To search for all future field trips/walks, try entering the word field or walk. For meetings, enter the word meeting.
Beaver Ponds Park is excellent habitat, offering fresh water wetlands, forests, and fields. We can hope for Wood Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Common Merganser, and a variety of sparrows and warblers. In the shadow of West Rock Ridge, Raven and Peregrine are also possible. Beaver Ponds Park is one of the many Urban Oasis sites in New Haven. Friends of Beaver
East Rock Park in early May is one of the best places in the state to see migrant warblers. We expect lots of people for this walk. Bill Batsford and Chris Wood will co-lead the walk. Fifteen to twenty species are possible on a good day. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. john.oshlic@yahoo.com cell 203-584-1955
Join Ranger Dan Barvir at this premier site for warblers and other spring migrants. Meet at the Rice Field (baseball field) end of East Rock Park on English Drive, New Haven. dbarvir@newhavenct.net cell 203-946-6086
The Eli Whitney Museum and Principal Gardener and Artist in Residence Alexis Brown will provide bird-friendly native plants for enhancing the landscape around the covered bridge and the trail along the river in East Rock Park. The NHBC provides information about the invasive plants inhibiting the growth of native bird-friendly food-producing plants and trees. Welcome to anyone who wants to
Cancelled due to Bad Weather! 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. We will not only see
Note: Cancelled due to Weather!!! On this walk by East Rock Park's Mill River, children with accompanying adults are invited to help us look for warblers and other spring migrants. Other interested adults are also welcome to join the walk in this famous spring birding place. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. Meet at the Eli Whitney
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. Meet at the commuter parking lot, I-95 exit 55. john.oshlic@yahoo.com cell - 203-584-1955
Join wildlife photographer Shawn Carey on an adventure into the heart of Tanzania. We’ll take a safari vehicle into the country’s spectacular national parks and see the “Big Five”—African elephant, black rhino, Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard—in all their glory. Along the way, we’ll search for and photograph cheetahs, giraffes, black-backed jackals, and hippos. And we’ll encounter a panoply of
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. john.oshlic@yahoo.com cell - 203-584-1955
NOTE: THIS IS A DATE CHANGE FROM THE YEARBOOK. MAY 19 CHANGED TO MAY 11 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
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. We often see more than fifteen 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
Join us for a walk on Regional Water Authority properties in Woodbridge and Bethany, some of which are off-limits to the public. Pat Leahy has been maintaining a bluebird trail on several of the properties surrounding the reservoirs. Please be prompt! It will be difficult to join the group on route. We will carpool and proceed to trails on Lake
Change to the venue We will move the walk scheduled on May 18 at 7:30 to Julius M. Hansen Park in North Haven. With its rich meadows and fields, forested wetlands, trap rock ridge and riparian woods this park holds promise of becoming a prominent birding destination for the Club. We will meet at the parking lot on Patten Rd.
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 Kellogg Environmental Center/Osbornedale State Park, 500 Hawthorne Avenue, Derby m.stockmal@snet.net home phone 203-305-3728
This will be our 15th annual trip to this excellent birding spot. We’ll meet at the commuter lot at Exit 57 off 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
CT Trails Day is organized and produced by the Connecticut Forest & Park Association. NHBC sponsors hikes along the West River in New Haven on both days (Pond Lily Preserve, Edgewood Park, and West River Memorial Park), in cooperation with the West River Watershed Coalition and the Connecticut Fund for the Environment. Details for these and other sponsored hikes at
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. Meet at Branford Supply Ponds parking lot, Chestnut Street, off Rte. 1, Branford. m.stockmal@snet.net cell 203-305-3728
You are invited to join the New Haven Bird Club as we lead a field trip to observe and document breeding bird activity in Connecticut Atlas blocks that are not being covered by a Block adopter. We will travel to one of the more remote areas of Connecticut. This is good opportunity to hone your observation skills with experienced Bird
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. ctgregh@yahoo.com
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. rsdmayo@sbcglobal.net cell - 203-393-0694
The West River Memorial Park is a designated IBA (Important Bird Area) and is part of the New Haven Harbor Urban Refuge Partnership. The Urban Oasis here improves annually, and the osprey platform has been active with the same male-female pair for many years. By this time in June, the chicks will have hatched and be visible on the nest,
Jack Swatt, New Haven Bird Club member and DEEP volunteer Whip-poor-will monitor, will lead a walk to listen and look for 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. We will then wait for dusk to fall while we listen for the distinctive call. A sighting?
