Check out our customer photo gallery to see some local bird and animal photos.  What's in your yard? Send us a photo and we will add it to the gallery.
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15 October 2011
South Quabbin, Goodnow Dike
We spotted 21 species at the South Quabbin including 3 Bald Eagles.
We also had Canada Goose, Common Merganser, Turkey Vulture, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Chickadee, Titmouse, White breasted Nuthatch, Ruby crowned Kinglet, Yellow rumped Warbler, Cardinal, Savanah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Red winged Blackbird, and Goldfinch.

-17 September 2011
Hawkwatch
We had a nice day for a hawk watch.  The skys were partly cloudy, but we still had a smattering of birds including a small flock of Magnolia Warblers, 100+ Broad winged Hawks, 3 Bald Eagles, 5 Red tailed Hawks, 2 Sharp shinned Hawks, 2 Peregrine Falcons, a large flock of Canada Geese, 2 Red Shouldered Hawks, 1 Raven, 6 Turkey Vultures, 1 Herring Gull, Bluejays, and migrating Monarch Butterflies.  Not a large migration but still a lot of good views.

-11 Sepember 2011
Eagleville Dam
If you missed this kayak trip, you missed a good evening.  We had fabulous looks at Green Heron, complete with sound and displays of its head crest of feathers!  We also had "Super Soaring Nighthawks" flying over the pond, while others were down lower feeding.  Quite the display of migration.  Other birds spotted include: Mallard, Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Black Duck, Common Merganser, Cardinal, Mouring Dove, Spotted Sandpiper, Tree Swallow, Chimney Swift, Blue Bird, Goldfinch, Phoebe, Red winged Blackbird, Grackle, American Crow, Great Blue Heron, Double crested Cormorant, White Breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Catbird, & Titmouse.
We ended our evening at Bidwell Tavern for some "bird"  We tried 6 of the 28 flavors of chicken wings available, and they were great! 

-1 September 2011
Nighthawk Watch
We saw loads of Common Nighthawks tonight, as well as 16 other species including: Goldfinch, American Crow, Chimney Swift, Kingfisher, Grackle, Blue Jay, Common Yellowthroat, Ring billed Gull, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Gray Catbird, Mourning Dove, Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, and Red winged Blackbird.  Not bad for a trip down Main Street.

-14 May 2011
Skinner Mountain
We started at the base of the mountain at 6:00am and saw or heard 63 species. 
Wood Thrush, Titmouse, Catbird, Ovenbird, Rose breasted Grosbeak, Red eyed Vireo, Chickadee, Cardinal, Robin, Worm eating Warbler, Raven, Red winged Blackbird, Pigeon, Turkey Vulture, Double crested  Cormorant, Chimney Swift, Common Yellowthroat, Savannah Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Black throated Blue Warbler, Blue Jay, Woodcock, Scarlet Tanager, Black & White Warbler, Downy Woodpecker, White breasted Nuthatch, Phoebe, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Cowbird, Grackle, Northern Parula, Barred Owl, Yellow throated Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Crow, Starling, Turkey, Yellow Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker, Hermit Thrush, Junco, Great crested Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Redstart, Ruby throated Hummingbird, Cerulian Warbler, Flicker, Indigo Bunting, Cedar Waxwing, Mockingbird, English Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Bobolink, Prairie Warbler, Eastern Wood Pewee, Chestnut sided Warbler, Towhee, Goldfinch, Blue eyed Vireo, Rock Dove,

-10 May 2011
Skinner Mountain
26 species were seen or heard this morning.  The weather was sunny and cool.
Gray Catbird, Robin, Veery, Ovenbird, Wood Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Chipping Sparrow, Chickadee, Junco, Blue Jay, Black throated Green Warbler, Worm eating Warbler, Black throated Blue Warbler, Red eyed Vireo, Cerulean, Great Crested Flycatcher, Phoebe, Northern Parula, Black & White Warbler, Titmouse, Rose breasted Grosbeak, Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker.

-7 May 2011
Todays walk was in Holland and Monson.  We saw 50 species including a Great Horned Owl.

