The BBC’s first scholarship winner, Aidan Pavao, recently returned from the Hog Island summer camp and sent along a brief report. Check out the scholarship page for more information about the program and how to contribute and expect to hear more from Aidan in the future.

My experience at Hog Island was undoubtedly a highlight of my summer. I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet some amazing people and pioneering ornithologists. The program taught me loads about research and studies on birds, including topics such as nesting programs, banding, audio and video recording, and study skin preparations. It brought me much closer than I expected to birds: I envisioned getting good looks at puffins, but my expectations were shattered when I found myself just feet from them in an observation blind. But far more important than getting good looks at birds was the immersive experience in which I lived with people who dedicate their whole lives to birds. Whether I gained knowledge from formal presentations or from conversation at the dinner table, the stories that these people offered were worth the entire week on their own.
Defending the Nest

 

Some of my pictures are posted here. I will try to go through them again and get some more uploaded soon.

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Upcoming Field Trips

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United States

Horn Pond, Woburn (Rescheduled from 4/12)

Woburn - Horn Pond - Sturgis St 98 Sturgis St, Woburn, MA, United States

Co-sponsored with Menotomy Bird Club. Join us as we explore the varied habitat of the Horn Pond Conservation area. We will be searching for early spring migrants such as Tree Swallow, Eastern Phoebes, Pine, as well as Palm and Yellow-rumped warblers, and lingering ducks such as Northern Shoveler and Green-winged teal, and early warblers. Meet [...]

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 birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk The trails are flat and easy to walk. We may do an optional 30 minute trip extension to an adjacent [...]

Milton Landing & Neponset River Greenway

Enjoy an approximately 2-mile walk along the Neponset River Greenway bike path from Milton to Dorchester. We will start at Milton's Landing and stay for at least 20 minutes to see waterfowl and gulls. Then we will walk along the Neponset River Greenway--let's see if we can find any black-crowned night herons and other species. [...]

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