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Landscaping for Birds

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Landscaping is defined as the process of improving or changing the features and appearance of a yard, garden, or park. Landscaping for birds means changing the features of one of these areas so that it is more attractive and useful to birds. This is usually accomplished by planting native trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers, and perhaps adding a water source. Almost any yard can be landscaped so that it is more attractive to birds.

The key to attracting a large variety of birds with plantings is diversity. It is best to plant a variety of plant species and to make sure there is structural heterogeneity, that is, a wide variety of plant types and densities. For example, a few large trees should be balanced with many smaller trees and shrubs, and both evergreen and deciduous plants should be present. A small amount of grass is best accompanied by low shrubs, ground covers, areas of leaf litter, and brush piles. A yard with high plant diversity will have something to offer many songbird species, e.g., large trees for nesting orioles and woodpeckers, fruiting shrubs offering food to many species, and some lawn for robins and flickers.

THE SURVIVAL REQUIREMENTS OF BIRDS
The landscaping process should begin with a consideration of the survival requirements of birds. These requirements can generally be divided into four groups: food, water, cover, and nesting sites. To attract the greatest variety of birds, we should strive to meet as many of these needs as possible.

Food - Plants can provide food in the form of buds, fruit, seeds, nectar, and insect life attracted to flowers or foliage. Different food types become important to birds at different times of the year. During the breeding season, most songbirds need insects to raise their young. Some species, such as orioles, supplement their summer diets with nectar from flowers. Many insect eaters switch to fruit during the fall migration, and some residents often subsist on fruit throughout the winter. Seeds make up a major portion of the fall and winter diets of many bird species, and some, such as Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins, will travel long distances to locate food if seed crops fail in one area. Buds become more important to birds in late winter when many fruit and seed supplies are diminished. Plants for the yard should therefore be selected based on their ability to provide food, in one form or another, year-round. Since it is unlikely that a single species of plant can provide food 12 months of the year, a variety of plantings are required so that fruiting, flowering, and seeding times overlap.

Water - Water is very important for birds, both for drinking and for bathing. In the summer, a water source will be heavily used by birds, and parent birds even bring their young to the water. During the spring and fall migrations, a backyard water source is also highly attractive to birds. Water tends to be scarcest in the winter when freezing temperatures keep water locked in the ground. Birds will eat snow and ice if necessary, but winters with little snow can be especially hard on birds. A source of unfrozen water is much appreciated by winter birds.

If space permits, a small in-ground pool in the corner of the yard, with plenty of protective cover around it, is the most attractive to birds. Small pumps can be purchased to circulate the water since moving water has been proven to be especially attractive to birds. Most backyard birdwatchers, however, make do with commercial birdbaths. Baths placed directly on the ground are more attractive to birds, but in areas where cats are a threat, a bath on a pedestal is preferable. Wet birds are poor flyers and extremely vulnerable to ambush.

When choosing a birdbath, keep in mind that many are made too deep. Small birds prefer shallow water (i.e., anything under 2 inches). To rectify this, add gravel to the bath, perhaps sloping it from one side to another, so that there is a shallow end. Or place a branch in the water so that birds can move along the branch to the water depth they prefer.

In the winter, baths can be kept open either by frequent refilling or with a commercial electric heater. There are many thermostatically controlled bath heaters on the market that are effective and inexpensive to operate. Care should be taken that the cord for the heater is well protected (perhaps by running it in electrical tubing) and marked, and out of the way of snow-shovelers and snow-blowers. It may be safer to locate the birdbath close to the house during the winter so that only a short amount of cord is necessary. Never use glycerin in the birdbath to keep water from freezing; it is toxic if ingested and can destroy the insulating properties of feathers!

Cleaning birdbaths
Baths should be cleaned frequently during periods of high use and scrubbed periodically to keep down algal growth. A solution of one part bleach to nine parts water can be used to clean and disinfect the bath. Make sure to rinse the bath thoroughly before refilling.

Cover - In addition to food and water, birds require cover and shelter year-round. Cover provides protection from severe weather and is a safe haven where birds can preen feathers and rest. Plants provide cover in different forms. Dense evergreens are especially valuable to birds during the winter when they provide protection from strong winds, snow, and cold nighttime temperatures. Low shrubs and ground covers provide refuge and safety for ground-feeding species such as sparrows, towhees, and thrushes. Because many species do not venture far from some sort of cover when feeding, having food and cover plants close to one another is beneficial. The availability of cover year-round should be considered when landscaping for birds.

An additional way to provide cover for birds is to construct brush piles.Brush piles are refuges made from tree and shrub clippings and can be placed at the edge of woods, next to existing shrubs, or near bird feeders..

