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Future Field Trips

January 2012

Bald Eagle
Photo by Ed Solan

	Look for wintering* Bald Eagle and winter finches (Pine Grosbeak, crossbills, redpolls, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak) as well as visiting owls from Canada.*
	Great Horned Owl begins nesting.

January 1 Sunday	Pawling (Hidden Valley) Christmas Bird Count - See details below.
January 4 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Thompson Pond Preserve *pg. 112. Meet there at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
January 11 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center *pg. 104. Meet at the Manor House parking lot at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
January 14 Saturday	Waterfowl Count - See details below.
January 18 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Vassar Farm *pg. 130. Meet at barns @ 9:00am. Click on the link for driving directions.
January 23 Monday	MEMBERSHIP MEETING - Freedom Plains, 7:30pm. See below for details.
January 25 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Lakeside Park (formerly Holiday Hills) in Pawling, NY *pg. 48. Meet at the parking lot at 9:00am. Entrance at the intersection of Lakeside Dr., Coleman Blvd. and Corbin Rd.
January 28 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Norrie Point pg.78. Leader: Barbara Michelin*. Weather permitting, meet at the museum parking lot. Please call Barbara for time and meeting place (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).

Field Trips: Dress for the weather and bring lunch & beverage. Inclement weather cancels walk. Any questions call Barbara Michelin or trip leader about weekend walks or for other walks call Carol Fredericks or Barbara Butler. Member phone numbers can be found in the member newsletter, Wings Over Dutchess or in the Member List.
* Page reference for the writeup in Where to Bird in Dutchess County (for those who have a copy--others please note that this book is out of print).

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February 2012

Turkey Vulture
Photo by Carena Pooth

	Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbird, and Common Grackle start to return.
	Red-tailed Hawks rebuilding nests.
	Continue to look for winter finches.

February 1 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - James Baird State Park *pg. 66. Meet at the restaurant parking lot at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
February 4 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Shawangunk Grasslands NWR at Galeville Airport – for short-eared owls. Leader: Barbara Michelin. Weather permitting, please call Barbara for the time & meeting place if you plan to attend (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
February 8 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Norrie Point *pg.78. Meet at the museum parking lot at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
February 15 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Bowdoin Park *pg. 16. Meet at the upper level parking area at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
February 18 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Rye Playland - Leader: Barbara Michelin. Weather permitting; call Barbara for time and meeting place (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
February 22 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site *pg. 126. Meet at the visitors' parking lot at 9:00am. For driving directions, click on the link.
February 25 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Greig Farm/Rockefeller Lane *pg. 126. Leader: Chet Vincent. Call Chet for time and meeting place. (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
February 27 Monday	MEMBERSHIP MEETING - Freedom Plains, 7:30pm. See details below.
February 29 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Wilcox Park Meet at park’s parking lot (off Rt. 199 east of Parkway) at 9:00am. If Wilcox is closed we will bird Thompson Pond Preserve *pg. 112. Meet at the entrance at 9:00am (for driving directions, click on the link).

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March 2012

Wood Duck
Photo by Bill Case

	Wood Duck, Wilson's Snipe, and Eastern Phoebe return; American Woodcock return and perform display* flights.*
	Look for migrating* ducks along the river and on inland lakes and ponds as water opens.*
	Mourning Doves, Eastern Screech-Owls, and Barred Owls begin nesting. Look for Great Blue Herons in their rookeries
	Rehabilitate and clean nesting boxes.

March 3 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Croton Point Park - Leader: Barbara Michelin. Weather permitting; call Barbara for time and meeting place (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
March 7 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Mills Mansion (Staatsburgh) *pg. 78. Meet at the Mansion parking lot, Staatsburg, at 9:00am
March 8 Thursday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Woodcock watch in Allen Road area – Leader: Barbara Mansell. Please call Barbara for time and meeting place (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number). Rain date: Mar. 9.
March 13 Tuesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Woodcock watch at Cary/IES – Leader: Bill Schlesinger. Meet at the Gifford House, Rt. 44A, Millbrook at 7pm. Please call Barbara Michelin for time and meeting place (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
March 14 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Tymor Forest *pg. 124. Meet at the barns at 9:00am. Hot dog roast after walk (optional - bring your own).
March 21 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Harlem Valley Rail Trail - Amenia. Meet at parking lot off Mechanic St. at 9:00am
March 24 Saturday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Vassar Farm *pg. 130. Meet at barns @ 9:00am. Click on the link for driving directions. Leader: Barbara Michelin. Please call Barbara if you plan to attend (see Wings Over Dutchess for phone number).
March 26 Monday	MEMBERSHIP MEETING - Freedom Plains, 7:30pm. See details below.
March 28 Wednesday	RTWBC FIELD TRIP - Southern Dutchess Rail Trail. Meet at new parking lot, Rt. 376 (just south of old parking lot), Hopewell Jct. at old train station at 9:00am.

