Hampshire Bird Club upcoming events

Field Trip: Halloween Pilgrimage to Satan's Kingdom and Hell's Kitchen (Sat, October 31, 2026)

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Join Josh Rose and Sam McGullam for a day-long tour of a few seasonally appropriate birding spots throughout Franklin County. We will start with a walk along the power canal in Turners Falls, then carpool/caravan to Northfield to bird our way through Satan's Kingdom and Hell's Kitchen. We'll make a stop to purchase lunch, though you are free to bring your own. After lunch, participants who want to continue will have the option of birding some additional areas, potentially including the Northfield vicinity (Bennett Meadow, Pauchaug Brook) or back down around Gill and Turners Falls (Barton Cove, Canalside Rail Trail, Turners Falls Airport). This trip involves mostly walking on paved roads (up to 2 miles total at our various stops), and a bit of birding from cars. Please note that the Hell’s Kitchen stop involves a short slope from the road down to the water’s edge; with no real parking, the view from the pavement is limited by vegetation.

We will meet at the Migratory Way parking lot at the Turners Falls power canal (take the 11th Street bridge over the canal, turn left on G Street, and drive until you see the gate ahead and parking lot on the left). We will make a restroom stop between the power canal and Satan’s Kingdom, and then stop for lunch at a spot with facilities a few hours later. Questions? Contact programs@hampshirebirdclub.org. Limited to 14 participants. (E/M)

Field Trip designations:
(E) – Easy conditions, fairly accessible for most, usually flat terrain on improved trails or roads.
(M) – Moderately difficult, more challenging trail conditions, short steep sections, longer hikes.
(S) – Strenuous conditions, muddy or rocky trails, steep sections, difficult footing in part.

Reminder: If you register and are unable to attend, please cancel your registration as space is limited and most trips have a waiting list. Please visit the link in your confirmation email or contact fieldtrip@hampshirebirdclub.org.

Field Trip: Berkshire Lakes (Sun, November 01, 2026)

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Join Scott Surner for a day-long trip to the Berkshire Lakes in search of migratory ducks and other waterfowl, as well as nonmigratory apple cider donuts. Possible stops include Cheshire Reservoir, Pontoosuc Lake, Onota Lake, and Richmond Pond, and we’ll also stop at Moran Wildlife Management Area in Windsor to look for Northern Shrikes. Most of our birding will be done from the roadside or a short distance from our vehicles. Not much walking will be required on this trip. Bring a scope if you have one. We will meet at 6:00 am in the Stop & Shop parking lot at 228 King St in Northampton, then split into vehicles to carpool. We will return by 3:30 pm. Dress warmly and pack lunch. There will be at least two restroom breaks. Questions? Email Scott at ssurner@aol.com. Limited to 15 participants. (E)

Field Trip: Quabbin Reservoir Gate 35 (Fri, November 06, 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Join Bryan DiFabio for a walk along the easy dirt road down to the water. We will look for migrating waterfowl on the reservoir, as well as other late migrants and residents. There are often many birds to be seen and heard from the main road. Trip leaders will have at least one scope for viewing distant water birds on the water. Please feel free to bring a scope if you have one. Birds seen in this area at the same time last year: geese, ducks, mergansers, loons, gulls, shorebirds, hawks, woodpeckers, kinglets, nuthatches, snow buntings and thrushes. We expect to cover 1–2 miles on the flat road, which is well maintained and is easy terrain to navigate. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Insect repellent is recommended, including consideration for ticks. There are no facilities or rest areas. We will meet at 9:00 am at the end of Old N. Dana Rd. There is limited designated parking, but it is possible to park along the side of the road. Questions? Email Bryan DiFabio at Bryan@DFABio.com Limited to 15 participants. (E)

November meeting, "There and Back Again: Bird Ecology and Conservation in New England and the Caribbean" with Mike Akresh! (Tue, November 10, 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 00:15:00 GMT

Like some of the species he studies, Professor Mike Akresh spends part of the year in New England, and another part in the Caribbean. Prairie Warblers and Wood Thrushes from his summer haunts migrate south to cross paths with Whistling Warblers and West Indian Woodpeckers in the winter. Mike will talk about ecology, research, and conservation of birds at each end of this route.

Mike earned his MS and PhD from UMass-Amherst, both in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation. His research has ranged from bird nest composition to migratory routes, interrelationships between summer and winter ecology of migratory songbirds, conservation of certain Caribbean endemic bird species, and the impacts of wildlife and habitat management on biodiversity in the eastern US. Some HBC members may have met him through his work with the Neighborhood Nestwatch program. Since 2008, he has collaborated with many colleagues on field research in the Montague Plains studying songbirds, game birds, Eastern Whip-poor-wills, snakes, ants, and vegetation. He now is a professor at Antioch University in Keene, NH, where is is the director of its Conservation Biology concentration, co-director of its Spatial Analysis Lab, and co-chair of the Institute for International Conservation.

