Wednesday, May 1, BUCKINGHAM POND (Albany County; morning)

Coordinator: Tristan Lowery 646-323-8914 tristanlowery@gmail.com

At first blush, Albany’s Buckingham Pond looks like an unremarkable urban duck pond, with a busy playground, picnic area, and usually a flock of Mallards of questionably wild credentials plying its calm waters or huddled on the closely-mown shoreline. But this small, unassuming city park provides some much-needed habitat variety in an otherwise residential neighborhood – and in spring, Buckingham Pond can be a surprisingly effective migrant trap, making it a productive and convenient stop for area birders. We’ll spend the early morning in search of warblers, flycatchers, vireos, and other migrant songbirds in the wooded edges of the park, while keeping an eye out for waterfowl, shorebirds, and waders on the pond.

Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Buckingham Lake Park parking lot on Berkshire Blvd.