Gull ID Study at Coney Island

Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024

Leaders: Roberta Manian and Dennis Hrehowsik
Public Transportation: Participants can use public transportation to arrive at the meeting location.
Meeting Point: After your registration is confirmed, the Registrar will share directions, the exact meeting place, and time with attendees.
Schedule: Half-day trip that can be attending using public transportation.
Relative Difficulty: The two-to-three-mile walk will take place mostly on the beach. Walking on the sand can be difficult for some. Expect possible windy and cold conditions.

Trip Description:
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Coney Island as you brush up on your basic gull ID skills, just in time for the Christmas Bird Count. Gulls are often one of the most challenging species to master as their plumage changes dramatically over the first several years of their life. This workshop will teach essential skills to identify common winter gulls in all their cycles. Along the way, we will likely see other wintering waterfowl, including dabbling and diving ducks, grebes, loons, Purple Sandpipers, and possibly alcids.

If you have one, remember to bring a scope, and be prepared to stand still for long periods on a windy beach (i.e., dress warmly). You will also trek two to three miles, mostly in the sand.

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

Registration: Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, October 28. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Wednesday, November 6. Members (and those who have applied for membership) will be prioritized over non-members.

Please read the About Our Trips page, 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, pro tips, and tricks.

If after visiting the About Our Trips page, you still have questions, feel free to contact the Registrar via email.