Sunday, April 28: Spring Birding in Central Park with Dr. Rachael Joakim
Please join us for our next event, Spring Birding in Central Park with biologist Dr. Rachael Joakim on Sunday, April 28 at 8 AM.
RESERVATIONS: This event is FREE! However, reservations are required! Please RSVP by sending an email to metropolitannaturalhistory@gmail.com. Once your reservation is confirmed, details on the meeting point will be emailed to you. Facebook and Meetup ''attendance" will NOT be considered as a reservation. Please note, in the event of heavy rain, this event will be postponed.
EVENT DESCRIPTION: It's spring migration season and Dr. Rachael Joakim will take us on a leisurely, guided bird walk through Central Park. We will visit the Ramble and several other birding spots where we will get to see and hear the mating calls of our extant dinosaur friends. The event will last ca. 2 hrs. This is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Binoculars) event!
HEALTH & SAFETY: We expect all attendees to follow NYC Coronavirus Guidelines.
Dr. Rachael Joakim is a recent graduate of the City University of New York Ph.D. program and American Museum of Natural History doctoral fellowship. Her research focuses on tropical avian communities and their microbial symbionts, and her dissertation analyzed data collected on 5 expeditions to remote jungles on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. In addition to avian research, she organized a birding competition amongst her fellow AMNH employees, which is now in its 7th year. She also participates in many forms of STEM outreach, including an after-school nature class in her neighborhood of Inwood, in the hopes of providing opportunities for young people to explore their interests in science and nature. She has been accepted into Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)’s postdoctoral program beginning this summer, where she will continue her successful collaboration with Indonesian scientists to research avian evolution and address immediate conservation efforts as an employee of the government of the world’s 3rd largest democratic nation. She will be making the move with Zeus, her trusty 9 lb chihuahua mix, and looks forward to spending more face-time with her Indonesian work family!
NB: A photographer will be taking photos of this event for our website. If you attend this event and do not wish to have your photo posted to our website, PLEASE let us know in your reservation and we will accommodate.
NB: By attending this event, you agree that The Metropolitan Society of Natural Historians, Inc., its officers, its event organizers and leaders are in no way responsible for any injuries, illness or property damage that occur during or as a result of this event or travel to and from the event location.
Saturday, May 25: Annual Monitoring of Horseshoe Crab Breeding with NYC Audubon
Please join us for Annual Monitoring of Horseshoe Crab Breeding with New York City Audubon on Saturday, May 25 at 9 PM.
RESERVATIONS: This event is FREE! However, reservations are required. If you are interested in attending, please send an email to metropolitannaturalhistory@gmail.com to make a reservation. Facebook and Meetup ''attendance" will NOT be considered as a reservation.
LOCATION: The event will take place in Jamaica Bay (Big Egg, Queens). Please make a reservation in order to receive information on the exact meeting point and a participation waiver from NYC Audubon.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you sign up for this event, you MUST attend. No-shows jeopardize the entire survey!!
This event will NOT be canceled in the event of heavy rain.
EVENT DESCRIPTION: We will be visiting Big Egg Marsh in Jamaica Bay in Queens to see one of the most fantastic natural events - horseshoe crab breeding. Each year, horseshoe crabs come to the eastern coastal shores of North America to breed in the hundreds. However, because of environmental factors such as pollution, habitat degradation and overharvesting, their populations are jeopardized. The New York City Audubon annually monitors horseshoe crab breeding to assess the stability of the population and this year we are again joining them for a night to assist with the census. Training for the horseshoe crab monitoring will happen on site with a representative from the NYC Audubon. However, we strongly encourage participants to watch this training video prior to the survey. The event can last approximately 3 hrs.
HEALTH & SAFETY: Participants are expected to follow NYC coronavirus guidelines.
WHAT TO BRING: Headlamp, good waterproof boots or water shoes, dry socks and shoes for when we are done. We will have to wade in the water (at least up to our knees). The beach has some rocks and other sharp objects so it is recommended to wear some waterproof boots or shoes. Waivers will be emailed to you.
Horseshoe crabs despite their name and superficial resemblance, are not crabs. They actually belong to their own class Xiphosura in Chelicerata, an arthropod group that also includes the classes Arachnida (spiders, scorpions, ticks, etc), Eurypterida (the extinct sea scorpions and also MSNH's mascot), and Pycnogonida (sea spiders) and some researchers even consider them arachnids. Worldwide only four extant species of horseshoe crabs still exist and all species except the Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, are found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Extinct horseshoe crab species have also been described and the earliest fossils date to roughly 445 million years ago! Despite their remarkable old age, horseshoe crabs have changed little morphologically since their first appearance and are therefore often referred to as 'living fossils' in the scientific literature.
NB: A photographer will be taking photos of this event for our website. If you attend this event and do not wish to have your photo posted to our website, PLEASE let us know in your reservation and we will accommodate.
NB: By attending this event, you agree that The Metropolitan Society of Natural Historians, Inc., its officers, its event organizers and leaders are in no way responsible for any injuries, illness or property damage that occur during or as a result of this event or travel to and from the event location.