The Linnaean Society of New York has supported the important tern conservation work of the Great Gull Island Project since the 1960s. Today, Great Gull Island hosts in the largest nesting colony of Common Terns in the world and the largest nesting colony of Roseate Terns in the western hemisphere. To ensure the continued success of their work, the Linnaean Society raises funds for the Great Gull Island Project every spring with a Birdathon.
The 2024 Great Gull Island Project Birdathon is May 11-12, 2024. This is a fun way to solicit contributions while enjoying a great day of birding. Talk to your friends about forming a team, and start mapping out your strategy. You can also bird solo to challenge yourself to surpass your personal record for the most species seen in a day or a weekend.
Here’s how it works:
1. Sign up using this form and tell us if you will be birding solo or with a team.
2. Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and fellow birders to pledge a dollar amount per species that you or your team sees. Download this sponsorship form to list your sponsors and their pledges.
3. Soon after the Birdathon, a) let all your sponsors know how many birds you saw. b) collect the money and send to the address below.
Helen Hays Great Gull Island Project Ornithology American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) 200 Central Park West New York, NY 10024
4. If your sponsors would like a receipt from AMNH for tax purposes, they must write a check and provide their mailing address. Donations must be received by June 15.
5. Send us your sponsorship form so we know which solo birder/team to credit with the contributions.
Even if you can’t go birding on May 11-12, you can still support the Great Gull Island Project by being a sponsor. The list of teams and solo birders is below. Select a team, then fill out this form to let us know who you are supporting.
2024 Birdathon Participants (list in formation)
1. The Scarlet Tanagers — Debbie Becker and friends 2. The Wandering Warbler — Alan Drogin, Kristin Ellington, and Debbie Mullins 3. The Gnoble Gnatcatchers-Dawn Hannay, Kevin Sisco, Junko Suzuki, Janet Wooten
Dr. Scott V. Edwards, our 2023 Eisenmann Medalist, is the subject of a very interesting feature article in the latest issue of Harvard Magazine. The article, by Veronique Greenwood, traces Edwards’ career path and highlights some of his major contributions in molecular evolutionary biology, including studies on the evolution of the major histocompatibility complex in birds and his pioneering use of whole avian genomes to construct phylogenetic trees.
Each year the Shelda Taylor award is presented to a teacher who, like Ms. Taylor herself, has made a sustained and substantial impact on educating students in the field of natural history. The recipient of this year’s award is Anthony Ciancimino. A Staten Island elementary school teacher, Anthony has extended his classroom through science-based field trips, taking students out into the natural environment so they may develop an appreciation of the ecological wonders of the world around them.
In addition to working with his own students, Anthony leads nature walks for NYC Audubon. He also devotes time to a local non-profit organization, the Children’s Aid Society, where he established a science program that introduces youngsters, some still in elementary school, to the study of birds and the joy of birding. Through these activities, Anthony is helping young people to develop a connection to nature that, ideally, will last a lifetime.
As both a formal teacher, an Audubon guide, and a volunteer educator, Anthony Ciancimino has significantly impacted scores of students and young people. In these roles, and through his commitment to broadening the ecological education of so many, he has carried on Shelda Taylor’s legacy; he clearly deserves the award that bears her name.
— Eric Mathern
Chris Allieri—2024 Natural History Awardee
This year’s Linnaean Society’s Natural History Service Award recipient is Chris Allieri. In March of 2021, while observing federally threatened and New York State-endangered Piping Plovers that were nesting on a crowded New York City beach, Chris was struck by the threats to these shorebirds from both humans and off-leash dogs. As a child growing up on the Jersey Shore, Chris had seen signage and beach closures associated with the arrival of plovers each year, and he wondered why these birds had been left to fend for themselves in New York. The day following that discovery, having decided that it was his responsibility to do something about it, he established the NYC Plover Project. The first order of business was to create an Instagram account, and the second was to build partnerships with the very agencies he had been critical of for their lack of action.
What initially started as an attempt to recruit a few friends to assist in the tiny bird’s survival eventually evolved into a broader mission. Using social media, Chris attracted a large team of volunteers to help ensure the birds’ safety as they breed along the shorelines of New York State and nearby areas.
