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How and why did our best known birds get to be so well known? And what are some of the crazy things they make us do? John will share light-hearted stories of birds and birding, from cuisine to cartoons, ornaments to icons, murmurs to murders. You’ll get a whole new look at the avian friends we so admire (and some, not so
Today we visit the marshes and beaches in Stratford and Milford. We’ll be looking for sea ducks, including scoters, grebes, loons and scaup, as well as raptors, gulls, and shorebirds. Meet at the commuter lot on Schoolhouse Road, Milford just south of Exit 35 on I-95. Leader: Chris Loscalzo: 203-389-6508 or closcalz@optonline.net.
BOOK GROUP Birds in words next book will be A Feathered River Across the Sky; the Passenger Pigeon's Flight to Extinction by Joel Greenberg and the date has been set for January 20,2015 (Tuesday), from 7-9 in the Sixth Floor Conference Room at Whitney Center.
Join us as we visit this premier CT birding location for a mid-winter excursion. We will be looking for sea ducks, shorebirds, grassland species, and winter finches. Meet at the Nature Center parking lot. We will check several areas in the park, including the campgrounds area. Leader and contact person: Paul Wolter: 860-681-5548 or pwolter6@earthlink.net.
Enjoy a mid-week field trip to Hammo, 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 at the park entrance at 8:00 am. Leader: Greg Hanisek. Contact person: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com.
Few would argue that the saddest word in a birder’s ID vocabulary is extinction. Yet that’s been the fate of too many avian species in the past and the threat ever grows. At this meeting, Kevin will discuss what is known about the history, biology, and extinction of one such vanished bird, the splendidly colorful Carolina Parakeet, described by some
This all-day trip includes stops at Sachuest Pt., Beavertail State Park, Moonstone Beach, and Trustum Pond, all great RI birding sites. We should see grebes, loons, scoters, eiders, Purple Sandpipers, and Harlequin Ducks. Dress warmly—it’s cold and windy on the coast. The walk is a bit strenuous. Bring lunch and a scope if you have one. Meet at the Branford
This very special birding experience will be made available to 15 club members by advance registration. We’ll be staying in the recently renovated farmhouse at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown, RI, near Sachuest Point. We’ll go birding each day, starting with a sea watch each morning in search of alcids, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and other pelagic species. We’ll enjoy comfortable
Join us on a visit to this excellent birding area. We will meet at the Long Beach parking lot and bird the marsh and beach and then visit Sikorsky airport and Frash Pond. We’ll look for oceanic birds such as Long-tailed Duck and scoters, as well as raptors and shorebirds. Directions: Exit 30 off I-95, follow signs to Sikorsky Airport.
The Warbler Guide: A New System for Identifying and Learning Vocalizations Identifying warblers and other species singing in the field is one of the most satisfying aspects of birding, but learning and re- membering the important ID points of bird vocalizations can be a challenge. At this meeting, Tom will cover some new techniques that make it easier to identify
We'll look at and study potentially thousands of gulls and dozens of gannets as they feast on the annual plankton bloom along the coast. Meet at the Lordship Seawall at the south end of Wash- ington Pkwy (near Marnick's Restaurant). Leader and contact person: Frank Mantlik: 203-984-9410 or mantlik@sbcglobal.net.
Join us on this early spring trip to one of the best local birding spots. We’ll look out into the marsh and along the shore for waterfowl, shorebirds, waders, and raptors. Meet at the Coastal Center parking lot. Leader: Steven Spector. Contact person: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com.
Meet at the Lighthouse Point Park hawk watch parking lot and bird the harbor shore for gulls, loons, ducks, and shorebirds. We will then go to the Richard English Bird Sanctuary on Deer Lake in Killingworth, and finish our birding tour with a visit to Hammo- nasset State Park. This is an all-day trip; bring lunch and dress warmly. Leader:
Every spring Rusty Blackbirds, a species recognized as globally vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, use the grounds of the White Memorial Foundation IBA before moving on to their nesting areas. We will look for this and other species on a walk around Little Pond and enter our sightings into ebird.org to increase awareness about habitats used by
No one escapes the weather, least of all birds. Because they basically spend their entire lives outside, weather has a huge influence on their movements and migration. The more that birders understand about the impact of weather on birds, the more productive their birding decisions will be. From something as mundane as knowing to keep feeders full to invite birds
Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot for a bird walk from 8 to 9:30 am. Then join Park Ranger Dan Barvir to help with light trail maintenance along the river until noon. Bring pruning shears and workgloves, if you have them. Leader: Dan Barvir: 203-946-6086.
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 on Deerfield Lane (off Benz Road.) in Ansonia. Leader, Maria Stockmal: 203-488-3876 or m.stockmal@snet.net.
Join club 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, Eastern Phoebe, and Blue-headed Vireo. Bluebirds and Tree Swallows nest in bird houses. Meet at
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. Please read next entry associated with Dan’s walk/garlic pull. click here
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. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. Leader: Florence McBride: 203 -288-6777 or
Dan’s bird walk will end around 11:30, and after a lunch break, we’ll get to work pulling garlic mustard in a heavily infested area of the park. This invasive plant is a pernicious, prolific pest that can overrun forested areas, squeeze out native spring flowers, kill butterfly caterpillars, and alter the habitat of our native birds. The rampant growth can be
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 Rte. 84. Go north on Rte. 172 , then turn left onto East Flat Hill Rd.
