NYC Plover Project Celebrates Black Birders Week

By Mel Julien

On Sunday, June 1, NYC Plover Project and The Garden by the Bay hosted Rockaway’s Black Birders Week Celebration. Guests were able to explore local natural habitats, learn about urban wildlife and build community. Black Birder’s Week is a nationwide effort to celebrate diversity in the outdoors, highlighting the contributions of Black birders and naturalists while fostering inclusivity in nature spaces.

During the bird walk through the Arverne East Nature Preserve, attendees identified more than 25 species of birds, including American crow, American oystercatcher, cedar waxwing, grey catbird, barn swallow, laughing gull, common yellowthroat, willow flycatcher, and a nesting piping plover to name a few. A dolphin pod and humpback whale spotted offshore were a special treat!

While at The Garden by the Bay for the afternoon festivities, guests created bird feeders, botanical soaks, eucalyptus steams, nature zines, and sketches while nature journaling. They also were able to do yoga, listen to spoken word and have a delicious meal catered locally by La Cevicheria.

NYC Plover Project thanks The Garden by the Bay for their warmth and hospitality, for partnership in planning the event and for hosting it in their beautiful space, Sam Graves for leading the bird walk and hosting workshops on nature journaling and zine making,  Maya Eberhart for leading the afternoon yoga session, Ranger Jonathan and Ranger Zach from the Gateway National Recreation Area’s Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for supporting the bird walk and afternoon’s activities, Circuit for providing free shuttle service from the nature preserve to The Garden, and the team at the NYC Plover Project.

NYC Plover Project’s next event will be a community bird walk on Saturday, June 14 at 10 a.m., starting at RISE at 58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd. Binoculars will be provided. Edgemere Alliance and The Garden by the Bay’s next events include a One Rock Eco Shoreline Cleanup at Beach 108th Street on Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and a Juneteenth Planting Party at the Garden (480 Beach 43rd Street) on Thursday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Photos by Theresa Racine.