Today, the organization has grown to a staff of four and a force of 250 volunteers who have performed some 10,000 hours of service since the organization began operation. Each spring and summer, they monitor the nesting plovers and their chicks on the crowded beaches of the Rockaways in Queens. Using conflict de-escalation training, members of the Plover Project engage beachgoers, alerting them to the nesting sites’ presence and the birds’ vulnerability. Because of their efforts and Chris’s resolve to help the Piping Plover, stretches of beach where the shorebirds had been nesting are now becoming sanctuaries for the them, protected by an army of volunteers out on the beaches, from sunup to sundown. The individuals monitoring the beaches serve as diplomatic voices for the small birds, thereby greatly increasing the odds of a successful nesting season.
Nevertheless, while plover nest productivity has recently surged on National Park Service beaches, such as Breezy Point Tip and Fort Tilden, birds on NYC Parks beaches, including Far Rockaway, Arverne and Edgemere, haven’t been as fortunate, due to nest vandalism by humans and vitriol against temporary closures. So, there is much more work to be done. The NYC Plover Project is doubling down on education efforts. In 2024, the group expanded its work in NYC public schools and will reach primary grades through high school, with arts programming and citizen science initiatives for high school students. Additionally, the organization is expanding the volunteer programs and community engagement efforts on the NYC Parks’ beaches.
While it’s impossible to calculate exactly how many chicks have survived since Chris Allieri’s NYC Plover Project first took flight in the spring of 2021, there’s no doubt that he has had a profound impact on the future of this fragile species, if only because Piping Plovers—once invisible to most—are now a part of the New York City conversation. For that he is truly deserving of the Linnaean Society’s Natural History Service award.
The Black-chinned Hummingbird mostly stayed among these flowers along a brick wall, allowing for great looks.
On the afternoon of November 15, 2023, a Randall’s Island Park worker spotted a hummingbird at the Urban Farm, a popular picnicking area filled with flowers. The next day, the park posted a video of the bird on Instagram, claiming it was a late Ruby-throated Hummingbird, while also stressing the importance of late-blooming wildflowers for lingering migrants like this one. But that comment raised all eyebrows: after all, this was November, a time ripe for birds from the west to show up in New York City.
The following day (Friday, November 17), some local birders who had seen the video set off to find the mysterious hummingbird and, luckily, were successful. The bird looked a lot like a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but a few details seemed off, especially the constant pumping of the tail, which suggested it was a Black-chinned Hummingbird—a state first!
That afternoon, I saw a text about this bird posted on the New York Rare Bird Alert and instantly knew I had to chase it. Having worked in California’s Owens River Valley that past spring, I was very familiar with the species—It was one of the most common breeding birds around there, dazzling onlookers with their curious behavior and gorgeous courtship displays throughout riparian and suburban habitats. But none should be found as far east as this one was.
The markers denote Black-chinned Hummingbird records from the northeast, with the New York bird being the only one seen in the 2023 season (so far).
I arrived at the hummingbird site about an hour later to find dozens of birders already on the scene. A few minutes later, the bird showed up, appearing remarkably unconcerned by the crowd of humans as it fed on some purple wildflowers along the fence line. It was immediately apparent that this was no Ruby-throated Hummingbird, as it had more black on the face and throat and a bit more of an orange wash on its side than that species—and it was constantly pumping its tail. The bird may have called, but it couldn’t be heard over the endless shuttering of cameras.
Ever since that day, hundreds of people have flocked to Randall’s Island to catch a glimpse of this rare visitor from the west. As of Saturday, December 16, it was still present around the Urban Garden, coming to a feeder from time to time. This episode truly shows that you’ll never know what shows up in autumn.
Daniel Raichel of the NRDC addressing the gathering
A rally in support of the Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A) was held on November 15, 2023, in front of Governor Hochul’s New York City office. A spirited assembly of environmental activists, including a contingent from the Linnaean Society, gathered to urge the governor to sign this bill, which would ban the use of highly toxic neonicotinoid pesticides in New York State. Last June, the state legislature passed the bill with strong bipartisan support, but the governor has yet to take action on it.
The use of neonicotinoid pesticides has resulted in tremendous losses of the insects required for pollinating crops, as well as in killing grassland birds. Daniel Raichel, acting director of the Pollinator Initiative for the Natural Resources Defense Council, addressed the gathering, emphasizing that the enormous amounts of neonics applied to farmland have resulted in the contamination of lakes, rivers, and drinking water. Other speakers addressed the adverse effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on human health, especially that of pregnant women, children, and people of low-income communities.