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. Leaders: Bill Batsford, Frank Mantlik, and John Oshlick. Contact person: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com.
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 at 6:00 or 7:30 am. Leader: to be determined. Consult the website
Celebrate Mother’s Day with us as we walk the trails at this former Regional Water Authority property in search of spring migrants and summer residents. There are extensive woods, riparian habitats, open fields and a powerline cut. Meet at the Tract parking lot on Racebrook Road (Route 114) just north of Derby Turnpike (Route 34). Leaders: Chris Loscalzo and Judy
The New Haven Bird Club traveled to River Road in May 1991 and documented the first nesting of Yellow-throated Warbler in Connecticut. Subsequent NHBC trips to River Road have produced a nice variety of Northwestern Connecticut nesting species. We return this year to River Road at the peak of the spring migration. In his 1978 publication, 25 Birding Areas in
Svalbard: An Arctic Naturalist’s Paradise Presented by Wayne Petersen The stunning Svalbard archipelago, one of the dramatic lands of the midnight sun, belongs to Norway but is located far north of the country. Its endless summer hours of daylight, towering sea cliffs teeming with breeding seabirds, immense slopes of rocky talus, and gleaming tidewater glaciers are a constant reminder that
Enjoy the peak of spring migration in this superb birding location where we’ll search for both migrants and residents. The mixed hardwood forest is a great spot for Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers and many other species. Last year on this trip we saw many different warbler species including Bay-breasted, Hooded, Blackburnian, and Lawrence’s. Meet at the commuter lot at Exit
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 6:30 at the commuter lot at Exit
This will be our eleventh 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 management 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,
Come to look and listen for birds in a variety of habitats within a small area. We’ll do a loop trail that includes a powerline right-of-way, a deep ravine, and the typical deciduous and coniferous forests between the two. There are steep areas going down and up the ravine so wear sturdy shoes. Meet at the Regional Wa-ter Authority recreation parking lot
Join us on a visit to this excellent birding location where we’ll 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.
Greg, 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 park entrance on Rte. 4 in Cornwall, four miles west of Goshen. Leader: Greg Hanisek. Contact: Tina
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
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. We’ll leave from the Downes Road parking area entrance of Naugatuck SP and go through the mountain laurel, beech, birch, hickory and oak forest; then up
On this trip we will look for grassland and shrubland birds, inclu-ding Bobolink, American Kestrel, Blue-winged Warbler, and Indi- go Bunting. Grasslands and shrublands are uncommon in CT so it is a treat to see and hear species associated with these habitats. We will meet at the Bent of the River Important Bird Area, then carpool to Good Hill Farm IBA,
On our walk to 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 families
Sharpen your shorebird identification skills at one of the best places in the state to see shorebirds. We may have an indoor presentation before going out to the beach. Meet at the Coastal Center parking lot, 1 Milford Point Rd. Bring a scope if you have one. Leaders: Patrick Comins, Frank Gallo, and Frank Mantlik. Contact: Chris Loscalzo: 203-389-6508, closcalz@optonline.net
Saturday, August 22, 2015, 8:00 am Walk and 9:30 Cleanup 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
August 31 to December 1, 2015 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: 203-393-0694 or rsdmayo@sbcglobal.net
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. Meet at the Coastal Center parking lot, at 1 Milford Point Rd. Leader: Stephen Spector, 203-876-7461 (home), 203-928-8089 (cell) or charsjs@sbcglobal.net.
Note: the meeting room has been changed for this meeting to the 6th floor room at the Whitney Center. Staff will help you find the new location. The present is an amazing time to be a birder. For example, Neil Hayward was able to set a new Big Year record in 2013 using modern birding networks, improved taxonomic knowledge, and
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
This festive event is sponsored by the New Haven Parks Dept., NHBC, and other fine organizations. There will be hawk watch-ing; 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. The park is located
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
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. Meet at the Kellogg Center parking lot at 500 Hawthorne Ave., Derby. Leader: Maria Stockmal: 203-305-3728 or m.stockmal@snet.net
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 site inside the park, which is located at 2 Lighthouse Rd., New Haven). Leader: Frank Mantlik: 203-984-9410 or mantlik@sbcglobal.net
Birders often have a favorite “patch,” a birding spot they love to visit again and again. But how do we take care of those beloved haunts, for our own and others’ future enjoyment? Tonight’s speaker has plenty of suggestions and he’s eminently qualified to deliver them. A lifelong and Master Gardener who spent three years at the NY Botanical Garden,
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
Note: This is a time change from the Yearbook. (Originally scheduled for Oct 4, at 8:30) Located at the mouth of the CT River, Griswold Point provides important stopover habitat for shorebirds and songbirds in the fall. On this walk, we scan the coastline for late migrating shorebirds and look for Saltmarsh and Nelson's Sparrows along the edges of the marsh. The Saltmarsh Sparrow is globally vulnerable