April

Bob Hull Memorial Bluebird Walk - Saturday, April 19th 8:00 am - note revised date due to weather

Help trip leader David Blezard clean out bluebird boxes, look for early migrants and lingering winter birds, and get yourself in the mood for spring. 

Each year, volunteers join together on a field trip to repair and maintain Bluebird boxes throughout Durham in honor of Bob Hull and his wife Sheila. Bob maintained, replaced, and installed countless Bluebird boxes in Durham. Each year we honor these two beloved members of the Seacoast chapter by carrying on their work in maintaining and repairing these boxes. 

During our annual trip we visit many locations where Bob originally installed boxes. We replace those in need of replacing, fix what we can, and clean out the boxes. We also search for early spring migrants. Birds we frequently see on the trip include Eastern Bluebird, Brown Creeper, Pileated Woodpecker, Fox Sparrow, Wilson's Snipe, American Kestrel, Killdeer, and much, much more!

It can also be interesting to dissect the nests of bluebirds and the other birds that use these nest boxes. The trip provides great opportunities to connect with chapter members and is a favorite of many! 

Meet at the Mill Rd Plaza in Durham at 8:00.  Contact: David Blezard dblezard@mac.com or call 603-343-1223.  There is no limit to the number of participants for this trip. Please click on the link below to signup.

Dawn Bird Walk – Saturday, April 26th 4:00 am

Join our always popular search for owls and sunrise birds. Meet at 4 am (!) at the Mill Road Plaza parking lot in Durham. Be prepared for a long, and possibly a bit wet, but leisurely walk through the woods. Wear appropriate footwear and bring insect repellent. Contact: Steve Mirick at smirick@comcast.net or 603-661-7703.   The trip should end by approximately 8:00 AM.

This field trip will be limited to 20 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

Piscassic Greenway, Neal Mill Rd, Newmarket  April 26th  8:00 am

A less frequented trail lies between Newfields and Newmarket with a beautiful habitat diversity for birders to explore. Follow Juli Tyson into the woods off Neal Mill Rd in Newmarket to discover what lies ahead. You'll head out along the first bit of trail listening to Brown Creepers and Eastern Bluebirds and looking for a hawk or two in the field. At an extended boardwalk crossing and wildlife viewing platform Tree Swallows, Belted Kingfishers, Green Herons, and many more species make this wetland home. Finally, you'll arrive at a managed successional wildlife habitat to look for Prairie and Chestnut-sided Warblers. It will be a shorter walk, with the opportunity to extend if the group would like, or more time can be spent at the wildlife viewing platform.

The trip is limited to 20 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

Bellamy River Wildlife Sanctuary – Sunday April 27th 8:00 am

Join New Hampshire Audubon President Doug Bechtel in exploring the Bellamy River Wildlife Sanctuary. Located at the mouth of the Bellamy River and on Little Bay, the sanctuary consists of 26 acres of forest, tidal creeks, and saltmarsh. We will look for migratory birds and learn a bit about the plants, habitats and conservation efforts of Great Bay area. Meet at 8:00 AM at the Bellamy River Wildlife Sanctuary parking lot at the end of Bayview Road, Dover. Sanctuary map and directions (Note: the trip is at the Audubon Sanctuary not the Wildlife Management Area). Contact Holly Bauer at hbauer_106@comcast.net with questions.

The trip is limited to 30 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

May

Beginner Bird Walks (BBW) 

The NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter will have eight Beginner Bird Walks (BBW) this spring. Although these walks are geared with the beginner birder in mind, birders of all levels of expertise are encouraged to participate and share their experiences. Children are gladly welcome with an adult. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen.

BBW: Burley Farms – Saturday,  May 3rd 7 am 

With fields, forests, a beaver pond, and a heron rookery Burley Farms is a great spot to look for early spring migrants and breeding water birds. Join trip leader David Blezard to explore some of the property’s varied habitats. Meet at the parking area at 245 North River Rd in Epping at 7:00 am. Contact: David Blezard dblezard@mac.com or call 603-343-1223.

The trip will be limited to 20 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Pickering Ponds - Wednesday, May 7th  7 am – 12 pm

One of the top 10 birding spots in New Hampshire, this walk will traverse Rochester city park trails along the Cocheco River and around the former wastewater treatment settling ponds. Meet at the Pickering Ponds parking area at 7:00 AM. The entrance is about a mile south of the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant on Pickering Road (opposite mailbox #452). Contact: Dan Hubbard at danielhubbard@peoplepc.com or 603-978-0218.

This field trip will be limited to 25 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Piscassic Greenway, Halls Mill Rd, Newfields  May 9th  6:30 am

 The Southeast Land Trust’s Piscassic Greenway provides an important link between 4,000 acres of  protected land between Newmarket and Exeter. There are approximately 3.5 miles of trails on the property that pass through open fields, ponds, wetlands, and mature forests. Join trip leader Roger Stephenson to look for resident birds and early migrants. Meet at 6:30 am at the parking lot at the end of Halls Mill Rd. Contact: Roger Stephenson at rstephenson@gmail.com.

