Walks

Group 1: 8–9:30 a.m.; Group 2: 10–11:30 a.m. Cheshire Land Trust’s Fresh Meadows Preserve includes a variety of habitats that appeal to a wide variety of bird species looking for a place to rest and refuel on their southbound migration. With conifer groves, deciduous woodlands, and meadows, all located along the Mill River, it’s worth a visit. Expect a 1–2 mile walk on

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The salt marshes of Connecticut express muted hues of gold and russet in autumn. These colors are the backdrop for the early fall migration. Visit one of the state's largest salt marshes to observe warblers, wading birds, shorebirds, migrating sparrows and swallows, Merlins, and Northern Harriers. Join Corrie Folsom-O'Keefe, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Connecticut, and Kris Vagos, wildlife

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Join us on a visit to this premier local birding location, renowned for its migrating raptors and passerines. If the weather conditions are favorable, we may see hundreds of hawks in flight over the park. Meet at the Hawk Watch parking lot, Lighthouse Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Road, New Haven. If the gate is staffed, just let them know you

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Cancelled due to a horrible weather forecast! Visit one of our state’s best fall birding spots, where the abundance of some migrants and sightings of less common species can make for a truly memorable trip. The walking is easy, all on level ground. Meet outside the park at the Shoreline Greenway Trail parking area on Boston Post Road, Madison, just

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Join us for a vigorous walk along the Quinnipiac Trail from Cornwall Avenue in Prospect through Regional Water Authority and Prospect Land Trust property off of Boardman Road.  Expect many steep areas with rough terrain. Wear appropriate footwear and bring water. Heavy rain cancels. Meet at the end of the cul-de-sac on Boardman Drive, Prospect. Then we’ll carpool down to

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Fargeorge Nature Preserve; joint trip with Gather New Haven (formerly the New Haven Land Trust), New Haven Quinnipiac Meadows Eugene B. Fargeorge Nature Preserve, a varied habitat with excellent view of the lower Quinnipiac River, is always full of surprises. We have seen everything from Woodcock to Bald Eagles to Snow Geese, lots of fall migrants, wintering ducks, and more.

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This a good location to look for migrants both in spring and fall. There can be quite a mix including Baltimore Oriole, Pine Warbler, American Coot, Common Raven, Winter Wren, Fox Sparrow, and Red-shouldered Hawk. The site boasts two ponds, a forest area, and a power-line cut. The forest was damaged by severe storms in 2020 and tops of trees

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  We will walk the Trolley Museum tracks in East Haven. There are several habitats and we’ll look for migrating raptors plus salt marsh and woodland birds. Meet in the back parking lot of the Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River Street, East Haven. Leader: Mike Horn, 203-288-1891 or mfhorn@att.net

This walk is being moved to Friday due to Weather Join a midweek trip to this outstanding Long Island Sound birding spot. We check for loons, grebes, goldeneye, and other sea ducks. The fields are a good place to look for Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, and sparrows. Meet at Sherwood Island State Park: take Exit 18 off I-95 in Westport

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We bird several hotspots in Cheshire. Broad Brook Reservoir annually hosts 200-400 Ruddy Ducks in fall, one of the highest concentrations of this diving duck in the state. It is level walking (100 yards) on leaf-covered paved road. Fresh Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary (Cheshire Land Trust) offers a diversity of bird species through the year. It is level walking (500 yards)

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At any time of year, Hammonasset is a true gem. Enjoy a mid-week trip to explore this birding hotspot for fall migrants. The varied habitat attracts shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, and songbirds. Meet outside the park at the Shoreline Greenway Trail parking area on Boston Post Road, Madison, just east of the park's main entrance road. Leader: Jerry Connolly, 203-710-2011, birdshop@sbcglobal.net

East Rock Park is deservedly famous for its diversity of colorful neotropical migrants in spring. Early winter brings its own avian delights to the park. We look and/or listen for ducks, hawks, woodpeckers, corvids, wrens, kinglets, thrushes, finches, and sparrows. Expected highlights are mousy Winter Wrens, kronking Common Ravens, and posturing Peregrine Falcons. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking

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Join a midweek trip to this outstanding Long Island Sound birding spot. We check for loons, grebes, goldeneye, and other sea ducks. The fields are a good place to look for Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, and sparrows. Meet at Sherwood Island State Park: take Exit 18 off I-95 in Westport and head south on the Sherwood Island Connector. Drive into

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Start time changed due to Weather forecast - 9:00 AM We'll look for waterbirds and fowl including Long-tailed Ducks, scoters, and loons, as well as shorebirds, gulls, and raptors as we visit Milford hotspots that will likely include Milford Point, Mondo Ponds, and Caswell Cove. Dress warmly and plan to carpool. The trip ends by noon. Inclement weather will probably

