Coney Island Pier to Coney Island Creek

Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025

Leader: Rob Jett
Transportation: 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. The walk will wrap up around noon.
Relative Difficulty: Much of the walk is very easy, along the hard-packed sand at the shore’s edge. At Coney Island Creek the terrain is level. We will walk from Coney Island Beach to Coney Island Creek along city sidewalks. Overall, expect about four miles of walking.

Trip Description: This casual four-mile loop begins by exploring the shore, water, and jetties of the lower bay along Coney Island Beach. Walking west towards the border between Coney Island and the private community of Seagate, we expect to observe Common and Red-throated Loons, Horned Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks, scoters, and several other species of waterfowl. The overwintering Purple Sandpipers along the rock jetties are always a delight. We may find a rare Lesser Black-backed Gull or an Iceland Gull among the abundant common gulls. The second half of the loop takes us to the tranquil Gravesend Bay and Coney Island Creek. Returning towards Stillwell Avenue, the group may choose to lunch at the charming NYC landmark Totonno’s pizzeria or stop in for a cold one at Coney Island Brewery.

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

Registration: Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, January 20. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 29. 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.