Black Birders Week: Spring Birding at Randall's Island (6/3) (Free)

Celebrate Black Birders Week 2023 (May 28-June 3) with NYC Audubon! Black Birders Week was created in 2020 by the BlackAFinSTEM Collective. Read more about the week and each day's theme on the BAFiS website.

Join Randall’s Island Park Alliance, Feminist Bird Club, and NYC Audubon in celebrating the last day of Black Birders Week! Participants will be guided to observe birds throughout the diverse habitats of Randall's Island Park while traveling along a choice of two birding routes. One will be led by NYC Audubon's Efua Peterson and the other by Akilah Lewis of the Feminist Bird Club. Both routes are mostly flat and paved trails with some open grassy areas and occasional shade cover. Please note that one route option will experience more hilled and rugged terrain. Total distance would be about 1 to 1.5 miles from beginning to end dependent upon your route choice.

The groups will meet at the north entrance of Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island. Registration is required and BIPOC community members are highly encouraged to attend. Binoculars will be available on a first come first served basis and will not be available to people who arrive later than the scheduled start.

Both routes will be end at a Community Barbecue at the 103rd Street Footbridge Picnic Area celebrating Black Birders Week. For more information click here.

Note on Accessibility:

Randall's Island contains paved, flat pathways and public restrooms throughout the island. The meeting location is accessible by M35 bus, which is available for transfer from the 4, 5, 6 subway station at 125th St and Lexington Ave. Free parking is also available near parking lots A, B, C and D at Ichan Stadium. There is also a Citi Bike rack located near the start. Restrooms are also located near the start and end of the scheduled routes, with benches along the way. For more information, visit the Randall's Island Park Alliance website.

Photo: A male Red-winged Blackbird cries out from atop a perch, showcasing his signature red and yellow shoulders. Credit: Ed Mattis.