As the fall season of the Tuesday morning walks has recently come to an end, I would like to thank the members of The Linnaean Society of New York’s outstanding Field Trip Committee, Anne Lazarus, Deborra Mullins, Mary Beth Kooper, Miriam Rakowski, Marie-Claire Cunningham, and Vicki Seabrook, for all their hard work; the extraordinary Central Park trip leaders, Alice Deutsch, Janet Wooten, Kevin Sisco, Will Papp, and Andrew Rubenfeld, for their excellent guidance; the additional trip leaders who guided throughout New York and New Jersey, Alan Drogin, Paul Sweet, Rob Jett, Tom Stephenson, Seth Wollney, Rick Wright, Anne Swaim, Lenore Swenson, Gordon Lam, Roberta Manian, Dennis Hrehowsik, Joe Giunta, Peter Dorosh, and Tom Burke; and, finally, all of the trip registrars, Barbara Saunders, Judi Rabi, Pearl Broder, Gabe Cunningham, Linda LaBella, Kathleen Howley, Louise Fraza, Vicki Seabrook, Deborra Mullins, Mary Beth Kooper, and Miriam Rakowski, for their outstanding organization and preparation this past season. Their combined effort gave me (and many others) the opportunity to enjoy many beautiful birds and to share many excited smiles—hidden by masks, but unmistakably expressed in the eyes of my companions. I’d also like to say hello and send warm regards to Richard Lieberman, our long-time Tuesday morning walk leader. Richard, I missed your traditional Halloween candy this year, and we all look forward to seeing you again in the park soon. (Peppermint Patties, next year, please!) I am also grateful to Bruce Yolton, for his tireless support in posting our trip reports with photos on the LSNY website, and to Mary Jane Kaplan, for the wonderful job she does as our field trip report editor. And finally, a shout out to all of the photographers who contribute their beautiful images to our field trip reports. Great work, one and all!
The many highlights of the Central Park Tuesday walks this fall included Nelson’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Tennessee Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Bluebird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pine Siskin, Barred Owl, and American Woodcock. Quite an impressive list for a single urban park, I’d say. Even more significantly, everyone benefited from the opportunity to share these magical birding moments in the spirit of friendship, fellowship, and harmony with one another. These are valuable and necessary human qualities which, I’m sad to say, seem to be lacking at times in our complex world. So once again, I thank the committee members, the trip leaders, the registrars, my Tuesday morning birding companions, and, yes, the birds as well, for helping us to remember who we are, and to look for the best part in each of us. Let those eyes shine!
To see trip reports and photographs of past LSNY field trips, visit our Field Trip Reports page.
– Ken Chaya, President, The Linnaean Society of New York