Bird-a-thon, Mass Audubon’s annual birding competition takes place on May 13-14. Teams of birders will attempt to see (or hear) the most species in a 24-hour time span. At the same time, birders and “Bird-a-thon Boosters” are raising money to support wildlife sanctuaries and programs.
To kick-off Bird-a-thon and celebrate 100 Years of Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries, we compiled 100 great spots to bird on our wildlife sanctuaries. While we can’t make any promises, we offer a sampling of birds you may see at each location.
Love to bird or visit a sanctuary? Consider donating to a sanctuary team in honor of the 100th anniversary.
Greater Boston
Belted kingfishers © Susan Wellington
Habitat Education Center, Belmont
- Along the Meadow Trail near the community garden: Nesting Cooper’s Hawk, woodpeckers
- Turtle Pond: Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, migrating warbler, American Robin, Common Grackle, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee.
- Highland Farm Meadow: Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Red-tailed Hawk, occasional Eastern Kingbird
- Weeks Meadow: Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Red-tailed Hawk
- Feeders and Ice Pond area adjacent to the visitor’s parking lot: Wild Turkey, woodpeckers songbirds at feeders; warblers, Eastern Phoebe by the Ice Pond
- Boyce Field: Killdeer, Eastern Bluebird, sparrows, swallows
- Top of the drumlin: Hawks (resident Red-tails, migrants)
- Deer Pen Wildlife Blind: Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, woodpeckers, finches
- Little red bridge behind the Audubon Shop: Songbirds
Boston Nature Center, Mattapan
- Overlook off the Fox Trail: Red-winged Blackbird, Warbling Vireo, occasional Northern Parula
- Meadows across from food forest: Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, occasional Wilson’s Snipe in migration
- Trees near Clark Cooper Community Gardens area: Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Song Sparrow
- Oak trees at main entrance: Roosting Wild Turkey, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler
- Snail Trail: Gray Catbird, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird
- Field in front of Nature Center: Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird
- Boardwalk (Accessible Trail): Mallard, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron
- Orchard Trail through fields: Blue-winged Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey
- Charles River Trail: Wood Peewee, Wood Thrush, Canada Goose
- Little Farm Pond trails: Osprey, Pileated Woodpecker
- Earthen Dam at the end of the Cart Path: Osprey, Great Blue Heron, Kingfisher
- Sassafras Trail: Pileated Woodpecker, Brown Creeper
- Parking area: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Black-capped Chickadee
South of Boston
Bobolink via Richard Johnson
- Observation Platform on Fox Hill: Osprey, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel
- Wildlife Observation Blinds overlooking the Wet Panne: Wilson’s Snipe, Greater Yellowleg (spring), Wood Duck
- Purple Martin Gourds on the Pond Loop Trail: Purple Martin
- Fox Hill Trail fields: Nesting Bobolink,Tree Swallow
- River Walk Trail: White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow
- Hannah Eames Trail: Migrating warblers
- Observation Platform on North River: Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Willet, herons
- Field from River Loop trail: Eastern Bluebird, Osprey, Tree Swallow
- Bird Garden at Nature Center: American Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Fern Loop (Accessible Trail): Wood Thrush, Ovenbird
- In front of the Nature Center looking over field to south: swallows, Purple Martin, Eastern Bluebird, raptors (e.g., Red-tailed Hawk)
- Along trail leading west from Nature Center during migration: Warblers
- First spillway along causeway, especially in early mornings during migration: Warblers, vireos, waterfowl
- Old mill site below the main spillway: Songbirds during migration, plus woodpeckers, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay
- Forest and ponds across the street from the Nature Center: Woodland birds such as woodpeckers of all kinds, Pine Warbler, Great-crested Flycatcher
- Red maple swamp along the Billings Boardwalk on Billings Farm Loop: Wood Thrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Veery
- Pepperbush/Vernal Pool Loop: Brown Creeper, Barred Owl, Northern Waterthrush (May through August)
- Farm Fields directly across from Moose Hill CSA Barn: Sparrows, American Pipit (fall)
- Pine/Ovenbird/Kettle Trail Loop: Scarlet Tanager, Hermit Thrush (summer)
- Open Field just through the rock wall along the Kettle Trail: Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Broad-winged Hawk, Great Blue Heron
Allens Pond, South Dartmouth/Westport
- Stone bench at edge of marsh along Quansett Trail not far from Field Station: Terns, Seaside Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sparrow, Osprey, Willow Flycatcher
- Quansett Trail at the far edge of a newly cleared area just as it heads around a stone wall: Blue-winged Warbler, White-eyed Vireos, American Woodcock (scarce), Yellow-breasted Chat (rare)
- Middle of the fields along the Grassland Loop: Bobolink, assorted sparrows, warblers
- Beach overlooking ocean along the Beach Loop: Cormorants, scoters, terns, Piping Plover, grebes, Glossy Ibis, Whimbrel
- Stone Barn farm yard and fields: Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (migration), owls, hawks
- Salt pannes southeast of Field Station: shorebirds, wading birds, Northern Harrier, occasional Clapper or Virginia rails, American Kestrel
- Huckleberry Loop: Brown Creeper, Downy Woodpecker
- Field at the entrance: Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay
- Freshwater Marsh behind the solar panels: Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Goose, ducks
