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Indoor Program – Michele Parrett: Beyond the Scope: The Social Lives of Captive Parrots

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

Parrots have enchanted us for centuries. We find their plumage breathtaking, their intellectual abilities intriguing, and their antics amusing. Above all, perhaps we’re most fascinated by their ability to talk and by the ways they use words to connect with us. Parrots are highly social by nature, but we usually underestimate their need for attention and interaction when we bring

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Field Trip – Lake Chamberlain, Bethany

Lake Chamberlain Recreation Area corner of sperry rd and morris rd, Bethany, CT, United States

Join Past-president Bill Batsford to check out this excellent birding area. Lake Chamberlain, a Regional Water Authority property, is surrounded by coniferous forest and it has open fields and thickets. Early spring migrants likely to be seen are Palm and Pine Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-headed Vireo. and Eastern Phoebe. Bluebirds and Tree Swallows nest in bird houses. Meet at the

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Field Trip – Ansonia Nature Center, Ansonia

Enjoy a walk at this great birding location. The nature center has a small pond, grassy fields, thickets, wetlands, and woods. The woods have had Northern Goshawk and Great Horned Owls nesting there and there are often surprises. Meet at the nature center parking lot, 10 Deerfield Lane (off Benz Rd.) in Ansonia. Leader, Maria Stockmal: 203-305-3728, m.stockmal@snet.net.

Conservation Activity – East Rock Garlic Mustard Pull

Take part in a crucial conservation project. Help remove garlic mustard from East Rock Park, an Important Bird Area that’s a vital migratory bird stopover and breeding habitat.  This invasive plant is a pernicious, prolific pest that can overrun forested areas, squeeze out native spring flowers, kill butterfly cater- pillars, and alter the habitat of our native birds. In 3

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Field Trip – Bird Walk for Families at East Rock Park, New Haven

On this walk by the park's Mill River, children, accompanied by adults, will search for warblers and other spring migrants. Other interested adults are also welcome to join the walk in this famous spring birding site. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. Leader: Florence

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Field Trip – Bent of the River Wildlife Sanctuary, Southbury

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 the National Audubon Society. Take Exit 14 off Rt. 84. Go north on Rt. 172 , then turn left onto East Flat Hill Rd.

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Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk: East Rock Park, New Haven

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 covered bridge near the Eli Whitney Museum, 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Leaders: Bill Batsford: 203-494-4325, or william.batsford@yale.edu Frank Mantlik: 203-984-9410 or mantlik@sbcglobal.net; John Oshlick: 203-584-1955 or john.oshlic@yahoo.com

Bird Count – Big Day Marathon

Take part in all or part of this event. We'll focus on New Haven area hotspots, seeking 100-130 species. We start at East Rock and search several other local migrant traps, as well as the coast from Lordship to Hammonasset. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, at 6:00 am. Leader: John Oshllick: 203-584-1955 or

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Field Trip – East Rock Park with Ranger Dan, New Haven

Note: this is a date change from the Yearbook, Originally April 30 Join Ranger Dan Barvir at this premier site for warblers and other spring migrants. We will meet at the Rice Field (baseball field) end of East Rock Park on English Drive. Leader: Ranger Dan Barvir: 203-946-6086 or dbarvir@newhavenct.org

Field Trip – Housatonic River, Kent

Today we enjoy the riparian woodlands along the Housatonic in Kent, CT. We meet at the parking area on the southwest corner of Bull's Bridge Rd and Rt. 7 (Kent Rd.) south of Kent. We carpool from there, paralleling the Housatonic via Schaticoke Rd, and Skiff Mountain Rd to River Rd, listening and looking for spring migrants. The area is

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Annual Banquet – Chris S. Elphick: “Canaries” in the Saltmarsh: The Conservation of Saltmarsh Sparrows and Other Tidal Marsh Birds

Amarante's Restaurant 62 Cove St, New Haven, CT, United States

Don’t miss this festive event—always great company, great food, and a great program. Reservations required; watch the spring newsletter, Club emails, and the Club website for details and reservation forms. Early reservations are greatly appreciated! √ Please remember to bring cash to the banquet to pay for your drinks at the cash bar and to buy tickets for the always-fun

