It’s hard to believe that Ida Giriunas, well known Massachusetts birder and long-time director of the Brookline Bird Club (BBC), passed away two years ago on August 20. We wanted to update friends and the birding community on the status of the expansion of the Mass Audubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary’s bird habitat garden area in her name, funded by your generous contributions. In spite of the uncertainty created by the pandemic for the last year and a half, IRWS has been busy adding to the gardens and they are filling out beautifully. A sanctuary volunteer is in the process of creating a guide to the plants including their names and benefits to the birds. Additional plants will be added this fall, and a location for a plaque will be evaluated. While we hoped to have a formal dedication, that is on hold till the current public health situation is resolved to satisfactory levels of safety for MAS staff and visitors. Please stop by to see the gardens! The photos don’t do it justice. But remember to go online beforehand and reserve a parking spot.
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Upcoming Field Trips
Ashby & Townsend
We will explore for nesting warblers, juncos, sapsuckers, and probably butterflies and dragonflies, possibly continuing into the afternoon. We will start in Willard Brook State Forest and probably continue to Townsend State Forest, Mt. Watatic, or the Squannacook River WMA. Some trails are steep and moderately uneven.
Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity
East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United StatesLed by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile on flat, easy terrain, for migrating or resident songbirds, raptors, shorebirds, and marsh birds at this birding hotspot and state park. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks and mosquitoes. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with [...]
Summer Solstice Saunter
Leader's ChoiceCelebrate the beginning of summer by birding favorite patches, locally and beyond. Contact leader for details. Call or email no later than June 19.
Maine – Rangeley Lakes
Maine - Rangeley Lakes 2459 Main St, Rangeley, ME, United StatesJoin us for a seven-day exploration of mountains and lakes of western Maine! As always, this trip will concentrate on Maine’s boreal specialties including Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied flycatchers, Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bicknell’s Thrush and 20+ species of warbler. We also observe and enjoy flora and fauna along way. [...]
Bobolinks at Farm Meadow, Lincoln
Lincoln - Farm Meadow Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA, United StatesAn opportunity to see Bobolinks, a declining and unique species, displaying and singing in their breeding habitat, possibly with fledglings! In addition to Bobolinks, possible species include Indigo Bunting, Wood Thrush, Pileated Woodpecker, and maybe an Alder Flycatcher if we're lucky! This is about a 1.5 mile walk circling the hayfield where the Bobolinks breed, and up [...]