Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club

Nutten Hook

When
20 Sep 2025
8:00 AM
Location
Nutten Hook

Coordinator: Frank Smith 917-254-1237 pitta14078@gmail.com

Nutten Hook is part of Stockport Flats, a Hudson River Estuarine Research Reserve site in Columbia County. The area includes the remains of the largest icehouse on the Hudson as well as a loop trail that borders the river for a quarter mile. The return path cuts inland through oak woods, abandoned farmland, and tidal marshes. Bald Eagles and early fall migrants are expected.

Meet at 8:00 AM in the parking area by the pavilion, which is west of the railroad tracks, and past the buildings on Ice House Rd. Ice House Rd. is off Route 9J in Stuyvesant.

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Normanskill Farm/The Warbler Brewery

When
27 Sep 2025
7:30 AM
Location
Normanskill Farm/The Warbler Brewery

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

Normanskill Farm is a city-owned park and farm that arguably offers the best year-round birding to be found within the Albany city limits. And while species variety is at its greatest during spring migration, a number of birds spend the summer nesting here in the woodlands, fields, and gardens that lie alongside the Normanskill Creek. We’ll spend the better part of an early fall morning in search of the many species that breed at Normanskill Farm, before heading just down the road to Delmar’s Warbler Brewery taproom to enjoy a pint or two by this excellent, avian-themed brewery.

Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Normanskill Farm parking lot on Mill Rd. From Delaware Avenue heading south, turn left on Mill Road just before the bridge over Normanskill Creek. Parking lot is on the left 1⁄4 mile along Mill Road.

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Saratoga Battlefield

When
28 Sep 2025
8:00 AM
Location
Saratoga Battlefield

Coordinator: TBA

This popular trip features beautiful foliage and a good chance to see hawks, woodpeckers, sparrows, bluebirds and late migrants as we walk the woods and grasslands of the battlefield.

Meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot near the park’s visitor center off SR 32.

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Five Rivers EEC

When
4 Oct 2025
8:00 AM
Location
Five Rivers EEC

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

We’ll walk about 2 miles over generally flat terrain with some small hills, passing through a variety of habitats. Migrating sparrows are often abundant at this time of the year, with a good chance of Lincoln’s and White-crowned as well as more common species. Both species of kinglet may be present, as well as Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo. A late Nashville, Black-throated Green, Blackpoll or Magnolia Warbler might be found. Wood Duck and other waterfowl are possible, as well as Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks and Merlin. Wet grass and muddy spots may be encountered, so waterproof footwear is recommended.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot at Five Rivers EEC in Delmar.

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Bog Meadow Brook

When
5 Oct 2025
8:00 AM
Location
Bog Meadow Brook

Coordinator: Ron Harrower ronharrower14@gmail.com

Bog Meadow Brook Trail, an old rail trail just east of Saratoga Springs, runs along the northern edge of a swamp and consists of wetland habitat with two ponds with a wet mixed forest in between. In October, sparrows are moving in and late migrants are still present. There should be a good variety of waterfowl and lingering shorebirds are possible. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the trailhead pull-off on Meadowbrook Road, about 0.3 mile west of Stafford Bridge Rd/Rt. 67. If we have enough participants, we will stage some vehicles at the Lake Ave end to save walking the round trip.

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Bird Parasitism - A fight in the feathers: the impacts of ectoparasites on birds, and the adaptations birds use to combat their feather-dwelling parasites

When
6 Oct 2025
6:30 PM
Location
Five Rivers EEC and Zoom

Speaker: Dr. Chris Harbison of Siena College

Title: A fight in the feathers: the impacts of ectoparasites on birds, and the adaptations birds use to combat their feather-dwelling parasites

Chances are the bird you saw on your last birding adventure was not alone; most birds also host a community of parasite species that live in their bodies and on the plumage. While these tiny parasites are easy to overlook, they have an oversized impact on a bird’s behavior and can drive changes in bird ecology and evolution as well. In this presentation, we will explore this antagonistic dynamic and use birds and their parasites to help understand larger questions about host-parasite coevolution. For example, why are some parasites specific to one bird species, while others are generalists? Why are some parasites more virulent than others? What strategies do parasites use to better attack hosts and what adaptations have birds evolved to fight back? Chris Harbison’s research focuses on these coevolutionary questions using a study system consisting of birds and the feather-feeding ectoparasites that live within their plumage. This presentation will review the nature of this host-parasite dynamic and the many ways birds and parasites have have adapted to one another.