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Field Trip – Nehantic State Forest and Hartman’s Park, Lyme

Today we explore two prime birding locations in Lyme. Nehantic State Forest, a 1,200-acre woodland, is home to Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers and numerous other species. There are large ponds where we can find waterfowl, flycatchers, and other species. Nearby Hartman’s Park is known for its breeding population of Cerulean Warblers. Meet at 6:25 at the commuter lot at Exit

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Field Trip – Naugatuck State Forest, Naugatuck

Join us at the peak of spring migration on this moderately strenuous and long hike in a fine birding location. We search for both migrants and residents. We often see more than 15 warbler species on this trip, including nesting Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers. Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and many other species are common here. Meet at the commuter lot

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Field Trip – Massaro Farm, Woodbridge, May 15

Massaro Farm 41 Ford Road, Woodbridge, CT, United States

We're so pleased to offer a spring migratory bird walk, led by New Haven Bird Club member and expert birder, Chris Loscalzo. Please join us Sunday, May 15th at 2pm as we walk the woods and fields of the farm looking for a variety of birds. The diverse structure at the farm - open fields, low brush and the woods

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Field Trip – Barn Island Wildlife Management Area,

This will be our twelfth annual trip to this excellent birding spot. We'll meet at the commuter lot at Exit 55 of I-95 and carpool to Barn Island. The area consists of large expanses of salt marsh, tidal pools, wetlands, woodlands, and open fields. We should see wading birds, shorebirds, and area residents such as Saltmarsh Sparrow, Marsh Wren, White-eyed

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Field Trip – Bluebirds and Tree Swallows on Lake Chamberlain, Bethany

Lake Chamberlain Recreation Area corner of sperry rd and morris rd, Bethany, CT, United States

For the last 5 years  Members of the New Haven Bird club have been maintaining about 50 boxes on Regional Water Authority properties in Bethany and Woodbridge.  Please join Pat Leahy, Dewitt Allen and Mike Ferrari on Sunday, May 22 from 10-1 to view activity in the bluebird and tree swallow boxes on Lake Chamberlain.  We will be explaining how we build

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Field Trip – Kellogg Environmental Center/Osbornedale St. Park, Derby

Join us on a visit to this excellent birding location where we look for late spring migrants and early nesting species. The center and park have open fields, woods, ponds, and streams. Meet at the Kellogg Center parking lot, 500 Hawthorne Avenue. Leader: Maria Stockmal: 203-488-3876 or m.stockmal@snet.net

Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk: White Memorial, Litchfield

The White Memorial Foundation is a 4,000-acre nature preserve with extensive woodlands, conifer plantations, wetlands, thickets, and fields. The preserve is home to more than 115 breeding species and is visited by many migrant species. Notable breeding species include: Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, Northern Goshawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, and Blackburnian Warbler. Meet at the visitor center parking

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Bird Count – New Haven Summer Bird Count

This is a wonderful opportunity to work on your song identification skills and see what birds are nesting in your area. For the names of area captains and other information, contact leader Steve Mayo: 203-393-0694 or rsdmayo@sbcglobal.net

Field Trip – National Trails Day Hike at Naugatuck State Forest

National Trails Day is celebrated across the country with hikes, trail work, and naturalist events. NHBC will commemorate the day with a birding hike on the oldest hiking trail in CT, the Quinnipiac Trail in the Mt. Sanford Block of Naugatuck SF. We’ll leave from the trail head parking area entrance of Naugatuck SF, 2705 Downes Rd., Hamden, and go

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Field Trip – Beginners’ Bird Walk: Grassland and Shrubland Bird IBAs

On this trip we look for grassland and shrubland birds, including Bobolink, American Kestrel, Savannah Sparrow, Blue-winged Warbler, and Indigo Bunting. Grasslands and shrublands are uncommon in CT so it is a real treat to see and hear species associated with these habitats.  We meet at the Bent of the River Important Bird Area, then carpool to Good Hill Farm IBA,

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Field Trip – Outer Cape Cod, MA (from Eastham to Provincetown)

