To search for all future field trips/walks, try entering the word field or walk. For meetings, enter the word meeting.
Thursday, April 10, 2014 – Steve Broker – “Ravens at Their Nest” The Common Raven extended its breeding range into CT in the late 1980s, and it now can be found throughout the state. A breeding pair has been observed closely at West Rock Ridge in Woodbridge since discovery of the nest in 2003. Tonight Steve will discuss raven life
Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot for a bird walk from 8 - 9:30. Then join Park Ranger Dan Barvir to help with light trail maintenance along the river till noon. Bring pruning shears, work gloves, if you have them. Leader: Dan Barvir: 203-946-6086.
The Charles E. Wheeler Marsh at the mouth of the Housatonic River provides valuable foraging habitat for Great and Snowy Egrets nesting on nearby Charles Island. Today we will focus on long-legged waders and their habitat needs. This walk is geared to beginners but birders of all levels are invited. Families are welcome. Birders with more advanced skills can enjoy
We focus on just two breeding species for this trip to West Rock Ridge: Peregrine Falcon and Common Raven. A pair of Pereg- rine Falcons selected West Rock as their home base in 1999, thereby becoming one of the first breeding pairs in CT in the post-DDT era. Since then, 5 different females and 5 different males (tiercels) have occupied
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. We finish our birding tour with a visit to Hammonasset State Park. This is an all-day trip; bring lunch and dress warmly. Leader: Mike
Enjoy a walk at this fine 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.
Join current club president Bill Batsford to check out this excel- lent 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.
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 will 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
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 Socie- ty. Take Exit 14 off Rte. 84. Go north on Rte. 172 , then turn left onto East Flat Hill
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.
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: Renee Baade, Frank Mantlik, and John Oshlick. Contact person: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com.
Annual Banquet – Thursday, May 8, 2014 – 6:00 pm – Amarante’s Restaurant, New Haven Don’t miss this great 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
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: John Oshlick: 203-891-5344 or john.oshlic@yahoo.com
Join us at the peak of spring migration on this moderately strenuous and long hike in a fine birding location. We'll search for migrants and residents. The mixed hardwood forest is a good lo- cation for Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers and many other species. Last year on this trip we saw 15 warbler species and heard a hooting Barred Owl
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 many other species. There are large ponds where you can find Wood Ducks, herons, flycatchers and other species. Nearby Hartman's Park is known for its breeding population of Cerulean Warblers. Meet at at 6:30 at commuter lot
This will be our tenth 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 which 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 Vireo,
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 lot
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 event with a birding hike on the oldest hiking trail in CT, the Quinnipiac Trail. We'll leave from the Downes Rd. parking area entrance of Naugatuck SP and go through the mountain laurel, beech, birch, hickory and oak forest; then up
The Bent of the River Audubon Sanctuary provides a breadth of habitat for bird species, from forests to riparian areas to shrubby meadows. On this walk we'll look for nesting shrubland birds, including Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Field Sparrow and Indigo Bunting. Shrubby meadows are uncommon in CT so it's a special treat to see and hear these species. This
Note: This is an evening walk On our walk to this Important Bird Area (IBA), we will focus on beach-nesting birds, such as the Piping Plover, and other shore- birds that use Sandy Point to rest and refuel during migration. Participants will also learn about threats to beach-nesting birds as well as strategies for protecting them. This walk is geared to
Enjoy an excursion on the beach! We will walk along Seaside Avenue in Westbrook and out onto Menunketesuck Flats at low tide to look for shorebirds, terns, and other water birds. The mud flats at low tide are a great place to see shorebirds. We’ll then visit the Salt Meadow Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge to
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 help preserve their habitat at the same time. Meet at the Hawk Watch parking lot in the
Lighthouse Point 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
Today we head for this excellent birding location to look for shorebirds and terns. 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: Renee Baade. Contact: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 ortina@renaissancestudios.com.
