you hand by helping to clean-up Brooklyn’s only lake, led by the Brooklyn Fishing Club!  

Plus, enjoy many other family fun activities, arts and crafts, and animal encounters. RSVP to let us know you’re coming!

c. Virginia Freire

Spring Migration Bird Checklist

March 15, 2019

We hope you rested up during the quiet winter season, because spring is here and the migratory birds are on their way to Prospect Park! With over 150 migratory species set to make an appearance in Brooklyn’s Backyard, Prospect Park Alliance has pulled  together a spring migration checklist to help you make the most of this spectacular season. 

Prospect Park lies on one of the great flight paths of the natural world, the Atlantic Flyway. In fall, many species migrate south along the Atlantic coast to reach wintering grounds with abundant food. In spring, they head north to return to their breeding territories. During these months, birds of all kinds stop briefly in the park, and for some species, the park is their destination.

Spring Migration Checklist:

  • Early Migrants: Starting as early as February or March, early-migrating species of birds are making their way through Prospect Park. These species include the easily identified Red-winged Blackbird, as well as the Common Grackle, Eastern Phoebe and the well-camouflaged American Woodcock.

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Red-winged Blackbird, c. Steve Nanz

  • Birds of Prey: Many raptors begin their trip north early in the season. In addition to our year-round Red-tailed Hawk residents, look for Merlins, Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks and more soaring above the park, perched on high vantage-points and snacking on small mammals.
  • Warblers: The rock stars of spring migration, 36 species of warblers can be spotted over the course of spring migration in Prospect Park. Known for their bright colors in spring, warblers are a group of energetic songbirds that migrate at night and rest and re-fuel by day. When warblers journey over Brooklyn, they are likely to stop in Prospect Park, where they feed on insects and berries. Rested and refueled, they continue on their way after a day or two. Keep an eye out for vibrant yellows of the Common Yellowthroat and Palm Warbler, blue on the Black-throated Blue Warbler and Cerulean Warbler, and fiery orange on the handsome Blackburnian Warbler.

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Blackburnian Warbler, c. Steve Nanz

  • Brightly-colored Migrants: When peering through foliage, some of the easiest birds to spot are the brightly-colored species. Bright red might mean a Scarlet Tanager, vibrant orange could be a Baltimore Oriole, blues show up on Eastern Bluebirds and Indigo Buntings, and even our year-round American Goldfinches wear their brightest spring yellow.

Ready to grab a pair of binoculars and get out into the park? Check out our birdwatching page, with birding tips, locations and upcoming bird walks in Prospect Park. And, download the Prospect Park App to see how many birds you can spot in our Backyard Birds Challenge!

 

c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley

Make the Most of Fall Foliage in Prospect Park

October 16, 2017

Fall in Prospect Park is a magical season as the Park lights up in a stunning display of red, orange and yellow foliage. We’ve got you covered with ideas for foliage walks, favorite foliage from Alliance arborists, free nature activities, and some gorgeous fall photography; all to inspire you to get out and enjoy this glorious season in the Park:

Fall Foliage Walks
Prospect Park Alliance has suggested some of the favorite routes through the Park to check out the stunning fall foliage, from the Peninsula up Lookout Hill, from the Nethermead, the Lullwater and beyond.

Facts about Foliage
Why does an oak tree blush red while the ginko glows gold? According to Prospect Park Alliance arborists, the answer is in the very leaves themselves. Plus, the arborists let us in on their favorite fall foliage spots in the Park.

Fall Foliage Slideshow
We’ve rounded up some of our favorite fall foliage photos from past years on Instagram! Take a look to get inspired, then head out to the Park and take your own. Make sure to hashtag your pics with #ProspectPark.

Fall Nature Events in Prospect Park
Want to learn more about the exciting changes the Park experiences during the fall? Join the Prospect Park Alliance for Nature Exploration programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, fun for all ages. 

Fall Foliage Walk

October 19, 2016

For a true taste of autumn in New York, there are few places more spectacular than Prospect Park. Daily visitors will notice the transformation throughout the Park as the canopies turn from lush green to brilliant amber and gold. In preparation for the changing season, we’ve suggested some of our favorite routes through Prospect Park to check out the stunning fall foliage.

Peninsula to Lookout Hill 
While it’s difficult to pinpoint when and where the leaves will begin to change, the horse chestnuts on the Peninsula are typically the first to hint at the start of the season. The woodland paths will guide you through a variety of species, providing some of the most scenic lakeside views in the Park. After winding around the Lake, cross Wellhouse Drive to Lookout Hill, the Park’s highest point, where you will find raspberry bushes with their leaves turning red as well as tulip trees changing to yellow.

Lullwater and Nethermead
Starting at Lullwater Bridge, follow the shoreline toward the Nethermead, where you’ll find some of the earliest signs of the autumnal transition. The watercourse hosts tall maples and London Plane trees that have already begun to change color and drop their leaves.

