Internet Resources:
Birding - Accessible
- www.dba.org - Disabled Birders Association - international network of birders with disabilities
Nature Centers and Bird Clubs:
- www.millersriver.net - Millers River Environmental Center in Athol
- www-unix.oit.umass.edu/%7ehampbird - Hampshire Bird Club
- www.massaudubon.org - Massachusetts Audubon sanctuaries -Joppa Flats, Arcadia, Broadmoor, and the Boston Nature Center are the most wheelchair accessible sanctuaries; Voice of Audubon bird sighting reports
Birding - General:
- www.massbird.org - Regional bird sighting reports, rare bird alerts, links to bird clubs
- www.birds.cornell.edu - Cornell Lab of Ornithology: great info on bird species, sightings, citizen projects, and more.
- www.aba.org - American Birding Association - best source of bird finding guides from around the world
Optical Equipment:
Personal sites:
Bird Songs- Recordings Compiled by Chuck Whitney '01, update by Sue Cloutier '04
Other:
ACCESSIBLE BIRDING SITES
Silver Lake: Athol
Located near downtown Athol this glacial kettlehole pond is an excellent place to watch for summer resident and migrating waterfowl, Mallard Ducks are common through the summer and are joined by Hooded Mergansers, Wood ducks and an occasional specialty like a Long-tailed Duck (formerly called Oldsquaw). While your there look for Great Blue and Green Herons, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Kingbird and Eastern Phoebe. The area is excellent for car birding as a road circles the bank of the pond about 2/3 of which is paved an open for public vehicles.
Branch Bridge: Athol - New Salem
The long causeway over the "Branch" of the Millers River which now makes up the Lake Rohunta complex. The Lake Rohunta has sections named Eagleville, Partridgeville, is located between White Pond Road in South and Blackington Road in New Salem. From mid march through the spring the area is visited by flocks of waterfowl. This is the local "best" waterfowl spot in the North Quabbin. Ring-necked ducks can number in the hundreds and are joined by Lesser and Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Hooded and Common Mergansers, Green-wing Teale,
Barton's Cove: Gill - Turners Falls
Described in the "Birdwatchers Guide to Western Mass" this Valley birding hotspot is easily viewed from two locations. The first is off Route between the DCR Public Boat ramp and the Turners Falls Bridge. By exploring the neighborhood adjacent to the river you will easily find the quiet streets and resting waterfowl during the spring and fall migration. Large numbers Mallards and Canada Geese are joined by Ring-necked, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Mute Swans, Common and Hooded Merganser. Often large flocks of gulls gather on the ice flows and the savvy observer may find among the Herring, Great Black-backed, and Ring-billed Gulls such specialties as Iceland, Glaucous, or Lesser Black-backed Gulls
A special treat each spring is the return of the nesting Bald Eagles. A spotting scope is helpful in observing the birds across the cove. A stop at the Silvio Conte National Wildlife Refuge Discovery Center (just over the Turners Falls Bridge from Route 2) will allow you to view the Eagles nest on close circuit TV and the Center's accessible exhibits are not to be missed.
An additional stop at the Turners Falls Rod and Gun Club (watch for sign on left as you head for the airport from the Discovery Center) allows a view of a different section of the river and in addition to the species mentioned above is one of the best places to view Canvasback Ducks in migration. A Red-headed Woodpecker spent several months around the TFRGC
Other Accessible Sites
Several other accessible birding sites whose directions and descriptions can be found in the "Birdwatchers Guide to Western Mass" include the "Canal" at Turners Falls, The Umass Campus Pond in Amherst, and Quabbin Park in Belchertown.
PROJECT INSPIRE BIRDWATCHING CONTACTS
- Jerry Berrier
508-845-9944
- Megan Briggs
- Susan Cloutier
978-248-9491 Millers River Environmental Center
- Marcy Marchello
413-545-5758 Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation Universal Access Program
- Jan Ortiz
413-549-1768
Hampshire Bird Club
- Dave Small
978-544-6343
Athol Bird and Nature Club
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Moss Brook Arts
2001
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