Connecticut Ornithological Association | COA

Hartford Audubon Society: Annual Picnic and Bird Walk
2026-06-09 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Northwest Park, 45 Lang Rd., Windsor, CT, United States
Annual Picnic and Bird walk – Jun 9 – Tuesday – 6 pm
Northwest Park, 145 Lang Rd, Windsor
Park in lot, cross bridge to Warming Shed
Join us for a guided bird walk and socializing to kick off the
summer! The bird walk will start at 5:00 pm and species we
typically see include orioles, indigo buntings, and eastern
bluebirds. The picnic will begin at 6:00. BYO dinner, utensils, and
place setting. HAS will provide drinks and dessert. The picnic will
conclude with a brief meeting.
Audrey Staropoli – Audrey@hartfordaudubon.org – 860-961-6330 T

Hartford Audubon Society: - Annual Summer Bird Count
2026-06-13 08:00 - 2026-06-14 17:00 | CT
Annual Summer Bird Count – Jun 13-14 – Sat & Sun
Bird Count Circle. 7.5-mile radius from Old State House
Join Hartford Audubon members as we participate in the annual
Summer Bird Count. Species and numbers are counted on this two
day tally within our Christmas Count circle. Bird one day or both
and help collect breeding-bird data and track species trends for
Connecticut. Bird for an hour or bird all weekend.
Jay Kaplan – jaybrd49@aol.com – 860-693-0157 – 860-707-5246 T

New Haven Bird Club: Ewen Farm Preserve - Bird Walk
2026-06-13 08:30 - 11:00 | CT
Field Trip – Ewen Farm Preserve, Orange – Bev Propen and Nancy Clark

June 13, 2026 @ 8:30 am – 11:00 am

A scenic late spring walk around former hay fields, past streams and a pond. Ewen Farm Preserve contains 43 acres of deep woods, meadows, ponds, wetlands, and fields that attract resident and migrating birds. A 75-yard boardwalk takes you through wetlands to the Indian River. The trail crosses wet areas; wear appropriate footwear.
Meet at the intersection of St. John’s Drive and Farm River Road in Orange.
Leaders: Beverly Propen, 203-640-4089 or bpropen@gmail.com; Nancy Clark, nancyclarkbirder@gmail.com

CT Audubon RTP Estuary Center: Planting for Birds
2026-06-13 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, 100 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
RTP Estuary Center: Planting For Birds

Winter Session – Saturday, December 13; 10 am – 12 p.m.
Spring Session – Saturday, March 14; 10 am – 12 p.m.
Summer Session – Saturday, June 13; 10 am – 12 p.m.
Fall Session – Saturday, September 12; 10 am – 12 p.m.

While habitat loss poses challenges for birds and wildlife worldwide, creating backyard habitats offers a solution! In this four-part series, participants will learn about ways to improve backyard habitats throughout different seasons. Each program will focus on the seasonal needs of birds and specific ways to support them, using examples from the sanctuary grounds of the RTP Estuary Center in Old Lyme. Each session will include an indoor presentation and an outdoor exploration of the sanctuary grounds and gardens, accompanied by handouts that list the plants mentioned for each session.

Click here to learn about each session!

$20 for members/$25 for non-members for individual sessions
$75 for members/$95 for non-members for all four sessions

Register Here for All Four Sessions

Register Here for a Single Session

New Haven Bird Club: Mendell's Folly/Van Epps Preserve - Field Trip
2026-06-14 08:00 - 11:00 | CT
Field Trip – Mendell’s Folly and Van Epps Preserve, Bethany – John Triana and Christin Arnini

June 14, 2026 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am

REGISTRATION REQUIRED by June 10, 2026
Join the Bethany Land Trust and NHBC for a vigorous birding walk on the trails of several of the Bethany Land Trust’s parcels. The properties include a variety of habitats including wetland, field, upland deciduous and hemlock forest sections with rocky ledges, and streams. Expect some steep and rocky areas with rough terrain and uneven and wet footing. Wear appropriate footwear and tick-proof clothing. Bring water. Inclement weather cancels.
Meet at the roadside parking area at the Van Epps Preserve at 390 Beacon Road (route 42) in Bethany. Off road parking behind the gate is also available.
TO REGISTER, contact Bethany Land Trust Trails Chair, Bob Harrison, by Friday June 10, 2026, via cell 203-506-5888 or bjh51box@gmail.com. Walk will be limited to 20 participants.
Leaders: John Triana, 203-758-7203 or jtriana1@rwater.com; Christin Arnini, 203-671-5567 or cevea55@gmail.com

CT Audubon - Deer Pond: Pileated Woodpeckers & Forest Birds (class/walk)
2026-06-14 10:00 - 12:00 | CT Audubon Deer Pond Farm, 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT, 06784, United States
Sunday, June 14, 2026
10:00am – 12:00pm
Join us at Deer Pond Farm for a program on Pileated Woodpeckers, and other forest birds, sharing the same habitat. Lori Lichtenauer Sanctuary Manager / Naturalist will share unique adaptations of the Pileated Woodpeckers to survive and thrive year-round in the forests of the northeast. You will learn how Pileateds excavate holes in trees for nesting and to find wood boring insects to eat. Pileated woodpeckers are some of the only birds capable of creating large cavities for nesting, roosting, and shelter in bad weather for a variety of bird species. Non-migratory birds like tufted titmice, house wrens, chickadees and more use old Pileated cavities as their nest sites. Learn about the ways the forest community benefits from the industrious nature of the Pileated. The program will start in our classroom, then we’ll be on the wooded trails around our main campus birding. All birding levels welcome. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Registration required.$5 members; $10 non-members
Register here: Pileated Woodpeckers & Forest Birds (class / walk) – The Connecticut Audubon Society