- Oak Forest along the Puddingstone Loop Trail: Songbirds, woodpeckers, Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk
- Bridge and stream: Barred Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Cooper’s Hawk, songbirds
- Around Lake Talaquega: Waterfowl, songbirds
North of Boston
Eastern Kingbird via Richard Johnson
- Fields on Bradstreet Hill: Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Blue-winged Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk
- Bunker Meadow Trail: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron
- South Esker Trail: Marsh Wren, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager
- Stone Bridge Trail: Warbling Vireo, Red-winged Blackbird, Swamp Sparrow
- Rookery Loop: Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler
- From the parking lot: Ring-necked Pheasant, Willow Flycatcher
- Merrimack River behind the building: Brant, Long-tailed Duck, Bald Eagle
- Thickets along trails: Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Barred Owl
- Salt Marsh: Saltmarsh Sparrow, Willet
- Along Ellice Endicott Trail: Pileated Woodpecker, Great Horned Owl, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Black-throated Green Warbler, Pine Warbler
Cape and Islands
Osprey via Richard Johnson
Wellfleet Bay, South Wellfleet
- Silver Spring Trail: migrating warblers
- On the boardwalk at sunset: Whimbrel, Tree Swallow
- Goose Pond: shorebirds, herons, egrets
- Tidal Flats: Migrating shorebirds, Semipalmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling
- Around bird feeders at Visitor Center: Songbirds
- Open fields: Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Song Sparrow
- Beach: Shorebirds, raptors
- Around the Barn Swallow Barn: Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird
- Black locust trees along the Ashumet Farm Trail: Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole
Barnstable Great Marsh, Barnstable
- Salt Marsh via the Overlook: Willet, Osprey
- Parking lot: Osprey (nest nearby), Turkey Vulture, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Towhee, Song Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing.
- Sassafras Trail on boardwalk over Turtle Pond: Green Heron, Mallard, American Black Duck, Belted Kingfisher
- End of Shad Trail on Sengekontacket Pond: American Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Black Skimmer, sandpipers, Laughing Gull, Double-crested Cormorant
- Old Farm Road, field leading to opening to Elizabeth’s Pond: Wood Duck, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Common Grackle, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker
- Tip of the Red Trail looking out over marsh, Sengekontacket Pond, and Sarson’s Island: Willet, Whimbrel, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, American Oystercatcher, Greater and Lesser yellowleg, Common Tern, Least Tern, Saltmarsh Sparrow
Sesachacha Heathlands, Nantucket
- Quidnet Beach and Sesachacha Pond: Waterfowl, Northern Harrier, Savannah Sparrow
Central Massachusetts
Wachusett Meadow, Princeton- South Meadow Oak: Swallows, hawks, Eastern Bluebird, Bobolink, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting
- Hemlock Seep: vireos, Winter Wren, Black-throated Green Warblers, Pileated Woodpecker
- Warbler Hollow/Beaver Bend Trail: warblers, sparrows, ducks, flycatchers, American Bittern, Green Heron
- Brown Hill Summit: Hawks, sparrows, Prairie Warbler, Rufous-sided Towhee
- Chapman Trail: Blackburnian Warbler, Barred Owl, thrushes, vireos, Scarlet Tanager
- Wilson Meadow looking out over the red maple swamp: Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird, Mallard, Wood Duck
- Troiano Trail: Sparrows, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, ducks, sandpipers
- Powerline Trail: Field Sparrow, Prairie Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Bluebird
Connecticut River Valley
Bald Eagle via Richard Johnson
Arcadia, Easthampton/Northampton
- Ned’s Ditch: Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl
- Old Springfield Road along meadows: grassland birds including Bobolink, American Kestrel
- Old Orchard: warblers, other migratory songbirds
- Fern Trail Observation Tower: Wood Duck, herons
Berkshires
Wood Duck via Richard Johnson
- Yokun Trail (all along Yokun Brook): Louisiana Waterthrush, Brown Creeper, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Pileated Woodpecker
- Yokun Trail (the footbridge that crosses over the lower pond): Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo
- Sacred Way Trail (the back section of the trail separated by Crossover Trail): Great Crested Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Wood Duck, Solitary Sandpiper (migrant), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (migrant).
- Carriage Road (along the marsh area and into the hemlock woods): Pine Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Black-throated Green Warbler, Winter Wren (migrant), Rusty Blackbird (migrant)
- Lime Kiln Loop (the entire loop and small section leading to the parking area): Blue-winged Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Black & White Warbler, Cape May Warbler (migrant), Bay-breasted Warbler (migrant)
New Hampshire
Pileated woodpecker © Kim Nagy
Wildwood Camp*, Rindge, New Hampshire
- First Point on Hubbard Pond: Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Wood Duck, Cedar Waxwing, Tree Swallow
- Camp Store Field: Scarlet Tanager, Pileated Woodpecker, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Goldfinch
- Sand Bank: Chipping Sparrow, Common Raven, Black-and-white Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo
*To bird at Wildwood, register for the Wildwood Bird-a-thon Special. Sightings at Mass Audubon Wildwood camp are the only non-Massachusetts sightings that count toward Bird-a-thon totals.