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Enjoy a mid-week field trip to Hammonasset Beach State Park, one of the state’s best birding locations in any season of the year. We will look for sea ducks, grassland species, and rarities. Meet outside the park at the Shoreline Greenway Trail parking area on Boston Post Road, Madison, just east of the park's main entrance road. Leader: Greg Hanisek,

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Snow date - Sunday, February 25, 2024, same time This all-day trip includes stops at Beavertail State Park, Moonstone Beach, Trustum Pond, and other great birding sites along the Rhode Island coast. We hope to see lots of sea ducks including all three scoter species, Common Eider, and Harlequin Duck. We’ll look for birds of prey, including Rough-legged Hawk and

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White Memorial Foundation is a 4,000-acre nature preserve with mature deciduous and evergreen forests, as well as fields of tall grass, weeds, and shrubs that are managed for various stages of succession. One of the best birding sites in the state and an Important Bird Area, White Memorial has approximately 35 miles of woodland roads, trails, and boardwalks. We could

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Join us on a visit to this excellent birding area. We’ll look for coastal birds such as Long-tailed Duck and scoters, as well as raptors and shorebirds. Meet at the Dunkin Donuts parking lot at 60 Access Road, Stratford, near the intersection with Main Street (Route 113); we carpool from there. Leader: Frank Mantlik, 203-984-9410 or mantlik@sbcglobal.net

This walk has been cancelled due to predicted rain storm Join Bill Batsford for a late winter walk at this urban park with varied habitat including woodlands, fields, streams, and ponds. Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Brown Creeper are all possible. The walking is easy and flat with one dirt path through a wooded area. Total distance

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Join us for all or part of this trip. We first bird the shore at Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven. We proceed to the Richard English Bird Sanctuary at Deer Lake Day Camp in Killingworth, and then move on to Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison. We are out all day but you may come for any part of the trip.

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Cancelled due to Weather Enjoy an early spring trip to one of the best local birding spots. We look out into the marsh and along the shore for waterfowl, shorebirds, waders, and raptors. Meet at the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center, 1 Milford Point Road, Milford. Leader: Jalna Jaeger, 203-246-0885 or jalnabird@gmail.com

Osbornedale State Park offers a variety of species in its fields and forest, and around its ponds. It's always a surprise when  walking through the park. We may see a flyover Bald Eagle, nesting Bluebirds, early warbler migrants, Green Heron, and Orchard Oriole, as well as Indigo Bunting, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, and various thrushes. We will explore Kellogg Environmental Center and

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Explore a prime birding location along the Pomperaug River in Southbury where more than 100 species of birds have been observed in a single day. This beautiful and highly diverse habitat is owned and maintained by Audubon Connecticut. The walk is open to birders of all levels; families are welcome. More advanced birders can enjoy a day out and also

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East Rock Park in early May is one of the best places in the state to see migrant warblers. Fifteen to twenty species are possible on a good day. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. Leader: John Oshlick, 203-584-1955 or john.oshlic@gmail.com

River Road along the Housatonic River in Kent provides a major north-south riparian corridor for spring migration. The vast uninterrupted forest rising from the river provides ideal habitat and a beautiful walk. River Road has produced a nice variety of Northwestern Connecticut nesting species including Acadian and Least Flycatchers; Yellow-throated and Blue-headed Vireos; Winter Wren; and Cerulean, Golden-winged, and Worm-eating

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Hartman Park is known for its breeding population of Cerulean Warbler. There is also a power cut which may have Prairie, Blue-winged, Magnolia and other warblers. Both Cuckoos have been seen here as well. The Hartman Park walk involves a moderate distance walk on moderately strenuous terrain. Meet at the commuter parking lot, Exit 55 off I-95. Leader: John Oshlick,

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From late April through mid-May, East Rock Park experiences a steady progression of newly-arriving neotropical migrant birds. Many birders visit this ultra-hotspot daily in spring to enjoy the latest flashy birds making appearances. We start the morning at Trowbridge Drive to ensure parking spaces, and to get our walking feet operating. After we enjoy the warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and thrushes

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Sleeping Giant hosts diverse habitats: riparian woods, rivers and streams, stands of white pines, mature deciduous forests, and cliffs and meadow edge. Although it is famous for its ankle-twisting and heart-pumping terrain, we will bird along the uphill but (mostly) smooth-surfaced Tower Path. As we move slowly along the Path, we can expect to find a rich mix of migrant

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Bird Walk: Friends of Farm River Estuary and NHBC The Friends of Farm River Estuary (FFRE) invite members of the New Haven Bird Club on a bird walk along the Shore Line Trolley Museum tracks in East Haven, Saturday May 11 at 8 a.m. Meet in the back parking lot of the Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River Street, East

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Join us at the peak of spring migration on this moderately strenuous hike in a fine birding location. We’ll search for migrants and residents. We often see more than 15 species of warblers on this trip, including resident Hooded, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, and Worm-eating Warblers. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and many other birds are residents here, too.

