Past Events
In-person Event: Birding
Birding at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary | Easthampton
Saturday, September 4th, 2021
An attendee looks out with binoculars at an open field under a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds while club mentor Adrea reacts to a picture of a blurry bird.
A large white wading bird, a Great Egret, stands atop a fallen tree trunk surveying the water below for food.
A canopy of green with a small bird with a black eye-stripe peering out from the background.
An attendee looks out with binoculars at an open field under a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds while club mentor Adrea reacts to a picture of a blurry bird.
"Follow the Chickadees" -- this advice paid off for us at our club meet-up at Arcadia this weekend! We saw the beginnings of migrant birds making their way back, and they were hanging out with our locals, Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice. Warblers and vireos were darting around the trees all around us, stocking up on food before continuing their journey. In one of our photos can you find the well-hidden Red-eyed Vireo staring down the camera (see third photo)? 👀
We walked out to where the Mill River feeds the Oxbow of the Connecticut River and found some herons and a migrating Great Egret. A super distant American Kestrel perched high up on a dead tree and preened. On the way back we ran into some young Eastern Bluebirds hunting for grub, a surprise Scarlet Tanager, and many more birds that showed up as we had to leave. Wished we could have stayed longer! Thanks to the staff at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary for welcoming us. Thanks to near-peer mentors Andrea and Meghadeepa for coming out to help!
Picture descriptions: (1) An attendee looks out with binoculars at an open field under a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds while club mentor Andrea reacts to a picture of a blurry bird. (2) A large white wading bird, a Great Egret, stands atop a fallen tree trunk surveying the water below for food. (3) a canopy of green with a small bird with a black eye-stripe peering out from the background.
Altogether, we saw 44 different species of birds (eBird Checklist here). We hope you can join us on one of our upcoming events!
In-person Event: Birding
Birding at Bare Cove Park | Hingham
Saturday, August 21st, 2021
We met at the parking area and were greeted by a park ranger who showed us pictures of a Barred Owl he saw ealier that week. With the search image in our heads, we set out in search of birds and other cool things.
Although it was quite warm, some birds were actively feeding on berries and flowers. While we were watching some young Gray Catbirds, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird buzzed by! Flocks of chickadees and titmice seemed to follow us along our walk, until a Red-shouldered Hawk distracted them!
Along the water's edge we got great chances to study the differences between herring, ring-billed and great black-backed gulls. We also got looks at Great and Snowy Egrets along the distant shore. While we were watching the gulls, a small shorebird flew in and landed on the beach in front of us. Everyone got great looks at this lone, adult Least Sandpiper, who had probably been in the arctic tundra a month ago!
Although we didn't catch up with any owls, we had fun impersonating them. As we left, an Osprey wished us farewell!
Altogether, we saw 24 different species of birds (eBird Checklist here). We hope you can join us on one of our upcoming events!
In-person Event: Birding
Birding at Ashley Reservoir | Holyoke
Thursday, August 12th, 2021
Looking at young Eastern kingbirds.
Practicing some duck calls.
Posing in front of a part of Ashley Reservoir.
Looking at young Eastern kingbirds.
We got out with Eagle Eye Institute and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club on Thursday to go birding at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke 🌊💧. It was hot 🔥🔥so we stuck to the shade as much as possible! Some highlights:
Young Eastern kingbirds were begging parents for food 🦗🦗 just as we approached the water. Just next to this a Mallard 🦆 was right next to the path gobbling down some vegetation. We practiced some duck calls and watched some Mallards “dabble” where they dive down headfirst and their tails sticking up in the air.
Next we saw a dinosaur standing in the water 💧🦖 — a Great blue heron! While we were watching it we found some painted turtles 🐢 and fish 🐟.
The group nicknamed American goldfinches the Potato Chip Bird because of the sounds they make when they fly (plus they’re yellow!).
Finally before it got too hot we saw a Double-crested cormorant diving for fish and spent a while trying to guess where it would pop up next!
What a great day! Until next time 🐥 ☺️!
In-person Event: Birding
Birding at Orchard Hill | Amherst
Saturday, August 7th, 2021
This leucistic House Finch was a treat. (photo by Cory Elowe)
The group wanders in search of birds.
The club spots a pair of American Redstarts!
This leucistic House Finch was a treat. (photo by Cory Elowe)
We met at Orchard Hill in Amherst this past Saturday to spend the morning together and found some great birds, as well as frogs, dragonflies, and flowering plants! The moment everyone arrived, two Peregrine falcons flew over our heads screeching...we think it was a young bird begging its parent for food. A Mourning dove was sitting on a nest nearby.
Not long after we started walking, a Blue-winged warbler popped out of some shrubs, near a Yellow warbler and a Chestnut-sided warbler! As we walked on, some House finches flew into a black cherry tree, but the coloring looked off...it turns out it was leucistic, which means that some of its feathers -- but not all -- are white instead of their normal colors! Throughout the walk we saw some comical Gray catbirds, orioles, tanagers, and more. A few of us shared what they knew about plants and insects, which helped us enjoy Orchard Hill beyond the birds. Altogether, we saw 35 different species of birds (eBird Checklist here). At one point, while standing near some jewel weed, a young birder jokingly held up his hands to summon a Ruby-throated hummingbird -- not more than 30 seconds later, a hummingbird came buzzing in. If you join us on our next trip, maybe you'll summon a bird!
Virtual event: bird banding
Behind The Scenes at Manomet’s Banding Lab
Friday May 7, 2021 4:00-5:00 PM EDT
In person feederwatch
Christmas Bird Count
for families at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary
Saturday Dec 19, 2020 10:00 AM-12:00 PM EST
