About the Brookline Bird Club

Officers & Directors

By-Laws

Code of Ethics

Trip Leader Information

The Brookline Bird Club, commonly known as the BBC, is the largest and one of the oldest of the many bird clubs in Massachusetts. Membership is opened to all who are interested in birds and nature. (A membership form can be found here or on the last page of the BBC bulletin or "bluebook".) The Club sponsors an active program of year-round field trips, covering the entire state of Massachusetts from the Berkshires to Stellwagen Bank. During the peak of spring migration, walks are scheduled for every day of the week. Three evening meetings are held each year, one in the fall and winter with the annual meeting being held each year in the spring. Guests are always welcome on Club walks and at Club meetings.

A special tradition of Club trips has been to encourage new birders, both young and old, to learn about birds and the pleasures of birding through active participation in seeking and identifying birds in various habitats, during all seasons of the year. A number of world-class trip leaders and ornithologists started birding with the Club in their childhood years.

History

The Brookline Bird Club was founded in 1913, incorporated on January 1, 1993, and currently has over 1,100 members; it is governed by the BBC By-laws. The origin of the Club, as the name suggests, traces to Brookline, Massachusetts. In the spring of 1913, a notice in the Brookline Chronicle and the Boston Transcript invited all those who might be interested in the study of wild birds to attend a meeting at the Brookline Public Library. The result was the founding of the Brookline Bird Club. The first annual meeting was held in Brookline, the first President was a resident of Brookline, and most of the Club's early members were from Brookline. Today, of course, Club membership reaches far beyond Brookline to all of Massachusetts and to many other states as well.

Field Trips

• All trips listed in the BBC bulletin or "bluebook" are free of charge, though some trips may specify costs for travel or admission.
• While most of the trips are schedule on the weekends, some trips are conducted during the week, and both full-day and half-day trips are offered.
• The BBC stresses the importance of good public relations. When attending trips, park your vehicle off the road, away from driveways and posted areas, so traffic can flow unimpeded. Respect special guidelines at birding locations such as cemeteries and national wildlife refuges. Most importantly, do not enter private property unless you have permission. For a refresher on responsible birding, see the BBC Code of Ethics.
• Should weather conditions appear bad and driving hazardous, contact the leader, at whose discretion the trip may be postponed or canceled. Also, check MASSBIRD for trip updates.
• Bring a lunch on all-day trips.
• Inform the leader if you need to leave early.
• Try to car pool whenever possible, not only to save costs and fuel, but also so that the leader can take everyone to limited-access places. This is also a way of promoting camaraderie on the trips.

Leaders

All trips are lead by experienced volunteer leaders. Trips are led at various locations around the state, though many are led at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Mount Auburn Cemetery and Cape Ann since these are well documented migrant traps or locations where birds are regularly found. Leaders reserve the right to limit the participation to some trips due to the nature of the location of the walk (e.g. limited parking facilities, etc.). There are also a few out of state trips including the annual Rangeley Lake Area and Downeast Maine trips as well as trips to various locations in New Hampshire.

Leaders strive to lead their scheduled trips as published in the blue book unless there is an emergency situation. They also will report findings of their trips to the club statistician, and if possible, to MASSBIRD. For more details on leader responsibilities, see Trip Leader Information.

The Club is always looking for birders to lead club trips. All you need is enthusiasm and a desire to share your birding experience and knowledge. The time commitment can be as short or as long as you wish, so consider sharing the pleasure of your favorite birding hotspot. If you are interested in leading a trip for the club, contact the Field Trip Coordinator, Neil Hayward by email.