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Rain Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024, 8–9:30 p.m. Jack Swatt, New Haven Bird Club Life Member and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) volunteer Whip-poor-will monitor, will lead a walk to listen and look for Eastern Whip-poor-will at the Naugatuck State Forest. Jack will give a short talk on the status of Whip-poor-wills in the Northeast and Connecticut.

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Julius M. Hansen Park, North Haven Saturday, May 18, 2024, 8–11 a.m. Rich meadows and fields, forested wetlands, trap rock ridge, and riparian woods host breeding populations of sparrows and warblers, woodpeckers, hawks, orioles, grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and other field and woodland birds. Other migrating species are possible. Meet at the parking lot just east of 52 Patten Road. From

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This date has changed from the Yearbook.  The walk was originally scheduled for May 15th.  It has been moved to May 22. Join Pat Leahy for a walk on Regional Water Authority property in Bethany. Pat has been maintaining a bluebird trail on several of the properties there. Bluebirds, swallows, and spring migrants are plentiful. Walking is not strenuous and

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Barn Island WMA is a large expanse of varied habitat along the Connecticut shore near the Rhode Island border, including large tracts of salt marsh, deciduous woodlands and a large brushy field. We’ll see 60+ species of birds, with notable resident species including White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo, Saltmarsh Sparrow, and Willow Flycatcher likely to be seen. This is a good

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Lake Dawson, Woodbridge Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 7:30–11 a.m. Join Pat Leahy for a walk on protected Regional Water Authority property in Woodbridge. Swallows, bluebirds, many other resident birds, and possible late migrants. Some mild slopes on a well-maintained road. Meet at Lake Chamberlain Regional Water Authority parking area on Sperry Road south of Morris Road, Bethany. We will carpool

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Join nationally-recognized wildlife artist and birder Mike DiGiorgio for a walk to look for resident and migrating songbirds. We’ll explore the fields, gardens and woodland trails. Birders of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Meet at the Community Gardens parking area, 257 Copse Road, Madison. Leader: Mike DiGiorgio, mdigiorgio@comcast.net

The Chippens Hill area of Bristol has historically been farmland. The Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut and the city of Bristol are working to save some of the habitat where Bobolinks, Meadowlarks, and Grasshopper Sparrows have been found. Join Jack Swatt for a tour of these areas in search of these declining species. Bring plenty of water and be prepared

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Greg Hanisek, one of the best birders in the state, will lead the walk in this scenic and spacious forest in the northern part of the state. Nesting species here include Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrush, Canada Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Meet at the entrance to Mohawk Mountain State Park on Route 4 in Cornwall, four miles west of Goshen.

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Join Pat Leahy for a walk on protected Regional Water Authority property in Woodbridge. Views of the lake and dam, some wetlands and lakeside forest. Walking is not strenuous and on a well-maintained road. Meet at Lake Chamberlain Regional Water Authority parking area on Sperry Road south of Morris Road, Bethany. We will carpool to Lake Watrous from there. Leader:

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A scenic walk around former hay fields, past streams and a pond. Forty-three acres of deep woods, meadows, ponds, wetlands, and fields that attract resident and migrating birds. A 75-yard boardwalk takes you through wetlands to the Wepawaug River. The trail crosses wet areas; wear appropriate footwear. Leader - Beverly Propen - bpropen@gmail.com. Location - Meet at the intersection of

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(Rain date) Sunday, September 15, 2024, 8 am to noon Come join us for a new field trip that will explore the natural resources and birds in two different rock quarry areas in rural Branford and suburban New Haven. The trip will start in the Kelley Memorial Preserve in Branford, which surrounds the active Stony Creek quarry. The Stony Creek

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Join Hawk Watch Coordinator Steve Mayo for an introduction to identifying and counting the raptors that stream over and through Lighthouse Point Park during fall migration. Lighthouse Point is a premier location on the East Coast and watching the migrating raptors pass through can be thrilling. Meet at the Hawk Watch  parking lot, Lighthouse Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Road, New

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Join us for a walk in this species-rich but under-birded state park in East Haven. September possibilities include shorebirds and herons, various migrating hawks and falcons, resident woodpeckers, and a wide range of resident birds and other passerines in migration. If time allows, we will also walk the short East Haven Greenway Trail loop, which offers a variety of species.

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The beautiful salt marshes of Connecticut are active during early fall migration. Come visit one of the state's largest salt marshes to observe Palm Warblers, wading birds, shorebirds, migrating sparrows and swallows, Merlins, Northern Harriers, and others. Corrie Folsom-O'Keefe, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Connecticut, will also discuss salt marsh ecology and the large marsh restoration project that is

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