Thanks to our inspired volunteer Board, committee members, and field trip leaders, the Brookline Bird Club enjoyed impressive successes during 2024. 

Our volunteer trip leaders and enthusiastic participants tallied 274 species of bird across 262 trips in Massachusetts.  The total climbs to  281 including birds from trips to NH and Maine.  These are our highest annual totals since 2019! 

Living our mission statement, we continued to reach out to and include newer and experienced birders of all identities. Our walk schedule expanded to include offerings at a range of urban, suburban and rural locations, many accessible by public transportation. In addition to well known birdy locations like Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Fenway Victory Garden, The Esplanade, Cape Ann, and Lowell Cemetery, we added trips to Franklin Park, Neponset River hot spots, the Esplanade, and other Boston walks led by inspired and inspiring trip leaders. Co-sponsoring with other bird clubs and outdoor groups, we birded lesser known, productive locations, committing to include these in our future annual offerings. We have purchased a number of loaner binoculars that we hope to make available at more trips over the coming year.

We revived our highly popular and productive pelagic day trips, from Gloucester and Plymouth, while continuing to run our nationally known overnight “extreme” pelagic from Hyannis out to resource-rich canyons at the edge of the continental shelf. Visiting locations such as Hydrographer, Dogbody and Welker Canyons brought sightings of sought-after shearwaters, petrels, skuas, phalaropes, jaegers, and other exciting avian, mammal, marine species. Those who attended our late summer Newburyport boat cruise got to see the North Shore’s Great Marsh, the “other side” of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. 

The BBC Conservation Education Committee sent two more teen birders to Maine’s Hog Island Camp, thanks to your generous donations to the Bill Drummond Scholarship Fund. Similarly, we supported several school libraries, classrooms and programs by providing funds for purchasing birding materials for aspiring birders. Through this committee’s thoughtful research and decision-making, the BBC continues to contribute to organizations that support essential efforts like habitat restoration and maintenance. 

The Programming Committee offered – and continues to offer – a wide range of webinars, with topics covering warblers, sparrows, pelagics, quetzals, and female bird ID, to Peregrine and Red Knot restorations, shorebird counts, Avian Flu information, and entomologist Doug Tallamy’s Chickadee’s Guide to Gardening. Walks include native and nonnative plants with Botanist Ted Elliman, and field walks following bird identification webinars. Our “Big Three Indoor Meetings” offer opportunities for members to socialize and consider ideas presented by guest speakers. 

We truly are America’s most active bird club!  We look forward to the coming year and hope to see you at some of our many events.  Interested in contributing your time?  Please reach us at info@brooklinebirdclub.org.

Good Birding to all in 2025!