BBC’s new Code of Ethics and Conduct
If you are involved with the Brookline Bird Club, we know that you have a great love for and appreciation of birds and nature. The BBC is committed to providing programs in which all participants have a safe and welcoming space to explore their own personal connection to birds and nature.
In keeping with this commitment, the BBC board thought it was time to take a fresh look at our Code of Ethics and Conduct and Trip Leader Guidelines. The resulting updates emphasize the importance of respect for birds, the environment, and for each other.
The board has also formed a Committee on Community and Culture that will assist the club in working toward its mission of building a more diverse, more welcoming community and a culture of inclusion and respect. To learn more about our work or to get involved, please contact the committee at community@brooklinebirdclub.org.
Across Massachusetts and the country, the birding community is moving forward with a new focus on programming that is more accessible to all who want to enjoy nature and policy that promotes safety and inclusion. The BBC is excited to be part of that movement!
We recommend following resources to learn more and get involved. If you have meaningful resources you would like us to add to this list, please let us know!
Resources on safer bird watching:
Safety Tips For Better Birding
The Murmuration, a crowd-sourced document of eBird hotspots in Massachusetts, including information on safety concerns.
Further reading on inclusivity in birding and nature:
It’s Time to Build a Truly Inclusive Outdoors, Corina Newsome (Audubon Magazine, Summer 2020)
Birds are Here for Everyone: How Black Birders are Finding Community, Aliya Uteuova, (The Guardian, June 2021)
Murmuration is the Movement: Panelists discuss diversity in birding, Jon Stinchcomb (Port Clinton News Herald, May 2021)
Birding While Black, J. Drew Lanham (Literary Hub, September 2016)
How to be a Welcoming and Inclusive Birder, (Ray Brown’s Talkin’ Birds)
Creating Safe Spaces: Promoting more-inclusive experiences for all (National Wildlife Federation, August 2021)
Organizations to check out and consider supporting:
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley The weather could not have been more beautiful for our shorebird trip led by Lisa Schibley at Ellisville Harbor State Park in Plymouth. Everyone was excited [...]
Upcoming October 11 Big Day!
Upcoming October 11 Big Day! This May the BBC conducted its first "Big Day". Despite some terrible weather, club members recorded a total of 186 species across Massachusetts. We're sure we can beat that next [...]
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification!
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification! It will soon be time for the southbound migration of sparrows! Join longtime BBC board member Glenn d'Entremont on October 9 to learn field marks, shapes, and sounds [...]
BBC Global Big Day Count – Follow Up
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Sign Up for the September Overnight Pelagic!
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Kids Walk at Great Meadows in Concord Trip leader Kathy Dia and special guest Dr. Bryan Windmiller, from Zoo New England, led a bird and turtle walk at the Great Meadows NWR impoundments in Concord. [...]
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley The weather could not have been more beautiful for our shorebird trip led by Lisa Schibley at Ellisville Harbor State Park in Plymouth. Everyone was excited [...]
Upcoming October 11 Big Day!
Upcoming October 11 Big Day! This May the BBC conducted its first "Big Day". Despite some terrible weather, club members recorded a total of 186 species across Massachusetts. We're sure we can beat that next [...]
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification!
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification! It will soon be time for the southbound migration of sparrows! Join longtime BBC board member Glenn d'Entremont on October 9 to learn field marks, shapes, and sounds [...]
BBC Global Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool [...]
Sign Up for the September Overnight Pelagic!
Overnight Pelagic Trip from Hyannis, MA to Hydrographer Canyon area Our new September 2025 pelagic trip is now open for registration! Our August trips were canceled by Hurricane Erin and so we are giving it [...]
Kids Walk at Great Meadows in Concord
Kids Walk at Great Meadows in Concord Trip leader Kathy Dia and special guest Dr. Bryan Windmiller, from Zoo New England, led a bird and turtle walk at the Great Meadows NWR impoundments in Concord. [...]
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley
Ellisville Harbor SP Shorebird Field Trip with Lisa Schibley The weather could not have been more beautiful for our shorebird trip led by Lisa Schibley at Ellisville Harbor State Park in Plymouth. Everyone was excited [...]
Upcoming October 11 Big Day!
Upcoming October 11 Big Day! This May the BBC conducted its first "Big Day". Despite some terrible weather, club members recorded a total of 186 species across Massachusetts. We're sure we can beat that next [...]
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification!
Member Only Webinar October 9: Sparrow Identification! It will soon be time for the southbound migration of sparrows! Join longtime BBC board member Glenn d'Entremont on October 9 to learn field marks, shapes, and sounds [...]
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BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool [...]
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Overnight Pelagic Trip from Hyannis, MA to Hydrographer Canyon area Our new September 2025 pelagic trip is now open for registration! Our August trips were canceled by Hurricane Erin and so we are giving it [...]
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Kids Walk at Great Meadows in Concord Trip leader Kathy Dia and special guest Dr. Bryan Windmiller, from Zoo New England, led a bird and turtle walk at the Great Meadows NWR impoundments in Concord. [...]
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Fresh Pond, Cambridge (rescheduled to Sept. 27)
Cambridge - Fresh Pond - TD Bank 235 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, United StatesThis walk has been rescheduled to September 27 which will be the 113th anniversary of the first-ever Brookline Bird Club bird walk on September 27th 1913 which was also at Fresh Pond.
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Rock Meadow, Belmont
Belmont - Rock Meadow 300 Mill St, Belmont, MA, United StatesCome join us for a walk at scenic Rock Meadow and Beaver Brook North, home of open fields, wetlands, ample woods and edge habitat, and public gardens which attract a wide variety of migrating song birds. Hiking is relatively easy, and should be a bit under two miles total at most, if we venture further [...]
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Fresh Pond, Cambridge – 113th anniversary of the first-ever Brookline Bird Club bird walk
Cambridge - Fresh Pond - TD Bank 235 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, United StatesA two mile walk on (mostly) paved paths around the pond. In addition to the “usual suspects”, we are likely to see some of the fall warblers, plus possibly a few of the Weird Ducks that have started to arrive. New Members especially invited to this pleasant walk! This walk is taking place on the [...]
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Arlington Reservoir
Lexington - Arlington Reservoir 210 Lowell Street, Arlington, MA, United StatesIn the fall water levels are lowered creating good conditions for ducks and shorebirds. We will also visit the adjacent Lexington community farm. Birds are found feasting on the remains of the crops planted there. We will walk about a mile on wide paths and some uneven ground (possibly muddy). Note that the reservoir area [...]
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Belle Isle Marsh Reservation (Winthrop side)
Winthrop - Belle Isle March and Marine Ecology Park Banks Street, Winthrop, MA, United StatesJoin 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 and easy to walk. A water bottle, water proof clothing including a hat, sunblock & [...]