Meetings and Events
Rusty Blackbirds – © Deb Tracy-Kral
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monthly programs are held on the fourth Monday of most months, featuring speakers who bring us fascinating presentations on birds, other wildlife, and the environment. Refreshments and conversation take place after each meeting.
Unless otherwise indicated, meetings are held at 7:30pm at the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, located at 1168 Route 55, about .3 mile west of the Taconic State Parkway, across from Arlington High School. In addition, an informal dinner at the Daily Planet restaurant (close by and also on Route 55) takes place beginning at 5:45pm before each program meeting. No reservations are necessary — just show up!
Summer Picnic along the Hudson
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Place: Quiet Cove Park
Where: We have rented the Boathouse at Dutchess County’s riverfront park in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The Quiet Cove entrance from Route 9 is located just a bit north of Marist College, across the highway from ShopRite.
The Picnic: A full kitchen is included in the boathouse, making food preparation possible. Please bring enough food to feed eight and a serving spoon, and consider bringing your own picnic cutlery and using your water bottle in a nod to environmental responsibility.
The Venue: A family-friendly setting for picnics and water sports that now includes pickleball courts, easy walking and birding trails in the adjacent woods, and ample lawns for relaxing or play. The boathouse is a well-appointed facility with indoor seating for 60 and an outdoor porch with more seating for just soaking in the scenery, with an extensive view of the Hudson River. Two docks, one with a *kayak* slip, provide easy access to the river for paddling. Bring your pickleball rackets, lawn games, and kayaks if you like, and let’s plan to have some summer fun together.
Who: This event is OPEN to OUR MEMBERSHIP AND FAMILY ONLY. Whether or not you are attending our bird walk beforehand, please join us for a sit-down potluck lunch beginning at 12:00 noon. Rain or shine, the boathouse is ours, although there will undoubtedly be plenty of non-birders also enjoying this popular public park if the weather is sunny and warm.
Field Trip: There will be a Field Trip at Hopeland Sanctuary with Jim Closs at 7:30am (just a few miles north of Quiet Cove Park). If you are attending the walk, Ernie will have a cooler in his car if you need to keep your dish cold.
Please call or text Linda at 845-625-4126 to RSVP and/or volunteer to help.
Plan to save the date: Wednesday, August 26th at noon.
For Zoom meetings, all members will receive a Zoom invitation via email ahead of the event. Some programs may also be recorded and available for viewing after the event.
To view recordings of some past Zoom programs, visit the Waterman Bird Club YouTube channel.
In November, our monthly program is replaced by an Annual Dinner meeting. There are no meetings in July, August, or December. All programs are open to the public free of charge, except for a very few labeled Members Only. If you’d like to join, see https://watermanbirdclub.org/about-us/join/. All events are subject to change.
In case of bad weather, meetings will be cancelled. Please listen to local radio stations or go to cancellations.com for cancellation information.
