Saturday, August 19
9 am - 3 pm
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
175-10 Cross Bay Boulevard
Queens, NY
Free

Join American Littoral Society, New York City Audubon Society, NYC Plover Project, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBPRC), the Queens County Bird Club, NYC Parks Urban Park Rangers and Gateway National Recreation Area to explore the diversity of New York City’s shorebirds. Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a hike to the East Pond with our resident and visiting shorebird experts in the schedule below.

Festival is kid-friendly and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Schedule for the day (subject to updates):

All Day Activities at the Visitor Center Outdoor/Indoor:
"Shorebirdy" Arts & Crafts with SCA Shorebird Ecology Interns & NPS Rangers

Morning Outdoor Programs:
  • 9:00am – coffee, donuts, bagels, and juice. Meet and greet old friends. (Indoors in the Visitor Center multi-purpose room. Look for the model Snapping Turtle sculpture)
  • 9:15am – 11:30am – Hike to the East Pond for shorebird viewing. Walk leaders: Kevin Karlson, Don Riepe, Tom Burke, and others will be announced on the day.
  • 11:00-11:45 -Junior Birder walk with National Park Service Rangers
  • Noon 12pm-1pm – Lunch, meet and greet partners at their welcome tables

Afternoon Indoor Programs:
  • **Meet in the multi purpose conference room inside the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
  • 1:00pm – 1:45 – “Jamaica Bay Refuge: AN Urban Oasis” – A 50 year personal history of wildlife and people. Speaker: Don Riepe
  • 2:00pm -2:45 – Shorebirds of North America. Speaker: Kevin Karlson
  • 3:00pm - 3:45 - Bilingual Junior Birder walk with National Park Service Rangers - English and Español for families.
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Be sure to stop by at our welcome area in front of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and say hello to:

American Littoral Society, NYC Audubon, NYC Plover Project, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, our National Park Service Rangers (Gateway Unit), NYC Parks Urban Park Rangers, the Queens County Bird Club, and the Student Conservation Association Seasonal Interns.
How to get there:
  • Use these GPS coordinates in your maps app: 40.616855,-73.824521
  • The Refuge has parking for those coming by car.
  • For those coming by public transportation: The Q-53-SBS Bus or the Q-52-SBS Bus stops right in front of the Refuge Visitor Center on Cross Bay Blvd.
  • You can also take the Rockaway/JFK-Bound A-train and get off at Broad Channel station then walk about 15 minutes North up and away from town on Crossbay Blvd.
Can't attend but want to become a member? Click here to read about membership benefits and how to join!