​​Second Saturdays at the Swanzey Airport

Saturday, November 8, 2025, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Dillant-Hopkins Airport, Swanzey, side of parking lot furthest from main road (GPS directions)

Join us for our recurring walk at one of the most productive birding locations in the area, the Dillant-Hopkins Airport. This area is abuzz with bird activity no matter the time of year, and we'll spend a few hours poking around the uplands, wetlands, fields, and floodplains to see who is around. This walk will be three miles or less on mostly flat, paved ground.

​

Monadnock Region Natural History Conference

Saturday, November 15, 2025, with trips for conference members on Sunday, November 16

Now in its third year, the Monadnock Region Natural History Conference is a full day of learning for anyone with an interest in nearby nature, including land managers, educators, students, community scientists, and backyard naturalists. We anticipate sessions on wildlife, biodiversity, wetlands and stream ecology, forest ecology and management, Mount Monadnock, community science, climate change, human connections to nature, and more. On Sunday, two trips will be offered for conference members; a bird walk hosted by MBNC, and a mushroom foray offered by Monadnock Mushroom Club. For more information and to register for the conference, see here.

​

Coast Trip: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA
Saturday, November 22, 2025, 8:30 AM
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com  
Meet:  Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Newburyport, MA (GPS directions)
Please join us as we search for waterfowl, such as loons, scoters, pintails, shovelers and more.  We will also be looking for shorebirds, sparrows and raptors, as well as any rarities that may be around.  Let's plan to meet at PRNWR Visitor Center and then carpool along the refuge.  Most of the travel will be by vehicle, but we will also do some walking on the beach. We will have several scopes available for use, however, feel free to bring your own, if you have one.  There is a $5 fee per vehicle to enter the refuge.  Restrooms are available at several stops.  If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet.  

​​

​Second Saturdays at the Swanzey Airport

Saturday, December 13, 2025, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Dillant-Hopkins Airport, Swanzey, side of parking lot furthest from main road (GPS directions)

Join us for our recurring walk at one of the most productive birding locations in the area, the Dillant-Hopkins Airport. This area is abuzz with bird activity no matter the time of year, and we'll spend a few hours poking around the uplands, wetlands, fields, and floodplains to see who is around. This walk will be three miles or less on mostly flat, paved ground.

​

Christmas Bird Counts

Join with Audubon's long-running winter bird survey! See below for dates for local CBCs, contact sector compilers to sign up.

• Keene CBC: Sunday, December 14, 2025. Contact Phil Brown, pbrownnature@gmail.com

• Peterborough - Hancock CBC: Saturday, December 20, 2025. Contact John Ranta, john.f.ranta@gmail.com

​

​Second Saturdays in Surry (Note location change!)

Saturday, January 10, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Beth-El Bible Church parking lot, Surry Village (GPS directions)

This year we are switching it up and spending Second Saturdays in Surry. Surry is an extremely birdy town with a diversity of habitats like fields, marshes, woodlands, a gravel pit, and Surry Mountain Lake. We'll meet up at the church, and based on the time of year will spend the morning in one of the nearby birding locations. Most locations contain wide paths with only slight elevation change, and a maximum of three miles will be walked. 

​

Swanzey Airport
Saturday, January 31, 2026, 8 AM, morning only
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Meet: Dillant-Hopkins Airport, Swanzey, side of parking lot furthest from main road (GPS directions)
Join us at one of the most productive birding locations in the area, the Dillant-Hopkins Airport. This area is abuzz with bird activity no matter the time of year, and we'll spend a few hours poking around the uplands, wetlands, fields, and floodplains to see who is around. This walk will be three miles or less on mostly flat, paved ground.

​

Coast Trip: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 8:30 AM
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Meet: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Newburyport, MA (GPS directions)
Please join us as we explore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on a quarterly basis.  While the focus for bird species will change quarterly, we will always have some overlap. During the winter months we will be looking for waterfowl such as loons, scoters, pintails, shovelers and more (maybe a Snowy Owl or two also).  Spring, summer and fall, we will be looking for shorebirds, warblers, and potentially seabirds.  Raptors may be observed every season.  We may even encounter some rarities throughout the year! We will meet at the PRNWR Visitor Center and then carpool along the refuge.  Most of the travel will be by vehicle, but we will also do some walking on the beach. We will have scopes available for others to look through, however, feel free to bring your own, if you have one.  There is a $5 fee per vehicle to enter the refuge.  Restrooms are available at several stops. If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet. Be sure to check the meetup time for each trip, as the start time varies slightly by season. 

