Upcoming Events
Winter Wildlife of the Port Washinton Peninsula
Date & Time: Tuesday, February 10, 7:00 PM
Location: Port Washington Public Library — Lapham Room (Main Auditorium)
Presenter: Stéphane Perreault
"Winter Wildlife of the Port Washington Peninsula" A Presentation to Explore the Surprising Cold-Weather Local Biodiversity
Port Washington, NY — A presentation on "Winter Wildlife of the Port Washington Peninsula" will be delivered by Stéphane Perreault on Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00 PM at the Port Washington Public Library in the Lapham Room (Main Auditorium). Hosted by the Port Washington Watershed Biodiversity Coalition, the program will showcase the surprising diversity of wildlife active during winter months in the Port Washington peninsula, examining wildlife in the cold.
Perreault's presentation takes a visual approach to sharing the local winter diversity. It is a story told through photographs, citizen science surveys results, and research conducted locally from December to March. From waterfowl to mammals to surprisingly active invertebrates, the program reveals the hidden local natural world that exists even in the depths of winter. Winter biodiversity represents an often-overlooked aspect of our local environment. Many species have evolved specialized behaviors and physiological adaptations that allow them to not merely survive, but actively thrive during winter months. Understanding these adaptations and the species that employ them helps us appreciate the resilience and complexity of local ecosystems year-round.
This presentation will showcase the waterfowl species present at well-known local sites during winter. Long Island is a winter destination for geese, dabbling and diving ducks, grebes, and loons. Perreault will take you around the Port Washington Peninsula and share waterfowl sightings from the base of Manhasset Bay to Leed’s Pond Preserve, Shore Road, Sands Point Preserve, North Hempstead Beach Park, and Roslyn Pond. Land birds are also thriving in winter. Perreault will discuss the reasons for the presence of land birds in the area during the coldest months. All-year residents, wintering bird that migrate every year from the continental northern forests, and irruptive species explain the make up of the bird diversity in winter.
The presentation will also examine wintering mammals and their adaptive behavior. Among those, are bats who are exclusively insectivorous, and yet remain active throughout the winter on warmer nights. The 2023 scientific discovery in western states that Silver-haired Bat can sing, is a behavior that was confirmed locally in 2024. Perreault conducts research in Manhasset to understand the context of the bats singing and feeding during the winter.
The program will also introduce specialist insects that are active on our warmer winter nights, explaining some of the extraordinary adaptations reached by these exothermic animals. What do they feed on? Why take on the challenge of being active in the winter as adults?
Stéphane Perreault is the Naturalist at Greentree Foundation, a Manhasset-based non-profit organization with a mission of peace, sustainability, and philanthropy. Perreault work within the framework of the Foundation’s sustainability program, which includes studying and documenting the property’s biodiversity across all seasons.
The Port Washington Watershed Biodiversity Coalition conserves biodiversity across the Port Washington Watershed by protecting, restoring, connecting, and enhancing habitats through science-based conservation including biodiversity assessments and natural resource inventories. The Coalition translates research into action through education, stewardship, and citizen science, with ten local community-based organizations working together to steward over 1,000 acres of diverse natural habitats.
If you would like to learn more about Port Washington's winter wildlife, local biodiversity, or get involved in local citizen science and participate in a variety of community programs regarding protecting biodiversity and the environment, contact the Port Washington Watershed Biodiversity Coalition at David.Jakim@gmail.com or meet Coalition members at the presentation.
American Goldfinch, Photo by Steve Walter
The silent song: Stunning sonagram of a song of Silver-haired bat recorded in December 2024 in Manhasset - 22 signals emitted within one second, above the human hearing range.
Recent Past Events
A Unique Gathering of Butterflyweed Seeds and Nature Walk at the Guggenheim Preserve
Summer flowering Butterflyweed in neon orange (left) Fall gives way to goldenrods in yellow and little bluestem grass in purple
Date and Time: Thursday, September 11th, 3:00pm to 4:30pm.
Meeting Location: The Dead end of Fairfield Ave. Port Washington, NY, 11050
Jointly Hosted by: The Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI) and the Port Washington Biodiversity Coalition
Come with family and friends to a unique event that combines seed collection with a guided nature walk! Together we’ll help protect the genetic diversity of the regionally uncommon butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)—the sole host plant of the critically imperiled Monarch butterfly (that we will see, in abundance). Along the way, we’ll discover the fascinating lives of plants, insects, and migratory birds within this 9-acre meadow and 7-acre forest, and see what makes it such a special place.
We will also honor the legacy of PW Green 501(c)(3), which for over 20 years worked to protect and maintain the Preserve through mowing and to host educational walks for Port Washington Public School classes. PW Green disbanded in early 2025, and stewardship of the Preserve has now been passed to ReWild Long Island 501(c)(3).
The seed collection will be led by biologist Greg Lowenthal, President of the Long Island Native Plant Initiative. Prior to seed collection will be a nature walk led by David Jakim, leader of New York Wild Walks, member of Transition Town Port Washington, the Port Washington Biodiversity Coalition, and former member of PW Green.
Baxter's Pond Guided Nature Walk and Fall Clean Up
Join the Baxter's Pond Foundation on Saturday, September 20, at 9 am for our Early Fall Clean-Up followed at 10 am by a Guided Nature Walk along Baxter’s Pond and through the Barbara Johnson Park & Preserve with expert field biologist David Jakim of the Port Washington Coalition for Biodiversity and Director at New York Wild Walks. We are proud to co-sponsor this event with the Port Washington Public Library!Join the Baxter's Pond Foundation on Saturday, September 20, at 9 am for our Early Fall Clean-Up followed at 10 am by a Guided Nature Walk along Baxter’s Pond and through the Barbara Johnson Park & Preserve with expert field biologist David Jakim of the Port Washington Coalition for Biodiversity and Director at New York Wild Walks. We are proud to co-sponsor this event with the Port Washington Public Library!