Croton Point Park and Shawangunk Grasslands N.W.R.

Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Leader: Julien Amsellem
Participants will be responsible for their own transportation. However, the registrar will help connect those in need of a ride with other participants who are able to offer one. (The exact meeting place and time will be shared with attendees after their registration is confirmed.)
Schedule: Full-day trip, approximately 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, returning after dusk to NYC.
Relative difficulty: At Croton Point, the terrain can be quite hilly, so please be prepared for sometimes challenging walks. At Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, the terrain is basically flat, which makes for easy walking. As this is a winter trip, ice is possible on the trails.

This combo trip will start at Westchester County’s Croton Point Park, a large peninsula that juts out into the Hudson River near its widest point. The park’s location on the Hudson flyway attracts a wide variety of birds to its many habitats, including expansive bays, tidal wetlands, immense grasslands, and mature forests. Among the many exciting sightings here are high numbers of Bald Eagles, large congregations of many duck species, and excellent grassland species, like Eastern Meadowlark, Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, and American Pipit.

After scouring Croton Point to its fullest extent, we will pause for lunch before heading over to Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge. This breathtaking natural grassland is located in Ulster County and offers many of the same grassland species as Croton Point. Shawangunk Grasslands is best for wintering raptors, including the Northern Harrier and American Kestrel, with a chance of seeing more infrequent species, like the Rough-legged Hawk.

As the day winds to an end, our true reason for coming to this refuge should start to appear: Short-eared Owls! This park is one of the foremost spots in the region for these uncharacteristically showy owls, and they rarely disappoint. We can’t wait to see you there!

Please read The Linnaean Society of New York COVID-19 Field Trip Guidelines before registering.

Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, January 1. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 10.

Please read the About Our Trips page, especially if you’re going on a field trip for the first time. It details our field trip policies, recommends what to bring on a trip, and offers other useful information.

If after visiting the About Our Trips page, you still have questions, feel free to contact the registrar via email (or phone, if listed) between the hours of 9 am and 9 pm.