EPA press release on Williamsburg youth job training, Dec 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

irds Igv@ N.Y. in winter ed area of the park, where up to 50 different species can be seen on a good day during the spring Count nets migration. The . pigeon, not surprisingly, topped the list at 1,046. Close be­ l^/ZZ/6/ 60 species hind were 840 house sparrows, followed by 697 white-throated sparrows, 560 starlings, 414 mal­ ByAIMYSMXS lards and 246 gulls. The guUs, OWiyNEWSWRnER Brash said, flock in huge num­ The holidays can be a glorious bers from the salty Hudson and time in the city, but many New East rivers to the reservoir, Yorkers still prefer to fly south where they drink fresh water and for the winter. Plenty of birds, often sleep. however; seem ..intent on spend­ Other birds also seen in previ­ ing Christmas here. The results of the 102nd Christ­ ous years include 225 blue jays, ei^t red-tailed hawks, Baltimore mas Bird Count, held in Central orioles, and a myriad of song­ Park last weekend, revealed that birds including cardinals and more bird species are flocking to the 843-acre park than ever be­ mockingbirds. The abundance of fore. Some 5,831 birds represent­ the northern shoveler— an al- ing 60 species were spotted by gae-^tog duck that sifts the wa­ teams of avid and amateur bird­ ter witii its spatula bill is one of ers, who rose early to scour the the neatest increases, Brash said park for both old-timers and new­ — this year totaled 218. comers — and count them, bird But it was the new additions, in­ bybird. cluding falcons and Carolina Last year, the binocular-toting wrens, that caused the biggest bird enthusiasts — all volunteers stir among birders. — spotted 57 species. The bustling city, however, Tantalizing sight mi^t seem an unlikely place for For Sarah Elliott, 71, who has birds tomigrate. counted birds for the past 33 “Central Park is a green emer­ years, the sight of one of the two ald in a sea of gray” said Alex­ screech owls recently introduced ander Brash, chief of the Urban into the park was tantalizing. “I Park Service. The city, he said, just watted it take off and fly lies in the juncture of two migra­ down 59th St. carrying a small ro­ tory flyways, along both the East dent in its daw,” said Elliott, who and West coasts. is referred to by her peers as the “Queen of Birding.”^ Smorgasbord of options The day was one of camarade­ And Central Pari does not lack rie and a reason to be out in the for food. Plante, berries and fresh air, but tire bird count iteelf seeds are plentiful, but remnants is p^ of a serious attempt to of pretzels and hot dog buns left monitor the am^ of species behind by parkgoers. Brash said, give the birds even more reason found throughout the Uiutet to stick around. “Survival is just States. It began, EUiott smd, ir, a matter energy,” he said. “As 1900 by ornithologist Frank long as a bird has sufficient food, Chapman, to protest the gentp^ s they can last through a very arid indiscriminate hunting of buds. ni^tt.” Today, the tally, conducted glo­ The Ramble, a 37-acre wilder­ bally, contributes ornithological ness between 72nd and 79tb Sts,, census data to the scientific rad is the most densely bird-populat- naturalist community. The Audu­ bon Society will conduct counts throughout the month at inore than 1,800 locations nationwide. “Its good for people to out in- the dead of winter, Elliott said. “It’s jolly and kind of mmd- '^^d her fascination with the birds is simple: “They’re beauti­ ful, they’re free and they SY Far information on Sarrm £1- UtO^sbird classes or other bird-re­ lated events, contact the New York City Audubon Society at (212) 691-7483.

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