May 2023 Outdoor Discovery

Watchable Wildlife: Prospect Park

One of the largest parks in Brooklyn, Prospect Park, offers the chance to see just about any bird that travels through New York City. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is ideal for birding, with more than 250 species spotted each year, including migrating songbirds in spring and fall, and a large diversity of waterfowl and resident birds throughout the year. For these reasons, Prospect Park has been designated one of New York’s 130 Important Bird Areas, which are critical for bird conservation. Check out some of the latest bird sightings on the eBird website.

Prospect Park features a variety of nature trails, accessible areas, viewing platforms, and an Audubon Center that is open seasonally. It is also accessible via public transportation. To plan a visit to this site or to check out more unique birding areas located throughout New York, click on the New York State Birding Trail map.

Photo Credit: Virginia Freire, Prospect Park Audubon Center

2023 Catskill Fire Tower Challenge

For nearly a century, observers watched the forests of New York State—including the Catskill and Adirondack forest preserves—from more than 100 fire towers perched atop the highest peaks, searching for the dangerous, telltale signs of forest fires.

The Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages experienced hikers to visit the region’s remaining fire towers located on Balsam Lake Mountain (Hardenburgh), Hunter Mountain (Hunter), Overlook Mountain (Woodstock), Red Hill Mountain (Denning), and Tremper Mountain (Shandaken), along with the Upper Esopus Fire Tower at the Catskills Visitor Center. The Upper Esopus Fire Tower allows visitors who may not otherwise be able to undertake the challenging hike of several miles to experience a fire tower on the high peaks in the Catskills.

Visit all six Catskill Fire Towers between January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. Once completed, participants can submit a log of their completed hikes, along with a favorite photo or selfie via a web form or to the designated email inbox: CatskillsChallenge@dec.ny.gov. Entries must be postmarked by January 7, 2024. Hikers are reminded to practice Leave No Trace™ principles and to Love Our NY Lands by recreating safely and sustainably, and hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and the hiker’s ability and experience level. For more information about the fire towers and challenge rules, visit DEC’s website.

Join Us at an I Love My Park Day Event

Join us for the 12th annual I Love My Park Day event on Saturday, May 6, 2023. Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), in partnership with DEC and State Parks, hosts the annual event and invites volunteers from across the state in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks, historic sites, and public lands.

To encourage year-round stewardship, PTNY, State Parks, and DEC will launch additional volunteer opportunities throughout the summer and fall as part of the Love Our NY Lands campaign. The campaign goal is to help protect our natural resources by providing visitors with the knowledge necessary to reduce their impact, engage users to practice sustainable and safe recreation, and help all visitors feel welcome while visiting state lands.
Learn more and sign up to volunteer by visiting DEC’s website.

Lights Out for Bird Migration Season

Looking for an easy way to take care of your bird friends this migration season? Did you know each year during spring migration many birds that are navigating the night sky become disoriented from artificial building lighting? Not only does city lighting deter the navigational abilities of migrating birds, it also leads to an increase in fatal building collisions, killing an estimated 1 billion birds annually.

Play a part in helping birds survive and thrive this season by:

• Making your windows safer by installing screens and breaking up reflections.
• Dimming or turning off nonessential lights. Exterior security lighting is more bird friendly when directed downward rather than into the sky.
• Enjoying birds while helping science and conservation. Your observations will provide valuable information to show where birds are thriving or declining. Take part in the Third Breeding Bird Atlas.

New York State is also committed to helping a variety of bird species during the busy migration season to reduce bird collisions. To do our part, state-owned and operated buildings will participate in the Lights Out Initiative and turn off all non-essential lighting from 11:00 p.m. to dawn during peak bird migrations in the spring and fall.

Photo of gray catbird by Jeffrey Werner.

Take Actions to Be Coyote Conscious

Have you heard or seen coyotes recently? During the spring, coyotes are especially active as they search for a mate and begin to set up dens for pups that will be arriving soon. They also tend to be more territorial, which can increase the risk of conflicts with people and pets.

To minimize this risk, DEC recommends that everyone follow the tips outlined below. If a coyote is exhibiting bold behaviors and shows little or no fear of people, contact your Regional Wildlife Office or, in emergency situations, your local police department. Visit the DEC website for more information on coyotes and preventing conflicts with coyotes.

Upcoming Events

Be sure to check out DEC's wide selection of outdoor activities on our events calendar. View upcoming activities or all the planned events currently scheduled, including public hearings and meetings.

For specific information about upcoming events at DEC’s environmental education centers, visit the following links:

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (Albany County)

Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve & Environmental Education Center (Erie County)

Rogers Environmental Education Center (Chenango County)

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (Dutchess County)

Check Out Our Facebook Live Events

As always, visit our Facebook page for updates and to view our Facebook Live offerings. From adventures at fish hatcheries and nighttime hikes to Q&As about black bears, there is always something to see and learn.

Don’t Miss the Latest Issue of the Conservationist

As the weather warms up, many people are excited to get outside and enjoy nature. The April/May 2023 issue of the Conservationist includes articles about the challenges of American Shad, as well as efforts to protect native pollinators and restore the Hudson Raritan Estuary. You can also read about the strong bond between a man and “Doc,” as they fished together for years, and a husband’s hunting outing with his wife, which became a cherished memory. We also celebrate the return of whip-poor-wills to the Albany Pine Bush. After banding some of these birds, scientists will be able to track their movements, which they hope will indicate the return of a breeding population to the region. All this and more in the latest issue of the Conservationist. Visit DEC's website to subscribe, or call 1-518-402-8047. We now also offer a digital-only subscription for just $6 a year.