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 if you have any questions. Any changes to the field trip schedule will be announced via the Mearns Groups.io group.

Field trip leaders are responsible for the following: (1) Sending out a trip cancellation notice, if necessary, via Mearns Groups.io, or notifying Bob Slechta (845-541-8210) or Joyce Depew (845-978-9952) so that they can send out a cancellation notice. (2) Sending a written trip report both to Groups.io and, more importantly, to Rich VanTieghem (rich.w2vt@gmail.com) for inclusion in the next Orange Feather.

Field Trip Schedule through September 2025

April

April 30, Wednesday, 8:30 am, Stewart State Forest with Bill Fiero (845-728-5208). Meet Bill at the North Barron Road parking area in Montgomery, New York, as gnatcatchers, kinglets, early warblers, and so on start to show up.

May

May 3, Saturday, 8:00 am, Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, Wurtsboro, New York, with Joyce Depew (845-978-9952). Meet Joyce at the first (DEC) parking lot, before you get to the Haven Road bridge as you’re coming from Route 209, and we’ll see if we can identify 70 species for the day.

May 7, Wednesday, 8:00 am, Stewart State Forest with Bill Fiero (845-728-5208). Meet Bill at the North Ridge Road parking lot in Montgomery, New York. Anything is possible as spring migration heats up. White-eyed Vireo or Yellow-breasted Chat maybe?

May 10, Saturday, 8:00 am, Hudson Highlands Nature Center Outdoor Discovery Campus (formerly Kenridge Farm), Cornwall, New York, with Brenda Jordan (207-461-0348) Amy Greher (845-774-9399). Meet Brenda Amy at the Cornwall dog park on Muser Drive, and we’ll see if we can find a Mourning or Cape May Warbler!

May 14, Wednesday, 8:00 am, Goosepond Mountain State Park, Chester, New York, with Bob Slechta (845-541-8210). Meet bob in the parking lot next to the Chester McDonald’s, and we’ll see what we can turn up.

May 16 and 17, Friday and Saturday, annual Break 100. See how many birds your team can identify in Orange County! Each team must consist of at least 2 people. Pick any contiguous 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday that your team prefers. Contact Karen Miller (845-381-3203) for details, and keep an eye on Groups.io for updates.

May 18, Sunday, 8:00 am, Hudson Highlands Nature Center Outdoor Discovery Campus (formerly Kenridge Farm), Cornwall, New York, with Amy Greher (845-774-9399). Meet Amy at the Cornwall dog park on Muser Drive, and we’ll see if we can find some late-migrating warblers.

May 24, Saturday (or May 25, Sunday), destination to be determined. Watch Groups.io for details.

May 31, Saturday, 8:30 am, Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, with Tom and Jane (845-443-5440). See grassland species like Bobolink, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow.

June

June 14, Saturday, annual Mearns Club picnic, Winding Hills County Park, Montgomery, New York. The annual club picnic will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Winding Hills County Park, Route 17K, Montgomery, NY.  Meet at 12 noon at the picnic area (follow the arrows as you drive through the park). The club will provide chicken, water, and sodas. Bring a chair and something to share (snacks, salad, dessert).  All are welcome.

If you have any questions, call Linda Strohl (845-496-3021) or Tracy Patsch (845-258-8858). Hope to see you there!

August

August 23, Saturday, 8:00 am, Black Dirt plus with Dave Baker (845-440-4030). This trip will start at the Oil City Road platform in the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge and will then move on to the Black Dirt region to look for shorebirds.

September

September 6,  Saturday, 8:00 am, Hudson Highlands Nature Center Outdoor Discovery Campus (formerly Kenridge Farm), Cornwall, New York, with Amy Greher (845-774-9399). Meet Amy at the Cornwall dog park on Muser Drive at 8:00 am for a rewarding day of birding as fall migration starts up.

September 13,  Saturday, 8:00 am, Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, Wurtsboro, New York, with Joyce Depew (845-978-9952). Meet Joyce at the first (DEC) parking lot, before you get to the Haven Road Bridge as you come in from Route 209. Philadelphia Vireo and Gray-cheeked Thrush are possibilities.

September 24, Wednesday, 8:30 am, Winding Waters Trail, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, with Rich Van Tieghem (201-370-2721). This is a tentative trip because the refuge has been playing around with access to this location in the fall. Watch Groups.io for any scheduling changes for this trip to a Connecticut Warbler hotspot.

September 28, Sunday, 9:00 am, 6 1/2 Station Road with Liz McKnight (201-400-1428). Meet Liz at the intersection of the Heritage Trail and 6 1/2 Station Road in Goshen, New York, for fall migration birding.