INCLEMENT WEATHER AND BIRD TRIPS

If an event has to be canceled or postponed, a pop-up window will appear on the MBC home page. For a field trip, the leader or co-leader will attempt to notify all registered participants. If you have any concern about a planned trip, feel free to call the leader or co-leader.

COVID-19 RELATED INFORMATION FOR FIELD TRIPS AND EVENTS

The MBC recommends that participants be vaccinated and boosted when there is no medical contraindication. Also, please follow the latest Centers for Disease Control recommendations (link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html )

DISCLAIMER

The Montgomery Bird Club is an all-volunteer organization and offers its activities to the public for their enjoyment. Montgomery Bird Club is not responsible for harm to participants; when participating in Montgomery Bird Club events, participants assume responsibility for their own safety and accept the risks inherent in any outdoor activity of this nature.

PREVIOUS TRIPS

Summaries of the trips held previous to the ones listed below can be found on the TRIP REPORTS page listed here.

SEPTEMBER 2023

September 20th Meeting (In-Person/Hybrid): 

Birds of Ecuador: Mindo and the Galápagos Islands by Roy Howard

Mindo is a small village in the rainforest of Ecuador north of Quito. It has an extraordinary diversity of birds for a such small region. Highlights include Golden Tanagers, Red-headed Barbets, Orange-bellied Euphonia, and especially the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock.  We spent a couple days birding in Mindo before traveling with a group around the Galápagos Islands on a sixteen passenger boat. In addition to the always-enjoyable Blue-footed Boobies, and the magnificent Frigatebirds, among my personal favorites are the Red-billed Tropicbird, Galápagos Dove and the Brujo Flycatcher (related to my “spark bird” the Vermillion Flycatcher.)

SEPTEMBER 23 (Saturday) 

CROYDON CREEK NATURE CENTER 

THIS TRIP IS FULL.  Come discover (or rediscover) a Montgomery County birding gem; 140 species of birds have been recorded in this park! Some moderate hiking. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the Nature Center parking lot. Limit:12. LEADER: Emily Huang at [email protected].

YMBC WALK:  SEPTEMBER 24 (Sunday) 

WHEATON REGIONAL PARK

8 to 10 a.m. We’ll be looking for fall migrants. Park in the north lot off of Shorefield Road (coordinates: 39.054581048683566, -77.0432617288355). The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on paved paths and grass/natural trails. MENTORS: Andy Martin and Bob Cantilli.

You can RSVP for them here: https://tinyurl.com/YMBCFall23. If you are interested in being a mentor on a walk, please reach out to us at [email protected].

POP-UP WALK:  SEPTEMBER 30 (Saturday) 

WHEATON BRANCH STORMWATER PONDS

On this 2-hour walk, aimed at new birders but open to all, we’ll explore this small, birdy parcel of water and woods. (Note: No facilities available at this site). No reservations are needed. Meet at 7:30 a.m. Park on Dennis Avenue in Silver Spring between Glen Haven Drive and Hemley Lane (https://goo.gl/maps/VVrb8avtw62ugshi6). Co-Leaders: Cheryl Hogue at [email protected] and Paul Orsinger.

OCTOBER 2023

OCTOBER 4 (Wednesday) 

OAKS LANDFILL 

FULL – WAITLIST ONLY.  Explore in carpools this now-closed landfill adjacent to the Blue Mash Nature Trail. Mostly open terrain on a gravel road, including two pond views. Possible sparrows, raptors, and waterfowl. Shorebirds are possible if there are mudflats at the big pond. Leader will have scope for distant birds. We will meet at 8 a.m. Limit: 16. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114. 

OCTOBER 7 (Saturday)

WHEATON REGIONAL PARK 

Early and mid-October can be quite productive in Wheaton Regional Park, which is often particularly good during fall migration. Warblers, vireos, thrushes, and sparrows are all possible. All are welcome, and beginners are particularly encouraged to join. We will begin at 7:30 a.m. and finish around 10 or when bird activity drops off. Limit: 10. LEADER: Rob Hilton at [email protected]. Lisa Shannon will co-lead.

