Conservation and Education Resources for Birders

Please see our revised sets of links for Conservation and Education.

Christmas Bird Counts 2010

BBC members are encouraged to join a Christmas Bird Count. The following is the list of counts in Massachusetts with contact information for compilers.

Date to be Determined

Mid-Cape Cod: Peter Trimble and Jeremiah Trimble
Plymouth: Trevor Lloyd-Evans (508)224-6521
Stellwagen Bank: Simon Perkins
Tuckernuck: Simon Perkins

Tuesday, December 14

Sturbridge: Mark Lynch

Saturday, December 18

Andover: Lou Wagner (978)927-1122x2705
Athol: Dave Small (978)4113-1772
Buzzard’s Bay: Jeremiah Trimble (508)498-9646 and Peter Trimble
Central Berkshire: Tom Collins (413)499-2799
Millis: Elissa Landre (508)655-2296x7031
New Bedford: Michael Boucher (508)990-3910
Newport County, RI- Westport, MA: Robert Emerson
Northern Berkshire: Pamela Weatherbee (413)458-3538
Quincy: Glenn d'Entremont (781)344-5857
Springfield: George Kingston (413)525-6742
Worcester: John Liller (508)839-5211

Sunday, December 19

Cape Ann: Jim Barber
Cape Cod: Blair Nikula (508)432-6348
Greater Boston: Robert H. Stymeist (781)648-8766
Groton-Oxbow NWF: Julie Lisk (978)272-1151 and Peter Alden (978)369-5768
Northampton: Mary Alice Wilson (413)548-9078

Tuesday, December 21

Truro: Tom Lipsky (978)897-5429

Sunday, December 26

Cobble Mountain: George Kingston (413)525-6742
Greenfield: Mark Fairbrother (413)367-2695
Marshfield: Sue MacCallum
Newburyport: Tom Young (603)424-4512
Westminster: Charles Caron (978)874-5469

Saturday, January 1

Nantucket: Ken Blackshaw
Quabbin: Scott Surner (413)256-5438
Southern Berkshire: Rene Laubach (413)637- 0320x8351
Taunton: James Sweeney
Uxbridge: Strickland Wheelock

Sunday, January 2

Concord: Hank Norwood (508)378-7524

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2011 Pelagic Schedule

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2011:  7AM – 3PM

Hyannis to Nantucket Shoals area
Birds expected: Shearwaters, Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Gannets,  Phalaropes, Fulmar, Jaegers, Terns, several Gulls and Marine animals. Hope to see Skuas and any rarity.
See the results

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2011: 4AM – 9PM

Hyannis to Hydrographer Canyon area.
Birds expected:  4 or 5 species of Shearwaters, Leaches and Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Jaegers, Gannets, Terns, and several Marine Animals. We hope to see Band-rumped storm-petrel, Bridled Tern, Skuas and other rarities.  Anything is possible.
See the results

SATURDAY, SUNDAY AUGUST 27, 28, 2011

Rescheduled

SATURDAY, SUNDAY. September 10,11, 2011

5:30AM Saturday to 6:00PM Sunday
Hyannis to Hydrographer, Veaches and Atlantis Canyon area.
Birds expected: WHITE-FACED STORM PETRElS,(22 WHITE-FACED STORM-PETRELS seen in August, 2010), 5 species of shearwaters, 3 species of Storm-petrels,  Jaegers, Gannets, Gulls (including the Sabine’s, Terns and Several species of Marine Mammals. We hope to see Skuas, Bridled Tern and other rarities.  In 2007, we found a Little Shearwater, so anything is possible.
Canceled due to Hurricane Irene

SUNDAY, NOV 20, 2011 7AM- 3PM

HYANNIS to the Nantucket Shoals Area
Birds expected: Alcids, Gannets, Shearwaters, Phalaropes, Jaegers, Gulls, Fulmar, marine mammals and any rarities such as Skua, etc.
Limit: 65 Participants
Cost:  BBC members:  $95.00
non-members: $115.00
Rescheduled and there may still be space available, contact Ida asap if interested.

