Migratory Bird Day Walk

David Govatski

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May 11, 2023  7:00 - 12:00

Join us for a Migratory Bird Day Walk at Weeks State Park. We will meet at the parking lot of the scenic auto road at 7 AM. We will slowly walk up the auto road looking and listening for a variety of migratory birds that are settling in on territories. We expect to see a variety of warblers and flycatchers at this birding hotspot.

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The walk is 3 miles round trip and ascends 800 vertical feet at an easy pace. At 11 AM we will offer an optional visit to Martin Meadow Pond to look for loons, osprey and eagles. Free Migratory Bird Day posters will be available. The program is free and open to the public. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather.

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David Govatski is the field trip leader and is an experienced birding guide and naturalist. He is President of the Ammonoosuc Chapter of the National Audubon Society.

2022 Event Report

Migratory Bird Day Walk

Our walk was held on Thursday 19 May 2022 from 0700-1130 with approximately 24 participants. We walked up the Auto Road and visited the new North Overlook and then walked back down the Auto Road. The morning started off cool with a low temperature of 38 and a high of 55. The skies were largely overcast and the winds picked up around 1000. We had a sprinkle of rain at the end of the walk at Martin Meadow Pond. The group then visited the Martin Meadow Pond Boat Launch and saw a different suite of birds. 

We saw or heard 33 species on the walk up Mt Prospect at Weeks State Park and 27 species at Martin Meadow Pond for a total of 47 different species during our morning walks. The highlights were a pair of Scarlet Tanagers at the hairpin turn, a chestnut sided warbler at the Martin Meadow Pond overlook, and three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the parking lot at the base of the Auto Road. We also saw a mature bald eagle at Martin Meadow Pond that had fish line dangling from his head. 

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photo of yellow-bellied sapsucker courtesy of Ginny Umiker

text courtesy of Dave Govatski

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