 

​Second Saturdays in Surry (Note location change!)

Saturday, February 14, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Beth-El Bible Church parking lot, Surry Village (GPS directions)

This year we are switching it up and spending Second Saturdays in Surry. Surry is an extremely birdy town with a diversity of habitats like fields, marshes, woodlands, a gravel pit, and Surry Mountain Lake. We'll meet up at the church, and based on the time of year will spend the morning in one of the nearby birding locations. Most locations contain wide paths with only slight elevation change, and a maximum of three miles will be walked. 

​

Winter Insect Signs at the Swanzey Airport with The Caterpillar Lab
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10:30 AM, morning only
Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu and Sara Burrell, burrell@thecaterpillarlab.org
Meet: Dillant Hopkins Airport, side of parking lot furthest from main road (GPS directions)
When we think of late winter, bugs aren't the first things that come to mind, but there are lots of signs if you're looking for them! The Caterpillar Lab will guide us through the different airport habitats to see what winter invertebrate evidence we find. As we search, we will discuss local insect ecology and phenology. Bring your phone loaded with the iNaturalist app so we can document all the critters we see along the way! Please dress warm enough for winter weather, and be prepared to walk at least short distances over snow. *This trip is co-sponsored with The Caterpillar Lab.

​

​Second Saturdays in Surry

Saturday, March 14, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Beth-El Bible Church parking lot, Surry Village (GPS directions)

Surry is an extremely birdy town with a diversity of habitats like fields, marshes, woodlands, a gravel pit, and Surry Mountain Lake. We'll meet up at the church, and based on the time of year will spend the morning in one of the nearby birding locations. Most locations contain wide paths with only slight elevation change, and a maximum of three miles will be walked. 

​

Woodcock Walk at YMCA Loop, Keene
Friday, March 20, 2025, 6:30 - 8 PM (rain date Saturday, March 22)
Chris Liazos, chrisliazos@outlook.com
Meet: Keene Community Garden Parking, 204 Summit Road, Keene (GPS directions)
American Woodcocks are an upland shorebird and a true sign of spring in the Northeast, best known for their spectacular mating displays. At dusk, males begin with their distinctive “peent!” calls from the ground before taking off into the air to perform dramatic, wing-twittering, figure-eight flights. We’ll walk about half a mile along the sidewalk on Summit Road before settling at the community garden to view woodcocks in the fields along Black Brook. Feel free to bring a camping chair and a flashlight if you’d like to relax and enjoy the woodcock’s elaborate display.

​

Hadley Dikes, Hadley, MA
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 8:00 AM, morning only
Meet at the Alexandra Dawson Conservation Area, 9 North Lane, Hadley, MA (next to the Connecticut River dike on North Lane between West Street and Route 47 in Hadley) (GPS directions)
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Join us as we explore the Connecticut River shoreline, neighboring floodplain fields, meadows, agricultural fields, and forested areas in Hadley, MA.  We will search for waterfowl and possibly herons along the river, while keeping an eye out for raptors in the fields.  Of the several species of birds that winter here, we may have the opportunity to see snow buntings, longspurs, juncos, white-throated sparrows, and kinglets.  The fields are also known as 'The Honeypot' where, through the years, many rarities have turned up. Expect to walk 1-2 miles along the dike and paths at the edges of fields, with potentially uneven ground and/or windy conditions.  While there are no facilities available at this location, there are coffee shops and gas stations a short distance away.  If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet.
 

