Threats to Federal Bird Science Funding
According to the journal Science, the administration has targeted the Ecosystems Mission Area at the U.S. Geological Survey for elimination in its upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 budget request. The Ecosystems Mission Area, with its $307 million annual budget, supports critical biological research on endangered species, climate change, disease, and wildlife conservation. The Office of Management and Budget has directed USGS to gradually shutdown the program, affecting about 1,200 USGS scientists and staff.
The Bird Banding Laboratory and the Breeding Bird Survey are both housed by the Ecosystems Mission Area and are critical to the functions of Federal and State wildlife agencies, Migratory Bird Flyway Councils, and non-governmental organizations.
Scientific societies are rallying behind the Ecosystems Mission Area, weighing in with both the administration and with Members of Congress. Over 70 scientific and conservation organizations have written to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, expressing strong support for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Ecosystems Mission Area and urging the Department to maintain the program area’s funding at the FY25 level in the FY26 federal budget. Information recently obtained by the journal Science indicates that the administration intends to eliminate the entire program area.
The letter highlights the Ecosystems Mission Area program area’s crucial role in providing scientific research and decision-support tools that benefit public safety, environmental health, natural resource management, and public health, and emphasizes that the program’s interdisciplinary science underpins national strategies to respond to environmental and ecological challenges
In Fond Memory of Joe Paluzzi
Joseph (Joe) A Paluzzi, a long-time Brookline Bird Club member, trip leader, Board member and Past President, and good friend to many in the birding community, passed away on April 25, 2023. Joe was [...]
Camp Edwards Grassland Bird Tours
The Massachusetts Army National Guard’s Natural Resource Program is hosting grassland bird tours in May and June on Camp Edwards. This is an unusual opportunity for avid birders, naturalists and photographers to walk through [...]
Congratulations to Our 2023 Teen Scholarship Recipients
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Samuel Harris of Dorchester and William Buswell of Wakefield. These scholarships, instituted to [...]
BBC offers two scholarships to National Audubon’s Hog Island camp for June 2023
The BBC is pleased to announce that two teen birders have been selected to receive Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships that nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The 2023 scholarships [...]
Volunteers Needed for Grassland Bird Monitoring
Isabel Bronson, a Land Stewardship Coordinator serving with the Trustees of Reservations, is seeking volunteers to participate in a grassland bird monitoring community science program at Chestnut Hill Farm, The Fruitlands, Old Town Hill, [...]
Donation to Friends of Belle Isle Marsh
On behalf of the Brookline Bird Club, the BBC Conservation & Education Committee is pleased to announce a donation of $250 to support the conservation and education work of the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, [...]
In Fond Memory of Joe Paluzzi
Joseph (Joe) A Paluzzi, a long-time Brookline Bird Club member, trip leader, Board member and Past President, and good friend to many in the birding community, passed away on April 25, 2023. Joe was [...]
Camp Edwards Grassland Bird Tours
The Massachusetts Army National Guard’s Natural Resource Program is hosting grassland bird tours in May and June on Camp Edwards. This is an unusual opportunity for avid birders, naturalists and photographers to walk through [...]
Congratulations to Our 2023 Teen Scholarship Recipients
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Samuel Harris of Dorchester and William Buswell of Wakefield. These scholarships, instituted to [...]
BBC offers two scholarships to National Audubon’s Hog Island camp for June 2023
The BBC is pleased to announce that two teen birders have been selected to receive Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships that nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The 2023 scholarships [...]
Volunteers Needed for Grassland Bird Monitoring
Isabel Bronson, a Land Stewardship Coordinator serving with the Trustees of Reservations, is seeking volunteers to participate in a grassland bird monitoring community science program at Chestnut Hill Farm, The Fruitlands, Old Town Hill, [...]
Donation to Friends of Belle Isle Marsh
On behalf of the Brookline Bird Club, the BBC Conservation & Education Committee is pleased to announce a donation of $250 to support the conservation and education work of the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, [...]
In Fond Memory of Joe Paluzzi
Joseph (Joe) A Paluzzi, a long-time Brookline Bird Club member, trip leader, Board member and Past President, and good friend to many in the birding community, passed away on April 25, 2023. Joe was [...]
Camp Edwards Grassland Bird Tours
The Massachusetts Army National Guard’s Natural Resource Program is hosting grassland bird tours in May and June on Camp Edwards. This is an unusual opportunity for avid birders, naturalists and photographers to walk through [...]
Congratulations to Our 2023 Teen Scholarship Recipients
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Samuel Harris of Dorchester and William Buswell of Wakefield. These scholarships, instituted to [...]
BBC offers two scholarships to National Audubon’s Hog Island camp for June 2023
The BBC is pleased to announce that two teen birders have been selected to receive Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships that nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The 2023 scholarships [...]
Volunteers Needed for Grassland Bird Monitoring
Isabel Bronson, a Land Stewardship Coordinator serving with the Trustees of Reservations, is seeking volunteers to participate in a grassland bird monitoring community science program at Chestnut Hill Farm, The Fruitlands, Old Town Hill, [...]
Donation to Friends of Belle Isle Marsh
On behalf of the Brookline Bird Club, the BBC Conservation & Education Committee is pleased to announce a donation of $250 to support the conservation and education work of the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, [...]
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Upcoming Field Trips
Belle Isle Marsh Marine Ecology Park, Winthrop
Winthrop - Belle Isle March and Marine Ecology Park Banks Street, Winthrop, MA, United StatesJoin the Brookline Bird Club in collaboration with Boston Nature Center to look for birds in a unique urban habitat that often draws numerous uncommon and rare birds. Target species include bobolinks, dunlin, egrets, falcons, hawks, herons, ibis, oystercatchers, plovers, ravens, sandpipers, sparrows, swallows & swifts, terns, warblers, vultures, and yellowlegs. Birders of all levels [...]
Franklin Park Bird Walk with Zoo New England
Boston - Franklin Park Tennis Courts (Meeting Spot) Roxbury, MA, United StatesWhether you're a seasoned birder or just curious about the birds in your neighborhood, this walk is a great way to connect with nature and fellow bird enthusiasts. Co-led by Matthew Kamm, Zoo New England's Associate Director of Field Conservation, and Michealle Larkins, Trip Leader and Board Member of the Brookline Bird Club. Registration is [...]
Members Only Webinar: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification
Shorebirds are among the most fascinating and diverse groups of birds, but identifying them can sometimes feel overwhelming. This session will provide practical tips and techniques to sharpen your shorebirding skills. We will also be scheduling a limited participation field trip focused on Shorebirds where you will practice the skills you learned during the webinar. [...]
Forest Beach Conservation Area
Chatham - Forest Beach 375-331 Forest Beach Rd, South Chatham, MA, United StatesCo-sponored with Cape Cod Bird Club. We’ll walk the marsh trail to where it meets Mill Creek and return via the beach, less than a mile round trip. We’ll then head towards the overlook where we’ll likely view herons, egrets, shorebirds, passerines, gulls, osprey and Northern Harrier. This is another area with mixed habitat, a [...]
Whale and Seabird watching trip out of Plymouth
Plymouth - Captain John's Whale Watching Tour Company 10 Town Wharf, Plymouth, MA, United StatesThe BBC is partnering with the Captain John's Whale Watching Tour Company to travel to Stellwagen Bank - primary feeding grounds for the Humpback Whale, the endangered Right Whale, and other marine wildlife, including seabirds. With the help of onboard naturalists, we will search for seabirds - storm petrals, shearwaters, gulls and terns, gannets, and [...]