Our annual celebration of the arrival of spring will be held at Five Rivers on Game Farm Road in Delmar. The center has an excellent trail system through a variety of habitats. You can expect to see and hear a number of resident and migrant species including Canada Geese with their newly hatches goslings, Eastern Bluebirds feeding their young and (hopefully), a variety of warblers.

An early group will meet in the parking lot at 6:00 a.m. The building will open at 6:45 a.m. with coffee flowing and groups will leave at 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

Location

Peebles Island in early May is an ideal environment to watch the spring migration. The variety of habitat insures a plethora of birds; expect to see songbirds, sandpipers, waterfowl and the rest of an early mix of migrants.
Meet in the parking lot on Peebles Island at 8:30 a.m. There may be a State Park $6 parking fee, so ride with a friend if you can.

Please contact the coordinator if you plan to attend.
Non-members also should send a note to Donna Zimmerman, the Field Trip Committee Chair.

Coordinator: Gary Goodness 862-9260 goodness@nycap.rr.com

Location

On this morning trip, we will hike to the marsh for waterfowl and migrant land birds. We will also check the Hudson River for waterfowl and Bald Eagles.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Coxsackie Boat Launch and car caravan to Four Mile Point Road.

Please register with the coordinator.
Non-members who plan to attend should also send a note to Donna Zimmerman, the Field Trip Committee Chair.

Coordinator: A1 Mapes 439-4086 aamapes [at] nycap [dot] rr [dot] com

Meet at 7:00 PM at the Visitor Center for a brief talk about the American Woodcock and its management at Five Rivers. We’ll then stroll out the Service Road through managed areas and feeding swales to arrive at the Bat Barn area at a time good for watching and hearing the Woodcock do its thing. Bring binoculars and a flashlight and dress appropriately for the weather.

Coordinator: Craig Thompson 475-0291 (Daytime)

Location

We will start out on this trip looking for spring waterfowl such as American Wigeon, Green and Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Wood Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser and Pied-billed Grebe. Rusty Blackbirds are also a possibility. We will linger until after dusk to listen for nocturnal bird sounds from rails, woodcocks and owls. With a little luck we may get to see an American Woodcock displaying at dusk.

Bring a flashlight and meet at the main entrance at 5:45 p.m.

Trip limited to 12.

Coordinators: Joyce Miller, justlookitup [at] yahoo [dot] com Lindsey Duval, eccentricvirgo [at] gmail [dot] com Register by 7 p.m. on Mar 17

Join us as we search the Hudson for migrant waterfowl such as Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Ducks and Mergansers. In recent years, Horned Grebe, Canvasbacks and Tundra Swans have been lifebirds for many.

The meeting time is TBA - you will be notified when you register.

Location

This trip is canceled due to flooding on the river and the resultant lack of birds.

Location

Joint trip with the Alan DeVoe Bird Club

On this spring morning, we will search the Hudson River from Coxsackie to Catskill where waterfowl usually congregate on their way north. There is also a good chance of seeing Bald Eagles.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Coxsackie Boat Launch. Take the NYS Thruway to Exit 21B (Coxsackie - Route 9W), follow 9W south for about 2 miles to Route 385. Go left (east) on Route 385 (Mansion Street) and continue straight to the Hudson River where the road bears left into the boat launch site.

Location

Short-eared Owls are seen most winters in the Fort Edward Grasslands, an Important Bird Area in Washington County. Snowy Owls have also been seen here in recent years. Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers and perhaps a Bald Eagle or Peregrine Falcon frequent this area. Also, wintering field birds such as Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur and Northern Shrike are likely. Depending on conditions on the river, we may also search for waterfowl along the Hudson River in Fort Miller.