Our Mission: The Mattabeseck Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is committed to environmental leadership and education for the benefit of the community and the earth's biodiversity.

deKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457

Field Trips: Winter / Spring 2025

February 14–17, 2025

Great Backyard Bird Count

First-timers should make it a point to read complete instructions on the GBBC website where they will also find helpful birding tips and birding app downloads.

Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the 4 days; count all the birds you see/hear within your time/location. Use Merlin Bird ID app, Bird Mobile app, or enter your list on the eBird website. Information: www.birdcount.org

March 15, 2025 (Saturday 8 a.m.)Gadwall at Research Pond 2024, Annyta Visard

“Let’s Go a-Ducking”

A replication of Dave Titus’s favorite duck migration trip will start at Bishops Ponds, Research Parkway (off East Main Street) in Meriden, then will take Barnes Road to North Farms Reservoir (reservoir has supplied flock of Coots in past). Then to Broad Brook Reservoir, Cheshire. Dress for the (usually) raw and chilling weather. Meet at 8:00 a.m., Cromwell Stop & Shop plaza parking lot, on the side lot by Mattress Firm. Call Larry Cyrulik for more information at 342-4785 or 635-1880.

TBD April 2025 (Saturday 8 .am.)Blue and white Hepatica

Wildflower Walk 

Discover early-blooming wildflowers in the fractured basalt trails of Giuffrida Park, Meriden. Flower assortment is different each year, depending on recent temperatures and weather. Meet at 8:00 a.m., Cromwell Stop & Shop plaza parking lot, in the lot at the side of Mattress Firm. Call Larry Cyrulik for more information at 342-4785 or 635-1880. Preview at Wildflowers link.

Special MAS 50th Anniversary Trips: Town-by-Town

April 26, 2025, 8 a.m.

Haddam — Haddam Meadows

Join avid birder Elena Coffey for an exciting early spring bird walk at Haddam Meadows State Park.

If you need binoculars to borrow let Elena know ahead of time. Follow Island Dock Road to large parking area by boat ramp.

Text or call Elena at 860-305-1965. Hard rain cancels event. Rain date Sunday 4/27 same time and place.

May 3, 2025, 8 a.m.

Cromwell – David Titus Memorial Warbler Walk

Meet Larry Cyrulik at the River Highlands State Park parking lot, Field Road, Cromwell. We’ll be looking for neo-tropical migrants—warblers: Pines, Blue-wings, Ovenbirds, and more, as well as other recent Spring arrivals like Rose-breasted grosbeak, Baltimore oriole and Scarlet tanager. The trail starts along the railroad line, past part of the golf course, then onto the cliff trail above the CT River (to seek out Worm-eating warblers), and then back through the woods. For more information, contact Larry at 860-342-4785 or 860-635-1880. (No need to pre-register.)

May 10, 2025, 7:30 a.m.

Portland – Bird Walk at Helen Carlson Sanctuary

Join Elena Coffey for a bird walk at Mattabeseck Audubon Society's Helen Carlson Sanctuary. This birding hotspot was donated to MAS in 1976 by local resident Helen Carlson to preserve it forever. Shortly thereafter, with a grant from the Rockfall Foundation in Middletown, MAS worked with students from Long Lane School to create a nature trail and boardwalk through the wetland and adjacent forest. In 1978, the trail was opened to the public, and the site was dedicated to Mrs. Carlson. For about 20 years, MAS maintained the nature trail and boardwalk and followed a plan to nurture the cranberry plots in much the same way as was done during the days of commercial production. This included regular flooding and draining, mowing, and periodic sanding to rejuvenate plant production. A family of beavers moved into the sanctuary about the year 2000, raising the water level and completely changing the ecosystem. The continuous high water caused by the many dams constructed by the new residents virtually wiped out the cranberries and other acid-loving plants that colonized the site. The boardwalk rotted and had to be discontinued, and other parts of the trail became impassable. The site is now an open water marsh with emergent water plants and home to many different species of birds and animals. Hard rain cancels. There is no rain date. Parking available near the MAS sign in the open area under the evergreens, South Road, Portland, CT.

Wear waterproof boots, bring bug spray. If you need a pair of binoculars to borrow, let Elena know ahead of time. Call or text: Elena Coffey at 860-305-1965

May 17, 2025, 8 a.m.

