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Birding tours of the harbor

On June 18 the New York City Audubon will set sail on the first of its Sunset Ecotours from Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. The tour will be guided by NYC Audubon naturalists and is an opportunity to visit the natural island habitats of birds rarely seen in the city.

The excursion will go to Hoffman and Swinburne Islands in lower New York bay and to the North and South Brother Islands in the western part of Long Island Sound. These islands are home to more than 5,000 herons, egrets, cormorants and ibis. Passengers will travel aboard New York Water Taxi.

The tour departs from Pier 17 at 7 p.m. and returns at 8:30 p.m., running every other Saturday until Aug. 13. The island trips will give passengers site seeing opportunities, so all are encouraged to bring binoculars. The June 18, July 16 and 30 expeditions will travel to North and South Brother Islands. The water taxi will travel up the East River, going past the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. The July 2 and Aug. 13 tours will visit Hoffman and Swinburne Islands, which will pass by the Statue of Liberty, go under the Verrazano Bridge.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12 and seniors. The tickets can be purchased by calling NY Water Taxi at (212) 742-1969, visiting their Web site at www.nywatertaxi.com or by stopping by the NY Water Taxi ticket booth at the South Street Seaport.

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