In March of 2008, I gave the following lecture:

50 Birds in 50 Days with Bruce Yolton
Saturday, Mar 29, 2008
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Bruce Yolton is an amateur photographer, popular blogger, and avid birder who has lived in New York City for over twenty years. Bruce discovered birding three years ago when Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates prompted him to walk every path in Central Park, and he has been hooked ever since. He shares his joy of learning about birds with others in his blog about Central Park birding, called Urban Hawks.

Now, you too can learn how to go from beginner to seasoned birder as Bruce shares his birding experiences and tips in person at Belvedere Castle in Central Park. In Bruce’s lecture presentation, 50 Birds in 50 Days, he will display his birding photographs, teach how to select a field guide and choose binoculars, and divulge the best walking routes and viewing spots in Central Park.

It was a great deal of fun to share my love of birding in Central Park.

If you missed the lecture, here is a summary of the links and the slides from the talk:

• Full talk (with bonus slides)
• Full talk (with bonus slides) for smaller monitors

A few months ago, I was approached by the Parks Department to give a lecture as part of their On A Wing series.  I’ve had a great time learning to bird in Central Park and thought it would fun to give a lecture sharing my experiences during my first 50 days of birding and show others how easy it is to start bird watching in the park.  The official announcement is below.  Please join me on the 29th.

50 Birds in 50 Days with Bruce Yolton
Saturday, Mar 29, 2008
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Bruce Yolton is an amateur photographer, popular blogger, and avid birder who has lived in New York City for over twenty years. Bruce discovered birding three years ago when Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates prompted him to walk every path in Central Park, and he has been hooked ever since. He shares his joy of learning about birds with others in his blog about Central Park birding, called Urban Hawks.

Now, you too can learn how to go from beginner to seasoned birder as Bruce shares his birding experiences and tips in person at Belvedere Castle in Central Park. In Bruce’s lecture presentation, 50 Birds in 50 Days, he will display his birding photographs, teach how to select a field guide and choose binoculars, and divulge the best walking routes and viewing spots in Central Park.

FREE. Reservation required. For more information and for reservations, please call (212) 628-2345.

This program is part of the On a Wing series, which is co-presented by the Central Park Conservancy and Urban Park Rangers. On a Wing celebrates birds in Central Park through special lectures and family events at Belvedere Castle. Other events in the series include the On a Wing Family Festival on Saturday, April 5 and Central Park Naturally: The Photos and Writings of Charles Kennedy on Sunday, April 13.

The City of New York has proposed new regulations for photographers in the city.  The city has scrapped the old proposal which would have impacted birding photographers and recommended a sensible set of regulations.

Thank you to all of the readers who sent letters to the city and to Chris Dunn and his staff at the NYCLU.  A democracy can be an inefficient form of government, but it’s great when it works.

New York City Audubon’s fall fund raiser, The Fall Roost is Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at the Central Park Boathouse, from 6-9 p.m.  Tickets start at $200 (with Jr. tickets for persons under 35 starting at $100).

As I did last year, I’ve contributed a framed photograph to the silent auction.  This year, I’ve donated a limited-edition photograph of a pair of Eastern Screech-Owls.

It’s not too late to buy a ticket.  Contact the New York City Audubon office at 212-691-7483 or events@nycaudubon.org for further information and to reserve tickets.  Proceeds from the Fall Roost support NYC Audubon’s ongoing conservation and education programs in the five boroughs.

Thank you to all of the readers who wrote to the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting. The MOFTB announced this afternoon that the proposed film rules will be re-drafted and new hearings and public comment period will be scheduled.

Full details of the announcement are at the MOFTB website.

Update: On Saturday, a portion of my letter of protest against the regulations was quoted by The New York Times!

The New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting has proposed strict permit rules for photographers in the city.  The proposed changes are a new Chapter 9, amending Title 43 of the Rules of the City of New York.  Under the new rules, any group of two or more people using a hand held camera (still or video) for more than 30 minutes at a single location (Section 9-01 (b)(1)(ii)) or any group of five or more people using a single tripod for more than ten minutes (Section 9-01 (b)(1)(iii)) would have to obtain a permit and present proof of $1,000,000 of insurance.

These new regulations would severely limit my ability to photograph birds in NYC.  Since I generally photograph with other birders and use a tripod, I would be subject to the ten minute limit.  Given that the city wouldn’t allow me to apply for a general yearly permit, but require me to apply for a permit for each location/time, if I didn’t want to break the law, I would have to stop my nature photography in the city.

I encourage readers of this site to protest the proposed regulations by writing or emailing Julianne Cho, the Assistant Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting. The contact info is:

Julianne Cho
Assistant Commissioner
Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
jcho@film.nyc.gov

The comment period is open until Friday August 3.  If you write an email, please copy Chris Dunn, cdunn@nyclu.org at the NY Affiliate of the ACLU office.  If you’re a NYC resident, you might want to copy your City Council Member.

For more information, see the NYCLU website. 

This is the letter I wrote…

Julianne Cho
Assistant Commissioner
Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting
1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
jcho@film.nyc.gov

Dear Julianne Cho,

I would like to comment on and strongly object to the proposed changed to the NYC Film Permit Rules, specifically sections Section 9-01 (b)(1)(ii) and Section 9-01 (b)(1)(iii) of the proposed Chapter 9 amendments to Title 43 of the Rules of the City of New York.

I study and photograph raptors in New York City, specializing in Red-tailed Hawks.  My blog, urbanhawks.com, attracts thousands of visitors a month, and indirectly supports tourism in NYC.  To practice my hobby, I must use an expensive, large Canon 500mm lens and a tripod.  To any police officer, I look like a professional photographer, even though I am an amateur.

When there is a rare bird sighting it is common for a group of four to ten birders to observe the bird.  These sightings happen anytime and anywhere in the city, although usually in a city park. If I joined a small group of bird watchers, I would only be able to photograph a bird for less than ten minutes under the proposed regulation changes.  I usually spend two to three hours just to get a few glimpses of some birds, so the ten minute limit is unacceptably small.

The regulations would not allow me to pre-apply for a yearly permit.  Due to the random nature of birding photography, the bird would be gone before a permit could be issued.  Since the regulations, do not allow an amateur photographer to register with the city to get a yearly permit, the regulations would effectively make birding photography for more than ten minutes illegal in the City of New York.

I also find the requirement that a photographer with a tripod need $1,000,00 in insurance to obtain a permit unnecessary.  My tripod is less dangerous than a baseball, bike or skateboard, all of which do not require insurance to be used in a city park.  Why the bias against photographers?  Can you provide any evidence to show that a still photographer with a tripod, is more dangerous than someone playing sports in public?

This season, I photographed eleven Red-tailed Hawk nests.  Would I have to apply for a permit for each location?  And in the case of a new nest discovery, would I have to wait 24-48 hours?

The new rulings, which I assume are to prevent paparazzi and film crews from disrupting city streets, are too broad and vague.   Your regulations should concentrate not on limiting photographer’s rights but on protecting public welfare and regulating commercial activity.   Require commercial photographers to have insurance and set guidelines for not obstructing city streets or sidewalks.  But don’t regulate photographers.

Nature photographers aren’t a problem in New York City.  Be careful not to restrict us.  If the proposed regulations are adopted, I would support any litigation against them in the Federal Courts by the ACLU.

Please propose better regulations and save the city from endless litigation!

Thank you,

D. Bruce Yolton