Here are reports from some recent trips

Five participants from the Forbush Bird Club and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club walked a section of the roadside of Route 56 North overlooking the edges of the fields on the back side of the Worcester Airport. It was cloudy and the temperature was in the mid 60's until late morning when sunny skies appeared and the temperature rose to 80 degrees. We also drove over to Mulberry Street where we checked the edges of the field and walked the wooded path to the Quaker Cemetery.  

Among the 20 species of butterflies observed, highlights were:   Spicebush Swallowtail, Great Spangled Fritillary, Silver-Bordered Fritillary, Monarch, Appalachian Brown, Mulberry Wing Skipper, and Delaware Skipper.

Despite an ominous forecast, eight birders showed up for the trip. The recent wet weather had allowed the mosquitoes to multiply in terrifying numbers. If we had taken a poll, the group might have said that the estimate of 10,000 mosquitoes was low. The predicted storm never materialized.

The highlights included a quick look at a Barred Owl, a perched Broad-winged Hawk and a close look at a group of four Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying by just as we arrived back at the parking lot. The poults crossed the road after everyone else had already left, so my wife and I were the only ones treated to that view.

Walked loop. Light rain after heavy rain yesterday/last night. Thinking of our friend Paul Meleski who ran many a trip here and introduced us to this place.

Ten enthusiastic birders met on this bright and warm although overcast Saturday morning. In addition to regular members of the Forbush Bird Club, we were joined by a friend from the Boxborough Bird Club, a professor of biology and a birder from Ecuador who is getting to know the New England birds. We traveled 2 1/2 miles over about 3 1/2 hours and we identified 51 species of birds. Highlights included a large flock of Ring-necked Ducks, seven Double-crested Cormorants, a raucous chorus of Rusty Blackbirds, two less common swallows and a very spotted Spotted Sandpiper.

Laura Lane led a walk in the Wayne MacCallum Wildlife Management Area,

Six Forbush Club members and a seventh soon to become member walked the Delaney Wildlife Management Area for about three hours on a beautiful fall day. One of the highlights of the trip was the bright red, orange and yellow foliage, especially as it was reflected in the water of Delaney Pond. The birds were not especially active, but by the end of our roughly 2 ½ mile walk we managed to identify 29 species of birds.

Nine members of the bird club braved the weather and were rewarded as the rain stopped and the clouds parted a few times to allow the morning to get steadily better with each passing hour. We walked 3 ½ miles over a period of 3 ½ hours. Perhaps the highlight, or at least the biggest surprise of the morning, was while walking out on the DCR property we flushed a total of three American Woodcocks from next to the path where we were walking.

Eleven participants from the Forbush Bird Club and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club walked the roadside of Route 56 North overlooking the edges of the fields on the backside of theWorcester Airport. We then drove to Mulberry Street, where we walked the wooded path to the Quaker Cemetery. It was sunny and 81 degrees.

Twelve club members walked together for a total of 3.8 miles on a perfect late spring morning. We were able to identify 49 species. One of our number caught a glimpse of a black bear as well.

Our annual spring Forbush Bird Club trip to Crane Swamp/Cedar Hill was a warm sunny day with four members attending. Highlights of the trip were great views of a singing Blue-winged Warbler. a local nester at Cedar Hill, and great views of a Veery on the path ahead of us. The Indigo Bunting serenaded us from the top of a tree and we caught a glimpse of a singing Wilson's Warbler. It was a beautiful morning to be out birding!