The Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society serving Northern Oyster Bay and Huntington Townships. Our territory reaches from Fort Salonga in Suffolk County to Centre Island and Oyster Bay in Nassau County....click here to see the complete list.

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon works to protect birds and other wildlife, and the habitats upon which they depend through education, public advocacy and conservation action.

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society Provides Significant Funding to Assist River Otter Study

Oyster Bay, New York:  The Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society (“HOBAS”) will be funding two wildlife surveillance cameras to be placed in areas where river otters have been killed by motor vehicles in the Oyster Bay area, the President of the chapter announced today.

The cameras will help determine the effectiveness of structures designed to allow otters to travel over dams and other obstacles without crossing roads and, along with data collected from additional wildlife surveillance cameras placed in other known otter territories, they are part of a larger study to document the movements, population size, habitat use and behavior of the island’s river otters.

Click to read the entire press release

Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Celebrates
Creatures of the Sea in January:

Creatures of the Sea...from the Wacky to the Wonderful! with Todd Gardner
Saturday, January 28, 2012 2:00 PM

Why don’t fish get crushed under the pressure of the deep sea? How can whales hold their breath for so long? If corals have been around for more than 300 million years, why are they in such grave danger over a small increase in global temperature? Why do sharks really attack people? In which species does the male become pregnant and carry the babies? What does a marine biologist fear most in the water? These and many other questions will be answered as we spotlight some well known, as well as some underappreciated marine creatures and their remarkable adaptations that make them so fascinating to us.

See program page for more and speaker's biography.

Have you ever wondered what an owl eats for dinner? Do you want to know how they find their dinner? Why are they such excellent hunters? Can they really see in the dark? Just how many owls live on and visit Long Island? Join the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society as we learn the interesting behavior and life-cycle of the several species of owl which frequent our area. After the interactive program, we will turn crafty and create pine cone owls to take home, as well as dissect a pellet to see just what it is that an owl eats. A special gift goes to the child with the biggest “prize” inside their pellet!

Each participant will be provided with material for their pine cone owl, as well as a pellet of their own, which they will be able to dissect and examine. Hurry to sign up: group size limited to 20! Please call 516-695-0763 to register. Program presented by Stella Miller, Kelly Simmons and Amelia Weitman.

See program page for more and directions to The Farm at Oyster Bay.

HELP PRESERVE GRASSLANDS IN NASSAU COUNTY STILLWELL WOODS PRESERVE

Stillwell Woods Preserve. Mainly known for its wooded mountain biking trails, many people are not aware that its varied habitats play host to over 80 species of birds as well as butterflies, mammals and other wildlife. This under-appreciated preserve also contains 20+ acres of grassland/meadow area which for years has been mowed into what amounts to a lawn (see photo).

One of Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon's local conservation priorities is to restore a significant majority of these 25 acres into grassland habitat for the benefit of the many species of wildlife that depend upon or utilize field environments to feed or raise their young.

Due to the heavy utilization of this preserve, we realize that reverting the grassland into native vegetation is probably not feasible. What we are aiming for is convince Nassau County officials to allow a significant majority of the grassland/meadow area to grow back in, with an invasive species control program in place, thus providing a l functional grassland habitat for wildlife. Nassau County has the opportunity to restore one of the last remaining parcels of grassland in the county. We urge you to act now to protect this preserve for the benefit of both wildlife and the enjoyment of the community. For further information on this issue, please click here.

Please take a moment to express your support for this important work by signing and sending this letter (Word Doc | Acrobat PDF) to Nassau County Parks Commissioner Carnell Foskey. Pass it on to your friends and neighbors. Your voices are vital in convincing decision-makers to restore the field to a wonderful wildlife rich grassland/meadow. Please take action today!

Action Alert:
Help Preserve one of the Last Remaining
Tracts of Open Space in Cold Spring Harbor!

The DeForest Williams property on Shore Road is one of the last remaining large tracts of open space in Cold Spring Harbor. This 42 acre property, if developed, would change not only the view, but also the overall feel of Cold Spring Harbor. It could also result in negative impacts on water quality as well as jeopardize vital bird habitat. We believe this property should be permanently protected for the community of Cold Spring Harbor as DeForest-Williams Preserve.

Click here for more information

When I heard about this book, I raced out to purchase it.  Predators, or carnivores, are my favorite group of animals and I have been passionate about them since I was a little girl.  I eagerly dug in and was utterly absorbed.

As suburbanites, many of you may be thinking, “Why should I care about predators?” The reasons may surprise you.  Predators are keystone or umbrella species.  Protect them, and the vast habitats needed to sustain them, and you protect everything else that lives within that habitat, including the birds that Long Islanders enjoy during migration.  More..