Please be advised that because of the possible increase in the cost of fuel, there may be a surcharge to cover any extra expense.
Rick Heil, Steve Mirick, Jeremiah Trimble and Marshall Iliff usually lead these trips.  Our boat, the Helen H, is a very comfortable, fast, 100 foot fishing boat with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic Captain and crew. There are 38 bunks aboard which will be available to the first 38 who sign up.  There is a full galley with excellent food at reasonable prices.  Parking is free.
To reserve a space, send a check for the full amount made out to the 'BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB AGENT' along with a signed waiver to:  Ida Giriunas, 83 Summer Ave., Reading, MA, 01867 and include either your email or your postal address for confirmation, boarding instructions and further information.
For additional information and the waiver to be signed, contact Ida at 781-929-8772 or  via email

Pink-footed Goose Chase

From Bill Drummond:

With the Pink-footed Goose at or near Sudbury as the number 6th ranked bird in the country (the Bean Goose at the Salton Sea is number one), we will make an effort for everyone to see this bird. I know there are people who do not have cars. We will meet at Riverside, the end of the Green Line Riverside branch, near Rte. 128 at noon. The trip is timed for the people who want to be on Barbara Volkle's Cape Ann BBC morning trip to try to team up with us. We can use all the help we can get. We will probably go from Riverside to "Davis Farm"in Sudbury.

If you have any reports please call me Friday morning on my cell phone 978 809-2971.  I would appreciate any reports, positive or negative. I do not usually have my cell phone on when I am driving. If you call and get my voice mail, please also leave your name and phone number and the time. Please limit use of the cell phone number to FRIDAY ONLY. All help will be greatly appreciated. 

If you have an FRS radio (very important; "national birders" channel is 11  with sub channel 22) please bring it. With FRS radios, we can get hold of several people at once instead of just one at a time by phone.  

If you are coming on PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, please e-mail me in advance or call my cell that morning after 9 AM. I probably can use a few other people with cars to meet at Riverside too. Please let me know that too. I know parking and traveling will be a problem on that day but we will do the best we can.

BBC members and all birders are invited. There is no charge. I know lots of people are working that day but if you can be a help getting more people to see that Pink-footed Goose, your help will be greatly appreciated. It is not necessary to contact me in advance if you are traveling by car and meeting at Riverside. 

We  will play the trip like the BCS standings. If we can just get the Pink-footed we will go for the Barnacle.But we would need to get the rarer (higher ranked) bird first.

Happy Thanksgiving. Bill Drummond

North Andover, MA

WCDrummond@aol.com
WCDrummond@verizon.net

Recognized Members

The BBC occasionally recognizes members for service to the club and birding in Massachusetts.
Among the honorees:

• Barbara Volkle (2006, Moderator of Massbird listserv)
• Ida Giriunas (2007, Outstanding service to the Club, Birding Community)
• Lawrence Jodrey and Gerald Soucy (2008, Memorial Viewing Platform Common Pastures, Newbury)
• Marlene Schroeder (2008, Conservation, Newbury Common Pastures)
• Shawn Carey and Mark Burns (2009, Audio/visual support at Club Meetings)
• Dennis Oliver (2010, Outstanding service to the Club, Birding Community)
• Herman D'Entremont (2010, Outstanding service to the Club, Birding Community)
• Sherman Denison (2013, Outstanding guidance and service to the Club)
• Jonathan Center (2014, Outstanding guidance and service to the Club)
• Bill Drummond(2014, Outstanding guidance and service to the Club and Birding Community)

Herman D'Entremont Recognized

Long-time member Herman D'Entremont was recognized at the spring 2010 meeting.

BBC President Barbara Volkle presents Herman with his certificate. Photo: Eva Casey.

Glenn d'Entremont gave the following speech:

It was around 1960 when a young man out hunting saw something beautiful at the other end of his sights.  Wanting to learn more about the birds he was hunting, Herman almost stumbled upon a group of bird watchers called the Brookline Bird Club.  I think he found them in the Boston Globe which announced a bird walk at GMNWR led by a teenager named Peter Alden.  He soon discovered there were more birds than ducks.  They made sounds, too.  He traded his gun for binoculars and a telescope.

During the 60's he was a quick learn and hobnobbed with the best of the times at what became his favorite birding spot-Plum Island and adjacent Newburyport.  In short time he was leading trips helping out those beginners like the leaders before did with him.  Herman became one of the elite, one of those that beginners, intermediates and even experts would ask an opinion from and get an accurate answer.  My friend Dave Brown recalls returning to Massachusetts in 1967 and ìasked Herman for info on Black Rail!  Without any pomp and circumstance, as if trying to theorize and predict where to find one, he simply said "I don't know.  If you find out anything, let me know."

