Date: 10/17/24 3:41 pm From: Paul Ippolito <paulippolito295...> Subject: [Arlington Birds] MBC Trips this weekend
Fellow MBC members,
The Menotomy Bird Club has a selection of trips coming up this weekend,
including one on Saturday in Carlisle and one on Sunday at Belle Isle Marsh
Friday at Mary Cummings Park and two on Sunday at Arlington Reservoir as
well as Squantum Point Park in Quincy.
Don’t forget, we will have our next meeting on Tuesday night, October 22nd
at the Jenks Center in Winchester – as we will have Kim Smith; a
documentary filmmaker, wildlife conservationist, lecturer, photojournalist,
author, illustrator, and an award-winning landscape designer will present,
“The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay”, a feature-length documentary
premiering at film festivals in September 2024.
This Fall we have a series of bird walks in conjunction with the
naturalists at the Boston Nature Center and the Brookline Bird Club at
places like Belle Island Marsh, the Boston Nature Center and Millenium Park.
Do however continue to look at the weekly e-mails as we continually add
trips based upon what is being seen, weather and availability of our
leaders.
Fall migration is happening now with some interesting observations being
posted throughout Massachusetts so keep exploring your local patches, *report
what you are seeing* and enjoy all that our area has to offer.
*Saturday, October 19*
*Carlisle Cranberry Bog*
*Alan Ankers 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM*
We’ll search the area Carlisle’s Cranberry Bog for newly-arrived winter
visitors and late fall migrants — waterbirds, raptors and songbirds.
Co-sponsored by the Carlisle Conservation Foundation. Meet at the Cranberry
Bog House, 750 Curve Street. 8:00-10:30AM Alan Ankers <alankers...>
*Sunday, October 20*
*Bear Creek Sanctuary, Saugus *
*Soheil Zendeh 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM*
Here are details for attending walks at this property:
Bear Creek is an upland wildlife sanctuary built on the Wheelabrator
(formerly RESCO) landfill at the northern end of Rumney Marsh in Saugus and
Revere. Access information is below. Wear good walking shoes and be
prepared to hike 3 – 4 miles. The property is mostly very open, so be
prepared for sun, wind and weather.
This walk is free and open to the public, but also note that this property
is accessible by invitation only and visitors need to be chaperoned at all
times. Please allow roughly 4 hours for this field trip. The actual length
of the trip depends on conditions and the birds present. It's usually
difficult to break up the party if you need to be somewhere in the early
afternoon. Come prepared to stay with the group.
Wheelabrator company has graciously stocked up on some extra pairs of
binoculars, so if you or someone you know wants to learn about birds and
birding, come on down. Please let Geoff Wilson <s2ary39...> know
you're coming so we can have a head count.
Bear Creek Sanctuary access is via the Wheelabrator plant, 100 Salem
Turnpike (Rte 107), Saugus. The rotary at the intersection of Rtes 60 and
107 is about 1½ miles southwest of the plant and about 1 mile east of Rte 1
exit on Rte 60. When traveling northeast on 107, if you go over the Ballard
Street bridge (just after a set of lights) you’ve gone too far — turn back.
Here is a link to google maps: http://tinyurl.com/326v87d
When you arrive, drive through the plant gates, park in the parking lot
immediately and wait for the group. Please do not drive farther into the
property without an escort.
*Tuesday October 22*
*6:00 PM Social Time, 6:30 Meeting Start *
*The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay*
*Kim Smith – Jenks Center, Winchester*
The Menotomy Bird Club will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, October 22nd @
6:30 PM at the Jenks Center, 109 Skillings Road in Winchester as we will
have Kim Smith; a documentary filmmaker, wildlife conservationist,
lecturer, photojournalist, author, illustrator, and an award-winning
landscape designer will present, “The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay”, a
feature-length documentary premiering at film festivals in September 2024.
At the time of this writing, the documentary has been accepted at seven
film festivals and was awarded Best Family Friendly Film at the Cine Paris
Film Festival.
Doors open at 6:00 for set up and social time and the meeting starts
promptly at 6:30 PM.
*Sunday, October 27*
*Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, Winthrop *
*120 Banks Street, Winthrop 8:00 AM*
Join 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. A Boston Nature Center naturalist will help us find and
identify birds through field marks, sounds, and behaviors. Birders of all
levels will enjoy these guided walks; beginning birders are encouraged to
come! The trails are flat and easy to walk. This walk is co-sponsored with
the Boston Nature center and the Brookline Bird Club. Meeting Place: RPM
Fitness lot, 120 Banks Street; There is a chainlink fence with (worn out,
not easy to see) signs authorizing public parking alongside the fence. Park
in front of that fence. You’ll see a sign in the far back of the lot that
says Belle Isle Marsh Marine Ecology Park. Meet in front of the sign.
Please don't park in a spot that says for gym only. The walk is free but
all participants must pre-register by emailing <cgeorge...> and
copying <neil.calabro1...> Please note that participants must be at
least 13 years of age and this outing is limited to 15 people.