Birding for Everyone: Identifying Owls (Thu, November 19, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Owls are one of the most fascinating, most mysterious group of birds one can encounter. From their unique physical appearance (have you ever seen an owls eyes?) to their remarkable stealth and their evolved hearing and hunting, they are certainly worthy of discussion. During this online session we'll work to demystify this group of birds and give you concrete steps you can use in the field to find and identify owls! The presentation will allow for plenty of time for your questions on this or any birding related topic.

Zoom meeting link

Learn more about the Birding for Everyone program.

All Birding for Everyone events are free and open to the public.

Field Trip: Birding at Fort River (Fri, November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

This is a monthly 12-part series. Join Bill Randolph for a yearlong exploration of the Fort River Conte Refuge, a birding hot spot with over 200 bird species listed on eBird. The 260-acre refuge contains a sampling of the key habitats within the Connecticut River watershed including flood plain forest, marshes, grasslands and Fort River. Although most of the passerine fall migration is over, there are still many species of hawks and falcons, herons and waterfowl stopping over at the refuge as they head south for the winter. We will search for new winter arrivals, such as tree sparrows, horned lark and golden crowned kinglets. Dress in warm layers, fall birding is here! Plan on walking a total of 1–2 miles on boardwalks and mostly flat dirt/rocky road with some slight hills. Meet at the parking lot at 69 Moody Bridge Road in Hadley—plenty of parking is available, plus a porta-potty. All skill levels are welcome. Questions? Email Bill at warandolph@comcast.net. Limited to 12 participants. (E)

Birding for Everyone: Henhawk Trailhead, Williamsburg (Sat, November 21, 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 22:45:00 GMT

Owls can be tricky to find but, darn it, we're going to give it a shot. Join us for this special Birding for Everyone evening event where we will listen for (and hope to see!) these nocturnal raptors. We will meet at the Henhawk Trailhead, which will put us right in the middle of perfect habitat for multiple species of owls. At most, we will walk half a mile on flat dirt roads. Please bring headlamps or flashlights and dress warmly!

Map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XSKA8E1DNyuQfEidA

Questions? Email dallard@hampshirebirdclub.org.

Learn more about the Birding for Everyone program.

All Birding for Everyone events are free and open to the public.

Workshop: Learn How to identify different feather types and match them to local bird species (Tue, November 24, 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Join the HBC Education Committee for virtual training on how to identify bird feathers. Bryan DiFabio will lead a Zoom training on Tuesday, November 24th at 7pm EST.

Expect a presentation of approximately 45 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A for the Zoom session. Building off the Introduction to Bird Track & Sign (which may be watched HERE) we’ll take a deeper dive into how to tell what part of the body a feather came from as well as discuss some common feathers found in the Northeast and how to connect them to a bird species.

Discussions will center around the anatomy of a feather, and how to distinguish unique color and pattern plumage characteristics to properly identify bird species.

Questions? Email Bryan at Bryan@DFABio.com

Annual Members' Meeting! (Tue, December 08, 2026)

Wed, 09 Dec 2026 00:15:00 GMT

Every December, HBC's program is.... you! Have you ever wanted to tell the club about something, but not felt like standing up and talking for an entire meeting? Did you see some interesting birds while traveling, and want to share a few photos? Do you want to tell people about your favorite birding spot, or favorite bird species, or favorite fellow birder? This is the meeting for you! Several club members get to share the night, each one talking for 10-15 minutes and showing a few slides (or not). Email Program Chair Josh Rose if you'd like to participate!

January meeting, TBA (Tue, January 12, 2027)

Wed, 13 Jan 2027 00:15:00 GMT

February meeting, TBA (Tue, February 09, 2027)

Wed, 10 Feb 2027 00:15:00 GMT

March meeting, TBA with Dave King! (Tue, March 09, 2027)

Wed, 10 Mar 2027 00:15:00 GMT

April meeting, TBA with Ted Gilliland! (Tue, April 13, 2027)

Tue, 13 Apr 2027 23:15:00 GMT

May meeting, TBA (Tue, May 11, 2027)

Tue, 11 May 2027 23:15:00 GMT

June meeting, TBA (Tue, June 08, 2027)

Tue, 08 Jun 2027 23:15:00 GMT