Mascomabirds.org        

Spring 2019 Activity Calendar

Upcoming Birding Events



Note: "Warbler Wednesdays" and Feathered Fridays" results can be found under the "2019 Bird Walk Archive" tab by clicking on "May 2019."

“Warbler Wednesdays”

May 22 & 29

7:00 – 10:00 am

W. Lebanon, NH

Join our popular, early morning, May series of weekly searches for warblers and other returning spring migrants at Lebanon’s secluded gem, Boston Lot Lake. Meet in the more northerly of the two parking lots on NH Rt. 10 directly across from Wilder Dam.

Walking conditions include a fairly steep, uphill climb and surfaces that are unpaved and uneven. If rain has occurred recently ground conditions could be muddy or damp. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

The event is free and open to the public. Bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope as you prefer. All experience levels welcome.

To be led by Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee Chair Blake Allison.

“Feathered Fridays”

May 24 & 31

7:00 – 10:00 am

Mink Brook Preserve

Hanover, NH

“Feathered Fridays” will be returning to the Mink Brook trails again this May. If last year’s walks are any indication, we should expect to see a good variety of migrating passerines as well waterfowl thanks to the varied habitat through which the trail system passes.

Meet in the parking area adjacent to the electrical substation on NH Route 10 about ¼ mile south of the Hanover business district. The trails are level but mostly dirt surface, which means they could be muddy should rain have occurred near the day of the walk.

Bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope as you prefer. The walk is free and open to the public. All experience levels welcome.

To be led by members of the Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee.



Bedell Bridge Bird Walk

Saturday, May 25

7:00 – 9:30 amt

Bedell Bridge State Historic Site

Haverhill, NH

This visit to the former site of the Bedell Covered Bridge, lost in a September 1979 hurricane, offers an opportunity to see a wide variety of birds due to the park’s interesting combination of riparian, mixed woodlands and agricultural land habitats.

The park entrance is located on NH Rt.10 just north of the Haverhill Green. Meet in Dartmouth’s new Lewiston parking lot adjacent to the Norwich end of the Ledyard Bridge to form car pools.

Walking conditions are level but will be damp if there has been recent rain. The event is free and open to the public.

Bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope as you prefer. All experience levels welcome.

To be led by Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members Jeff MacQueen and George Clark.

Mascoma River Greenway Bird Walk

Saturday, June 8

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Lebanon, NH

For the third consecutive year, Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee member Jeff MacQueen will lead a bird walk along the Mascoma River.

This year we will explore the newly opened (July 21, 2018) Mascoma River Greenway Trail (MRG). This paved, segment offers lovely views of the Mascoma River along its course beginning just east of Alice Peck Day Hospital (APD) then traveling westerly to its current terminus near Glen Road and the Miracle Mile. Expect to see a good variety of songbirds and perhaps some waterfowl.

Meet at the access point parking area opposite APD on Mascoma Street. From any starting point, head to I-89 Exit 17. Coming from the west, turn right at the bottom of the ramp and head towards Lebanon on Mechanic Street. From the east, turn left at the bottom of the Exit 17 ramp and also head toward Lebanon on Mechanic Street. After about a ½ mile, you’ll see a left hand turn that passes through the old granite underpass. On the other side, turn right onto Mascoma Street. The parking area will be on your right a few hundred feet farther along.

Foot travel will be on a level, paved surface. Bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope as you prefer. Bug repellant, particularly with tick prevention in mind, is highly recommended.

The walk is free and open to the public. All experience levels welcome.

The walk is co-sponsored by the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon and the Mascoma River Local Advisory Committee.

 

 Common Mergansers at Wilder Dam

Wayne Benoit - Reno, NH

Recent Birding Outings



Spring Migrants Bird Walk

Saturday, April 27

Hanover, NH

6:30 – 9:00 am

Conditions were inauspicious, decidedly damp and cool, for the Mascoma Chapter's annual bird walk along the Connecticut River from northern Hanover to Lyme's Grant Brook outfow. Meteorlogically speaking, most strikingly, the group's departure from Wilson's Landing in Hanover was marked by a barrage of small hail bouncing off vehicles and briefly whitening the ground. Most of the time, however, there was merely rain to a greater or lesser extent.

Despite the less than ideal weather conditions, two dozen or so bird species were found by five, hardy walk participants. The Connecticut River and its tributaries were all running high and swiftly due to recent extended rain and spring snow melt. This no doubt accounted for the lower than anticipated waterfowl numbers. Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, and hooded mergansers were seen, but their counts were low. Two double-crested cormorants were seen winging their way northward along the river.

Non-waterfowl species recorded included two belted kingfishers. While at Wilson's Landing, about two dozen tree Swallows and a barn swallow were circling low over the river; evidently foraging on unseen arthropod prey. Among other spring arrivals encountered this morning were northern flicker, eastern phoebe and American robins. Chipping, song, swamp, and white-throated sparrows were recorded as well as juncos, red-winged blackbirds, and cowbird.

A nice sampling of early migrants was thus a reward for persevering through what might be considered the weather of early spring -- on April 27!
 
Our thanks go to Hanover's Sheridan Corporation for enabling use of their parking lot. Also greatly appreciated was the help provided by co-leader Gail McPeek representing trip co-sponsor The Hanover Conservancy. Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members George Clark, Blake Allison, and Jeff MacQueen also were on hand. Special thanks to Jeff for submitting eBird lists. Links to those can be found below.


Wilson's Landing                                  https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55570872

Hidden Valley                                        https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55485046

Wilmott Farm Fields                                   https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55485018

Hewes Brook                                                https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55484989

Grant Brook                                           https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55484970

Woodcock Walk

Wednesday, April 24

Hanover, NH

7:15 – 9 :00 pm

Cloudy, damp conditions did not deter ten hopeful and hearty birdwatchers from tramping through fields in hopes of seeing the male, American woodcock's dazzling and wonderous flight display.

There intrepid characters rewarded the faithful with three confirmed sightings and perhaps a fourth.

Led by Mascoma CHapter Steering Committee member George Clark, this woodcock outing was one of the most successful in recent memory.

Thanks to Joanne Norton and the Kendal Birding Club for co-hosting

Annual Bald Eagle Watch

Wilder Dam - Wilder, VT

Saturday, February 16

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Saturday morning, under cloudy skies, the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon hosted its first bird watching event of the 2019 season. Fourteen birders were in attendance under cloudy skies with the temperature hovering in the mid-30s.

The chapter chooses the Wilder Dam site, because there is a bald eagle nest nearby, and the dam's outflow creates open water down stream attractive to bald eagles. Only one bald eagle was recorded Saturday and that was by an early arriving (9:30 a.m.) Blake Allison who observed an adult circling over the little island about 100 yards downstream from the dam. It was seen there for about five minutes before disappearing into a small stand of white pines on the river's New Hampshire shore. It did not appear during the scheduled 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. observation period.

Other activity was limited to a dozen of the dam's resident rock doves, two blue jays, a common raven and nine American crows. Four adult, common mergansers (two females and two male) flew in around 11:00 a.m. to fish in the open water about 50 yards below the dam.

Thanks to Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members George Clark, Jeff MacQueen and Blake Allison for hosting. Thanks to Blake for keeping and
entering the eBird list.

Follow this link to that list:
https://ebird.org/nh/view/checklist/S52781578