Coast Trip: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA

Saturday, April 4, 2026, 8:00 AM
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Meet: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Newburyport, MA (GPS directions)
Please join us as we explore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on a quarterly basis.  While the focus for bird species will change quarterly, we will always have some overlap. During the winter months we will be looking for waterfowl such as loons, scoters, pintails, shovelers and more (maybe a Snowy Owl or two also).  Spring, summer and fall, we will be looking for shorebirds, warblers, and potentially seabirds.  Raptors may be observed every season.  We may even encounter some rarities throughout the year! We will meet at the PRNWR Visitor Center and then carpool along the refuge.  Most of the travel will be by vehicle, but we will also do some walking on the beach. We will have scopes available for others to look through, however, feel free to bring your own, if you have one.  There is a $5 fee per vehicle to enter the refuge.  Restrooms are available at several stops. If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet. Be sure to check the meetup time for each trip, as the start time varies slightly by season. 

​

​Second Saturdays in Surry

Saturday, April 11, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Beth-El Bible Church parking lot, Surry Village (GPS directions)

Surry is an extremely birdy town with a diversity of habitats like fields, marshes, woodlands, a gravel pit, and Surry Mountain Lake. We'll meet up at the church, and based on the time of year will spend the morning in one of the nearby birding locations. Most locations contain wide paths with only slight elevation change, and a maximum of three miles will be walked. 

​

Heald Street Orchard, Pepperell, MA
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 8 AM, morning only
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Meet: Heald Street Orchard, Pepperell, MA (limited parking; carpooling recommended. GPS directions)
Heald Street Orchard is an 80-acre town-owned and maintained property that was once a working apple orchard. The property is actively being maintained with orchard, grassland, and early forest habitats. The diversity of habitats invites many species of birds, some of which are of conservation concern. While paths are mown for easy walking, be prepared for long grass and ticks. This site has a large parking lot but is heavily used so parking may be limited and carpooling is encouraged.

​

​Second Saturdays in Surry

Saturday, May 9, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Nate Marchessault, nmarchessault@antioch.edu

Meet: Beth-El Bible Church parking lot, Surry Village (GPS directions)

Surry is an extremely birdy town with a diversity of habitats like fields, marshes, woodlands, a gravel pit, and Surry Mountain Lake. We'll meet up at the church, and based on the time of year will spend the morning in one of the nearby birding locations. Most locations contain wide paths with only slight elevation change, and a maximum of three miles will be walked. 

​

Coast Trip: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA

Saturday, August 22, 2026, 8:00 AM
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com 
Meet: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Newburyport, MA (GPS directions)
Please join us as we explore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on a quarterly basis.  While the focus for bird species will change quarterly, we will always have some overlap. During the winter months we will be looking for waterfowl such as loons, scoters, pintails, shovelers and more (maybe a Snowy Owl or two also).  Spring, summer and fall, we will be looking for shorebirds, warblers, and potentially seabirds.  Raptors may be observed every season.  We may even encounter some rarities throughout the year! We will meet at the PRNWR Visitor Center and then carpool along the refuge.  Most of the travel will be by vehicle, but we will also do some walking on the beach. We will have scopes available for others to look through, however, feel free to bring your own, if you have one.  There is a $5 fee per vehicle to enter the refuge.  Restrooms are available at several stops. If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet. Be sure to check the meetup time for each trip, as the start time varies slightly by season. 

​

Coast Trip: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA

Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 AM
Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com
Meet: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Newburyport, MA (GPS directions)
Please join us as we explore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on a quarterly basis.  While the focus for bird species will change quarterly, we will always have some overlap. During the winter months we will be looking for waterfowl such as loons, scoters, pintails, shovelers and more (maybe a Snowy Owl or two also).  Spring, summer and fall, we will be looking for shorebirds, warblers, and potentially seabirds.  Raptors may be observed every season.  We may even encounter some rarities throughout the year! We will meet at the PRNWR Visitor Center and then carpool along the refuge.  Most of the travel will be by vehicle, but we will also do some walking on the beach. We will have scopes available for others to look through, however, feel free to bring your own, if you have one.  There is a $5 fee per vehicle to enter the refuge.  Restrooms are available at several stops. If interested in carpooling, please enter your information into the carpool sheet. Be sure to check the meetup time for each trip, as the start time varies slightly by season. 

​