Lingering waterfowl, Northern Gannet; shorebirds; flycatchers, thrushes warblers, tanagers, and other land birds

 

Beach-nesting Black Skimmers, Common and Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, and Piping Plovers; Osprey; migrating shorebirds

 

Accipiters, falcons, buteos, and other raptors; shorebirds; warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other land birds

 

Wintering sea ducks, grebes, and loons; Northern Gannet, pelagic birds; Purple Sandpiper

 

Peregrine Falcon (nesting pair on the Marine Parkway Bridge), gulls

View a Google map of Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point Tip.

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Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point are three distinct sections of Gateway National Recreation Area on the western end of the Rockaways. They are contiguous and may be birded together on foot or by car. The major attraction at Jacob Riis Park is the fall migration of songbirds, while at Fort Tilden, it is the fall migration of hawks. Breezy Point hosts colonies of beach-nesting birds such as Piping Plovers and Black Skimmers, which vary from year to year both in size and location.

During fall migration, under the right conditions—strong northwest winds—great numbers of low-flying raptors and other birds can fly through this area, providing a birding opportunity not found at any other site in the City. In winter, during finch irruption years, this area may be the best in New York City to find crossbills. All three sites also great vantage points of the wintering waterfowl and pelagic birds.riis

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The major attraction at Jacob Riis Park is the fall migration of songbirds. Created in the early 1900s, this popular golf and beach area (27.5 acres with 2 miles of Atlantic Ocean beachfront) is graced by a handsome bathhouse (with restrooms) and includes a 13,000-car parking lot. 

Rows of Japanese black pine (now dying, but to be replaced in kind or with native pine species) adjoining the parking lot, the mall, and golf course attract fall migrants such as woodpeckers, Brown Creeper, and warblers. Check these trees for finches and nuthatches, late fall through early spring. When looking for migrating Hermit Thrush and sparrows, check the ground and low brush in the area.

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Much of 317-acre Fort Tilden, with a mile of oceanfront, is comprised of remnant maritime dune vegetation, bayberry and beach plum, that has survived in spite of the area being used, until 1974, as an U.S. Army base. Several bunkers, or gun batteries, reveal its military history.

Coming from the east, follow Range Road, the main road through the center of the Fort Tilden parkland, west for ¾ of a mile to a trail on the right that leads to the Battery Hawk Watch Platform (at Battery Harris East, a World War II bunker). Great numbers of hawks migrate along the Long Island coastline. They are joined at this end of the Rockaway Peninsula by smaller numbers of hawks flying from Floyd Bennett Field and from other inland points, creating an impressive sight overhead.

More Osprey, harriers, and falcons are seen here than at Belvedere Castle in Central Park, but there are fewer Broad-winged and Red-tailed hawks than at the Castle. Coastal hawk migration can be very exciting because many of these raptors fly at eye level, making them easy to identify, as they search for prey. Seeing Yellow-rumped Warbler dive for cover as a Sharp-shinned hawk or Merlin appears from nowhere is one of the thrills of watching hawks at Fort Tilden.

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Besides hawks, spectacular views of Jamaica Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines can be enjoyed from this deck. Scanning the ocean in fall may yield not only exciting seabirds including occasional rarities such as Brown Pelican and Parasitic Jaeger, but Bottlenose Dolphin and Humpback Whale.

Directly south across the main road from Battery Harris East, there is a trail leading through sand dunes, the last remaining natural dune system in the City, to a small freshwater pond where migratory songbirds, especially Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, will congregate during spring and fall migration. On occasion Snowy Egret and Black-crowned Night-Heron have been seen here.

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Go back to the main road and continue west to the Fisherman’s Parking Lot (off of Shore Road, just east of Beach 193rd Street), where there is a bunker about 300 feet to the east, Battery Kessler. This area is a second hawk watch spot. In spring, woodcock can be seen in courtship flights at the western edge of the parking lot. Call Headquarters to inquire about their late afternoon walks specifically arranged to watch this unusual display.

The east end of Fort Tilden, where you entered, features residences, other buildings, ball fields, and community gardens. The surrounding trees and undercover provide good birding spots. The vegetation along the periphery of the ball fields, especially at the north border of the Fort, and the vegetable gardens are good areas in autumn for Horned Lark, Savannah and other sparrows, Eastern Meadowlark, and other grassland birds.

At the extreme western end of the Rockaway peninsula, where the dunes reach heights of 10 feet (25 above sea level), the National Park Service manages 1,059 acres that include a beachhead for nesting colonies of endangered and threatened plovers, terns, and skimmers. To protect these birds, recreation is limited to fishing and birding. In spring and summer, the area is subject to closure. (Note that parking at Breezy Point is problematic; see the Special Note in the “Directions and Visiting Info” section below.)

