Field Trips
RT Waterman Bird Club Field Trip photo courtesy of Ernie Welch
Club walks will be open to all club members and the public. If you plan to attend our walks regularly and are not a member, please consider joining to support our organization and its activities. As a courtesy, contact the leader so they know you plan to attend. Be on the lookout for our MailChimp emails (to members) announcing any cancellations due to weather or other circumstances. Cancellations are also announced on our website. For general questions about Field Trips, please contact Ernie Welch (razor06bill@gmail.com) or Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301).
Field Trip starting times change throughout the year. In general, 8:30am for the month of April, 8:00am for May and June, 7:30am for July and August, 8:30am for September and October, and 9:00am for November through March. Dress for the weather and bring snack and beverage.
For more information and directions to most of our birding locations, see our Where to Bird page. Additional information on some Field Trip locations is included in the online 3rd edition of Where to Bird in Dutchess County, a 2016 update of the second edition (now out of print).
Note: Updates are in ‘red’.
December 2024
Wednesday, December 4, Bowdoin Park – Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at the upper-level parking area off Sheafe Rd., Wappingers Falls at 9am.
Saturday December 7, Southern Duck Tour – Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Please call for time and meeting place.
Wednesday, December 11, Cancelled -Tymor Forest walk – Leader: Barbara Butler (914-474-5981). Meet at the barns (249 Duncan Rd.)
Christmas Lunch at 10:30 AM
Large Room for lunch opens at 10:00 AM. Enter through the green door. Please bring enough to feed 8 and a serving spoon. R.S.V.P. to Binnie Chase 845-724-5912 or binniechase@yahoo.com.
Reservation limited to 50
Wednesday, December 18, Harlem Valley Rail Trail/Coleman Station – Leader: Ernie Welch (email: razor06bill@gmail.com). Meet at the parking lot off Rt. 22/44 north of Amenia at 9am.
Saturday, December 21, Christmas Bird Count for Dutchess (NYDC)
If you are an active birder and would like to participate, please contact Debbie van Zyl and she can connect you with an appropriate group.
For more information on the count and the 15-mile radius circles, check out https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count. The NYDC circle’s center point is in James Baird SP. The NYDC count circle is divided into 6 sectors. Our leaders are:
Barb Mansell & Liz Martens (northwest)
Chet Vincent (central northwest)
Krista Morris & Ryan Maclean (central northeast)
Barbara Butler (east)
Alan Petersen (south)
Barbara Michelin (central south)
Wednesday, December 25 & Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – No walk scheduled.
January 2025
Sunday, January 5, Jones Beach/West End –Leader: Ernie (845-518- 8441). Please call for the time and meeting place.
Wednesday, January 8, Stony Kill Farms – Leader: Barbara Michelin (845-242-2301). Meet at the Manor House parking lot, 79 Farmstead Ln, Wappingers Falls at 9am.
Wednesday, January 15, James Baird State Park – Leader: Barbara Butler (914-474-5981). Meet at the restaurant parking lot (off Taconic State Parkway, north of Rt. 55) at 9am.
Saturday, January 18, Waterfowl Count (Snow Day: Sunday, January 19)
If you are an active birder and would like to participate, please contact Debbie van Zyl and she will get you linked up with one of our leaders.
We have 9 sectors and really need some help to get the whole county covered and even have a vacancy for a leader in the south-eastern part of the county if anyone feels up to the task.
Wednesday, January 22, Thompson Pond – Leader: Janet Allison (845-264-3222). Meet there (335 Lake Rd., Pine Plains) at 9am.
Friday, January 24, Shawangunk Grassland NWR – Leader: Barbara Michelin. Please call for the time and meeting place.
Wednesday, January 29, Mills Norrie Point SP, Staatsburg – Leaders: Ken & Carol Fredericks (845-452-7619). Meet at the parking lot at 9am.