Herman's hearing was excellent, his hearing is still good, and he has good command of bird song and chip notes.  He could identify most of the birds he heard.  He was inspiration for one to learn bird sound.  This coming at a time when one had to learn song the old fashioned way; by chasing down the sound and seeing it's source.

During the late 60's, 70's and early 80's there were none better.  He was in company of such notables as Dick & Dora Hale, Larry Jodrey, Gerry Soucy, Herman Weissberg, Stella Garrett, Evelyn Pyburn, Dennis & David Oliver, Nancy & Alden Clayton, Ruth Emery,  Rod Sommers, Warren Harrington, & Ida Giriunas just to name a few.

He volunteered his time not only as a leader but also as a board member of the Brookline Bird Club for over 20 years, Bird Observer of Eastern Massachusetts (now Bird Observer) for about 20 years, program chairman for almost 30 years of the now defunct Needham Bird Club (finding 9 programs a year without a budget!), and assisting at the banding station at Manomet.

Herman gives of himself as well.  He would take young birders in his International Travellall to all corners of the state, driving out of his way to pick them up and drop them off; as much as 45 minutes each way!  Imagine going to Plum Island from Newton via Braintree.  Once he moved to Somerville he has befriended visiting birders opening his home for them to stay and then go birding on their free time.

Herman has done extensive travel to all parts of the continent and the world.  He has been to 49 states missing just Hawaii and has been in most of the Canadian provinces.  He might not know, but I guess he is well past 700 species in North America north of Mexico and he has been to Mexico a couple of times as well as Costa Rica and Belize.  As for Massachusetts he is probably over 430 species.  Over the years any bird of note always got a glimpse of Herman during it's stay.

His work with novice birders, young or old, is second to none.  His quiet demeanor draws people toward him and he always helps locate birds for those having difficulty or not recognizing bird song.  If he knows you have not seen a bird and he locates it, then he tries hard to get you on it.  Always the patient birder, staying just five more minutes, to locate what others have passed by.

Herman would lead interesting trips.  He would see a need and fill it.  No hawk watches; lead a trip to Mt. Tom in September.  Want to see Arctic Tern; lead a trip to Plymouth Beach in early June.  Want to see pelagics; organize boat trips.  Want to see those warblers racing through Mt Auburn in May on their breeding grounds; lead a trip to Mt. Greylock.  Shorebirds in August; lead a trip to Monomoy.  He never tires of showing new birds to anyone; novices always welcome.

Herman has several legacies.  He may be single handedly responsible for the pelagic trips we do.  At a time when no one was running any, he took it on himself to locate boat captains which would take a group of birders.  Imagine, if you will, for $20 one could go on four pelagic trips.  There was one on the first Sunday in June, and last Sundays in July, September, and October.  They would fill fast.  As I mentioned earlier of his generosity he would not charge me.  Of course I was in charge of the chum.  We would have clunky walky-talkies to talk between the cabin and back.  Keeping the antenna out of people's eyes was a challenge on the bouncing sea.

Another legacy of another kind is the Where to Goes in Bird Observer.  Herman authored the very first, A Good Day at Cape Ann, in 1972.

And there is a nephew who has a passing interest in birds.  I think his name is Duane.  My cousin Duane would come on some of the pelagic trips and occasionally to Plum Island.  On a more personal note, I was an 11 year-old brat Herman took on a field trip to the banding station in Manomet on October 5, 1968 which led to a life long love of all things outdoors, but mostly birds.  Over the years we would have our in car debates as we traveled the state.  He is amazingly well versed in current affairs.  I enjoyed taking up an opposing view even though I did not agree with it just to debate.  He seemed to like this as much as birds.  Over the years he has become more of a friend and confidant than just my mother's brother.

Many of the trips I lead are trips Herman led for years.  Plymouth Beach, I will be walking my 42nd BBC trip this spring, Mt Greylock, South Beach (until Monomoy becomes the shorebird mecca again), and the Jamaica Plain section of the Boston CBC.

Herman is an iconic figure in the birding world and the BBC.  Every knows him, every one likes him, every one wishes him well.  There is never a harsh word against his character.

Over the years, the Brookline Bird Club has not had a better ambassador.  It was always the two Hermans passing out bluebooks; D'Entremont and Weissberg.  I don't know who was responsible for more new members; it doesn't really matter.  A lot of us in the audience are probably here because of Herman or someone like him.

