Brookline Bird Club – America’s most active bird club!

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, and attendees were encouraged to “Take Luncheon”!

Sadly, the BBC’s birthday party ended up not being the major news from that year. As we now take action to protect ourselves from Covid–19, there are many reminders in our current news of the pandemic that started in 1918. But it was also an interesting time for our fledgling bird club. The BBC has a rich archive of club records, much of which was recently scanned into electronic format. If you’re stuck inside, want to see what life was like for the club over 100 years ago, take a look at the club bulletins (blue book) from 1918. (Click on the image to the right.)

Highlights include a lecture given on March 25, 1918 by the State Ornithologist, Edward Howe Forbush, which was illustrated with “colored lantern slides”. Like most club meetings, this was held in the public library in Brookline. And who wouldn’t want to be a fly on the wall of the meeting later that year, on December 3, when Dr. Eugene W. Afford gave “whistling imitations of Notes and Songs of our Common Birds”.

Perhaps surprisingly, there were no trips to Mt Auburn Cemetery in 1918, a staple of our modern spring schedule. According to club historian John Nelson, Mt Auburn doesn’t appear in his archival notes until after the war, when a Chuck-will’s-widow was recorded on a club trip there in 1952.

On a larger scale, 1918 was important for conservation as the year of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Signed by the United States (under the presidency of Woodrow Wilson) and Great Britain (on behalf of Canada), the law prohibited (with some exceptions granted by federal permit) the hunting and killing of birds. We are indebted to that act for the rich avifauna that we can still enjoy today.

Stay healthy during this time. And, if you’re interested, do to take a minute to read through the archive from 1918 to see where the club was leading walks, and how much a return on the trolley would have cost you to get there.

Click on the image above to view the 1918 club bulletin.

Tips for inspiring Young Birders

The Brookline Bird Club has a long history of its experienced birder members encouraging and supporting rising young birders, and, for decades, has been scheduling trips targeted to children and families. But how do you

ANNUAL REPORT 2009

2009 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2009, the Brookline Bird Club listed 305 species of birds on 194 reported trips, just one species less than last year. A

ANNUAL REPORT 2008

2008 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 2008, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 190 reported trips, three species less than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

2007 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2007, the Brookline Bird Club listed 309 species of birds on 213 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

2006 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2006, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 208 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2004

2004 Statistical and Year-End Report By Bob Stymiest, Club Statistician During 2004, the Brookline Bird Club listed 311 species of birds on 243 reported trips, 17 species more than last year. To put this in

Tips for inspiring Young Birders

The Brookline Bird Club has a long history of its experienced birder members encouraging and supporting rising young birders, and, for decades, has been scheduling trips targeted to children and families. But how do you

ANNUAL REPORT 2009

2009 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2009, the Brookline Bird Club listed 305 species of birds on 194 reported trips, just one species less than last year. A

ANNUAL REPORT 2008

2008 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 2008, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 190 reported trips, three species less than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

2007 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2007, the Brookline Bird Club listed 309 species of birds on 213 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

2006 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2006, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 208 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2004

2004 Statistical and Year-End Report By Bob Stymiest, Club Statistician During 2004, the Brookline Bird Club listed 311 species of birds on 243 reported trips, 17 species more than last year. To put this in

Tips for inspiring Young Birders

The Brookline Bird Club has a long history of its experienced birder members encouraging and supporting rising young birders, and, for decades, has been scheduling trips targeted to children and families. But how do you

ANNUAL REPORT 2009

2009 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2009, the Brookline Bird Club listed 305 species of birds on 194 reported trips, just one species less than last year. A

ANNUAL REPORT 2008

2008 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 2008, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 190 reported trips, three species less than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

2007 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2007, the Brookline Bird Club listed 309 species of birds on 213 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

2006 STATISTICAL AND YEAR END REPORT By Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician   During 2006, the Brookline Bird Club listed 306 species of birds on 208 reported trips, one species more than last year. A total

ANNUAL REPORT 2004

2004 Statistical and Year-End Report By Bob Stymiest, Club Statistician During 2004, the Brookline Bird Club listed 311 species of birds on 243 reported trips, 17 species more than last year. To put this in

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Today

  • Fruitlands Museum, Harvard

    Harvard - Fruitlands Museum 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard, MA, United States

    Cosponsored 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.

  • Westborough WMA in Two Parts

    Northborough - Watson Park, Bartlett Pond 35A Lyman St, Northborough, MA, United States

    Part 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

  • Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity

    East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United States

    Led 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

  • Millennium Park

    Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United States

    Join 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

  • Woodcock Watch, Oxbow NWR, Harvard

    Harvard - Still River Depot Road

    We will stay until it gets dark to watch for American Woodcock. Come early to enjoy other birds. Rain date Sunday, April 5, same time.

Established in 1913, America’s most active bird club!

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