*Sunday, November 10*
*Millenium Park, Boston *
*300 Gardner Street, Boston 8:00 AM*
Join 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. A Boston Nature Center naturalist will help us find and
identify birds through field marks, sounds, and behaviors. Birders of all
levels will enjoy these guided walks; beginning birders are encouraged to
come! The trails are flat and easy to walk. This walk is co-sponsored with
the Boston Nature center and the Brookline Bird Club. Meeting Place: Meet
in the parking lot nearest the canoe launch. Once you arrive at the park,
turn left and then you will very soon see a small sign at the first left
turn labelled Canoe Launch. Follow that road to the end of the parking lot.
The walk is free but all participants must pre-register by emailing
<cgeorge...> and copying <neil.calabro1...> Please note that
participants must be at least 13 years of age and this outing is limited to
30 people.
*Tuesday, November 19*
*6:30 PM Social Time, 7:00 Meeting Start *
*Across Namibia – Birds and Other Cool Stuff*
*Alan Ankers – Jenks Center, Winchester*
The Menotomy Bird Club will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, November 19th
@ 7:00 PM at the Jenks Center, 109 Skillings Road in Winchester as we will
have Alan Ankers presenting his photographic tour covering the entire
breadth of Namibia in southwestern Africa exploring the country’s history,
geography, animals, plants, reptiles and insects, as well as birds. Plenty
of birds!
Alan Ankers has keenly birded Middlesex County for the last thirty years
and in recent years started exploring the rest of the world’s birds. Since
co-leading the very first Menotomy Bird Club outing in March 2003, he has
led regular bird walks for the club in his current hometown of Carlisle. He
enjoys hiking and generally exploring the natural world, particularly
dragonflies and butterflies as well as birds.
Doors open at 6:30 for set up and social time and the meeting starts
promptly at 7:00 PM.
*Sunday, November 24*
*Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, Winthrop *
*120 Banks Street, Winthrop 8:00 AM*
Join 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. A Boston Nature Center naturalist will help us find and
identify birds through field marks, sounds, and behaviors. Birders of all
levels will enjoy these guided walks; beginning birders are encouraged to
come! The trails are flat and easy to walk. This walk is co-sponsored with
the Boston Nature center and the Brookline Bird Club. Meeting Place: Belle
Isle Marsh is accessible by the Blue Line at the Suffolk Downs stop and has
a large parking lot. Meet in the main parking lot by the bird feeders. The
walk is free but all participants must pre-register by emailing
<cgeorge...> and copying <neil.calabro1...> Please note that
participants must be at least 13 years of age and this outing is limited to
30 people.
*Sunday, December 1 *
*Dunback Meadows, Lexington*
*Cliff Cook 8:00 AM - Noon*
Join us as we explore the fields and paths of Dunback Meadows looking for
wintering birds including raptors. As time permits, we may travel to
nearby areas in Waltham, Lexington and Belmont depending on recent reports.
Expect to walk about 3 miles on trails. Cosponsored with Brookline Bird
Club. Meet at the Clark Middle School, at the end of Brookside Avenue. 8:00
AM – Noon Cliff Cook <ccook13...>
*Sunday, December 8*
*Squantum Point Park, Quincy *
*MWRA Haul Road, Quincy 8:00 AM*
Join 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. A Boston Nature Center naturalist will help us find and
identify birds through field marks, sounds, and behaviors. Birders of all
levels will enjoy these guided walks; beginning birders are encouraged to
come! The trails are flat and easy to walk. This walk is co-sponsored with
the Boston Nature center and the Brookline Bird Club. Meeting Place: We
will park at the LEFT side entrance of the large parking lot off of MWRA
Haul Rd. Do not be concerned if parts of the lot are closed with orange
cones, the police frequently use the parking lot for training exercises.
The walk is free but all participants must pre-register by emailing
<cgeorge...> and copying <neil.calabro1...> Please note that
participants must be at least 13 years of age and this outing is limited to
30 people.
*Sunday, December 22*
*Millenium Park, Boston *
*300 Gardner Street, Boston 8:00 AM*
Join 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. A Boston Nature Center naturalist will help us find and
identify birds through field marks, sounds, and behaviors. Birders of all
levels will enjoy these guided walks; beginning birders are encouraged to
come! The trails are flat and easy to walk. This walk is co-sponsored with
the Boston Nature center and the Brookline Bird Club. Meeting Place: Meet
in the parking lot nearest the canoe launch. Once you arrive at the park,
turn left and then you will very soon see a small sign at the first left
turn labelled Canoe Launch. Follow that road to the end of the parking lot.
The walk is free but all participants must pre-register by emailing
<cgeorge...> and copying <neil.calabro1...> Please note that
participants must be at least 13 years of age and this outing is limited to
30 people.
If you are interested in leading a trip, please reach out to Alan Ankers,
Renee LaFontaine or myself, the club would be so lucky to have you lead.
Please continue to post your observations.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
