Thank You Bob Mayer!
For more than 20 years Bob Mayer, a lifetime member of the BBC, has led field trips at Arnold Arboretum and nearby locations. Bob let us know that he is going to stop leading walks on a regular basis due to age and not hearing the birds as well. Since he started leading walks in 2004, Bob estimates that he has led around 200 walks, mostly in the Arboretum but also in other locations such as Olmsted Park/Leverett Pond, and the Boston Nature Center.
Bob is so appreciated as a leader in the Arboretum area that when we asked other leaders to offer a field trip there they said “that’s Bob’s place” until we explained that he was retiring as a leader. Some of the people who are leading trips in the area can remember walks led by Bob as among their early birding experiences and that he is in some way a part of how they became birders and birding leaders. (Bob has asked to stay on our field trip leaders email list and, if we are lucky, will surprise us with a spontaneous field trip.)
Here are a photos taken by Stephen Baird showing Bob leading one of his earlier walks. We love to see how everyone is having a good time!
Bob has contributed to birding in many other ways over the years.
He created a blog with some wonderful pages and images of birds.
During Covid, he hosted a virtual walk with the Brookline Greenspace Alliance .
Over the years he has also helped with Christmas Bird Count, the Breeding Bird Atlas, and contributed multiple articles to Bird Observer. He has also helped rescue an injured Great Horned Owl with Andrew Joslin, and worked with Brendan Keegan on the NestWatch program.
Bob has also been a volunteer docent and field guide for elementary school students at the Arboretum for many years. He is retiring from that as well. In recognition and appreciation, his fellow volunteers recently threw a surprise party and gave him a nice photo book celebrating his time at the Arboretum.
We want to thank Bob for his years of trip leadership and support for birds and birding. Inspired by his friends at the Arboretum, we created a pair of picture mugs as a thank you gift. Here he is with these holding the mugs along with recognition from the BBC.
Pelagic Webinar – How do you protect the invisible?
How do you protect the invisible? Conservation challenges and opportunities for Marine Birds For most people, seabirds are out of sight and out of mind, while seabird populations have dropped a staggering 70 percent globally
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide For over 50 years, Soheil Zendeh has been monitoring shorebirds populations in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Over the past 35 years there have been drastic drops in most shorebird
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
Pelagic Webinar – How do you protect the invisible?
How do you protect the invisible? Conservation challenges and opportunities for Marine Birds For most people, seabirds are out of sight and out of mind, while seabird populations have dropped a staggering 70 percent globally
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide For over 50 years, Soheil Zendeh has been monitoring shorebirds populations in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Over the past 35 years there have been drastic drops in most shorebird
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
Pelagic Webinar – How do you protect the invisible?
How do you protect the invisible? Conservation challenges and opportunities for Marine Birds For most people, seabirds are out of sight and out of mind, while seabird populations have dropped a staggering 70 percent globally
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide
Introduction to the New England Shorebird Guide For over 50 years, Soheil Zendeh has been monitoring shorebirds populations in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Over the past 35 years there have been drastic drops in most shorebird
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Forest Beach Conservation Area
Chatham - Forest Beach 375-331 Forest Beach Rd, South Chatham, MA, United StatesCo-sponored with Cape Cod Bird Club. We’ll walk the marsh trail to where it meets Mill Creek and return via the beach, less than a mile round trip. We’ll then head towards the overlook where we’ll likely view herons, egrets, shorebirds, passerines, gulls, osprey and Northern Harrier. This is another area with mixed habitat, a
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Squantum – Quincy
Quincy - Squantum - Moswetuset Hummock Quincy, MA, United StatesWe'll check the marshes and the mudflats in Squantum for shorebirds, starting at Moswetuset Hummock and visiting other spots nearby. We'll try checking the high tide roosts for shorebirds as well. Be prepared for the possibility of biting insects. Cosponsored with South Shore Bird Club.
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Parker River Marsh Cruise
Newburyport - Yankee Clipper Tours Waterfront Promenade Park, 36 Merrimac Street, Newburyport, MA, United StatesExplore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge from a new perspective on a cruise through the Parker River marshes! Join us on the Yankee Clipper docked in Newburyport Harbor for a leisurely cruise through the Refuge. Enjoy close views of shorebirds, gulls, terns, and Saltmarsh Sparrows on this tour. Group discount tickets are available by registering
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Millennium Park
Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United StatesJoint with Mass Audubon BNC. Join us to observe resident birds and fall migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk. The trails are (generally) flat though there are some hills. A water bottle, water proof
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Shorebirds at Winthrop Beach with Soheil Zendeh
Winthrop - DCR Winthrop Beach Reservation - Sturgis St 59 Winthrop Shore Drive, Winthrop, MA, United StatesWe are happy to offer this shorebirding field trip at Winthrop Beach led by Soheil Zendeh. Shorebirding beginners welcome. We meet at the corner of Winthrop Shore Drive and Sturgis St in Winthrop. A scope will probably be useful if you have one. Definitely bring binoculars. Meeting at 9 am, timed with the tide. Soheil