*** THE LINNAEAN SOCIETY OF NEW YORK - MEETING PROGRAM - AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK CITY ***
This coming Tuesday (12 May 2015) the Society’s two-part evening program, the last before the summer hiatus, will explore life below and above the waves. Beginning close to home, urban ecologist Russell Burke will discuss the terrapins that lurk in Jamaica Bay and will be followed by world-renowned ornithologist Peter Pyle, speaking about one of the world’s least known seabirds. Please join us. *6:00 pm – Strange Times for Jamaica Bay Terrapins, Russell Burke * Diamondback terrapins are a keystone species that live in coastal marshes from Corpus Christi to Cape Cod. In many parts of their range they are endangered and declining. New York City’s Jamaica Bay contains the largest terrapin population in the Northeast. Since 1998 Russell Burke has run a citizen-scientist laboratory project that focuses on the ecology, conservation, and evolution of this population. Burke, a professor of biology at Hofstra University, observes that “contrary to studies elsewhere, Jamaica Bay terrapins’ diets vary dramatically from year to year, and often contain large amounts of algae, a result of pollution in the bay.” Raccoons and plant roots predate over 95% of the eggs, and in drought years all eggs die due to desiccation. Hatchlings leave the nest in the fall and bury themselves upland to over-winter. Burke’s long-term data show that average clutch size and egg size have increased over the years, but the number of clutches laid has declined by more than half. Burke adds, “And then there are the JFK Airport terrapins...” *7:30 pm – Discovering and Conserving Bryan’s Shearwater, Peter Pyle* Bryan’s Shearwater (*Puffinus bryani*) was described as new to science in 2011, based on a specimen collected on Midway Atoll in 1963 and misidentified as a Little Shearwater. In the early 1990s a second Bryan’s Shearwater was photographed, videotaped, and audiotaped calling from a rock crevice on Midway. These two records likely represented prospecting individuals from source colonies in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands near Japan, which were discovered by Japanese ornithologists following publication of the type description in 2011. Peter Pyle, ornithologist, marine biologist, and research associate at the California Academy of Sciences and Honolulu’s Bishop Museum, will recount the discovery of the new species and its etymology as well as updated information on seasonality, breeding habitat requirements, and vocalizations. In addition, he will review conservation efforts in the Bonin Islands and elsewhere. Bryan’s Shearwater appears to be extremely rare and in need of targeted conservation actions to increase population size. Pyle is the author or co-author of nearly 200 papers in scholarly journals. He currently works for the Institute for Bird Populations in Point Reyes Station, California. *WHERE & WHEN* Both programs are open to the public FREE OF CHARGE and will be held in the People Center in the AMNH. Enter the museum from the 77th Street entrance, and follow the signs to the elevator in order to reach the venue on the 2nd floor*.* The first program will last approximately one hour with time before the second program to talk to the speakers, and mingle with LSNY officers and council members, who can provide information on becoming a part of this thriving and historic natural history society. *MORE INFORMATION ON LSNY PROGRAMS* Please check out (and bookmark) our website: http://linnaeannewyork.org/calendar-programs-trips/programs2014-2015.html or visit us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linnaean-Society-of-New-York/335385365977?ref=ts Look forward to seeing you on Tuesday. Angus Wilson President, The Linnaean Society of New York (LSNY) -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