LSNY members attending the rally. L to R-Anne Lazarus, Kristin Ellington, Debbie Mullins, and Peter Post. Not pictured-Sally Weiner
Please write or call Governor Hochul today to urge her to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A) into law. Without her signature, the bill will expire on December 31
Anne Rose Shanahan passed away peacefully on September 5, 2023, at the age of 92, in the city she loved, New York. Anne was born to Thomas J. Shanahan and Anne Rose (née Burke) Shanahan in Brooklyn, NY. Anne was a scholar, a gifted artist, a beloved sister, aunt and an avid birdwatcher. She spent her early years as a teacher at both Marymount Academy and Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York. An accomplished academic, Anne spent a year studying theology at Regina Mundi in Rome. She also received a doctorate in history and a master’s degree in theology. After history, Anne’s true passion was nature. She was happiest amongst the bird watchers of Central Park photographing the birds, butterflies, flowers, and fauna. Her photographs were featured in multiple publications and exhibited at the Museum of Natural History and the New York University Institute of Fine Arts.
Anne Shanahan was loved by all simply because she was kind and polite to everyone. Birding can be challenging, but Anne always had your back. She made birding and photography fun! Anne was one of the longest Pale Male followers, and she shared her knowledge with all those who fell in love with this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk. She always managed to find and photograph Pale Male on Christmas Day, her definition of a happy holiday. Anne spent years during migration photographing dead birds around the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Despite her attempts to get the museum to place decals on the windows, her pleas fell on deaf ears. But she encouraged the younger people she met to continue to push the museum to change, hoping a new generation will succeed in protecting the birds. That would be a great tribute to Anne.
Because Anne’s funeral was private, there will be a memorial gathering on November 12, 2023 (Sunday) from 1-3 pm by Azalea Pond. All are welcome to join us.
I met John Yrizarry in September of 1988. I was a beginning birder and he was the instructor of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) birding class that I had just signed up to take. My experience with birds was basically limited to the Cardinal and Blue Jay that I had gotten to know from the recently established bird feeder that I set up in my backyard. I remember the first bird that I saw with John right outside of the administration building in BBG. It was a Red-eyed Vireo and as I was later to find out this bird was called a “lifer” for me as it was the first time in my life that I had seen the bird. It was great! I started to ask John all kinds of questions about birds and birding and through his enthusiasm and knowledge I began learning. John told me and the class about the terminal moraine that went right through Brooklyn and especially Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery. Prospect Park was his favorite venue and he only lived a block away. We saw, on that brisk fall day, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a bird I didn’t know existed and better than that a bird that could be found right in Brooklyn. John told us why it didn’t have a ruby throat and that it was a female migrating south. All his knowledge bestowed on our group made the classes a real treasure for all the students. John really touched a nerve in me and my enthusiasm which he ignited has remained with me for all these years.
He made every trip exciting with tons of knowledge about birds, plants, butterflies and the entire natural world that we experienced. There were always stories related to birding and sometimes he acted them out getting many laughs from the class. As I got to know John better I found out that he was a top bird artist and illustrator. At that time he was working on the “Parrots,” a project for the U.S. Government to identify birds that were being smuggled into the U.S. I also found out that he illustrated some of the plates in the “Birds of Colombia,” the number one book for any birder going to Colombia.
With the BBG group John took us to many birding hotspots in the NYC area. I remember my first trip to Riis Park where I recorded my first Brown Creeper and to Jones Beach where I actually ran after a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, another “lifer.” In 1990 John led me and the BBG group on our first overnight birding adventure to Delmarva. We saw about 100 bird species. But more importantly, it was the beginning of the socialization of birding—traveling with a group of people, getting to know them and enjoying the great venues with people of like interests. John made us all feel as one. I have to thank John for all that.
In 1992 we talked John into leading a birding trip to Venezuela. It was so popular that we had to have a huge bus to transport all of our group, I believe 25 in all. His wife Mary came with us. She made everything work smoothly and found many of the birds. John and Mary were the team that made birding that great experience that it was and still is. The BBG birding classes continued every spring and every fall. It was something that you always looked forward to. No matter what happened during the week, at your job or your home, you always knew that there was birding with John on Saturday.
