Adult Community Programs
20th Annual Spring Birding Course
with Scott Surner
Have you wanted to bird? Do you love birding but don’t get out enough on your own? Then this course is for you, join other birders and the amazing birder Scott Surner for this spring course of going to all the best spots to see all the coolest of birds! This is an intensive course through the spring with many wonderful hours of field trips around New England.
For ages 12 and up. Space is limited to 15 birders. Cost Sliding Scale $750, $700, $650, $600.Class Schedule:
- Feb 4th-Local- 7:00-12:00. Kick off the spring class- Winter specialties in the Valley.
- Feb 24th-26. Coastal Trip Weekend. Weather permitting of course. Either the North Shore or Cape Cod.
- March 4th- 7:00 AM- 12:00 – Local. Returning Waterfowl and late-season winter birds.
- March 11th- 7:00-12:00. Local. Waterfowl.
- March 18th – 7:00 AM-12:00. Local. More waterfowl. (Hatfield/Turners Falls Area)
- April 1st- 7:00-12:00. Local
- April 8th- 7:00 AM- 12:00. Local
- April 15th- 7:00 AM-12:00. Westover and Tilley Street, Ludlow. Upland Sandpipers, Eastern Meadowlark, early warblers, Rusty Blackbirds?
- April 29th- Plum Island. 5:00-Dusk. All Day. Waterfowl, early shorebirds, warblers etc. Last year we encountered a huge flock of Glossy Ibis at the end of the day, over 120 birds. Bring lunch.
- May 6th – 6:30 AM- 12:00. Amherst Area. Migration starting to kick into gear. Warblers, Vireo’s etc.
- May 13th- 6:30 AM-12:00. Mt. Holyoke. Breeding Cerulean & Worm-eating Warblers.
- May 20th- 6;30AM-12:00- Local. Amherst/Hadley Area. Migration at its peak! Warblers, Flycatchers, Vireos, Sparrows etc.
- May 27th- NO Class. Memorial Day Weekend.
- June 3rd- 5:30-12:00. Southwick Wildlife Area. Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Indigo Bunting, and Prairie Warblers to name a few.
- June 8th- 11th. Connecticut Lakes, Moose Bog, and a new stop in New Hampshire to look for Bicknell’s Thrush. More details to come, but we’ll need to make motel reservations in February. Last year’s trip to this area was very successful. Many species of breeding warblers, Philadelphia Vireo, Canada Jay, Spruce Grouse, American Bittern, Wilson’s Snipe, Cliff Swallows, etc.
Registration opens Friday, January 20 at 9:00 AM
Forest Bathing ART Workshop
June 4th – 9am – 4pm
Limited to 12 participants
Sliding Scale Price: $80, $100, or $120
Join us with Forest Bathing guide and ecological artist Todd Lynch for a refreshing day of discovery, awakening and art making and leave with ways you can integrate these practices into your own rhythms. Forest Bathing combined with ecological art making can offer us ways to explore our relationships across many levels. These practices root us in the sensuality of what is real, contextual, and present now. Within both practices, there are no prescribed outcomes, only experiences.
Forest Bathing and art practiced together offer participants a chance to deepen their connection to “Nature” – which can be healing and restorative to both them and their communities. Slowing down, listening, observing, and witnessing intentional relationships are critical parts of both forest bathing and art making.
About Todd: Todd Lynch is an artist, garden designer and Forest Bathing guide. His passion is to connect people to the world around them through art, plants, beauty and immersion into nature. Todd is an ANFT certified forest therapy guide and has led many walks that connect people to place, plants and ecology. Learn more about Todd at www.ecotropy.net or see some stories on Instagram @ecotropy
Cancellation policy
Cancellation policy for Hitchcock’s seasonal programs: You may cancel your registration for any of our programs up to a week prior to the program’s start date to receive a refund minus a 10% administrative fee. If you cancel within 7 days or less of the program’s start date, we cannot offer a refund unless we are able to fill your spot in the program.