Friday through Sunday, June 10-12, 2016 This weekend of birding and fellowship is being made available to 15 club members by advance registration. Our birding localities during the three-day period include Fort Hill (Eastham), Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet Harbor and the Herring River (Wellfleet), Pilgrim Heights and High Head (North Truro), and the Beech Forest, Race Point, and Herring

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Field Trip – Whip-poor-will Walk in Naugatuck State Forest, Naugatuck

Naugatuck State Forest 1021 Hunters Mountain Road, Naugatuck, CT, United States

Whip-poor-will walk with Jack Swatt. Naugatuck State Forest.  New Haven Bird Club member and DEEP volunteer, Whip-poor-will monitor will lead a walk, listening and looking for Whip-poor-will at the Naugatuck State Forest.  We will meet at 8:30 PM at the parking lot at the end of Hunter’s Mountain Road. Jack will give a short talk on the status of Whip-poor-wills in

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Field Trip – Stratford Point – note Tuesday Evening walk

Stratford Point 1207 Prospect Drive, Stratford, CT, United States

On our walk of this "Globally Important Bird Area," we will focus on shorebirds, such as the Semipalmated Sandpiper, that use the Mouth of the Housatonic River to rest and refuel during migration. Participants will also learn about threats to shorebirds as well as strategies for protecting them. This walk is geared to beginners but birders of all levels and

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Field Trip – Lighthouse Point Walk and Preparation for Migration Festival

Lighthouse Point 21 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven, CT, United States

Join Park Ranger Dan Barvir on a late summer bird walk at Lighthouse Point Park on New Haven Harbor. Then, beginning around 9:30 am, we’ll perform some light trail maintenance and cleanup. This is a great way to enjoy looking at birds and at the same time help preserve their habitat.  Contact information - dbarvir@newhavenct.net, c.203-946-6086

Bird Count – Lighthouse Point Hawk Watch

Lighthouse Point 21 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven, CT, United States

August 31 - December 1 Lighthouse Point Park on New Haven Harbor is one of the premier locations in southern New England for observing migrating raptors, as well as a wide variety of songbirds. The watch starts daily at 7:00 am and continues as long as the hawks keep flying. Stop by anytime.  Coordinator: Steve Mayo,  contact - rsdmayo@sbcglobal.net,  c.203-393-0694

Field Trip – Milford Point, First Thursday Walk, Milford, CT

Milford Point 1 Milford Point Road, Milford, CT, United States

Join us as we look for shorebirds and terns at this excellent local birding location. We should also find raptors, waterfowl, long-legged waders, and migrating passerines. Ten or more species of shorebirds are possible, including American Golden Plover. Leader Stephen Spector,  contact charsjs@sbcglobal.net, h.203-876-7461, c.203-928-8089

Indoor Program: The Beautiful Art of Birding – Lesley Roy

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

Artist, photographer, entrepreneur, and Commissioner of Arts, Culture and Tourism for the City of New Haven, Lesley Roy will present a beautiful visual story of birds. She'll share images of her bird artwork, local and migrant birds, compiled from the book Soaring in New Haven and birding trips to Central and South America. She'll tell the amazing story of growing

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Field Trip – Owl Prowl at Lake Saltonstall, Branford – Friday Evening – John Triana

Lake Saltonstall 100 Hosley Street, Branford, CT, United States

Join us in a search for owls at Lake Saltonstall.  We will be walking a short distance.  Wear good shoes and bring a flashlight. The hikers parking lot is at 400 Hosley Ave. in Branford, about 1/4 mile west from the intersection of Hosley Ave. and Brushy Plains Rd.  Leader John Triana - jtriana1@sbcglobal.net  Phone h.203-758-7203

Conservation Project – Litter Cleanup: Sandy Point IBA Bird Sanctuary, West Haven – Craig Repasz

Sandy Point 183 Beach Street, West Haven, CT, United States

Join a critical conservation effort: Help remove trash from an Important Bird Area as part of the Ocean Conservancy’s “International Coastal Cleanup.” A clean site prevents predators, attracted by food litter, from becoming accustomed to visiting Sandy Point, one of the prime sites in CT for Piping Plovers and other beach-nesting bird species. Plus: Our data will help scientists fight