John moved from Brooklyn up to Sterling Forest. Through his actions and with the help of his wife Mary they protected the 17,000 acres that we visit for birding. It was the breeding location of what I believe to be his favorite bird, Golden-winged Warbler. The commute from Sterling Forest to Brooklyn on Saturday started to become too much for him. So in the fall of 2002, John asked me to take over the guiding of the BBG group. It is a position that I still have to this day.
John made all of this possible. He was the inspiration for getting out in nature, being a birder, working with people and basically just enjoying life. He will be truly missed.
iNaturalist, launched in 2008 and owned by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, is one of the best online resources available to natural history enthusiasts who want to explore biodiversity and share their observations from the field with experts. Part community science hub, part scientific tool, and part social media platform, iNat, as it is known among users, has a global reach with 5.9 million users, more than 124 million observations since its founding, and more than 410, 000 species observed as of the end of January 2023.
For curious users, the iNat app can offer instant gratification by identifying a species within seconds from a smartphone photo and geographic location data. Many iNat users, however, derive further satisfaction from knowing that they are contributing to science when their observations are added to databases used for research by scientists, conservation experts, land use managers, and policy makers.
Community science is what attracted me to iNat. As an amateur naturalist, I wanted to make a contribution to conservation and science but didn’t know how to go about it. I spent a fair amount of time in the field birding, hiking, and enjoying “nature,” so there had to be a way to combine my interests.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in the field
I discovered iNat one spring when I volunteered to participate in a four-day bioblitz. Everyone was required to use this tool to document observations of any species within a geographic boundary. The first morning of the bioblitz I downloaded iNat from the app store on my phone, created a log-in, took a photo of a butterfly and submitted it through the app. It took a moment for iNat to identify it as an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and provide a photo and a description of the butterfly. Wow! I was impressed with this fast, user-friendly, and accurate technology.
The iNat app makes suggestions of butterfly species based on photo and GPS data)
I submitted my observation to the iNat database, and a few hours later a botanist agreed with my ID. The status of the report was then raised to “Research Grade,” meaning that my butterfly observation became part of a dataset searchable by experts doing research in such areas as ecology, conservation, and climate change. In this way, I was able to participate in community science while following my interests in natural history.
iNaturalist is so easy and fun to use that I was hooked after that first bioblitz weekend. Since then, I have added more than 16,000 observations of plants, birds, insects, fungi, lichen, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, fishes, and the occasional arachnid. Using the iNat app, I have identified rare birds and glittering dragonflies, beautiful butterflies, bold snakes and tiny toads, amazing fungi and fields of dazzling wildflowers.
Over time, I realized that my behavior in the field was changing, too. The familiar “screen of green” that I saw when looking at an area filled with plants was being replaced by individuals; I was beginning to learn specific trees, grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and more. I was observing details, and striving to take quality photos because a good photo adds information to the artificial intelligence software that iNat uses to suggest IDs and makes it easier for other users to agree or disagree with your original identification.
Some iNat users prefer to identify the observations of others. iNat has a comments field where users can leave notes about why they agree or disagree with an identification. Occasionally, controversy arises when users don’t agree, but this provides an opportunity to learn from others who may be more experienced.
Another iNat user agrees with the ID
The iNat app is streamlined and very easy to use. You can add photos automatically while you are in the field or save them to upload later. Other iNat users, amateurs, and experts alike, will add their ID to yours with the goal of getting your observation to Research Grade so it can be available to scientists. The app conveniently keeps a running list of your most recent observations. A relatively new addition is the ability to add sound recordings to aid in identification.
While the app is meant to be used while on the go, the iNaturalist.org website is robust and offers other ways to explore. You can manually add observations and sound recordings through the website; you can also do searches of your own observations and those of other iNat users. You can create a profile and add your photo, if you like, and connect with other users. You can filter by species category, location, date, grade, or user. User guides are available for project managers and for teachers.
What you can do with iNaturalist
iNat users have discovered new species and documented previously unseen behaviors in animals, adding to the excitement of community science. It offers many rewards for nature enthusiasts who want to make a contribution to science. The more users, and the more observations from anywhere in the world, the better. — Janet Wooten