NESTING SITES
A final requirement of birds is the availability of suitable nesting sites. There are two main groups of nesting birds, open nesters and cavity nesters, and each has different requirements for nest sites.

Open Nests - Robins, jays, and catbirds place their nests among the branches of a tree or shrub. Some birds, like robins, require treecrotches or branches, others, like catbirds and cardinals, prefer dense thickets or shrubs, and still others like to nest in vine tangles. Having a variety of different types and sizes of trees, shrubs, and vines in the yard will ensure that the nesting needs of many backyard birds are met.

Cavity nests - Such as woodpeckers, chickadees, and bluebirds use tree cavities as their nest sites. When a tree begins to rot due to disease or insect damage, woodpeckers are able to use their bills to excavate dead wood to form a chamber. Most other cavity nesting species cannot excavate wood on their own and must use abandoned woodpecker holes. As a result, cavities are often in short supply, and there is a great deal of competition for them. We can help alleviate the cavity shortage by leaving dead limbs in place and letting dead or dying trees stand (as long as they are not endangering human habitations!). These dead trees, commonly called snags, also provide insect food for bark foraging species and are an important part of any diverse bird habitat.

Birdhouses - An additional way to help cavity nesters is to place birdhouses in the yard. Eastern Bluebirds, for example, respond well to artificial houses if they are placed in relatively open areas. Chickadees and wrens will use houses placed at the edges of woods. Try to locate several different-sized houses around the yard so that you can attract a variety of birds. For non-cavity nesters such as robins and phoebes, nesting shelves can be built and placed on a house or garage. House Finches happily make do with dense hanging plants on porches. To learn more about providing houses for birds, ask for Massachusetts Audubon's "Birdhouses" information sheet.

THE PLAN
The first step in any landscaping project involves developing a plan on paper. Map the yard and label its dimensions (length, width) so that you know how much area is available to work with. Next, inventory (identify and count) the current plantings in the yard and place them on the yard map. Take note of how much sun is available and what the general characteristics of the soil are (i.e., moist/dry, wet/well-drained). It is possible that some of the existing plants will have to be removed in favor of new plants. Or, perhaps you just want to add a few plantings here and there. It really depends on how much landscaping you want to do as well as how much you want to spend.

The accompanying chart contains some recommended plants for attracting birds in the Northeast. It is intended to be an aid in the initial planning of the backyard bird habitat, and it is suggested that you obtain more detailed information about the plants and their requirements from nursery staff and various reference books. It is worth spending some time browsing local nurseries so that you can become more familiar with the plants and their availability. The plants in the chart were selected on the basis of their appeal and usefulness to birds. Only species native to the United States are listed. Although many exotic species, including Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) and Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), are appealing to birds, their use is discouraged since they grow rapidly and can outcompete our native plant species. If you are in doubt about the origin of a plant, write down its scientific name and look it up in a field guide.

D.M.L.

