Watch Hill, Fire Island

Date: Sunday, September 22, 2024

Leader: Paul Sweet
Transportation: Carpool Trip: Drivers willing to provide rides are encouraged to attend. The Registrar will work with participants without a vehicle to organize rides and share the suggested carpool fee for the driver. This usually works out, but we can not guarantee a ride without enough volunteer drivers.
Meeting Point: After your registration is confirmed, the Registrar will share directions, the exact meeting place, and time with attendees.
Schedule: Expect to start in the early morning and bird until early afternoon.
Relative Difficulty: Expect to walk about two miles on paved and unpaved paths, with some moderate inclines.

Trip Description: Located in the middle of Fire Island, the barrier beach that runs along the south shore of Long Island, Watch Hill is a great place to witness fall migration. Many birds are moving down the narrow barrier strip and often stop to feed. If winds are right, we expect to see raptors, particularly falcons, harriers, osprey, and accipiters. Warblers and other songbirds can fill the thickets, and the beaches and marshes are good for water birds. Some special sightings might include Royal Terns, Glossy Ibis, Saltmarsh Sparrows, and Boat-tailed Grackles. We will meet at the Fire Island ferry for a pleasant 30-minute boat ride to Watch Hill. Bring plenty of water and food, sun lotion, and bug spray, and a hat is strongly suggested.

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

Registration: Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, September 9. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Wednesday, September 18. 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.