Ravine to Long Meadow
Walk through the Nethermead Arches and up the slope to the woodland Ravine.  While it might be difficult to see the tops of the towering oak trees, the fruity shrubs, the understory trees will begin to show signs that the fall has arrived.

Grand Army Plaza to Meadowport Arch
One of the most intimate places in Prospect Park is a small oval path just inside its northernmost entrance. Enter the Park at Grand Army Plaza near Prospect Park West, and head toward the Meadowport Arch. You’ll come to a gingko, Nyssa and Japanese Maple. If you catch these trees at the right time, you’ll find them cascading with color from the top down.  From there, the trees begin to change along the Long Meadow like a chain reaction.

To learn more about autumn in Prospect Park, visit both Pop-Up Audubon locations this month, which will feature educational hikes and fun fall foliage activities.

2016: The Goats have Arrived!

May 18, 2016

On Monday, the Prospect Park Alliance welcomed a herd of goats to restore woodlands damaged by Hurricane Sandy and other severe storms (including a 2010 tornado!) in the northeast corner of Prospect Park—one of the hardest hit areas, which lost more than 50 trees.

In the absence of trees, invasive plants proliferated, damaging habitat and causing erosion. Removing these weeds is a more complex task than you’d expect. “The area’s steep hillsides present unique challenges for staff and machinery, but are easily accessible to goats,” said Christian Zimmerman, Prospect Park Alliance Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management. 

Meet the goats on Sunday, May 22, at Fun on the Farm, an afternoon of goat-related fun!

The herd of eight goats—a mix of Nubian, Angora and Pygmy breeds—are prodigious climbers and aren’t picky eaters; they have four stomachs and can consume 25 percent of their bodyweight in vegetation each day. They’ll devour the weeds down to their roots, forcing the plants to use all their energy to grow new shoots, only to be eaten by the goats once again. The goats keep eating until eventually the plants do not have enough energy to grow back at all. The goats, contained behind eight-foot-high construction fencing, are provided by Green Goats, a goat farm in Rhinebeck, NY, that specializes in landscape restoration.

“Once their work is complete, we will then plant new native trees and shrubs, including red and white oaks, spicebush and service berry, which will help bring back important habitat for birds and other wildlife,” adds Zimmerman. Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. The goats’ work is important not just to beautifying the Park, but also to fortify habitat and food sources for local fauna, including countless native and migratory bird species.

“Woodland restoration has always been an important focus for the Alliance,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President. “These goats will provide an environmentally friendly approach to our larger efforts, and help us make the Park more resilient to future storms.”

The Prospect Park Alliance received $727,970 in funding from the National Parks Service through the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program for Historic Properties, administered by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The grant not only funds woodland restoration, but historic preservation work in this landscape, known as the Vale of Cashmere. The Alliance also received an additional grant for future work on Lookout Hill, for a total of $1.2 million in funding.

c. Virginia Freire

Experience Brooklyn’s Wild Side

May 13, 2016

On May 22, join the Prospect Park Alliance and Audubon New York for the last program in the series Living Water Explorations at Prospect Park. Open to adults 18 and over, this is a hands-on workshop by the Lullwater, dipping for snails, leeches and dragon fly nymphs! Water testing kits and pond dip nets will be provided. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Register today!

This special series of environmental education programs for Brooklyn residents, which took place this spring, builds off the Alliance’s long relationship with Audubon New York—in 2000 the Alliance and Audubon partnered to establish the first urban-area Audubon Center in the nation. Funded through the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund, the program series explores the community of Greenpoint and Prospect Park (all of Brooklyn’s backyard!) to discover the variety of wildlife that flourishes in the borough.

Register Today!

Explore Fall Migration

September 17, 2015

Grab your binoculars and tread quietly. Warblers and other songbirds are making their annual migratory journey through Prospect Park. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is an important destination for birdwatching, and this month is a peak time for the fall migration as birds head to warmer climes.  

Look for rare and familiar species, such as the American Redstart and Warbling Vireo, searching for insects on tree trunks in the Park’s woodland Ravine. Keep your ears open because these delightful creatures will likely be heard before they are seen. For those with sharp eyes, majestic raptors, such as Red-tailed Hawks, can be spotted soaring above the Long Meadow, while Osprey circle the Lake in search for food. Later in the season, look for other waterfowl in the Park, including the American Coot and the Northern Shoveler with its colorful body and black spoon-shaped bill.

At the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the Prospect Park Alliance and Brooklyn Bird Club offer a number of ways to enjoy this ultimate birding season, including Early Morning Bird Walks, Radical Raptor activities at Pop-Up Audubon, and the Bird Nerd Game Hour at the Audubon Center.