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2012 Wednesday Field Trip Schedule (subject to change)
Note: Changes may be made to this schedule due to weather or for other reasons. Be sure to check the detailed calendar above as the date approaches. ALL WED. TRIPS AFTER MAY ARE TENTATIVE AT THIS TIME.
FIELD TRIP START TIMES: Jan-Mar: 9am Apr: 8:30am May-Aug: 8am Sept-Dec: 9am

January 4	Thompson Pond Preserve	July 4
January 11	Stony Kill Farm	July 11	Turkey Hollow - Tamarack Preserve
January 18	Vassar College Campus	July 18	Pond Gut
January 25	Lakeside Park	July 25	Bower Park - North Ave. Pl. Valley
February 1	James Baird State Park	August 1	Whitlock Preserve, Stanfordville
February 8	Norrie Point	August 8	Madam Brett Park, Beacon
February 15	Bowdoin Park	August 15	Buttercup East
February 22	Vanderbilt Mansion	August 22	Dutchess Rail Trail - Hopewell or Clinton
February 29	Wilcox Park	August 29	Andrew Haight Road
March 7	Staatsburgh (Mills Mansion)	September 5	Ferncliff Forest
March 14	Tymor Forest	September 12	Stony Kill Farm
March 21	Harlem Valley Rail Trail - Amenia	September 19	Vanderbilt Mansion
March 28	So. Dutchess Rail Trail - Hopewell	September 26	Buttercup West
April 4	Buttercup West	October 3	Montgomery Place
April 11	Dennings Point to Long Dock	October 10	Tymor Forest
April 18	Montgomery Place	October 17	Roosevelt's Home (FDR NHS)
April 25	Rockefeller U. Field Station	October 24	Bowdoin Park
May 2	Millbrook School	October 31	Vassar College Farm
May 9	Ferncliff Forest	November 7	Dennings Point
May 16	Nuclear Lake	November 14	Millbrook School
May 23	Peach Hil l	November 21	Vassar College Campus
May 30	Cary IES	November 28	Harlem Valley Rail Trail - Coleman Stn.
June 6	Wethersfield	December 5	Thompson Pond Preserve
June 13	Yellow Frame Farm	December 12	Holiday Party - Verbank Snow Date 12/19
June 20	Hopeland Sanct. (n. of Mills Mansion)	December 19	James Baird State Park
June 27	Locust Grove	December 26	Norrie Point

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Club Meetings - Details

Unless otherwise noted below, meetings are held at 7:30pm at the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church parish hall, Rte. 55, Freedom Plains (about 3/10 mile west of the Taconic State Parkway, across from Arlington High School). Join us for refreshments after each meeting.
In case of really bad weather, meetings will be cancelled. Please listen to local radio stations for cancellation information. If in doubt, call club president Maury Lacher.

January 23, 2012

Our program will be High Speed Flash Photography of Hummingbirds by Steve Golladay.

For a welcome break from the dog days of winter, come to this meeting and learn about hummingbirds as well as photographic equipment and technique. Longtime RTWBC member and expert photographer Steve Golladay will demo his hummingbird photography setup, which includes five off-camera flashes + one on-camera flash, and will show you some stunning photographs he was able to capture with it.

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Other Events

April 3, 2012

Welcome Spring, Welcome Bluebirds!

The Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club celebrates its 50^th year of monitoring Bluebird Nest Boxes. Come and see a presentation on the Eastern Bluebird by John Ruska, President of the New York State Bluebird Society. John has been President of the New York State Bluebird Society for 6 years and has been monitoring Bluebird nest boxes for 20 years. This promises to be an informative evening. Bring your questions! Admission is free and all are welcome.

Date:     Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Time:     7:30 PM
Place:     Freedom Plains Church Parish Hall, Rte. 55, Freedom Plains. across from Arlington High School

For more information call: 845-758-5796

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