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Annual Migration Festival – Lighthouse Point, New Haven – Dan Barvir

Lighthouse Point 21 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven, CT, United States

This festive event is sponsored by the New Haven Parks Dept., NHBC, and other fine organizations. There will be hawk watching; bird banding and live raptor demos; bird walks; and more. Chris Loscalzo will lead an 8:00 am walk, Mike Horn will lead one at 9:30 and Flo McBride will lead a kids’ walk at 9:30.  Last year's highlight was a

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Field Trip – Yale University Golf Course, New Haven – Bill Batsford

Yale Golf Course the course at yale, New Haven, CT, United States

The golf course is located on more than 700 acres, with woods and ponds surrounding the course. It’s a great place to see birds year round. We’ll be visiting the course when there are no golfers, so we’ll be able to walk the cart paths and wooded trails without being disturbed or disturbing others. We’ll be looking for fall migrants

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Field Trip – Kellogg Environmental Center and Osbordale State Park, Derby – Maria Stockmal

Kellog Environmental Center 500 Hawthorne ave, Derby, CT, United States

Here’s a chance to visit an outstanding birding spot that boasts a variety of habitats—open fields, woodlands, and ponds. We’ll look for fall migrants, including warblers, sparrows, flycatchers, and vireos. Leader Maria Stockmal email m.stockmal@snet.net - phone c.203-305-3728

Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk, Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven – Frank Mantlik

Lighthouse Point 21 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven, CT, United States

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. Leader - Frank Mantlik, email - mantlik@sbcglobal.net, phone c.203-984-9410  

Bird Count – THE BIG SIT! ® – John Triana

THE BIG SIT!®, established by the NHBC, has become an international event, with birders from all over the world participating in it. The object is to record as many species of birds as possible in one day from one 17-foot diameter circle. The circles are located at a number of birding hot spots throughout CT. Join other birders in one

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Indoor Program: The Strength of Bird Nests – Corey O’Hern, Ph. D.

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

Recently, in collaboration with Prof. Eric Brown from the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science at Yale and Prof. Rick Prum from the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Yale, Corey O'Hern has begun investigating the mechanical and structural properties of bird nests. This work was featured in Episode 1 (The Nest) of the PBS Nature documentary, "Animal

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Field Trip – Hammonesset Beach State Park, Madison – Flo McBride

Shoreline Greenway Trail Eastern Trailhead Parking Lot - Hammo Shoreline Greenway Trail Eastern Trailhead Parking Lot, Madison, CT, United States

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.  Leader - Flo McBride - email fmcb_warbler@yahoo.com, phone - h.203-288-6777

Field Trip – Branford Supply Ponds, Branford – Maria Stockmal – Canceled

Branford Supply Ponds Branford Supply ponds, Branford, CT, United States

This walk has been canceled due to much needed rain!   Visit this first-rate birding spot to look for fall migrants and resident species. The area has varied habitats with woods, shrubby areas and a powercut. A variety of waterfowl can be found in the ponds.  Leader Maria Stockmal email - m.stockmal@snet.net, phone h.203-305-3728

Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk, Sherwood Island State Park, Westport – Tina Green

Sherwood Island State Park 390 Sherwood Island Connector, Main parking lot, Westport, CT, United States

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.  Location is the main parking lot inside the park off the Sherwood Island Connector, Exit 18 off I-95 in Westport.  Leader  Tina Green,

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Field Trip – Fargeorge Preserve, Quinnipiac River, New Haven – Mike Horn

Fargeorge Preserve 1040 Quinnipiac ave, New Haven, CT, United States

Fargeorge Preserve is always full of surprises. We have had everything from Woodcock to Eagles to Snow Geese, lots of fall migrants, wintering ducks and more. It is a varied habitat with excellent views of the lower Quinnipiac River.  Quinnipiac Meadows. Go south on Quinnipiac Ave. from Rt. 80 (Foxon Rd.). Turn right just past the RR overpass and go