Check out our calendar for all birdwatching events.

c. Virginia Freire

Audubon Takes Flight

April 14, 2015

From Nature Play to Bird Nerds Game Hour, this spring the Prospect Park Alliance is offering a slate of new and expanded free nature programs. Starting Saturday, April 18, the Alliance will open the Audubon Center at the historic Boathouse for weekend activities, add a second tent to its popular Pop-Up Audubon program, and launch Discovery Packs, ready-to-go kits filled with activities for families.

“The Alliance offers more than 800 programs serving 75,000 visitors each year throughout the Park, including the Audubon Center,” said Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “Providing families from neighborhoods across Brooklyn – and all over the city – with fun, creative ways to explore and learn about the Park’s natural areas and wildlife is an important part of our mission.”

The Prospect Park Audubon Center was established in 2002 through an innovative partnership between the Prospect Park Alliance and Audubon New York as the first Audubon Center in an urban park. Families are able to directly engage with nature through fun, play-based activities such as bird watching, catch-and-release fishing and citizen science projects. The expanded programming reflects both the popularity of Audubon activities with visitors, as well as the Alliance’s focus on increasing access to Park amenities for surrounding communities. 

Every Saturday and Sunday, the Alliance will offer family-friendly nature programming from 10 am until 1 pm at the Boathouse, such as Nature Play, an innovative game-centered approach to connecting kids with the great outdoors, and Blooming Naturalists, which introduces families to the Park’s vast variety of birds. The Alliance’s popular Pop-Up Audubon program, which launched in 2013 and occurs at locations around the Park, will double the fun with a second tent that explores the Park’s aquatic habitats.

In addition, Discovery Packs will be available at the Audubon Center and new Pop-Up Audubon tent that families can borrow to explore the Park. Similar to Pop-Up Audubon, the Discovery Packs will feature a new theme each month. In April, participants will play Habitat Bingo, searching for specific birds then designing nests. 

Check out the full schedule of programs.

Elizabeth Keegin Colley

8 Things to Enjoy this Spring

March 16, 2015

From family hikes with expert naturalists to performances by chart-topping entertainers, Prospect Park has you covered this spring. We’ve compiled our top eight concerts, programs and events not to miss this season. What are you looking forward to this spring? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #ProspectParkSpring

1. Spring Break

You don’t have to go to the beach to have fun during this annual school break. Join the Alliance at some of your favorite Park destinations, which will have special programming throughout the week. Take a first spin of the season on the Park’s 1912 Carousel, enjoy nature programs at the Audubon Center, plant spring sprouts at the Lefferts Historic House and enjoy the start of the rollerskating season at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

2. Opening Day

Join us April 11 for the Alliance’s annual Opening Day celebration with the Prospect Park Baseball Association. Thousands of players march up Seventh Avenue accompanied by a marching band and other special guests to the Bandshell for the ceremonial first pitch of the season. Play ball!

3. Pop-up Audubon

On April 16, the Prospect Park Alliance introduces twice the Pop-Up Audubon fun with a second tent that explores the aquatic habitats of Prospect Park as well as Discovery Packs, ready-to-go kits filled with fun nature activities for families to explore the Park. April’s theme, Animal Clues, will investigate the birds and wildlife that make their home in the Park near water.

4. Party for the Park

Help support the Park you love on May 14 at the second annual Party for the Park, an unforgettable night of dancing, cocktails and small bites from some of Brooklyn’s favorite chefs and mixologists.

5. Celebrate Brooklyn!

Now in its 37th season, Celebrate Brooklyn! will rock the Bandshell starting June 3 with a free performance by the Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan. Other favorites in this year’s line up are Willie Nelson, Interpol and more. Check our website soon for the full calendar.

6. Lola Star’s Dreamland Disco 

Lola Star’s Dreamland Disco will return to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside for another season of weekly themed rollerskating dance parties featuring your favorite hits from the 1970s and ‘80s. 

7. New York Philharmonic

There are few experiences more peaceful than listening to the sounds of the New York Philharmonic as you’re stretched out on a blanket in the Long Meadow. Help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Concerts in the Park at this annual event, taking place this year on June 19. Members at the Arborist level and above will receive special access. Become a member today. 

8. Pop Up Dinner Brooklyn

Keep an eye out for the announcement of the second annual Pop-Up Dinner Brooklyn, an evening where thousands of Park lovers, dressed in white, picnic under the stars at secret location in Prospect Park.  See photos from last years’s event. Members will receive early access to presale tickets. Become a member today. 

 

PPA Profiles: Woodlands Youth Crew

November 20, 2014

Since 1997, local high school students have been instrumental in the restoration of Prospect Park’s 250 acres of fragile woodlands, Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. In the process, they have gained valuable skills and learned the importance of Park stewardship. By countering erosion, removing invasive vegetation, and planting native species, the Woodlands Youth Crew has given new life to some of the most damaged areas of the Park while teaching inner-city youth about environmental preservation and park stewardship.

View our video featuring the 2014 Woodlands Youth Crew.