Birders of ALL levels—from beginner to expert—are welcome on Mearns Club field trips. Please join us!
In January 2009, the Mearns Club adopted the American Birding Association Code of Birding Ethics. Please keep the tenets of the code in mind when participating in Mearns Club field trips.

Information, including maps, for the birding locations mentioned in the list of field trips here can found on the pages of the Birding Areas section of this website (see the navigation menu).

The leader’s phone number is included for each trip so that you can call the night before or the morning of the trip if you have any questions. You can also check the Mearns Groups.io site for any last-minute changes.

If you lead a trip, you are responsible for sending a write-up to Richard VanTieghem at rich.w2vt@gmail.com.

COVID-19 Guidelines for Field Trips

Please check the CDC website for COVID-19 guidelines. The current guidelines are based on COVID-19 community levels. You can find the community level for any county in the Unites States by using the widget below.

Please do not attend a field trip if you aren’t feeling well or are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

Field Trip Schedule for Fall 2023/Spring 2024

August

August 19, Saturday, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Pine Island, New York: Meet Johanna Bloomfield (541-778-1754) at the Oil City Road platform at 8 am for migrating shore birds and local breeders like Common Gallinule and, with luck, Sandhill Crane.

September

September 2, Saturday, Black Dirt Region, Orange County, New York: Meet Dave Baker (845-440-4030) in the parking lot of the Jolly Onion restaurant in Pine Island, New York, at 8:30 am to search for Buff-breasted Sandpipers and American Golden-Plovers.

September 9, Saturday, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Outdoor Discovery Center (formerly Kenridge Farm), Cornwall, New York: Meet Amy Greher (845-774-9399) at 8 am at the Cornwall dog park, and we’ll see what we can find at this always productive site as fall migration picks up.

September 16, Saturday, Winding Waters Trail, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Pine Island, New York: Meet Bob Slechta (845-541-8210) in the trail parking area west of the Oil City Road platform at 8:30 am for a good mix of birds and, hopefully, a Connecticut Warbler.

September 20, Wednesday, Stony Kill Farm, Wappingers Falls, New York: Meet Bruce Nott (845-542-0583) at the farm at 8:30 am, and we’ll see if we can top last year’s tally of 60 species. This is a good location to see Lincoln’s Sparrow.

September 30, Saturday, 6 1/2 Station Road Audubon Sanctuary, Goshen, New York: Meet Don Aitchison (845-281-3220) at 8:30 am where the Heritage Trail crosses 6 1/2 Station Road in Goshen, and we’ll see what fall migrants we can turn up in the marsh and the trees and brush bordering it.

October

October 4, Wednesday, Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, Wurtsboro, New York: Meet Joyce Depew (845-978-9952) at the Stop Sign Trail at 9 am for a good variety of birds at this hotspot!

October 7, Saturday, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Outdoor Discovery Center (formerly Kenridge Farm), Cornwall, New York: Meet Amy Greher (845-774-9399) at the Cornwall dog park off Angola Road at 8:30 am, and we’ll see if we can track down a Lincoln’s Sparrow along with other fall migrants.

October 14, Saturday, Black Dirt Region, Orange County, New York: Meet Dave Baker (845-440-4030) in the parking lot of the Jolly Onion restaurant in Pine Island, New York, at 9 am, and we will search for White-crowned Sparrows, American Pipits, and plovers.

October 21, Saturday, Long Island Sound: Meet Jodi Brodsky (845-282-1058) in the Rye Playland parking lot at 8:30 am, we’ll and look for fall migrants heading south along the sound, with options for visits to Marshlands and/or Greenwich.

October 29, Sunday, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Pine Island, New York: Meet Liz McKnight (201-400-1428) at 9 am at the refuge platform on Oil City Road. Sand Hill Crane? LeConte’s Sparrow? Almost anything is possible here!

November

November 11, Saturday, Black Dirt Region, Orange County, New York: Meet Dave Baker (845-440-4030) in the parking lot of the Jolly Onion restaurant in Pine Island, New York, at 9 am, and we will search for larks, Snow Buntings, and longspurs.

November 25, Saturday, Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, Wallkill, New York: Meet Tom and Jane (845-443-5440) in the parking lot at 4:30 pm. Short-Eared Owls should be in!

December

December 1–3, Friday–Sunday, Cape Ann, Massachusetts: Join Jodi Brodsky on the club’s fabulous annual trip for eiders, scoters, loons, and much more. Call Jody at 845-282-1058 or e-mail her at jsbbirder@gmail.com for details.

December 16, Saturday, Eastern Orange Christmas Count: If you want to join in the fun, give count coordinator Karen Miller a call at 845-381-3203.

January

January 13, Saturday, New York State Waterfowl Count: If you are interested in participating, please contact Bob Slechta (845-541-8210). This is always a fun day of searching Orange County for ducks, geese and other waterfowl.

January 27, Saturday, Eagle Trip I, Putnam/Westchester Counties: Meet Gerhard Patsch (845-258-0620) at the Iona Island overlook on the Goat Trail (US 6/US 202) at 9 am for an enjoyable day of searching for eagles at sites along the river!

February

February 17, Saturday, Eagle Trip II, Putnam/Westchester Counties: Meet Gerhard Patsch (845-258-0620) at the Iona Island overlook on the Goat Trail (US 6/US 202) at 9 am. This trip is so popular that we run two every winter — especially because river ice and weather conditions can vary so much and produce quite different outcomes.

March

March 2, Saturday, Black Dirt Region, Orange County, New York: Meet Bob Slechta (845-541-8210) in the parking lot of the Jolly Onion restaurant in Pine Island, New York, at 9 am for larks, buntings, longspurs, and Rough-legged Hawks.

March 9, Saturday, Long Island Sound: Meet Bob Slechta (845-541-8210) in the Rye Playland parking lot at 9 am for Purple Sandpipers, Long-tailed Ducks, loons, and much more!

March 23, Saturday, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Pine Island, New York: Meet Joyce Depew (845-978-9952) at 9 am at the refuge platform on Oil City Road for hundreds of ducks of multiple species!

March 30, Saturday, Eastern Orange Lakes, Orange County, New York: Meet Bruce Nott (845-542-0583) in the northwest corner of the Newburgh Walmart parking lot on Route 300 at 8:30 am, and we’ll search various lakes in Eastern Orange County for the wide range of waterfowl species that can be found at this time of year.