The weather may start to dry up soon - Join us in the field!
Da...@dhsmall.net
Athol Bird & Nature Club
Field Trips & Meetings 2025
http://www.atholbirdclub.org
Fridays May 9, 16, 23 @ 7:00 am Early Bird Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff Johnstone here at the Center (100 Main Street Athol) before heading out to explore the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. These are great events for the novice birder to learn from one of our best field naturalists. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.
Saturday, May 10th, 9AM to Noon Tree Planting at Guiney Memorial Forest
Location: Guiney Memorial Forest, Morse Rd, Royalston MA (use 40 Morse Rd for navigation)
Join Mount Grace for a morning of tree planting at the Guiney Memorial Forest this Saturday, May 10th , from 9AM to Noon. We have over 50 native tree seedlings that need to be planted and with tree guards installed around them. These trees all provide important hard and soft mast for wildlife and will complement our recent forest work. This is a fantastic opportunity to give back to the land and wildlife that provide so much for us! If you are interested in helping us please call/text Matt DiBona at 302-943-3239 or email dib...@mountgrace.org"
Wednesday May 14, 2025. 7:00 PM - Basic tree identification with Austin Gelinas at the Millers River Environmental Center (followed by field trip May 17, Noon)
The WARE RIVER NATURE CLUB newsletter for May is available with the link below.
It can also be accessed by copying and pasting this link into your browser:
https://www.warerivernatureclub.org/uploads/4/4/1/6/44166651/wrnc_may_2025_newsletter.pdf
MassWildlife Spring Walks 2025
Friday, May 9, 2025, 7 – 9 p.m. Enjoy a moonlit bird walk with MassWildlife and Mass Audubon
at Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area. The restored habitats of Montague Plains offer the perfect place to experience the iconic whistled whip-poor-will call, along with American woodcock peents, firsthand.
Birders of all experience levels are welcome. Participants should be prepared for a ~1.5 mile walk and dress for the
weather and walking on uneven ground. Limited spots available. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/Montague25
Saturday, June 7, 2025, 7 – 9 p.m. Join MassWildlife for an Evening Whip-poor-will Walk at Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area Thanks to over 10 years of habitat restoration, you can experience the iconic song of the whip-poor-will firsthand. Birders of all experience levels are welcome. Participants should be prepared for a ~1.5 mile walk and dress for the weather and walking on uneven ground. Limited spots available. Register at : http://tinyurl.com/muddybrook25
DCR - Les and Terry Campbell Quabbin Visitor Center
Saturday, May 17, 2025 11am – 1:30pm Exploring the North Side of the Quabbin Watershed via Gate 29
2.4 miles Moderate Quabbin Reservoir Gate 29, Rt. 202 (Daniel Shays Highway) New Salem, MA 01007 Join us for a 2.4-mile out/back hike on Quabbin’s north side of the watershed. We will be walking through the forest on a dirt road and ending at the shoreline of the reservoir. Walking to the water, the hike covers 1.2-miles and relatively little change in elevation. We will then backtrack and head out the way we came in. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring water and snacks.
Hike begins at Quabbin Reservoir’s Gate 29. The parking area is located on the south side of Rt. 202 (Daniel Shays Highway) in New Salem. Dogs are not allowed. Register here: Exploring the North Side of the Quabbin Watershed via Gate 29
Saturday, June 7 10am-1pm Exploring the Road to Dana Common 3.6 miles Moderate The old foundations, stone walls, and shade trees of Dana Common will transport you to the past as you explore Quabbin’s unique history. This 3.6 mile round-trip hike will introduce you to some of the notable residents of Dana as you discover what life was like in the Swift River Valley over a hundred years ago. Photos illustrating Quabbin’s past will bring Dana to life before your eyes.
Meet at Gate 40 on Rt 32A in Petersham. Please bring water and dress appropriately for the weather. All ages welcome. Dogs are not allowed. Register here: Saturday June 7, 10am – 1pm Exploring the Road to Dana Common
Saturday, June 14, 2025 11am – 1pm Exploring the North Side of the Quabbin Watershed via Gate 22 4 miles Moderate
Join us for a 4-mile out/back hike on Quabbin’s north side of the watershed. We will be walking down to the water on a dirt road through the forest. Walking to the water, the hike covers 2-miles and drops 180 ft. in elevation. We will then backtrack uphill and head back uphill the way we came in. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring water and snacks.
Hike begins at Quabbin Reservoir’s Gate 22. The parking area for Gate 22 is located at the end of Shutesbury Road in the town of Shutesbury. Dogs are not allowed. Register here: Exploring the North Side -Gate 22
May 31 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Harvard Forest - Public Event: Tree Identification Walk
Meet at the Fisher Museum 324 N. Main St Petersham, MA 01366
Come learn how to identify trees with Elodie, our Education Assistant! We will practice basic native tree ID through bark, twig, bug, and leaf while walking the trails at Harvard Forest. Not only will we become more familiar with the trees in our landscape, but we will also learn about the important research at Harvard Forest and what we are discovering about these different species. This will include a 1.5 mile level walk on open trails. Please email Elodie at ee...@fas.harvard.edu for any questions or accessibility needs. RSVP not required. This event will occur rain or shine; it will be canceled in the event of lightning/thunder. https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/event/tree-id-walk/
Sunday, June 1, 2025, 10 AM – noon Dragonfly Field Trip Eagle Reserve Conservation Area, Royalston – parking area for 
Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) opposite 69 Winchendon Road, Royalston. Join Mount Grace’s Conservation Director (and ABNC president) Dave Small in search of early season dragonflies and butterflies starting at the Mount Grace Eagle Reserve Conservation Area. If you have them, please bring binoculars and a bug net! As time allows, we will include a look at the nearby Birch Hill WMA and Millers River. There are no facilities in the general area so please be self-contained with water, snacks, insect repellant, sunscreen, binoculars, camera, bug net, and shoes for wading in shallow water. To RSVP: Email dwyer-...@mountgrace.org Free, open to all, RSVP encouraged.
June 20th at 9:30 am join the North Central Mass. Nature journal club to explore the Wampanoag trail in Gardner on June 20th at 9:30 am. We will be focusing on birds so bring binoculars. If you have any questions or would like to join us email Trina at thewa...@gardnerale.com, for directions and in case of schedule changes due to weather. Free, open to all.
Dave Small
978-413-1772 cell
