Starr Saphir Memorial Spring Migration Walk, Central Park

Date: Friday, May 2, 2025

Leader: Jeffrey Kimball
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: The walk starts at 7:30 am and if the weather and birds cooperate, will likely go until the early afternoon.
Relative Difficulty: The pace will be slow, but there will be some short, moderately steep hills to climb.

Trip Description: This memorial walk honors the legendary Central Park birder, Starr Saphir. An inspiration to many, Starr led walks for nearly forty years and taught her birding skills and techniques to many Linnaean Society and NYC Audubon members. This walk will follow her traditional paths through the North End of Central Park and teach her fundamental principles, including how to describe the location of a bird and her famous mantra, “Please don’t point at the birds!”

Jeffrey Kimball, the producer and director of Birders: The Central Park Effect, a documentary film that included conversations with Starr, will lead the walk. Jeff is also the former President of the Board of NYC Audubon.

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

Registration: Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, April 21. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Tuesday, April 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.