ew York is a city teeming with birds, so it should be no surprise that thousands make a hobby of seeking them out. Whether for the thrill of the chase or as a way to reconnect with nature, thousands of New Yorkers make an effort to grab their binoculars and field guides and head to the city's parks.

"We're right here on the coast and on a major flight-line along the Atlantic," says Joseph DiCostanzo, an avid birdwatcher and an ornithologist with the American Museum of Natural History, one of the largest natural history museums in the world. Birds often find the lush green spaces of Central Park, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, Riverside Park and the marshes of Staten Island an oasis. Parks like these can provide an optimal location for New York wildlife aficionados to spot birds.

Birdwatching, or birding, is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America, according to Birding.com. Birding involves locating different species of birds. Enthusiasts often keep careful track of which they have seen, and when and where they found them.

Eventually she bought The Audubon Guide to North American Birds so she could identify other birds in the park area.

or beginning birders, according to both Day and DiCostanzo, the tools of the trade are simple: a pair of binoculars and a field guide. Peterson's Beginner's Guide to Birdwatching is especially designed for the beginning hobbyist. Prospective birders, over time, will develop a lifetime list, carefully documenting each new species they encounter. DiCostanzo's list tops 300 in New York City alone, with an additional 60 spotted in the greater metro area.

"For many, this is a connection to the natural world out there that you often forget about," said DiCostanzo. Sometimes, bird enthusiasts are drawn to the hobby to learn more about the environment. But just as many enjoy the thrill of tracking down new birds or even photographing brightly-colored species.

Observing birds can also be a social activity. There are several organizations in the New York area dedicated to birding (see sidebar), allowing enthusiasts to share information and news, sometimes about the latest rare bird to visit the city. The Audubon Society even runs a rare bird alert hotline to announce which species have arrived at any given time and place. Also, many birders can participate in birdwatching classes or tours.

Among their discoveries was PCB-related damage to some of the island's birds. This marked the first time that the potentially deadly pesticide had been found to cause environmental damage.

ven for those without a scientific bent, birdwatching can provide insight into the lives of a diverse class of creatures. Since many birds in New York are migratory, often traveling great distances, each season can bring a new set of species to observe. Also, avid birdwatchers can sometimes find the very same bird, often returning to the same location, year after year, recognizing them by their coloration or personality traits. Others just find the variety and the beauty of the birds fascinating.

"Seeing birds of prey like hawks, falcons and osprey is almost a religious experience for me, I am so moved by their beauty and size. There have been some waterfowl that I've fed for years," said Day.

As with any hobby, enthusiasts can get immersed in chasing birds. When a rare bird is sighted in New York, many birders will rush to its nesting site. DiCostanzo recalls one aficionado who jetted to New York just to see a bradbill sandpiper, an Asian bird observed only five times in North America, when it was spotted in Queens several years ago. The man took a taxi from the airport to the bird's reported location and told the driver to wait. A few minutes later, after finding the sandpiper, he had the cabbie drive him back to Kennedy airport, and he flew home. For the vast majority, though, birding is a simpler pleasure.

"The thing is, just get out there and have fun," says DiCostanzo. "Some never look beyond the birds in their backyard, and that's fine." So, whether the birds come to you or you track them down, grab your binoculars and field guide and experience New York's feathered visitors.

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