The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 283 species for 2024, with 274 species in Massachusetts (four more than 2023), and nine additional species reported from New Hampshire and Maine. This total was based upon 262 trips for which checklists were reported, the highest number in the history of the club, as well as the out-of-state overnight trips.
The two August pelagic trips visited Hydrographer, Dogbody and Welker Canyons and found a remarkable variety of marine life. This included four species of whales, three species of dolphins, three species of sharks, ocean sunfish and leatherback turtle. One trip even managed to collect a baby sailfish from the sargassum. Bird highlights included White-faced, Band-rumped and Leach’s Storm-Petrels, South Polar Skua, Long-tailed and Pomarine Jaegers, Black-capped Petrel and migrating Red and Red-necked Phalaropes.
Other highlights in Massachusetts included: Dovekie and Common Murre (Race Point, January 1), Western Kingbird (Salt Pond, Eastham, January 1), Long-eared and Short-eared Owls (Newburyport/Salisbury, January 1), Prothonotary Warbler (Mt Auburn, May 1), Northern Goshawk (Westboro WMA, May 6), Chuck-will’s Widow (Charles River Esplanade, May 15), Caspian Tern (Plumbush Marshes, September 11), Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Ipswich River Audubon, November 16), and Spotted Towhee (Provincetown Airport, November 30).
Outside of Massachusetts, Bicknell’s Thrush, Canada Jay, Ruffed Grouse and Boreal Chickadee were seen on the trip to the Lake Umbagog region in New Hampshire. On the Rangeley Lakes and Downeast trips to Maine, the club recorded Spruce Grouse, Evening Grosbeak, Black Tern, Upland Sandpiper and Nelson’s Sparrow.
Birds we missed in Massachusetts included Redpoll, Snowy Owl, Red Knot, Evening Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Yellow-breasted Chat, Ruffed Grouse, King Eider, Redhead and Canvasback (last reported on a club trip in 2014).
There were 385 species reported in eBird in 2024 for Massachusetts, of which the club’s total of 274 represented 71 percent. The club reported the most species in Essex County (226), followed by Plymouth (165), Middlesex (164), Suffolk (148), Worcester (141), Barnstable (130), Bristol (127), and Norfolk (126). Trips to Mt. Auburn Cemetery recorded 113 species this year, including 29 species of warblers. We missed Blue-winged Warbler at the cemetery but recorded it on 15 other trips.
The following table shows the trips reporting the most species by month:
| Date | Location | Species | Leader |
| 1/1 | Newburyport & vicinity | 51 | Laura de la Flor / Mark Burns |
| 2/4 | Scituate to Plymouth | 62 | Glenn d’Entremont / SSBC |
| 3/16 | Newburyport & vicinity | 58 | Laura de la Flor |
| 4/29 | Westboro WMA | 57 | Nick paulson |
| 5/4 | South Shore | 114 | Glenn d’Entremont / SSBC |
| 6/16 | Housatonic River, October Mtn | 71 | Glenn d’Entremont / SSBC |
| 7/20 | Rough Meadows | 61 | Davey Walters |
| 8/3 | Squantum, Quincy | 53 | Glenn d’Entremont / SSBC |
| 9/22 | Delaney WMA | 55 | Cliff Cook |
| 10/5 | Outer Cape Cod | 70 | Glenn d’Entremont / SSBC |
| 11/3 | NH Seacoast | 74 | Steve Mirick |
| 12/12 | Cape Ann | 38 | Jim McCoy |
Thanks to all our trip leaders, especially those who led 10 or more trips in 2024: Cliff Cook, Kathy Dia, Glenn d’Entremont, Linda Ferraresso, Leslie Kramer, Michealle Larkins, Thomas Michel, Nick Paulson, David Scott, and Dave Williams.
Thanks also to the organizations with whom the club co-sponsors trips. These include the South Shore Bird Club, Cape Cod Bird Club, the Charles River Esplanade Association, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Minute Man National Historical Park, and the Franklin Park Coalition.
Excluding the pelagic and overnight out-of-state trips, there were 363 eBird checklists associated with 259 trips. American Robin retained its position as the most frequently reported species, appearing on 261 checklists. Song Sparrow (252) and Blue Jay (248) remained in second and third. Mourning Dove (227) and Northern Cardinal (226) overtook Black-capped Chickadee (222). American Goldfinch (219) was seventh, and Downy Woodpecker (208) moved up two places to eighth. Mallard (209) was ninth and Red-winged Blackbird (193) tenth. The next five were Common Grackle (185), Canada Goose (177), Herring Gull (177), American Crow (174) and Northern Flicker (170).
Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship
The BBC is proud to announce that we have renamed our Young Birder’s Scholarship as the Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship, in honor of one of our club’s most important and most inspiring leaders.
Snowy Owl Film Project
A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann was created by Kim Smith for young people during this at-home school time (and adult Snowy lovers, too!). Please share with kids you know who may be
Update on Young Birder Scholarships
Updated April 26,2020: The BBC is sorry to announce that National Audubon has cancelled all 2020 summer camps at Hog Island in Maine, so that our two Young Birder Scholarship recipients, May Adams and
Help Us Archive Old Trips!
The Brookline Bird Club has almost 80 years of field trip reports that we’d like to add to eBird. As one of the oldest bird clubs in the United States, our archive of field
A Look Back to 1918
The date of July 17, 1918 was marked in the calendar of Bostonians as the fifth anniversary of the Brookline Bird Club. There was a birthday party at “Lake Walden” to celebrate the event,
Proposed rules change for the Duck Stamp and Duck Stamp Art Contest
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing a permanent rule change to the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Contest (known as the Duck Stamp) that would make the theme “Celebrating Our Waterfowl
Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship
The BBC is proud to announce that we have renamed our Young Birder’s Scholarship as the Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship, in honor of one of our club’s most important and most inspiring leaders.
Snowy Owl Film Project
A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann was created by Kim Smith for young people during this at-home school time (and adult Snowy lovers, too!). Please share with kids you know who may be
Update on Young Birder Scholarships
Updated April 26,2020: The BBC is sorry to announce that National Audubon has cancelled all 2020 summer camps at Hog Island in Maine, so that our two Young Birder Scholarship recipients, May Adams and
Help Us Archive Old Trips!
The Brookline Bird Club has almost 80 years of field trip reports that we’d like to add to eBird. As one of the oldest bird clubs in the United States, our archive of field
A Look Back to 1918
The date of July 17, 1918 was marked in the calendar of Bostonians as the fifth anniversary of the Brookline Bird Club. There was a birthday party at “Lake Walden” to celebrate the event,
Proposed rules change for the Duck Stamp and Duck Stamp Art Contest
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing a permanent rule change to the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Contest (known as the Duck Stamp) that would make the theme “Celebrating Our Waterfowl
Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship
The BBC is proud to announce that we have renamed our Young Birder’s Scholarship as the Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarship, in honor of one of our club’s most important and most inspiring leaders.
Snowy Owl Film Project
A Snowy Owl Comes to Cape Ann was created by Kim Smith for young people during this at-home school time (and adult Snowy lovers, too!). Please share with kids you know who may be
Update on Young Birder Scholarships
Updated April 26,2020: The BBC is sorry to announce that National Audubon has cancelled all 2020 summer camps at Hog Island in Maine, so that our two Young Birder Scholarship recipients, May Adams and
Help Us Archive Old Trips!
The Brookline Bird Club has almost 80 years of field trip reports that we’d like to add to eBird. As one of the oldest bird clubs in the United States, our archive of field
A Look Back to 1918
The date of July 17, 1918 was marked in the calendar of Bostonians as the fifth anniversary of the Brookline Bird Club. There was a birthday party at “Lake Walden” to celebrate the event,
Proposed rules change for the Duck Stamp and Duck Stamp Art Contest
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing a permanent rule change to the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Contest (known as the Duck Stamp) that would make the theme “Celebrating Our Waterfowl
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Harvard - Fruitlands Museum 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard, MA, United StatesCosponsored with Boxborough Birders. We will look for local avian non-migratory species and early migrant arrivals. Expect to walk about two miles on trails through meadows and woods, with some steep sections. Prepare for ticks. We will bird at the meeting location for about 30 minutes so any latecomers can catch up.
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Westborough WMA in Two Parts
Northborough - Watson Park, Bartlett Pond 35A Lyman St, Northborough, MA, United StatesPart 1: 7 AM -10 AM / Part 2: 10:30 AM -1:00 PM. We will hike at a slow pace through mild moderate trails in search of sparrows and other migrants. For the first part we will hike the Eastern trails between Lake Chauncy and Little Chauncy(about 3 miles). Then we will again meet at
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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
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Millennium Park
Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United StatesJoin us to observe resident birds and spring migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare flycatchers, swallows & warblers. Birders of all levels welcome. The trails are generally flat and easy to walk, with some rough patches. A water bottle, sunblock, insect repellent, waterproof
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Woodcock Watch, Oxbow NWR, Harvard
Harvard - Still River Depot RoadWe will stay until it gets dark to watch for American Woodcock. Come early to enjoy other birds. Rain date Sunday, April 5, same time.