During late spring and summer, Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Common Tern, Least Tern, and Black Skimmer nest on this white sandy barrier beach. The National Park Service fences off the nesting areas in a valiant attempt to ward off dogs, feral cats, and humans. The Common Tern colony has exploded at the expense of the Least Tern colony. In the early 1990s, the skimmers, which have not been here for years, returned. Piping Plover are holding their own with usually 8-10 nesting pairs. American Oystercatchers with their young are commonly sighted in the dunes and on the beach west of the entrance road.

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For best viewing of the nesting plovers and terns at Breezy Point, a spotting scope is essential. Adults, sitting on nests, and their young can be seen if you visit in April, May or June (when entry to the colony is prohibited). Watch from outside the barrier. You will also see adult terns courting and squabbling in the colony.

At the tip of Breezy Point, on the Rockaway Inlet side, there is a fishing jetty. The beach area around the jetty offers good birding opportunities and beautiful vistas. In the winter, from November to March, the jetty hosts Purple Sandpiper that glean arthropods from the algae growing on the rocks. Check for Great Cormorant as well. Use extreme caution when venturing onto the jetty, especially when heavy surf wets the rocks. During subfreezing weather, the rocks can be glazed with ice.

Also in winter and in fall, the beaches on both beach and bay sides offer great if chilly birding. Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Ducks, loons, and grebes including occasional Red-necked Grebe are seen, as are occasional alcids such as Razorbill. Keep an eye out for the flashing white and black of diving Northern Gannets, which can been seen in large numbers. Among the dunes and along the upper beach, look for winter visitors like Snowy Owl, Horned Lark, and Snow Bunting, as well as American Tree Sparrow.

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Timing: Fall hawk flights are best from mid-September into late October, generally between 10am and 2pm. American Kestrel, which contribute the greatest numbers of individuals, peak during these months. Merlin flights occur a bit later in the day, and are seen mostly between 2pm and 6pm when they stop migrating and start hunting songbirds and small shorebirds. Ospreys are seen from mid-September to early October, Northern Harrier from August into December, and Cooper’s Hawk in October. These species as well as buteos and eagles peak midday.
 
Sharp-shinned Hawk are mainly morning migrants here, passing through between 9am and 1pm. But on a day following a good flight of Sharp-shinned Hawk and American Kestrel, if the wind has continued overnight from the northwest, these birds of prey move through beginning with the first light. A sea breeze can blow in as early as 11am in August and September. This southerly breeze often occurs with light winds and reduces the numbers of migrants along the shore. Migrant Peregrine Falcon are observed from late September through mid-October. A pair that nests on the Marine Parkway (Gil Hodges Memorial) Bridge cruises the area year round.

Fall flights of diurnal songbirds begin in late July, an hour after daybreak, and continue for about two hours, led by Barn Swallow and Red-winged Blackbird. Tree Swallow are the most numerous diurnal songbird migrant from late September into October. In late October through mid-November, there may be spectacular flights of Northern Flicker, American Robin, and Common Grackle, as well as a sprinkling of Eastern Bluebird and finches.
 
Nocturnal migrants can still be seen on the move for an hour or so after daybreak. Afterwards, they can be found resting and feeding in the vegetation where they are safe from hungry hawks.

Optimal Weather: Without question, the most exciting fall hawkwatching at Fort Tilden is on clear to partly cloudy days with northwest winds between 10 to 20 mph. In the spring of 1997, these fall conditions produced an unprecedented flight of Chimney Swift, Eastern Kingbird, and Bank, Cliff, and Barn swallows. Ordinarily Cliff Swallow do not migrate along the Rockaway Peninsula, spring or fall.

Light north and northwest winds may also produce good numbers of migrating hawks, but they fly higher with these conditions. Southwest winds in the fall are the dread of eager birders, but surprisingly in late August 1994 such winds produced an unprecedented overland flight of 180 Black Terns.

Spring migration at Fort Tilden and Riis Park has not been explored fully. In nearby areas, southwest winds accompanied by early fog have produced impressive fallouts. Across the New York Bight at Sandy Hook (NJ) the spring migration of hawks is quite good, but where they go from there is a mystery. A few, such as Osprey, harriers, and falcons may end up here.

 

Butterfly and Dragonfly Migration: Naturalists may also enjoy Fort Tilden’s butterfly and dragonfly migration. Monarchs stage a spectacular southern migration during September. From late September through mid-October, keen observers may see migratory Question Marks, Mourning Cloaks, and Red Admirals. Studies have counted fourteen species of dragonfly present on the site from late July through September.

To see birding highlights by the season at Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point, see the top of this section.

To learn about bird migration times and get other timing tips, see the When to Bird in NYC guide on our Birding 101 page. 

For park operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.

 

View eBird hotspot records for Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point Tip to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more. (Click on “Hotspot Map” at left to see more hotspots within these parks, including several along Rockaway Beach.)

 

Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point are generally safe places to visit alone. As part of Gateway National Recreation Area, the National Park Service patrols them. However, it may be more enjoyable to bird these somewhat remote areas with others.
 