Note: this meeting will be in the 6th floor conference room at the Whitney Center. There will be people at the normal entrance to show you the way. You don’t need to halt your birding adventures just because it gets dark outside. Discover the wonderful world of nocturnal bird migration. Just after sunset every fall, millions of birds take off
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
The New Haven Bird Club is looking for volunteers to participate in a beach cleanup at Sandy Point IBA in West Haven as part of the Ocean Conservancy's "International Coastal Cleanup Day," captained locally by Save the Sound/Dr. Bob Marra. The cleanup will help prevent predators, attracted by trash, from becoming accustomed to visiting Sandy Point, one of the most
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 am walk and Mike Horn will lead one at 9:30 am. Check the newspaper and the club newsletter for more details. Organizer: Ranger
Join Club Secretary Paul Wolter on a trip to this fine coastal birding location. We’ll be looking for fall migrants, including warblers, vireos, thrushes, and sparrows. There will be waterfowl and other water birds in and around the ponds. Meet at the parking lot on Chestnut Street in Branford. Leader: Paul Wolter: 860-681-5548 or pwolter6@earthlink.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. Leader: Frank Mantlik. Contact: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com.
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: 203-488-3876 or m.stockmal@snet.net.
Griswold Point, located at the mouth of the CT River, provides important stopover habitat for shorebirds and songbirds in the fall. On this walk, we will scan the coastline for late migration shorebirds, and look for Saltmarsh and Nelson's Sparrows along the edges of the marsh. The Saltmarsh Sparrow is globally vulnerable and fall migration offers a great opportunity to glimpse this species. This walk is geared to
Clothes may make the man, but feathers make the bird. Birds sport thousands of feathers that come in myriad shapes and sizes for various uses including flying, attracting a mate, and even carrying water. The diversity of feathers is stunning but it is not always clear how the different feather shapes are produced. Teresa Feo will present her ongoing research
see our Big Sit page for more information 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
Visit one of our state’s best fall birding spots, where the abun- dance of some migrants and sightings of less common species can make for a truly memorable trip. The walking is easy as it is on level ground. Flo has been leading this trip for years and it has been great every year. Meet at the park entrance. Leader:Florence
This is a yearly census to determine the number and frequency of birds visiting feeders in the greater New Haven area. You are invited to watch and record the activity at your feeder at least once a week for the entire time period. Contact: Peter Vitali at 203-288-0621 or vitali_peter_e@sbcglobal.net.
This is a joint trip with the New Haven Land Trust.Join us as we visit the Trust’s property along the Quinnipiac River. With its varied habitat, this location is a good place to see raptors, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Sightings here have included Snow Goose, Bald Eagle, and American Woodcock. Directions: Go south on Quinnipiac Ave. from Rt. 80. Turn right
We’ll visit Compo Beach, Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve, Burying Hill Beach, and the CT Audubon Tree Farm, all excellent birding locations. We’ll look for gulls, waterfowl, sparrows, and late fall migrants. Meet at the commuter lot off Rt. I-95 at Exit 18. From there, we’ll carpool to each location. Leader and contact person: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com
While you are watching birds, the birds are very likely watching you. We often misapprehend our relationship with wildlife, igno- ring warnings, mistaking curiosity for aggression, seeing same- ness when there is difference, difference when confronted with sameness. Above all, we are quick to assume that we are the species in control when the opposite is just as likely to
Join us on this 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 will
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. Meet at the park entrance. Note change: Leader and contact person: Chris Loscalzo: 203-389-6508 or closcalz@optonline.net
We enter Bombay Hook’s main gate at 6:25 am SHARP and tour the many ponds, pools and fields where we may see and photo- graph as many as 100,000 Snow Geese and many other fall migrants, from raptors to shorebirds. We will also visit other spots in the area including Eastern Neck Island NWR where we’ll see Tundra Swans. There
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 at the park entrance. Leader: Jerry Connolly. Contact: Tina Green: 203-247-2660 or tina@renaissancestudios.com
Artist Sean Murtha is most inspired by the north shore of Long Island Sound where he was raised and still resides. Settling early into the two areas of painting that would remain a lifelong interest—wildlife and landscape—he is dedicated to the land- scapes and birds of the Sound. He sketches birds from life and at tonight's meeting will describe his
Join other NHBC members in this fun event. Take part for a few hours or all day. Results of the count are sent to the National Audubon Society for inclusion in an international census of early winter bird populations. The compilation dinner starts at 5:00 pm at the Whitney Center, 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden. Compiler and contact person: Chris
Join us on a mid-week trip to this outstanding birding spot on Long Island Sound. We will check the Sound for loons, grebes, goldeneye, and other sea ducks. The fields are a good place to look for Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, and sparrows. Drive into the park and meet at the main parking lot. Leader and contact: Tina Green: 203-247-2660
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.