New Haven Bird Club: Brooksvale Park - Field Trip
2026-06-20 08:00 - 11:00 | Brooksvale Park, 524 Brooksvale Avenue, Hamden, CT, United States
Field Trip – Brooksvale Park, Hamden – Alan Malina and DeWitt Allen

June 20, 2026 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am

Brooksvale is a city park with a small barnyard for children. The rest of the park features a tree-lined pond and streams, deep woods, field/wood edges, and a large weedy field with bluebird/swallow boxes and an array of bird-attracting feeders at a private residence just beyond the park. There is also easy access to the Farmington Canal Greenway Trail. Join us to look for raptors and nesting birds that share the various habitats.
Meet in the large unpaved parking lot, just south of the Barnyard main entrance.
Leaders: Alan Malina, 203-606-0437 or alm5565@msn.com; DeWitt Allen, 860-949-0995 or allendatlow@gmail.com

Friends of Greenwich Point: First Sunday Bird Walk at Greenwich Point
2026-07-05 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-08-02 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-09-06 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-10-04 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-11-01 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-12-06 09:00 - 11:30 | Greenwich Point Park, 11 Tod's Driftway, Old Greenwich, CT, 06870, United States
Bring binoculars and join us for a casual walk around Greenwich Point Park, Old Greenwich, CT, in search of wild birds in diverse habitats. Held year-round on the first Sunday of every month at Greenwich Point Park, the walk begins at 9:00 am near the southern concession stand near the flagpole on the main beach. The walk lasts from 2 – 3 hours, but participants can leave at any time. All ages and levels of expertise are welcome.
No registration is required and the walk is free. For access for those without beach cards (normally restricted from April – October), let the front gate staff know you are coming for the bird walk for complimentary entry.
Sponsored by Friends of Greenwich Point.

New Haven Bird Club: People's State Forest - Field Trip
2026-07-19 07:30 - 11:30 | Peoples Forest, 324 Park Road, Barkhamsted, CT, 06063, United States
Field Trip – Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted – Paul Mahler and Michele McDermott

July 19, 2026 @ 7:30 am – 11:30 am

Peoples State Forest spans over 3,000 acres of diverse habitats and features 14 miles of trails, yet it has been infrequently birded over the years. Join us as we explore various hotspots within the forest. Species we’re likely to encounter include: Blackburnian, Canada, Black-throated Blue, and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbirds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Scarlet Tanagers, Least and Alder Flycatchers, Winter Wrens, and more. Great Horned and Barred Owls, along with Broad-winged Hawks, also nest within the forest. Please note: the forest can be quite buggy in summer. Mosquito nets and/or generous use of bug spray are highly recommended. We will drive to several locations and walk approximately 2–3 miles throughout the morning. Terrain will include boardwalks, rocky access roads, and forest trails with many stumps and roots — please plan footwear and mobility accordingly.
Meet at Matthies Grove (106 East River Road, Barkhamsted). Meet in front of the pavilion to the left of the entrance. Due to limited parking at other spots in the forest, we will carpool from there.
Leaders: Paul Mahler, 860-459-6942;
Michele McDermott, 860-485-3087

CT Audubon - EcoTravel: Long Island Shorebirds
2026-09-12 07:00 - 17:00 | CT
Saturday, September 12, 2026
7:00am – 5:00pm
Queens, New York
Led By TBD
Members: $155
Non-Members: $170
For more info and to register:
(860) 767-0660
ecotravel@ctaudubon.org

Each fall, shorebirds flock to Long Island on their journey south. Large flocks gather both at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Jones Beach State Park, depending on the water levels. Jamaica Bay, located within Brooklyn and Queens, is one of the most important urban wildlife refuges, hosting a variety of habitats, including salt marsh, several fresh and brackish pools, and an open expanse of bay and islands. Jones Beach is home to staging areas for hundreds of American Oystercatchers, ducks, and more! Join us as we enjoy the signs of fall.

Register here: Long Island Shorebirds | Sep 12, 7:00am – 5:00pm | The Connecticut Audubon Society

New Haven Bird Club: The Big Sit - October, 2026
2026-10-10 08:00 - 2026-10-11 17:00 | CT
The Big Sit!™ 2026

October 10, 2026 – October 11, 2026

The Big Sit! is on! And has migrated back to the New Haven Bird Club, where it began in 1992. Although there are a few changes, most stays the same, including the primary rule: HAVE FUN! The Big Sit is a semi-competitive birding event originated by the New Haven Bird Club. It is open and FREE to anyone (individuals and teams) all over the world! How many birds can you identify in one day while staying within a 17-foot / 5.2-meter diameter circle? That’s the challenge of The Big Sit!
Final dates/times and registration will be announced in 2026! Visit the Big Sit website for more information.
The Big Sit!™ is a registered trademark of the New Haven Bird Club, Inc.
