New trails blazed for Long Island birders to watch

Long Island birders can now choose among 20 trails Islandwide to do their watching.

The Island's segment of the New York State birding trail opened Thursday for birders and anyone else ready to get outdoors as pandemic-era restrictions lift and warmer weather approaches.

The trails are located on a mix of federal and state lands, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which announced the openings Thursday.

"Long Island is an important haven for resident and migratory bird species and this latest segment of the New York State Birding Trail brings our partners together to help more communities enjoy an accessible and affordable hobby," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement. "As the statewide Birding Trail continues to take shape, this latest segment will provide new opportunities for Long Islanders to learn about the diversity of birds in our backyards, fields, forests, and shores."

New trails at Hempstead Lake State Park and Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Park, will afford visitors a chance to see woodpeckers, great horned owls and orioles.

Meanwhile, state officials tapped three National Wildlife Refuge properties in Suffolk County with new bird trails — Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge in Lloyd Harbor, Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley and Elizabeth A. Morton Wildlife in Sag Harbor — as the best places to get a glimpse of waterfowl, raptors, waders and songbirds.

The Long Island segment of the birding trail is part of a statewide initiative that includes 33 locations in New York City that opened in October and 36 in the Niagara region that opened in February.

New York State birding trail logo signs will be placed at the 20 locations, state officials said.

The trails "highlight" areas of Long Island state parks that give watchers the best chance of seeing birds, while also attracting more visitors, said George Gorman, Long Island regional director, of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

"We have patrols and staffing year-round at all these facilities," Gorman said, "so we don’t anticipate any kind of negative impact whatsoever, only positive."

Bird lovers said the trails open up birding to those who may have always wanted to but had limited choices.

"There are people out there who want to go birding but don’t necessarily want to belong to an organization," said Byron Young, of Ridge, the president of the Eastern Long Island Audubon Society.

Joy Cirigliano, president of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, agreed.

"Birding shouldn’t be an exclusive hobby," said Cirigliano, of Kings Park. "This makes it more accessible and inclusive."