Blue Jay, Cardinal, Rock Pigeon, Starling, Common Grackle, House Finch, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Song Sparrow, Yellow Warbler, Gray Catbird, Oriole, Red winged Blackbird, Chipping Sparrow, Mallard, Canada Goose, Eastern Kingbird, Hooded Merganser, Tree Swallow, Mourning Dove, Common Yellowthroat, Great Blue Heron, Northern Rough winged Swallow, Red tailed Hawk, Wood Duck, White throated Sparrow, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Ruby throated Hummingbird, Robin, Yellow rumped Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Scarlet Tanager, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Titmouse, Blue headed Vireo, Ovenbird, Rose breasted Grosbeak, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Wood Thrush, Turkey, Warbling Vireo, Great Horned Owl, Least Flycatcher, Blue headed Vireo, Northern Flicker, American Redstart, House Wren, and Carolina Wren.

30 April 2011
A nice morning for a walk at Westville Dam, temperatures around 55 degrees.
We spotted 35 species.   Cardinal, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Robin carrying food, Crow, Rock Dove, Red bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Catbird, Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler, Phoebe, Turkey Vulture, Canada Geese, Common Yellowthroat, Carolina Wren, Nuthatch, Oriole, Yellow rumped Warbler, Piliated Woodpecker, House Wren, Titmouse, Cowbird, Grackle, Black & White Warbler, Red winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Tree Swallow, Rough winged Swallow, Downy Woodpecker, Killdeer, Chickadee, Black throated Green Warbler, & Louisiana Waterthrush.

-18 March 2011
A windy evening, but still nice for a Woodcock walk. The water along the river is still quite high.  We spotted Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks, Mallards, Black Ducks, Grackles, Red winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Robins, House Sparrow, & Great Blue Heron.  The Woodcock were calling but they never flew, most likely due to the wind.
We also spotted the BIGGEST Beaver we have ever seen.  It was standing on its hind legs on a log, eating and grooming itself.  The beaver looked like a small bear cub when it was rubbing its belly! An obviously well fed beaver!

-17 March 2011
Loads of Woodcock mating display this evening.

Look who showed up for Lunch!

This Green winged Teal showed up with a male and female Mallard to dine on cracked corn and water. 2/21/11

Information on the recent bird deaths
Click Here

-11 September 2010
Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation
S Deerfield MA
It was a beautiful Saturday morning for a hawk watch.  We spotted 2 Peregrine Falcon, 3 Sharp shinned Hawks, 3 Raven, 6 Red tailed Hawks, 31 Broad winged Hawks, 3 Bald Eagles, 6 Coopers Hawks, 1 Red Shouldered Hawk, 1 Kestral, 1 Osprey, and 5 Turkey Vultures.  We also saw 1 Crow, 1 Double crested Cormorant, 2 Blue Jays, 1 White breasted Nuthatch, 6 Chickadees, 1 Red breasted Nuthatch, and 19 Canada Geese.

-29 August 2010
Kayak and Chicken Trip
Coventry CT
We met a group of folks at 4:00pm today to kayak at Eagleville Dam in CT.  Our goal was to spot migrating Nighthawks.  And spot them we did!  Literally thousands of them flying high over the pond apparently feeding as they were circling back and forth.  This was the best showing of nighthawks that we have ever seen.  We also saw Osprey, large flocks of swallows, Mute Swans with young.  Cedar Waxwing, Great Blue Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Rose breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Mallard, Canada Geese, Catbird, Double Crested Cormorant, Titmouse, Eastern Kingbird, Phoebe, Belted Kingfisher eating a fish, Red winged Blackbird, Grackle, Cowbird, Bluejay,  Chimney Swifts, lots of painted turtles. Our group of 9 ended the kayak trip with loads of chicken wings at the Bidwell Tavern in Coventry.   As many said - looked at the birds and now we ate them!

-5 June 2010
Trail Dedication Bird Walk
Heins Farm Property
The Heins Farm conservation property was dedicated today and we provided an afternoon walk.
We saw or heard 24 species including Robin, Phoebe, Cedar Waxwing, Chickadee, Ovenbird, Red eyed Vireo, Eastern wood Peewee, Red winged Blackbird, Tufted Titmouse, Warbling Vireo, Song Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Cowbird, Oriole, Great crested Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Turkey Vulture, Indigo Bunting, Red tailed Hawk, Veery, Bobolink, and Mallard.