Middlefield – Coginchaug Greenway Walk

Join us for a 1 1/2 mile walk in the recently established Coginchaug Greenway. Meet at 8:00AM in the parking area of the Coginchaug Greenway off of Strickland Road in Middlefield to start the walk. We will pass through pasture and grasslands and then into the wooded hills of the Durham Meadows State Wildlife Preserve and then down to the banks of the Coginchaug River.  Passing through grasslands, orchards, forests and wetlands will hopefully enable us to see a variety of bird species ranging from Bobolinks, Redwing Blackbirds and Meadow Larks in the grasslands to Orchard and Baltimore Orioles as well as a variety of migrating warblers in the wooded areas to wetland birds and ducks near the Coginchaug River.

There may be spring flooding so wear rubber boots or shoes that can take a little sloshing in mud and puddles. The walk will be led by MAS board member Michael Good (Michaeldg@AOL.com), let him know if you need binoculars or have questions.

May 24, 2025, 8 a.m.

Durham – White's Farm / Durham Meadows

Join us for a 1 1/2 walk through one of the premier birding hotspots in Connecticut at Fredrich White Farm in Durham. Meet at 8:00AM at the White’s Farm parking area to start a walk through grasslands, wetlands, river banks and swamplands. We hope to see grassland birds such as Bobolinks and Meadow Larks as well as migrating warblers, vireos and a variety of raptors ranging from Kestrels to Northern Harriers to Red Shouldered Hawks and Vultures. We often see a variety of swallows and swifts along the river and may spot Wood Ducks and other migrating ducks as well as Swamp Sparrows in the flooded areas.

There may be spring flooding so wear rubber boots or shoes that can take a little sloshing in mud and puddles. The walk will be led by MAS board member Michael Good (Michaeldg@AOL.com), let him know if you need binoculars or have questions. 

June 7, 2025, 8 a.m.

East Hampton / Colchester – Airline Trail

Meet Mattabeseck Audubon Society secretary, Sharon Dellinger, for a nice, flat walk along the Airline Trail. This walk is also part of Connecticut Trails Day. Spring is in the air and birds will be singing. We will identify birds by ear, and hopefully many by sight. Prior hikes during this time have found many Red-eyed Vireo, along with American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, Worm-eating Warbler, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee among others.

Contact Sharon via text 860-803-1626 or by email rsdell@comcast.net to let her know you will be joining. Let her know if you need to borrow a pair of binoculars as MAS has several pairs for birders who need them for our events. Meet at Airline South Trail parking area Bull Hill Road, Colchester CT. Rain date 6/8 same time and place.

September 27, 9 a.m,., 2025

East Haddam – Golet Farm

Join Deborah Evans, MAS board member, on a hike through Golet Farm Preserve.  This 32-acre parcel of land was donated to the East Haddam Land Trust by Thomas Smith.  It’s meadows, trees, and wetlands provide a wonderful habitat for birds. Its wetlands offer places to study amphibians, insects, and other wetland wildlife. Interior meadows and woodlands provide quiet respite. Wildflowers abound in the meadow closest to the Golet Farm Preserve parking area off Great Hillwood Road, and along wooded trails. Golet Farm Preserve connects with Heritage Park, the site of the East Haddam Senior Center, across Great Hillwood Road. To the west, Golet Farm Preserve borders Oak Grove Senior Housing property. To the south, it borders Town-owned land ant East Haddam Elementary School property. We will bird in place in the garden area where we will hopefully see Kinglets and Warblers.  We will continue onto the trail loop which is about 1 mile long. 

Please let Debbie know if you will be attending the hike by emailing her at evans57@msn.com.  Binoculars can be borrowed if you let Debbie know ahead of the event.  Meet at the parking area on Great Hillwood Road (next to 26 Great Hillwood Road home) East Haddam, CT.

October 11, 2025, 8 a.m.

Middletown – Sparrow Crawl

Join Larry Cyrulik in a visit to the old field adjacent to the soccer parking on Long Hill Road, then to Middletown Nature Gardens (off Randolph Road), and lastly, to Durham Meadows fairgrounds. Five species of sparrows may be noted, including the elusive White-crowned sparrow, as well as other fall migrants.

Meet at the Middletown Long Hill Road soccer field parking lot. Call Larry for info 860-342-4785 or 860-635-1880. (No need to pre-register.)

LINK TO FIELD TRIP REPORTS