 In the warm weather, mosquitoes are pervasive. Locations at Fort Tilden that are especially troublesome are the sheltered areas, such as the freshwater pond, the trails, and the southwest bunker (Battery Kessler). In the open areas, small biting flies are problematic near the beach, particularly in late August and early September. Striped mosquitoes thrive in the marsh at Breezy Point. Dog ticks are found in the grassy/brushy areas. Use repellent and enjoy the birds. Poison ivy is plentiful. Long pants are strongly advised.

NYC Bird Alliance leads occasional van trips to Jacob Riis Parka and Fort Tilden, often in partnership with the Northeast Chapter of the American Littoral Society. Visit NYC Bird Alliance's Local Trips page for information on upcoming trips led by NYC Bird Alliance.

The American Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, based in the heart of Jamaica Bay in Broad Channel, Queens, offers birding and other natural history walks and trips throughout the year, both around Jamaica Bay and beyond.

The Queens County Bird Club, a nonprofit organization founded in 1932, offers frequent bird and nature walks and trips in Queens parks and beyond, along with lectures and presentations focused on birds, natural history, and conservation topics. 

Gateway National Recreation Areas's Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, and Breezy Point are open from dawn until dusk. The Visitor Center for Fort Tilden, Jacob Riis Park and Breezy Point is in the main plaza opposite the entrance to the Riis Park parking lot entrance. To get there, do not enter the main Riis Park parking lot; instead turn left and then right for the small Visitor Center parking lot. A simple map of Fort Tilden and Riis Park is available at the Visitor Center.

Visit the National Park Service pages for Fort Tilden and Jacob Riis Park for operating hours, comprehensive directions, and additional background information.

Special Note on Breezy Point Tip Access: The beaches and dunes of Breezy Point Tip are public land, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. However, this public land is adjacent to the Breezy Point Cooperative, a private, gated community. It is recommended that you stay on the Gateway property.

Once you have arrived at Fort Tilden there is no public transportation to Breezy Point. There is also no public parking at Breezy Point without a permit. Visitors can walk the Fort Tilden beach (west bound) to reach the Tip.rockaway-boardwalk

Lingering waterfowl, Northern Gannet; shorebirds; flycatchers, thrushes warblers, tanagers, and other land birds

 

Beach-nesting Black Skimmers, Common and Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, and Piping Plovers; Osprey; migrating shorebirds; WIllow Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Yellow Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle

 

Accipiters, falcons, buteos, and other raptors; shorebirds; warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other land birds

 

Wintering sea ducks, grebes, and loons; Northern Gannet, pelagic birds; Purple Sandpiper

 

Peregrine Falcon (nesting pair on the Marine Parkway Bridge), gulls

View a Google map of Rockaway Beach.

 
This long beach at the eastern end of the Rockaways is New York City parkland, and includes breeding colonies of Common and Least Terns, Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers, and Piping Plovers. (A spotting scope is recommended.) The main tern/skimmer colony is located to the east of Beach 59th Street (where it is possible to park on the street, and there is a pedestrian entrance to the beach). 

Though the colony is off limits (please do not pass symbolic fencing intended to protect the birds), you can walk along the shoreline to view the colony. The forested upland areas behind the colony also host some breeding land birds such as Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and Boat-tailed Grackle. 

Migratory shorebirds such as Semipalmated Plover and Ruddy Turnstone are often seen here in the fall, while landbirds flying along the barrier island also may be spotted. Like the beaches of  Gateway N.R.A. to the west, Rockaway Beach is also a good winter birding spot for those in search of diving ducks such as Long-tailed Duck and Common Eider as well as other seabirds like Northern Gannet or pelagic species. The jetties provide habitat for Purple Sandpiper, while Sanderlings patrol the beach.

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To see birding highlights by the season at Rockaway Beach, see the top of this section.

To learn about bird migration times and get other timing tips, see the When to Bird in NYC guide on our Birding 101 page. 

For park operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.

View eBird hotspot records for Rockaway Beach--Edgemere (Beach 32nd-56th St.) to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more. (Click on “Hotspot Map” at left to see more hotspots within Rockaway Beach.)

 

Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk are well frequented and generally a safe place to visit alone. 

NYC Bird Alliance leads occasional van trips that include Rockaway Beach. Visit NYC Bird Alliance's Local Trips page for information on upcoming trips led by NYC Bird Alliance.

The American Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, based in the heart of Jamaica Bay in Broad Channel, Queens, offers birding and other natural history walks and trips throughout the year, both around Jamaica Bay and beyond.

The Queens County Bird Club, a nonprofit organization founded in 1932, offers trips, walks, lectures, and presentations focused on birds and other natural history topics, and promoting conservation of wildlife habitat. 

 

There are a number of access points to Rockaway Beach. To visit the tern and skimmer colony, street parking is available on Beach 59th Street, where there is also an entrance to the beach. The tern and skimmer colony is viewable to the east of this entrance; please do not pass symbolic fencing intended to protect the birds.

Visit the NYC Parks page for Rockaway Beach for operating hours, comprehensive directions, and additional background information.