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Indoor Program: Birds, Birders, and Bird Photographers: The Lines Have Blurred – Jim Zipp

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

See how photographing birds has changed over the years, from film based photography, to digital and now even iPhones! In today's digital world it's become a lot easier, with more and more birders photographing birds as well as watching them. Jim will show lots of photographs of birds we all love so much, recorded in U.S. locations ranging from here

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Field Trip – Bombay Hook NWR, Leipsic, Delaware and Eastern Neck Island NWE Rock Hall, MD

Bombay Hook NWL 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd,, symrna, DE, United States

We will meet at the refuge headquarters building just past the main gate at 6:25 AM SHARP (Bathrooms open 24/7) and tour the many ponds, pools and fields where you may see and photograph as many as 100,000 Snow Geese as well as many other fall migrants from raptors to shore birds. We will also visit other spots in the

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Field Trip – Lake Chamberlain, Cooper & Calabresi Farms – Pat Leahy

Lake Chamberlain Recreation Area corner of sperry rd and morris rd, Bethany, CT, United States

Join a fall walk to see what can be found at these picturesque locations.  Lake Chamberlain, a Regional Water Authority property, has an active bluebird population, many woodpeckers, and a number of waterfowl that visit the lake before heading further south when the lake freezes over. The walk at Lake Chamberlain is relatively easy. After birding the RWA property, we

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Field Trip – Sherwood Island State Park, Westport – Tina Green

Sherwood Island State Park 390 Sherwood Island Connector, Main parking lot, Westport, CT, United States

Spend some time at one of Fairfield County’s top-notch birding locations. We will look for a wide range of species from waterfowl to finches and everything in between. Leader Tina Green - email tina@renaissancestudios.com, phone c.203-247-2660

Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk – Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison – Jerry Connolly

Shoreline Greenway Trail Eastern Trailhead Parking Lot - Hammo Shoreline Greenway Trail Eastern Trailhead Parking Lot, Madison, CT, United States

Note: moved to Thursday Dec 8 due to Wednesday's bad weather forecast. 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.  Leader Jerry Connolly, email birdshop@sbcglobal.net,  phone h.203-421-4128, c.203-710-2011

Indoor Program: Connecticut’s Owls – Frank Gallo

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

When the sun retreats, owls awaken to go in search of prey. Some say that owls are wise, others that they sparked legends of ghosts. Naturalist Frank Gallo will help uncover the mysteries of these amazing nocturnal hunters, especially those species that co-exist in our area. It’s a hoot!  Frank is a leading expert on where to find birds in

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Bird Count – 117th Annual New Haven Christmas Bird Count

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

Join other NHBC members in this fun event, steeped in tradition. Take part for a few hours or all day. Join birders in the field or report what you see in your backyard (if you reside within the count circle). The results of the count are sent to the National Audubon Society for inclusion in an international census of early

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Field Trip – First Wednesday Walk: Harkness State Park, Waterford – Tina Green

Harkness Memorial State Park 275 Great Neck rd., Waterford, CT, United States

Today we’ll explore this beautiful coastline park. It has ponds, fields, shrubs—and lots of shoreline. We will look for raptors, loons, grebes, all three scoters, Eiders (King Eider has been seen here), Bufflehead, and Goldeneye. Snow Bunting and Horned Lark are likely too.  Leader: Tina Green, email tina@renaissancestudios.com, phone c.203-247-2660

Indoor Program: 308: A Photographic Big Year – Patrick Comins

Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT, United States

Patrick Comins didn’t set out to do a big photo year in 2014, but by mid-January it was game on. The madness didn’t stop until New Year’s Eve 2014 with a trip on a cod boat on a bitterly cold day. By sundown he had captured #308, a Dovekie that landed close to the boat. Along the way Patrick captured

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Field Trip – Milford Hotspots in Winter – Frank Mantlik

Milford Commuter Lot exit 35 111 Schoolhouse rd, Milford, CT, United States

We’ll look for waterfowl, birds of prey, and winter passerines 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 cancel the trip. Check with the leader if you have weather concerns.  Meet at the commuter lot off Exit

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