This trip has been cancelled Salt Meadow Unit is the Refuge headquarters for the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, the only NWR unique to Connecticut. We'll walk 2.5 miles at most to see the birds and the plants; some hills are present. Meet at the entrance to Salt Meadow Unit, 733 Old Clinton Road, Westbrook, CT. Take Exit 64
We’ll walk out on the sandbar at near high tide to see the variety of shorebirds and terns, which will begin feeding as the tide falls. We’ll also check the Coastal Center grounds for songbirds. Meet at the CT Audubon Coastal Center, 1 Milford Point Road, Milford. Leader: Frank Mantlik, 203-984-9410 or mantlik@sbcglobal.net
Join Park Ranger Dan Barvir on a late summer bird walk at Lighthouse Point Park on New Haven Harbor. Then, beginning around 9:30 a.m., 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. Meet at the Hawk Watch parking lot, Lighthouse Point
This walk may be rescheduled but is cancelled for now. This small waterfront park on the Quinnipiac River is part of the New Haven Harbor Urban Refuge Partnership. Native trees, shrubs, and flowers have been planted to provide cover, food, and habitat for wildlife and a place to learn, relax, and connect with nature. We’ll see summer resident birds and
Daily September to December Starts Sunday, September 1, 2019, Daily, 7 a.m. Lighthouse Point Park on the 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 a.m. and continues as long as the hawks keep flying. Stop by
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 CT Audubon Coastal Center, 1 Milford Point Road, Milford. Leader: Milan Bull, 203-610-5097 or mbull@ctaudubon.org
Note: this is starting 30 minutes later than normal meeting time. It seems that owls have always been surrounded by an air of mystery, probably because most are nocturnal and not easily spotted in the wild. This meeting may be your chance to be only a few feet away from two Eastern Screech Owls, a Barred Owl, and a Great-horned
This festive event is sponsored by the New Haven Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees; the NHBC; and other fine organizations. There will be hawk watching, bird banding, live raptor demonstrations, bird walks, and more. Chris Loscalzo will lead a walk at 8 a.m., Mike Horn will lead a 9:30 a.m. walk, and Flo McBride will lead a kid’s walk
Edgewood Park and West River Memorial Park make up an Important Bird Area and include a two mile section of the West River. These parks look particularly “hot” on the radar maps for New Haven that show which areas are most used by birds in fall migration. We will see what we can find! The walk is open to birders
continuing through to December click here for details
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. Leader: Frank Gallo, 203-644-2163 or peeplo@aol.com
This walk was originally scheduled for Oct 20th. It will now be held on Oct 6th. Osbornedale State Park offers a variety of habitats for a fall bird walk, from fields to ponds and woodland streams to deciduous forest. On this walk we explore these habitats in search of sparrows, kinglets, late migration warblers, woodpeckers, and more. The walk is
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 such
Come on a trip around the world with one of Connecticut Audubon's EcoTravel leaders! Andrew Griswold has been the director of EcoTravel for Connecticut Audubon Society (CAS) since 1996. He graduated as an honor student in biology from Hartwick College, where he worked at their biological research station in the Bahamas studying avian ecology. Andy is the original concept creator
Saturday–Sunday, October 12–13, 2019 THE BIG SIT!, established by the NHBC, has become an international event, with birders from all over the world participating. 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
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 new parking lot on the Post Rd. Directions: Take Exit 62 off I-95 (the usual Hammonasset exit). At
Join a fall walk to see what can be found at these picturesque locations. The group will explore trails at Lake Bethany, then proceed to properties not open to the public, Lake Watrous and Lake Dawson. Fall migrants should be working their way through the area and the scenery will be breathtaking. Meet at Lake Bethany Regional Water Authority parking
Thursday, October 31, 2019, 3 p.m. & Saturday, November 2, 2019, 8:30 a.m. Two opportunities to explore Town Center Park in Hamden—Thursday October 31 at 3 p.m. (to coincide with the final Farmer’s Market of the season), plus the following Saturday morning, November 2, 2019, at 8:30 a.m., to allow for comparison of what’s seen at different times of day.
continuing through December click here for details
Fargeorge Preserve is always full of surprises. We have seen everything from woodcock to eagles to snow geese, lots of fall migrants, wintering ducks, and more. It is a varied habitat with excellent view of the lower Quinnipiac River. Directions: Go South on Quinnipiac Avenue from Rt. 80. Make a right just past the railroad overpass. Drive through the open
Thursday, October 31, 2019, 3 p.m. & Saturday, November 2, 2019, 8:30 a.m. Two opportunities to explore Town Center Park in Hamden—Thursday October 31 at 3 p.m. (to coincide with the final Farmer’s Market of the season), plus the following Saturday morning, November 2, 2019, at 8:30 a.m., to allow for comparison of what’s seen at different times of day.
This walk was postponed to November 3 due to weather. We bird several hotspots in the Town of Cheshire, including Boulder Knoll, Broad Brook Reservoir and associated trails, Fresh Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary (Cheshire Land Trust), and the Farmington Canal Lock 12. Boulder Knoll is good for sparrows in fall. Broad Brook Reservoir annually hosts 200–400 Ruddy Ducks, one of the
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
Discover the birds of Costa Rica with Peter Christoph. Have you ever wondered why over 600 birds call Costa Rica their year-round home? Due to its diverse topography, this tropical nation contains several life zones supporting a wide variety of birds, from tiny iridescent hummingbirds to colorful toucans. Discover Costa Rica’s national treasures with a top wildlife photographer as he
continuing through December click here for details
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 at Hammonasset Beach State Park parking area on Boston Post Road, Madison, just left (east) of main entrance road. Leader: Jerry Connolly, 203-421-4128 (home), 203-710-2011 (cell), or birdshop@sbcglobal.net
We survey Area K the weekend prior to the Saturday, December 14 New Haven Christmas Bird Count. This highly productive area includes Ora Avenue / Proto Drive / Morris Creek Marshes, Cosey Beach, Lighthouse Point Park, Beacon Hill and the Trolley Line, Furnace Pond, and the lower Farm River. Area K typically produces 75–80 species on count day, including waterfowl,
With the help of our avian ambassadors, students learn about the amazing adaptations that enable birds to thrive in their specialized environments. Colleen Peters is the Director of Education at the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield CT.