Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club upcoming events

Collins Lake (31 Oct 2026)

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Coordinator: Dan Leonard dannyboy67leonard@gmail.com

We will visit Collins Lake to view late migrating waterfowl from the beach and the east side of the lake. We will also take a walk east along the north side of the Mohawk River for fall sparrows. Fox Sparrows have been seen in previous years. Foliage will be off the trees to make finding LBJs (Little Brown Jobs) a bit easier.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the beach parking lot at Collins Lake. Bring a scope if you have one.

Trouble in Paradise: Invasive Parasites and Their Interactions in Darwin’s Finches of the Galápagos Islands (2 Nov 2026)

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Alex Soldo of the Albany Pine Bush

Title: Trouble in Paradise: Invasive Parasites and Their Interactions in Darwin’s Finches of the Galápagos Islands

Description: The Galápagos Islands are home to a unique assemblage of endemic birds, including Darwin’s finches, whose evolution in isolation has made them an iconic example of adaptive radiation. However, isolation can leave island species particularly vulnerable to introduced parasites and pathogens. Today, Galápagos birds face several introduced threats, including the blood-feeding avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) and avian pox virus. In nature, hosts often contend with multiple types of parasite at once, with the potential for complex interactions that influence infection and disease. In this talk, we’ll take a closer look at this system through the small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) and consider what these interactions might mean for the conservation of Galápagos birds.

Bio: Alexandria (Alex) Soldo is the Field Ecologist & Entomologist at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Alex earned her B.S. in Conservation Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2019, and her M.S. Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut in 2024. Her graduate thesis examined the effects of invasive parasites on Darwin’s finches in the Galápagos Islands. Her interests broadly include avian ectoparasites, disease ecology, host–parasite interactions, and the ecology and conservation of birds and insects.

Tomhannock Reservoir (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Coordinator: Naomi Lloyd naomi_kestrel@yahoo.com

Join us for a morning trip around the Tomhannock Reservoir. We hope to find a variety of waterfowl as well as resident and migrant passerines. Rarities have turned up at the Tomhannock in the fall and we often find Bald Eagles.

Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the parking area at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and New York State Route 7 at the west end of the causeway. Bring a scope if you have one.

Holiday Party & World Birding (7 Dec 2026)

Mon, 07 Dec 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Holiday celebration and program by Pete Fererra

Speaker: Pete Ferrera

Pete Ferrera came to the Albany area in 1993 to start his residency in Emergency Medicine and has lived in Slingerlands since 1997. His interest in birding started in late 1997, when his wife put out a makeshift birdfeeder made out of a 2 liter Pepsi bottle in their backyard. They started to watch the birds and she had Pete identify them using a Peterson’s field guide. She suggested they keep a list of what they saw. Then in March 1998, Pete was in Maine and heard the strangest sound. It was the call of a Pileated Woodpecker. He walked down to a dead tree and saw this massive bird ripping out huge chunks of bark to feed. Pete got within 10 feet of the bird, but it couldn’t care less about him. From that moment on he was hooked on birding. Since then, Pete has planned almost all of his trips around birds and other wildlife. He has traveled extensively to see and photograph birds and other wildlife. These days, Pete considers himself more of a wildlife photographer than a birder, but still enjoys looking at the birds in his backyard everyday. He and his wife have traded up the Pepsi bottle for real feeders these days.

North Country Winter Birding (11 Dec 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Coordinators: Gregg Recer and Cathy Graichen gregg.recer@gmail.com 518-330-4552 (GR)

On this early winter trip, we'll explore some of the best winter birding locales in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties in New York, including Cape Vincent, Perch River WMA, Robert Moses SP and the St Lawrence River. Expected birds include wintering waterfowl, loons, grebes, gulls, hawks and field birds. Will also be searching for rare or irregular species such as Snowy Owl, winter finches, Bohemian waxwing. Cape Vincent is a well-known winter vagrant trap and we'll be alert for any reports of chaseable rarities. Participants will have Friday to travel at their leisure so that we can begin birding as a group first thing Saturday morning. Limit eight participants. By Club policy, this overnight trip is for members, with non-members accommodated if room is available and at the leader’s discretion.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Contact Gregg Recer by November 1st to reserve a spot and for hotel reservation information.

