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

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

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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Join us as we visit this premier CT birding location for a mid-winter excursion. We’ll be looking for sea ducks, shorebirds, grassland species and winter finches as we check several areas in the park, including the campgrounds. We will meet at the Nature Center parking lot.  Leader:  Paul Wolter, email - Pwolter6@earthlink.net, phone 860-681-5548

Please Note Date and Leader Change!!  Changed to Thursday!!! 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 at the parking area just left (east) of main entrance road. Leader - Steve Broker, 203-747-2806

(Snow date, Sunday, February 26, 2017) This all-day trip includes stops at Sachuest Point NWR, Beavertail State Park, Moonstone Beach, Trustum Pond, and other great birding sites on the RI coast. We will 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 several owl

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

Cancelled due to bad weather   Today we will search for plankton-feeding flocks of gulls, including the rare Little and Black-headed Gulls. We’ll also hope to see Northern Gannets plunge-feeding offshore. Wear waterproof shoes for walking on the tidal mudflats, and dress warmly. We may also carpool to nearby sites. Meet at Southport Beach, 1505 Pequot Ave., Southport, located at

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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 Coastal Center parking lot, 1 Milford Point Rd, Milford. Leader: Stephen Spector, 203-876-7461 (home), 203-928-8089 (cell), or charsjs@sbcglobal.net

Meet for a bird walk from 8–9:30 am. Then join Park Ranger Dan Barvir to help with light trail maintenance along the river until noon. Bring work gloves & pruning shears if you have them. Meet at the Eli Whitney Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Leader: Dan Barvir, 203-946-6086 or dbarvir@newhavenct.net

We start at Lighthouse Point Park and bird the harbor shore for gulls, loons, ducks, and early-returning shorebirds. We then proceed to the Richard English Bird Sanctuary at the Deer Lake Scout Camp in Killingworth. We then proceed to Hammonasset Beach State Park. This is an all-day trip; bring lunch and dress warmly. This trip almost always has a high

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Our first spring invasive plant cleanup will be held on Saturday, April 8, 9:00 am-12:00 noon at Haddam Meadows State Park.  Rain Date is Saturday, April 22. We will remove oriental bittersweet and other invasives and pick up litter. Adults and youth under 16 years of age accompanied by an adult, are invited to participate. Meet at the boat launch.

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Take part in a crucial conservation project. Help remove garlic mustard from East Rock Park, an Important Bird Area that is 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 caterpillars, and alter the habitat of our native birds. In three

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Cancelled due to inclement weather, better luck next year.   Join Past NHBC President Bill Batsford to check out this excellent birding area. Lake Chamberlain, a Regional Water Authority property, is surrounded by coniferous forest and also 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

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Ever wanted to learn to bird by ear? On this walk, we will learn mnemonics for about 25 common bird species and look for early spring migrants at Lufberry Memorial Park, a wooded path located on a ridge above the Quinnipiac River. From "tree hugger, tree hugger, tree" to "drink your tea," you will learn a number of silly phrases

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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 often are surprises. Meet at the Nature Center parking lot, 10 Deerfield Lane, Ansonia. Leader: Maria Stockmal, 203-305-3728 or m.stockmal@snet.net

On this walk by the 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 Museum parking lot, 915 Whitney

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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 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Leaders: Jerry Connolly 203-421-4128 (home), 203-710-2011 (cell), or birdshop@sbcglobal.net; John Oshlick, 203-584-1955 or john.oshlic@yahoo.com; Bill Batsford, 203-787-1542 (home), 203-494-4325 (cell), or william.batsford@yale.edu

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. Leader: Dan Barvir, 203-946-6086 or dbarvir@newhavenct.net

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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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. The trip involves moderately strenuous hiking. Meet at 85 E Flat Hill Rd, Southbury, CT. Take Exit 14 off Rt.

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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. Meet at I-95; exit 55 commuter lot. Leader: John Oshlick, 203-584-1955 or john.oshlic@yahoo.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, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. Leader: John Oshlick, 203-584-1955 or john.oshlic@yahoo.com

Less well known as a hotspot for spring migrants and nesting species than is East Rock, West Rock is, in fact, one of the premier places in Connecticut to observe and study birds at this time of year. Lacking the closely associated lake, river, slope, and ridge top environs seen at East Rock, West Rock is far more spread out:

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Kept in its natural state, Janie Pierce Park is approx. 60 acres of scenic woodland that surround Transylvania Pond located in Southbury. We will hike around the Transylvania Lake there. It is a fairly easy walk, less than 2 miles, but know that it is mainly a boardwalk and tree root trail. Afterwards we will drive to Earth Tones, a

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This will be our thirteenth 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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For a number of years, members of the New Haven Bird Club have maintained about 50 nest boxes on Regional Water Authority properties in Bethany and Woodbridge. Join Pat Leahy, Dewitt Allen, and Mike Ferrari on Saturday, May 20 from 9–11 am to view activity in the bluebird and tree swallow boxes on Lake Chamberlain. We will explain how we

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Note: this trip has been rescheduled from 5/14 to 5/21 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,

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We explore this pristine freshwater marsh and riverine system at four different access points and for target species: (1) Durham Skating Pond, Route 68 (Virginia Rail, Swamp Sparrow, American Kestrel); (2) Frederick White Farm, Durham Fairgrounds vicinity off Maple Street (Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper); (3) south Durham Meadows, Route 17 (Virginia Rail, Willow Flycatcher); (4) Coginchaug River,

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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 500 Hawthorne Avenue, Derby. Leader: Maria Stockmal, 203-488-3876 or m.stockmal@snet.net

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?

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On this trip we will look for shrubland and forest nesting birds at the Bent of the River Audubon Sanctuary. At this Important Bird Area, approximately 100 acres of fields are managed for shrubland nesting birds, including Blue-winged Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and Prairie Warbler. The IBA also includes roughly 600 acres of forest and supports species such as Scarlet Tanager,

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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 Downs Rd., Hamden, and go

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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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This will be a trip to study shorebirds and terns, which should be here in concentrations now. We will walk out on the sand flats at mid-tide, then see the numbers of birds build as the tide rises. Wear waterproof shoes or sandals, and apply sunscreen. We'll finish by 3 PM. mantlik@sbcglobal.com cell - 203-984-9410  

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 dbarvir@newhavenct.net phone - 203-946-6086

This event is organized with the New Haven Land Trust, Save the Sound, and Audubon Connecticut. An environmentally-focused family-friendly morning learning about the Urban Oases projects in New Haven, the work of the Land Trust on this piece of “disturbed” but “recovered” land in the heart of downtown New Haven, and, of course, a bird walk. We hope to see

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Moved to Sept 7, Thursday due to thunderstorm prediction.  Time moved to 9:00 am 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. Rain will cancel the day out. Kathy Van

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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

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