Chris Harbison has been teaching biology at Siena University (formerly Siena College) since 2008 and additionally taught biology at Carleton College in Minnesota where he also completed his undergraduate degree. Chris received his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Utah where he began his studies of bird ectoparasites. At Siena, Chris teaches Ornithology, Principles of Evolution, General Biology and other related courses. He has written numerous scientific publications in journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences as well as in parasitology and ornithology journals. He also regularly presents his work at national and international conferences as well as in academic and public settings.

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Basic Creek Reservoir

When
11 Oct 2025
Location
Basic Creek Reservoir

EXACT DATE TBA

October 11-12 or 18-19

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

Details TBA

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Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail

When
25 Oct 2025
8:00 AM
Location
Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail, Niskayuna

Coordinator: Naomi Lloyd naomi_kestrel@yahoo.com

On this trip along the Mohawk River and its backwaters in Niskayuna, we will look for waterfowl, gulls, and sparrows. Our walk will take us east past farm fields and Niska Isle, usually the most productive stretch. We will retrace our path and check for waterfowl at Lock 7. This is approximately 3.5 miles total. The meeting place has been changed in an effort to avoid the crowds of runners and bikers. We will be walking downriver for a change!

Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the parking area where the Train crosses Lock 7 Road. Bring a spotting scope if you wish to scan the waterfowl groups.

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Growing the Next Generation of Birders

When
3 Nov 2025
6:30 PM
Location
Five Rivers EEC and Zoom

Speaker: George "Schoolyard Naturalist" Steele

This program is about adults working with children and families with children. George will share stories of his experiences of birding with kids, tips on working with youth, thoughts on what individuals and clubs might do to bring birding to children.

Professional educator George Steele has been teaching about nature for more than 55 years, since his start as a 16 year old nature counselor in a Boy Scout Camp. George earned his BS in Forest Biology from SUNY College of ESF, and is past director of the NYSDEC Environmental Education Camp Program. He spent two years working in the NYSDEC Endangered Species Unit primarily with the Bald Eagle Release Program. Since 1992, he has been an independent environmental educator.

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Tomhannock Reservoir

When
15 Nov 2025
8:30 AM
Location
Tomhannock Reservoir

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 Dr. and NY Route 7 at the west end of the causeway. Bring a scope if you have one.

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Birding Argentina

When
1 Dec 2025
6:30 PM
Location
Five Rivers EEC and Zoom

Holiday party and program - Birding Argentina

Speaker: Gregg Recer

Argentina is a surprisingly big country, the second-largest by area in South America, stretching nearly 4000 km from the northern border with Bolivia to the tip of Tierra del Fuego. Within that span a huge variety of habitats occur including tropical forest and wetlands, the arid Altiplano, Andean foothills and highlands, Pampas grasslands, flat and windy Patagonia, about 1500 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, and glacier-topped peaks surrounding Southern Beech forest at the tip of continent. With all that variety comes a very big variety of birds -- toucans, hummingbirds, rheas, penguins, flamingoes, tubenoses, parrots, and a tremendous range of furnariids, just to mention a few. Gregg Recer and Cathy Graichen visited the country briefly in 2018, and on two birding tours in 2024 that covered the entire length of the country. This talk will share their experiences throughout the incredibly birdy and scenic country.

Gregg Recer is a former HMBC president. He and his wife, Cathy Graichen, have been HMBC members since 1989 and have been focused on world birding for over 20 years.