_{^{Eight of our 2025 Fall Roost honorees, from left to right: Don Riepe, Mike Feller, Dr. Andrew Bernick, Dr. Elizabeth C. Craig, Tod Winston, Dr. Susan Elbin, Dr. Shannon Curley, and Dr. Ellen Pehek. Also honored but not pictured: The Hudson River Foundation, Dr. Katharine Parsons, Dr. Paul Kerlinger, and posthumously, Peter P. Blanchard III and Peter Rhoades Mott. Photo: Cyrus Gonzeles}}

Carol Peace Robins, Publications Committee Member | November 3, 2025

It’s 6pm on October 14, 2025. What better place than Central Park for New York City’s bird- and nature-lovers to gather! And there’s no more welcome spot for them to celebrate than at Tavern on the Green. NYC Bird Alliance’s Fall Roost, held at the storied venue for the second consecutive year, was packed with birders, conservationists, community leaders—and even well-known stars, Steve Martin, David Sibley, and Amy Tan.

But the evening’s biggest star was NYC Bird Alliance’s Harbor Herons program, which was celebrating its 40th anniversary. Back in the 1970s, wading birds began returning to the islands in the New York-New Jersey Harbor, thanks in large part to the 1972 Clean Water Act clearing up the City’s waterways. Now these islands contain the largest population of nesting wading birds in the Northeast.

For all those years, the program’s surveyors have been monitoring the numbers of nesting species—Black-crowned Night Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, and Little Blue Herons—and maintaining their habitat. Each spring, Harbor Herons surveys are conducted by teams traveling by boat to the Harbor’s many islands, where scientists and volunteers systematically count nests and chicks through on-foot inspections and specialized pole mirrors for nests high off the ground. These consistent, hands-on methods provide a reliable, robust, long-term dataset for analyzing population trends and help guide efforts to sustain and protect the islands’ vital bird habitats. The organization’s 2024 survey showed 1,423 pairs of 8 species nested on 6 islands.

But despite those encouraging numbers, the science team’s data analysis indicates an uncertain future unless conservation action is taken, especially for Black-crowned Night Herons; If their populations follow their current trajectory, these handsome, charismatic waders may be gone from the Harbor as soon as 2037, due to predation, rising seas, intense storms, human disturbance, and development. But conservation action can stop this loss. NYC Bird Alliance’s current goal is to have the Black-crowned Night Heron designated as an endangered or threatened species in New York State, ensuring their protection. And the night’s immediate goal was for guests and other enthusiastic birders to raise money that would help the Harbor Herons program continue to be impactful for another 40 years.

As for the Roost festivities, they included a star cocktail: the Night Heron Negroni in all its bright-red, irresistible glory. Wine and champagne to accompany the intriguing appetizers on the many food stands, ranging from dim sum to sliders; Silent Auction items including the opportunity to band and “adopt” an American Oystercatcher, and a Birding Getaway Package in California’s Mt. Diablo. The Wine Pull table was filled with bagged, anonymous bottles of wine for $25 each, with each containing a wine worth $25 to over $100.

Board President Mike Yuan reminded us that we were there to “celebrate one of the great stories of local resilience and renewal.” And to prove it, he went on to announce the deserving recipients of the gala’s three Harbor Herons awards, “honoring some of the extraordinary individuals and organizations whose dedication shaped this journey.”

The Harbor Guardian Award recognized those who’ve championed the Harbor’s waterbirds and safeguarded this critical estuary. Chief among these awardees was Susan Elbin, PhD, NYC Bird Alliance Conservation Scientist Emerita, former Co-chair of the Harbor Herons subcommittee, co-author of the Harbor Herons Conservation Plan, and surveyor monitor herself. Said Dr. Elbin, “I’d like to say, ‘the birds can speak for themselves. But really…they can’t. They need all of us.”

Other equally deserving recipients included American Littoral Society’s Don Riepe, known to many as the Jamaica Bay Guardian. (Or as Dr. Elbin declares, “Even the Great Egrets know he’s the rockstar of the Harbor!”) The Hudson River Foundation was also honored, having provided critical support for the Harbor Herons program as well as countless other science and engagement programs to enhance the Hudson River, estuary, and watershed since its founding.  

Sadly, both the awards for Peter P. Blanchard III and Peter Rhoades Mott were posthumous. Peter Blanchard was a longtime, essential collaborator with the Harbor Herons program, authoring three seminal reports that formed the basis of local ecological recovery efforts in the Harbor. (Learn more about Peter Blanchard’s importance to our city’s birds here.)

Peter Rhoades Mott served on the board of NYC Bird Alliance for 26 years, twice as President, and also as Interim Executive Director. He was instrumental in shaping the Harbor Herons project, and the program would not have taken flight without him. (Learn more about Peter Rhoades Mott’s legacy here.)

The Heron Watch Award celebrated the scientists who’ve led the organization’s long-running Harbor Herons surveys, including Katharine Parsons, PhD; Paul Kerlinger, PhD; Andrew Bernick, PhD; Elizabeth C. Craig, PhD; Shannon Curley, PhD; and Tod Winston, NYC Bird Alliance’s urban biodiversity specialist. Tod recalls being filled with wonder the first time he visited the islands. “Egrets and herons in New York City! I could spend every day doing this!” And then he almost did (when he wasn’t guiding birders or teaching beginning birders how to bird by ear).

The Community Sentinel Award honored the passionate community of volunteers who’ve given their time and hearts to this effort. Mike Feller and Dr. Ellen Pehek, two of the survey’s longest-serving volunteers (both with distinguished careers in ecology, including leadership roles at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation), received this dignified honor on behalf of the hundreds of New Yorkers who have dedicated countless hours to the Harbor Herons program.

After the awards presentation, Dr. Elbin took to the stage to speak on behalf of all the awardees and the many other researchers, partners, and funders who have been involved with this work for 40 years. “The account of the Harbor Herons is a journey of resilience over the past four decades, and it’s far from over,” said Dr. Elbin. “The next 40 years will bring new challenges and opportunities to learn about and protect the birds and their habitat. I know that Dustin (Director of Conservation and Science) and his team at NYC Bird Alliance are up to the task.”

Executive Director Jessica Wilson, in her remarks, alerted attendees that “protecting the Harbor Herons—and the islands and waters they depend on—is more urgent than ever.” Donations will “help maintain the places that these birds need, the science that guides our work, and the next generation of New Yorkers who will carry this legacy forward.”

Fortunately for the city’s Harbor Herons, this year’s Fall Roost was a huge success—crowd-wise with over 250 attendees and donation-wise with nearly $425,000 raised! If you missed it, you can still contribute to help NYC Bird Alliance protect our city’s precious birds and their habitat. Next year’s your chance to be a full-fledged top-flight Fall Rooster!