Here’s a link that I hope may provide some inspiration:
This is from a project that aims to document the way nature interacts with human structures and environments. It’s a subject that I think is very interesting, is accessible to all, and is all around you in a city. I’ve preset the link to show you all observations from NYC.
Hi there! Welcome to iNat!
You’ve already gotten tons of great advice above, but I just wanted to let you know about a couple of projects that happen in NYC that you can join to get out observing with folks or get some inspiration about things to observe.
The first is the City Nature Challenge. It’s a four-day BioBlitz of the city and part of a global project to observe urban nature. I help to organize the NYC arm of the challenge and you can join the project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-new-york-city In a couple weeks, there will be a list on that project page of public events you can join to explore NYC and make iNaturalist observations. If you join the project and you’re set up to get iNaturalist’s email updates, you’ll be updated when we post more info.
The second is the NYC Ecoflora project run by the New York Botanical Garden. They have monthly projects (EcoQuests) to look for specific kinds of organisms and some virtual lectures about nature in the city. Their main project is here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/new-york-city-ecoflora The March EcoQuest, “Wings in Spring,” is here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/wings-in-spring
Thank you everyone for the really amazing advice!
I was gonna say that. ;-)
Aren’t feral pigeons often more-or-less affectionately known as “flying rats”?
Are the rats known as scuttling pigeons? ;-)
Also, another iNat project you may be interested (either to join or for examples) in is “Animals in Urbania”.
No, but I’m sure someone could try it and see if it sticks like maligning pigeons did.
Then again, rats are already reviled, for hundreds of years if not longer, across multiple cultures, so it’s not likely that “scuttling pigeons” would fill any linguistic role as a nickname for them.
Happy Equinox! And welcome to the NYC Naturalists community. There are lots of urban naturalists here in NYC. Whether you’re a generalist, a specialist, or somewhere else along that continuum, there’s lots to see.
There are so many great responses above already. I’ll share some of my favorite ways to iNat NYC.
Considering plants alone, there are over 3,000 species documented in NYC by over 18,500 observers.
“Weeds” are a rich source for observations. Find an unkempt hell strip - or broken up driveway - and see how many different plants you can identify.
With improvements in air quality over the past few decades, lichens can now be found nearly everywhere in NYC. Many of our street trees have some. Some even have mosses growing on their trunks.
Cemeteries are also good places to look for lichens. Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is known for this, with nearly 500 species of fungi documented so far.
NYC is on the Atlantic Flyway, and thus is a hotspot for birders, especially during Spring and Fall migrations. Except for the occasional escaped parakeet or poultry, nearly every bird you see is wild.
From my photos above, you can see I’m more on the generalist end of that continuum. My specialization is insects. I’m especially keen on observing insect-plant interactions. Galls and leaf mines can be found even when plants are not flowering. Things really heat up when things start to bloom.
As @klodonnell mentioned above, City Nature Challenge is coming up. There will be meet-ups all over NYC for that. It’s a chance to get to know some fellow iNatters and see other parts of the city with a welcoming group. Events will be listed on the main project’s journal.
Hope to see you out there!
Yours in Nature,
@xris
There must be in excess of 400 species of wild plants/weeds growing in the urban landscape of New York, and hundreds more in the marsh and beach landscape surrounding the city. Just grab your phone and start recording what you see.
Over 3K plants - in an earlier comment.
In total, 828,953 observations of 10,291 species by 27,849 observers.
New York City Observations · iNaturalist
Hi, @windowfan, and welcome!
I can’t add a whole lot to the already excellent advice that you’ve already gotten; just encouragement.
I do a lot of my iNatting in an urban area as well (Denver / Boulder). It’s been amazing how much more aware of potential habitat areas I’ve become just from a few months of participation. Wildlife shows up in planned and planted areas – I’ve gotten many of my dragon- and damselfly observations at the Botanic Gardens and the Denver Zoo – but I’ve also started making note of possible odonate-friendly spots when I’m out running errands. Vacant lots, neglected areas, and pocket parks are all good places to look. Community garden allotments would be a great place to check for pollenator species and birds.
Good luck – I’m looking forward to seeing what you find!
Something I was just thinking of the other day - if you have a porch or a balcony or something, you could just sit a plant pot with nothing but soil out there, and see what decides to grow in it with help from the wind and birds!
My word!
More species observed than Yellowstone and Kruger National Parks combined
Our campus trees have lots of lichens and mosses growing on their bark. I also often find tiny creatures on those once I start investigating like springtails or well-camouflaged spiders etc. So even if a tree is clearly planted, it might be worth investigating what wild things live on it.
For the OP and others who want to join– There’s a new Discord for naturalists in the NYC metropolitan area, where you can connect and share observations with other people. Here’s an invite: https://discord.gg/nvG2Ed9pwn
Personally, I like to look at the weeds and try to learn which are native to a local eco region, versus which are nonnative such as garlic mustard, for example.