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8/1/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/2/13 Fantastic Fridays: Midsummer Nite's Scheme, Stony Brook - 8/2/13 Field School: Introduction to Shorebirds, Wellfleet Bay - 8/2/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 8/2/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/2/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/2/13 Sanctuary Walk, Broad Meadow Brook - 8/3/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/3/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walk for Adults, Broad Meadow Brook - 8/3/13 Saturdays at Sengekontacket, Felix Neck - 8/3/13 Turtle Trekkers, Stony Brook - 8/3/13 Focus on Shorebirds, Joppa Flats - 8/4/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/4/13 Herons at Hemenway, Wellfleet Bay - 8/5/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/5/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/5/13 Wellfleet Bay Sunset Cruise: A Natural and Cultural History Excursion, Wellfleet Bay - 8/5/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/6/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/6/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/6/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/6/13 Reading the History of the Landscape Walk: Celebrating Wellfleet's 250th Anniversary, Wellfleet Bay - 8/6/13 Birding the Powderhole on South Monomoy, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Early Birds, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Evening Canoe Trip - Twilight, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Junior Bird Club, Allens Pond - 8/7/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/7/13 Wednesday Evening Shorebirding, Joppa Flats - 8/7/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/7/13 Butterfly Garden Work Party, Felix Neck - 8/8/13 Early Birders, Felix Neck - 8/8/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Reading the History of the Landscape Walk: Celebrating Wellfleet's 250th Anniversary, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Shorebirding on Coast Guard and Nauset Beaches, Wellfleet Bay - 8/8/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 8/9/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 North Beach Island Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 Shorebirds of Joppa Flats Workshop, Joppa Flats - 8/9/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/9/13 Swifts and Swallows, Arcadia - 8/9/13 Warm-Water Seabirds of Stellwagen Bank, Ipswich River - 8/9/13 Beach Ramble, Allens Pond - 8/10/13 Family Campout: Summer Owl Prowl, Ipswich River - 8/10/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/10/13 Saturdays at Sengekontacket, Felix Neck - 8/10/13 Shorebird by Kayak, Felix Neck - 8/10/13 Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Row Your Boat at Lowell's Boat Shop, Joppa Flats - 8/10/13 The Wonder and the Wow: Birding by Rowboat at Lowell's Boat Shop, Joppa Flats - 8/11/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 Herons at Hemenway, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 Seabirds and Whales, Joppa Flats - 8/12/13 Shorebirding on Coast Guard and Nauset Beaches, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 Wellfleet Bay Sunset Cruise: A Natural and Cultural History Excursion, Wellfleet Bay - 8/12/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/13/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/13/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/13/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/13/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/13/13 Birding the Powderhole on South Monomoy, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Cape Ann Capers: Salt Marsh Exploration, Ipswich River - 8/14/13 Early Birds, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Evening Canoe Trip - Twilight, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Marblehead Meanderings: Beach Exploration, Ipswich River - 8/14/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Reading the History of the Landscape Walk: Celebrating Wellfleet's 250th Anniversary, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/14/13 Wednesday Evening Shorebirding, Joppa Flats - 8/14/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/14/13 Butterfly Garden Work Party, Felix Neck - 8/15/13 Early Birders, Felix Neck - 8/15/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/15/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/15/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/15/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/15/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/15/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Field School: Nature Sketching for Scaredy Cats, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 8/16/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Tern Island Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/16/13 Birder's Certificate Program, Joppa Flats - 8/17/13 Naturalist Walk, Drumlin Farm - 8/17/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/17/13 Saturdays at Sengekontacket, Felix Neck - 8/17/13 Turtle Trekkers, Stony Brook - 8/17/13 Shorebirds, Herons, and Egrets, Oh My!, Joppa Flats - 8/18/13 Birding by Van, North River - South Shore - 8/19/13 Herons at Hemenway, Wellfleet Bay - 8/19/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/19/13 Wellfleet Bay Sunset Cruise: A Natural and Cultural History Excursion, Wellfleet Bay - 8/19/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/20/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/20/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/20/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/20/13 Bayside Talk - Meet the Birds of Prey, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Birding the Powderhole on South Monomoy, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Early Birds, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Evening Canoe Trip - Full Moon, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/21/13 Wednesday Evening Shorebirding, Joppa Flats - 8/21/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/21/13 An Evening with the Egrets of Plum Island, Joppa Flats - 8/22/13 Butterfly Garden Work Party, Felix Neck - 8/22/13 Crickets, Thrushes, and Wildflowers...Oh My!, Arcadia - 8/22/13 Early Birders, Felix Neck - 8/22/13 Field School: Coastal Field Ornithology, Wellfleet Bay - 8/22/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/22/13 Migration of the Common Nighthawk, Broad Meadow Brook - 8/22/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/22/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/22/13 Shorebirding on Coast Guard and Nauset Beaches, Wellfleet Bay - 8/22/13 After Hours at Stony Brook-Bats and Nocturnals, Stony Brook - 8/23/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 Fantastic Fridays: Early Migration Viewing, Stony Brook - 8/23/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 8/23/13 Kayak Scorton Creek In Sandwich, Long Pasture - 8/23/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 North Beach Island Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/23/13 Birding Allen's Pond & Gooseberry Neck, North River - South Shore - 8/24/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/24/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/26/13 Herons at Hemenway, Wellfleet Bay - 8/26/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/26/13 Seabirds and Whales, Joppa Flats - 8/26/13 Shorebirding on Coast Guard and Nauset Beaches, Wellfleet Bay - 8/26/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/26/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/27/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/27/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/27/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 8/27/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/27/13 Birding the Powderhole on South Monomoy, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Early Birds, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Evening Canoe Trip - Full Moon, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/28/13 Wednesday Evening Shorebirding, Joppa Flats - 8/28/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/28/13 Butterfly Garden Work Party, Felix Neck - 8/29/13 Early Birders, Felix Neck - 8/29/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 Marine Life Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 Story Hike, Wellfleet Bay - 8/29/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 8/30/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 8/30/13 Friday Morning Birds, Broad Meadow Brook - 8/30/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/30/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/30/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 8/30/13 Kayak Trip, Wellfleet Bay - 8/31/13 Nauset Marsh Discovery Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 8/31/13 North Monomoy Island Exploration, Wellfleet Bay - 8/31/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 8/31/13 Family South Beach Adventure, Wellfleet Bay - 9/1/13 Nauset Marsh Scenic Cruise, Wellfleet Bay - 9/1/13 Beach Ramble, Allens Pond - 9/2/13 Herons at Hemenway, Wellfleet Bay - 9/2/13 Salt Marsh Discovery Walk, Wellfleet Bay - 9/2/13 South Beach Birding, Wellfleet Bay - 9/2/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/4/13 Bird Walks at Canoe Meadows, Pleasant Valley - 9/6/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 9/6/13 Fall Cape May Birding Weekend, Joppa Flats - 9/7/13 Hawk Watching for Families, Wachusett Meadow - 9/7/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/7/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walk for Adults, Broad Meadow Brook - 9/7/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walks, Arcadia - 9/7/13 South Beach Late Shorebird Migration, Drumlin Farm - 9/7/13 Turtle Trekkers, Stony Brook - 9/7/13 Introduction to Birdwatching, Joppa Flats - 9/8/13 Mount Wachusett Hawk Watch, Stony Brook - 9/8/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/11/13 Bird Walks at Canoe Meadows, Pleasant Valley - 9/13/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 9/13/13 Friday Morning Birds, Broad Meadow Brook - 9/13/13 Annisquam River Paddle, Ipswich River - 9/14/13 Beach Ramble, Allens Pond - 9/14/13 Hawk Watching at Pack Monadnock, Broadmoor - 9/14/13 Mt. Watatic Hawk Watch, Stony Brook - 9/14/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/14/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walks, Arcadia - 9/14/13 Cuttyhunk And Elizabeth Islands Cruise, Long Pasture - 9/15/13 Fall Hawk Migration, Wachusett Meadow - 9/15/13 Arcadia Nature Preschool: Five Day Option, Arcadia - 9/16/13 Birding by Van, North River - South Shore - 9/16/13 Seabirds and Whales, Joppa Flats - 9/16/13 Lecture: Birding Yosemite, Mono Lake, and Point Reyes, California, Joppa Flats - 9/18/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/18/13 Annual Volunteer Dinner and Program, Pleasant Valley - 9/19/13 Bird Banding Workshop, Joppa Flats - 9/19/13 Nevada to Arizona: Condors, Canyons, and Vegas, Drumlin Farm - 9/19/13 Bird Walks at Canoe Meadows, Pleasant Valley - 9/20/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 9/20/13 Hawk Watching at Pack Monadnock, Broadmoor - 9/21/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/21/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walks, Arcadia - 9/21/13 Turtle Trekkers, Stony Brook - 9/21/13 Wednesday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/25/13 Bird Walks at Canoe Meadows, Pleasant Valley - 9/27/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 9/27/13 Rhode Island: Block Island Birding Weekend, North River - South Shore - 9/27/13 Saturday Morning Birding, Joppa Flats - 9/28/13 Saturday-Morning Bird Walks, Arcadia - 9/28/13 Sunday Birding in the Newburyport/Plum Island Area, Joppa Flats - 9/29/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 10/4/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 10/11/13 Discover the Nature of Martha's Vineyard, Habitat - 10/18/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 10/18/13 New Jersey to Virginia: Birding the Mid-Atlantic Coast, Pleasant Valley - 10/22/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 10/25/13 Louisiana: Cajun Country and Yellow Rails, Joppa Flats - 10/29/13 New York: Waterfowl, Waterfalls and Wineries of the Finger Lakes Region, North River - South Shore - 10/31/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 11/1/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 11/8/13 Discover Guyana, South America's Newest Birding Destination, Mass Audubon Tours - 11/12/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 11/15/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 11/22/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 12/6/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 12/13/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 12/20/13 Friday Morning Bird Walk, North River - South Shore - 12/27/13 Texas to New Mexico: Bosque del Apache and the Rio Grande Corridor, Joppa Flats - 1/7/14 Arizona Winter Escape: Birding and Hiking, Mass Audubon Tours - 1/25/14 Belize Birding, Mass Audubon Tours - 2/1/14 Merrimack River Eagle Festival, Joppa Flats - 2/8/14 Jamaica: Birding the Backroads, Mass Audubon Tours - 2/23/14 Kenya Birding and Big Game, Mass Audubon Tours - 2/26/14 Costa Rica Birding, Mass Audubon Tours - 3/26/14 Southern Arizona: Owls, Hummers, Hawks, and More, Drumlin Farm - 4/28/14

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