So, it was not a great surprise to receive an email out of the blue, if you will, in late August.
(The content has been lost, but the message is clear)

I don't think I have had the privilege on meeting Mr. Dailey.  But this could have been written 40 years ago.  So it gives me great honor to be the one to thank Herman on behalf of the Brookline Bird Club and its' membership.  If you were a drinking person we could have a toast!  We thank you, Herman , for the almost 50 years of dedication, leadership, guidance, comraderie, knowledge, friendship, and all around nice guy.  We salute you.

Herman and Glenn

Herman and Peter Alden

Dennis Oliver Recognized

As part of our fall meeting on October 15, 2010, members of the Brookline Bird Club recognized the service of Dennis Oliver.

Dennis with BBC Board Member Fay Vale, photo by Peter Vale

Dennis Oliver is a respected and admired long-time Brookline Bird Club member. He has been influential as an officer, director and longtime trip leader. Dennis has inspired many birders to join the Brookline Bird Club and some to become trip leaders. Dennis Oliver was a member of the Brookline Bird Club board of directors from 1984 to 2006.He was Recording Secretary from 1987 to 2004, and Corresponding Secretary from 2004 to 2006. In addition, he was a founding member of both the Conservation/Education and Ethics Committees and was a member of the 75th Anniversary Committee.When he retired in 2006, the board recognized his service by giving him a framed certificate of appreciation.

Dennis also coordinated and compiled the Ipswich River Breeding Bird Survey for over 15 years. For many years, he also was a participant in the TASL count, the Cape Cod Waterfowl Survey, and 3 Christmas Bird Counts including being the Waltham section leader for the Greater Boston Count.

There was unanimous enthusiastic support of such recognition from those board members and long term members who were inspired by Dennis. Dennis and his brother David began birding as children. See below for David's comments. Thank you, Dennis, for your years of service to the Brookline Bird Club and the birding community!

DAVID OLIVER WROTE:

Dennis and I have always been interested in nature and animals since childhood. This interest was shared by our father, who encouraged it, but NOT by our mother. Our favorite trips were always to the zoo. Our menagerie of animals while growing up was extensive, much to the chagrin of our mother. In fact, we eventually built a room in the cellar to house our animals, which was off limits to our mother, by her choice.

Since Dennis and I spent almost all our time together, except at school where we were separated, we shared our birding right from the start. I can remember seeing a flock of waxwings feeding in a low tree on our walk to school. We had previously known blue jays and crows and robins and other common birds but these were something new and quite beautiful.

Years later, a Ross's Gull was found in Newburyport in the winter of 1975. It made headlines in the newspaper and on television stations. People were coming from across the country to see this bird. We were amazed that there were people so obsessed that they would make such a journey to see a bird. Well, that sounded like fun to us. We never did go up to see that Ross's Gull, but that summer, we bought binoculars and started to write down the birds we saw and identified. This was great fun! We knew nothing about bird clubs or other organizations except Mass Audubon and their birding hotline. We would call and hear about some wonderful birds being seen in many places around the state. Our first "birding trip" was to Broadmoor Sanctuary in South Natick. July isn't the best time to visit there, but almost everything was new to us! That July also brought us to Plum Island and we saw where that Ross's Gull had been seen in Newburyport.

We realized that Plum Island was special and we made a few excursions there, as often as we could. In November of 1977 Dennis and I were birding at Plum and found a flock of Fulvous Whistling-Ducks at Hellcat. By then, we knew that these birds shouldn't be in Massachusetts, and we searched for someone to tell. We did find a birder, who's name now escapes me, but we told him and off we went to bird more of the island. We returned to Hellcat to see if the ducks were still there, and they were, along with many birders. This was our first encounter with a group of birders and it was the Brookline Bird Club trip, being led by the Judge and Gerry. Nancy Clayton was along on the trip and was delightful, warm, and embracing. She gave us our first blue book and from there we went on as many BBC trips as we could. We wished we could attend every one.

We met Bill Drummond at the Steller's Eider sighting in Scituate. Soon Bill was a friend and mentor. Bill took us along with him on many a fantastic trip, not only in Massachusetts, but across the continent. Soon he asked us to lead trips for the BBC. Over the years, we most often did them together, but Dennis was more of a fanatic, and still is I fear. But I will always remember and cherish the many birders who came on our trips, just because we were leading them. I must give Dennis most of that credit as he always loved showing birds to people and to lead trips to out of the way places that he liked to bird. Dennis enjoyed doing "counts", whether it be a Christmas count or birdathon or census.