OCTOBER 8 (Sunday)

NIGHT OWLING AT BLACK HILL

THIS TRIP IS FULL. Mark England is planning to lead an owling trip at Black Hill Regional Park from 7-9:30 pm. Details not final, but if interested, please contact Mark at [email protected] to be put on the list. Limit of 12

OCTOBER 8 (Sunday) 

HUGHES HOLLOW
Join us for a morning of fall marsh and woodland birding. Targets are warblers, sparrows, ducks, and other fall migrants. Beginner and young birders are encouraged to join, but all are welcome. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Hughes Hollow parking lot. Limit: 10. LEADER: Lauren Carey at [email protected]

POP-UP WALK:  OCTOBER 9 (Monday) 

BLUE MASH NATURE TRAIL

Trip is focused on new birders and will last about two hours. No reservations are needed. We’ll start at the Zion Rd parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Information on Blue Mash can be obtained at https://birdersguidemddc.org/site/blue-mash-nature-trail/. Trip leader:  Dave Powell  [email protected]

OCTOBER 15 (Sunday) 

OAKS LANDFILL 

Explore in carpools this now-closed landfill adjacent to the Blue Mash Nature Trail. Mostly open terrain on a gravel road, including two pond views. Possible sparrows, raptors, and waterfowl. Shorebirds are possible if there are mudflats at the big pond. Leader will have scope for distant birds. We will meet at 8 a.m. Limit: 16. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114. 

OCTOBER 18, 2023 (Wednesday), 7:30 p.m.

From Mountains to Saltmarsh: Rediscovering the MOS Sanctuaries by Marcia Watson (virtual only)

The Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) owns 10 sanctuaries, totaling almost 3,000 acres, spanning the state from Garrett County in the western part of the state, to Somerset County on the lower Eastern Shore. The sanctuaries represent a microcosm of the habitats for birds in Maryland and are open every day of the year at no charge. Carey Run and Irish Grove Sanctuaries provide an opportunity for overnight visits, but the other sanctuaries are seldom visited. Marcia will show maps and photos of all the sanctuaries, discuss the birds and habitats found there, and cover some of the challenges MOS faces in managing the properties.

Marcia Watson is a longtime member of the Maryland Ornithological Society. As a member of the MOS Sanctuary Committee, she keeps the committee records and works to foster awareness of the sanctuaries. Marcia also serves as editor of MOS’s online Birder’s Guide to Maryland and DC.  She is retired from an academic career, and she and her husband Gene Scarpulla (editor of Maryland Birdlife) recently moved to a home adjacent to Loch Raven in Baltimore County.

OCTOBER 21 (Saturday) 

BLUE MASH: REMEMBERING OUR PAST PRESIDENTS 

Join us for this year’s annual walk in honor of former MBC presidents. We will especially remember those who are no longer with us. Longtime birders and new birders, new members and nonmembers—all are welcome. We will meet at 8 a.m. LEADER: Andy Martin at [email protected] or 301-529-2066.

YMBC WALK:  OCTOBER 22 (Sunday) 

OAKS LANDFILL

7:45 to 10:30 a.m. Explore in carpools this now-closed landfill adjacent to the Blue Mash Nature Trail. Mostly open terrain on a gravel road, including two pond views. In addition to sparrows, raptors, and waterfowl, shorebirds are possible if there are mudflats at the big pond. We will meet at the entrance to the landfill at 7:45 a.m. All parties must enter and exit the landfill together, so latecomers/leaving early cannot be accommodated. This trip is best for youth ages 8 and up due to the frequency of getting in and out of the car. MENTORS: Mark England and Becky Cromwell.

You can RSVP for them here: https://tinyurl.com/YMBCFall23. If you are interested in being a mentor on a walk, please reach out to us at [email protected].

OCTOBER 28 (Saturday) 

REDGATE PARK  

THIS TRIP IS FULL. Come explore this “new” park on a former golf course. The area offers multiple habitats, including a small marsh, wooded areas, and lots of meadow areas for potential winter sparrows. In its first 10 months as a park, birders identified 147 species. Some parts have steep hills. Meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot. Limit: 10. LEADER: Anne Mytych at 240-506-0236 or [email protected].

NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 4 (Saturday) 

ROCK CREEK’S NORTH BRANCH STREAM VALLEY 

Discover upper Rock Creek’s watershed with a variety of habitats. We will start along open fields and marshy areas next to Bowie Mill Park with the opportunity to see a variety of sparrows, hawks, fall migrants, and turkeys if we’re lucky. Previous lists included 8 species of sparrows including Fox, White-crowned, Swamp, and Savannah Sparrows. In 2022, we had great views of meadowlarks and a raven flyover. Depending on the weather, we’ll opt to explore a section of the stream valley for woodpeckers and other resident woodland species. Meet at 8 a.m. at Bowie Mill Park (https://tinyurl.com/yswz6v95) next to Sequoyah Elementary School. Limit: 16. For reservations and more information contact the leader Kathy Reitz [email protected] Deborah Hanley will co-lead. Kathy Reitz: [email protected] Phone# 240 463 0044 or Deborah Hanley  [email protected] Phone# 202 446 7255

YMBC WALK:

NOVEMBER 5 (Sunday) 

BLACK HILL REGIONAL PARK

8 to 10 a.m. A premier county location for migrating waterfowl. We will meet at the Visitor’s Center. The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on paved and grassy/natural trail areas. MENTORS: Lauren Carey and Dave Powell.

You can RSVP for them here: https://tinyurl.com/YMBCFall23. If you are interested in being a mentor on a walk, please reach out to us at [email protected].

NOVEMBER 7 (Tuesday) 

LOIS Y. GREEN CONSERVATION PARK 

Morning walk through the woods. We’ll be looking for overwintering songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors. Meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot at 8711 Snouffer School Road, Gaithersburg, Md. Limit: 12. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114. 

NOVEMBER 11 (Saturday) 

REDGATE PARK: SEEKING SPARROWS 

If you are just starting to sort out the sparrows, join us for our annual Veterans Day walk. We’ll work on ID-ing familiar species such as Song and White-throated Sparrow, while looking for less common ones like White-crowned and Swamp. This trip is geared to beginners, but all are welcome. Limit: 8. LEADER: Jo Cox at [email protected].

NOVEMBER 15, 2023 (Wednesday), 7:30 p.m.  
On Land and on Sea: The Wonderful Birds of Central California by Anne Mytych

Anne will share her birding adventures in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, from the coast to the eastern mountains and every place in between. During this trip, Anne saw her 500th life bird—a Golden-crowned Sparrow. Other highlights included Long-billed Curlew, Heermann’s Gull, White-tailed Kite, and Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

Anne grew up in Vermont and has lived in Maryland since 1989. She started birding in 2015 after finding a Red-shouldered Hawk in her neighborhood. She currently works as an executive assistant for a company in Georgetown.

DECEMBER 2023

DECEMBER 2 (Saturday) 

BLACKWATER NWR 

THIS TRIP IS FULL.  Full day (to dusk). Early waterfowl and lingering migrants plus late afternoon marsh watch. Brown-headed Nuthatch possible. Bring lunch and drinks. Limit: 12. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114.

YMBC WALK:  DECEMBER 3 (Sunday)

PENNYFIELD LOCK 

8 to 10 a.m. Meet in the parking lot (turn left at the end of Pennyfield Lock Road). The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on the towpath and some grassy/natural trail areas. MENTORS: Jo Cox and Lisa Wilcox Deyo.

You can RSVP for them here: https://tinyurl.com/YMBCFall23. If you are interested in being a mentor on a walk, please reach out to us at [email protected].

DECEMBER 6 (Wednesday) 

LILYPONS/NEW DESIGN RD

Half day, targeting Fox and Tree Sparrows and possibly Virginia Rail and American Bittern. Limit: 8. Meet at 8 a.m. at the entrance to Lilypons. LEADER: Clive Harris at [email protected].