Schenectady Christmas Bird Count (19 Dec 2026)

Sat, 19 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Coordinator/Compiler: Larry Alden 518-495-6535 overlook@nycap.rr.com

Southern Rensselaer Christmas Bird Count (26 Dec 2026)

Sat, 26 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Coordinator/Compiler: Naomi Lloyd 518-596-5964 naomi_kestrel@yahoo.com

Troy Christmas Bird Count (2 Jan 2027)

Sat, 02 Jan 2027 05:00:00 GMT

Coordinator/Compiler: Larry Alden 518-495-6535 overlook@nycap.rr.com

Real Birds Eat Squid (4 Jan 2027)

Mon, 04 Jan 2027 23:30:00 GMT

Speaker: George Armistead

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Karen Blixen

Perhaps the most romantic and least familiar group of birds in the world, the seabirds are truly awe-inspiring. Storm-Petrels, Petrels, Shearwaters & Albatrosses live miraculous lives that are impossible to fathom. Many feed at night on squid, hence the title here, which has evolved as a tribute among seabirders to their favorite group of birds. For birders, these birds are often hard to access, and difficult to achieve a familiarity with, but only the coldest and least curious would fail to marvel at their dynamism. We'll examine their lives and habits, the nature of pelagic birding, and explore the myths and legends that relate to sea-faring folks, birders or otherwise.

George Armistead, a birder since the age of nine years old, has a long history in connecting people with nature through guided trips and expedition travel. Leading field trips since his teenage years, he began guiding tours professionally in 2002. After 20 years of developing and guiding tours to countries across all seven continents, he formed Hillstar Nature with the goal of bringing together a team who can provide fulfilling and authentic wildlife experiences. George has authored two books on birds including Better Birding: Tips, Tools, and Concepts for the Field (2015, Princeton University Press) and The ABA Field Guide to the Birds of Pennsylvania (2016, Scott & Nix, Inc.). He received a masters degree in environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and is an associate at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, where he spent seven years helping to curate the photographic and specimen collections. Today he lectures on birds, co-hosts Lifelist: A Birding Podcast, is a board member of the American Birding Association, and guides tours across the globe. When not traveling George enjoys birding at home, is an avid fan of Philadelphia sports, and loves spending time with his wife Kristin and their golden retriever.

Bird Love: Why identify with birds with author Dr. Wenfei Tong of Cornell Lab of Ornithology (1 Feb 2027)

Mon, 01 Feb 2027 23:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. Wenfei Tong, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Birds exhibit a wide array of behaviors—from sabotaging budding romances to outsourcing childcare duties. Why do they behave as they do? Using diverse examples from around the world, including some of her own research in Zambia, Dr. Wenfei Tong will present vignettes about the private lives of birds in an evolutionary context, to show the science behind how much humans and birds have in common. She will use her art and photographs to illustrate stories from her books Bird Love and Understanding Bird Behavior and beyond, and discuss contributions from participatory science and local stewards towards our growing knowledge of birds and how to conserve them.

Dr. Wenfei Tong is a biologist with a passion for understanding and conserving the natural world. She enjoys sharing her love of birds and biology through her paintings, photography, teaching, and writing. Her books, Bird Love and Understanding Bird Behavior, use scientific discoveries to show how much humans and birds share, including some of literature’s most basic themes. Her ultimate aim is to inspire as many people as possible to connect with and care for nature.

Wenfei grew up in Singapore, where she started birding at 12. She first got hooked on field biology as an undergraduate at Princeton and Oxford, and has a PhD in evolutionary biology from Harvard. She has guided natural history tours for over 20 years including to Tanzania, the Galapagos, and Montana. She now works at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY.

To find out more: https://www.wenfeitong.com/

HMBC Members' Photo Night (1 Mar 2027)

Mon, 01 Mar 2027 23:30:00 GMT

Coordinators: Scott Stoner and Denise Hackert-Stoner. Details to follow.

From Adak to Utqiagvik: Birding Alaskan Outposts and In-between (3 May 2027)

Mon, 03 May 2027 22:30:00 GMT

With Scott Stoner and Denise Hackert-Stoner. In-person and Zoom. Details to follow.