-1 May 2010
Local Walk to Opacum Woods and Wells State Park
Spring migration is happening!  We heard or saw 49 species on this Saturdays walk.  We saw or heard Chipping Sparrow, Blue Jay, House Finch, White breasted Nuthatch, Chickadee, House Sparrow, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Rock Pigeon, Grackle, Chimney Swift, Canada Goose, Robin, Eastern Phoebe, Goldfinch, Black throated Green Warbler, Crow, Song Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Mallard, Red winged Blackbird, Brown Creeper, Cardinal, White throated Sparrow, Titmouse, Cowbird, Palm Warbler, Mourning Dove, Yellow rumped Warbler, Red bellied  Woodpecker, Wood Duck, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Hairy Woodpecker, Warbling Vireo, Swamp Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Kingbird, Blue winged Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Red eyed Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, Field Sparrow, Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Red breasted Nuthatch, Hermit Thrush, Ruby crowned Kinglet, Great Blue Heron.

-24 April 2010
Local Walk at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary
The trails are open at Norcross and we took an early morning walk.  We saw Cardinal, Tree Swallow, Eastern Phoebe, Titmouse, Cowbird, Red bellied Woodpecker, Chickadee, Chipping Sparrow, Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebird, White breasted Nuthatch, White throated Sparrow, Flicker, Robin, Water thrush, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, Grackle, Yellow rumped Warbler, Downy Woodpecker, Ruby crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Towee, Great Blue Heron, Bank Swallow, Canada Goose, Least Flycatcher, and Turkey Vulture.

-3 April 2010
Vernal Pools at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary

It was a beautiful afternoon to take a walk through Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary along with Jen Ohop, a naturalist at the sanctuary.  Jen showed us a variety of creatures that live in vernal pools.  In the 5 pools that we visited there were Dragonfly larvae, Fairy Shrimp, Spotted Salamander eggs, Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma Opacum- Opacum Land Trust take it's name from this Salamander), Wood Frog eggs, American Toad, Boatmen, Katusfly larvae, Mosquito larvae, Water Striders, Bull Frog tadpoles and a Garter Snake to name a few.  If you are interested in Vernal Pools and what they contain check out

www.vernalpool.org

To see photos of our walk click here

-20 March 2010
Birdwalk to Claire Birtz Sanctuary and Westville Dam

Here we are at Opacum Land Trust's Claire Birtz Sanctuary in Southbridge.  It was a gorgeous morning for a walk.  Most of the birds were found by sound, not sight.  But we did have good looks at Canada Geese, Wood Duck, Mallard, and Common Merganser in Morse Pond.  We also heard (and saw a few) Phoebe, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, American Crow, Goldfinch, Red winged Blackbird, Golden crowned Kinglet, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Flicker, Killdeer, Song Sparrrow, Tree Swallow, Cardinal, Cowbird, Hairy Woodpecker, White breasted Nuthatch, Red Shouldered Hawk, Robin, Chickadee.  We also saw 2 Garter Snakes along the path.

At Westville Dam we also saw Turkey Vulture, Coopers Hawk, Junco, Eastern Bluebird, White throated Sparrow, and Red Tailed Hawk.  30 species of birds and a couple snakes, not a bad day at all!

-18 March 2010
Evening Bird Ramble and Woodcock Walk

It was a beautiful evening for a bird ramble along Morse Rd in Holland.  When we arrived the temperature was 58 degrees!  And it only dropped down to 56 degrees by the time we left.  We rambled down along Morse Road and through the fields watching the birds drop in for the evening.  Our first sighting was a large flock of Tree Swallows flying in circles over the road.  We also heard a Carolina Wren.  Farther down the road along the river a Beaver was swimming and slapping his tail making it known that we were intruding.  Along the river we watched as hundreds of Red winged Blackbirds settled in for the night.  Canada Geese, Mallard, and Wood Duck also arrived for the evening. Song Sparrows, Cowbirds, and Grackles were also chipping among the trees.
We went out to the open field with a western horizon view to watch for the mating Woodcock display.  We heard their flight and their peent, but they continued to stay in the next field so we did not get a close up view.  We also had a report of a Fisher Cat in the field earlier in the evening.  All in all a very nice evening.

-14 Feb 2010
Bill & Nancy's Valentines Walk
Most people don't spend their Valentines Day in the woods, but when Bill said he found coyote tracks we just had to see where they went.  We were in the woods in Holland, just behind our house.  We found coyote tracks, otter tracks, mink, mouse, and squirrel tracks.  Raccoon tracks and 3 sites with deer sculls and skeletons!  The coyotes were having a meal!  One site had an older skeleton with backbone and rib cage as well as a skull.  The first site we found had a deer skull, and the third site we speculate was the remainder of the deer that the skull came from.  We also had a great area where the Mink were going under the ice.  Click here to see some tracks and finds photos