The trip is limited to 15 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Wiggin Farm Newmarket  Saturday, May 10 7:30 am - 9:00 am

Join Juli Tyson for a walk (co-sponsored by the Newmarket Conservation Commission)  at Wiggin Farm in Newmarket to celebrate the first TurtleFest. Juli will highlight this beautiful piece of Newmarket conservation land on Grant Road that includes wetland, field, forest, and river habitat. You'll observe bird species just arriving for spring migration - a very exciting time of year to be out birding! This spot is not highlighted on eBird, so this walk will present a unique opportunity to get Wiggin Farm on the birding map. After the walk, catch up with Juli and others from the Newmarket Conservation Commission at TURTLEFEST25.  There is no limit to the number of participants for this trip. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Pickering Ponds – Sunday, May 11th 7 am – 12 pm

An encore of the very popular Pickering Ponds walk on May 7th (see description above). Meet at the Pickering Ponds parking area at 7:00 AM. Contact: Dan Hubbard at danielhubbard@peoplepc.com or 603-978-0218.

This field trip will be limited to 25 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

Pawtuckaway State Park – Saturday, May 17th 7 am

Occupying over 5,000 acres, Pawtuckaway State Park is the largest state park in Rockingham County.  Join trip leader Ben Griffith to explore this unique natural area which is home to a diverse group of birds including such typically northern nesting species as Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Evening Grosbeaks.  At the same time, more southerly species such as Yellow-throated Vireo, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Prairie Warbler are common breeders in the park as well.  We'll hope to find these species and more, along with any migrants that may just be passing through.  Be prepared for moderate hiking with limited access to bathrooms or other facilities.  We'll meet at the Dunkin Donuts in Raymond at 7 am to carpool.  The trip is expected to last until about noon with the possibility of extending the visit to a few other nearby areas. Contact Ben Griffith at bgriffith@gmail.com

Limited to 10 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

Odiorne Point State Park – Saturday May 17th 8:15 am

With ocean, bay, marsh, beach, woodland and even a bit of old orchard, Odiorne Point can be a magnet for birds during migration. Join trip leader Ethan Ring for a long walk around the many  varied habitats of the park to look for spring migrants and resident breeding birds. Meet at the main Odiorne Point parking lot at 8:15 (the park opens at 8:00). A small entrance fee for the park is required. Contact: Ethan Ring ethanring878@gmail.com.

The trip is limited to 15 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Strafford County Farm – Sunday, May 18th 7 am – 12 pm 

With habitat for water birds, raptors and song birds, this walk will include the Don Black Trail and the hedgerows around the fields of the conserved property. The walk will last as long as participants choose, but not beyond noon. Meet at 8:00 across from the Strafford County Work Program at 266 County Farm Road; follow County Farm Road and take a left at the stop sign and then an immediate left to continue along behind the jail to the parking lot across from  the entrance to the Strafford County Work Program.  Contact: Dan Hubbard at danielhubbard@peoplepc.com or 603-978-0218.

This field trip will be limited to 25 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Seabrook Town Forest – Saturday, May 24th 7:00 am - note revised date

With diverse habitats of a large pond, mixed deciduous and coniferous woods, open fields, and shrubby thickets, the Seabrook Town Forest and Wellfield supports a wide variety of resident and migrating birds. Join trip leader Ashton Almeida to explore this under-birded area. Meet by the gate at the end of Old New Boston Road. Contact Ashton Almeida ashtonipod@gmail.com with any questions. 

The trip is limited to 15 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

BBW: Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area – Sunday,  May 25th  7 am 

Bird the varied habitats of the Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area with trip leader  Scott Heron. With 190 species seen on the property, in the spring Deer Hill can be full of migrating passerines and breeding water birds. Meet at the entrance gate on Pine Road in Brentwood. Contact: Scott Heron at smheron@gmail.com.

This field trip will be limited to 20 participants. Please click on the link below to sign up.

June

Pickering Ponds Nest Walk – Sunday, June 1st 7 am – 12 pm

Join us as we look for nests and other evidence of breeding birds on the trails around the ponds and along the Cocheco River. Meet at the Pickering Ponds parking area at 7:00 AM. The entrance is about a mile south of the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant on Pickering Road (opposite mailbox #452). Contact: Dan Hubbard at danielhubbard@peoplepc.com or 603-978-0218.

This field trip will be limited to 25 participants. As the trip nears, please revisit this website to sign up.

Kennebunk Plains Preserve - Wednesday June 4th

Join trip leader Matt Tarr for two trips to the rare fire-managed grassland habitat of the Kennebunk Plains Preserve 

Early Bird trip  4:15 am – 7 am

Listen for the calls of Whip-poor wills, Common Nighthawks, and Upland Sandpipers in the early morning hours. As the sun rises, we will then  look for the grassland specialties of the area including Upland Sandpiper, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Field Sparrow.

Second trip 7:30am – 10:30am

For those who don’t want to get up in the dark, we will look for grassland and shrubland birds including Upland Sandpiper, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Field Sparrow.

As the trip nears, revisit the Seacoast Audubon website for more information including the meeting place and the link to register.

 Piscassic Greenway, Neal Mill Rd, Newmarket  June 7th  8:00 am

Join trip leader Juli Tyson to revisit the trail between Newfields and Newmarket and  see what changes June has brought to the area. Please see the April 26th  trip for a full description.

The trip is limited to 20 participants. As the trip nears, please revisit this website to sign up.