Birding with baby and toddler- Get them involved!

Perspective of a toddler? She snapped this one!

I was sitting on a small bridge on a trail, watching shorebirds in a marsh. She seemed to be enjoying brushing her hands on the wildflowers along the edge and stamping back and forth along the bridge itself. An adult Bald Eagle flew over and I stood up to snap a few quick pics. The bird started to circle. It was probably one of my better chances to get a good photo of an eagle in flight. But I looked down at my daughter, now tugging on my pant leg. She wanted the camera, because it has buttons and a screen, and it is a fun toy. I put the camera down and picked her up instead. I pointed to the eagle, and we watched it as circled directly overhead twice more, then rode a wind to the south. I did not get the photograph, but we shared a moment that has more meaning than megapixels.

Birds of the Five Boroughs

New York City is for the birds.

Literally, this city is full of birds. And birders.

New York has 62 counties. As the table below shows, NYC boroughs (except the Bronx) rank among the top 12 in both species observed and checklists submitted. This is not surprising given the very large population of New York City. There are lots of birders to submit checklists and lots of eyes to spot birds.

Data pulled from eBird on 3/19/2018. All data
will change as time progresses as people observe
new species, submit new checklists, and even submit
old checklists.

The Bronx lags behind. It is not for lack of green space, but mainly seems to be a function of fewer birders at this time. Historically, there have been some famous Bronx birders!

Many people are surprised to learn that people who love birds would find so much nature appreciation in New York City. Whether it be visiting the displays at the American Museum of Natural History, catching spring migration at Central Park, attending a meeting of the many bird-related organizations, or exploring the variety of habitats all around the city, this city is for the birders!