News and Events

Massachusetts Bluebird Association

Spring Fling 2008

Saturday, April 26, 2008

This year’s Spring Fling was the best ever. Ed, Jane Galat and family hosted two dozen MBA members and guests at their nature sanctuary, a log cabin in the woods on the shore of a pond on their property in Winchendon MA on a gorgeous sunny day.

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Gwen and Henry Denton reported their project at the 32 acre Westfield Landfill. Henry has made 20 boxes from material donated by their local Home Depot. Henry and Gwen will mount the boxes at the landfill in the very near future. Many other interesting stories of successes and lessons learned from misadventures during the past season were shared amongst the attendees.

Rick Galat led a walk along the edge of the pond and pointed out many intriguing plants and evidences of animal and bird activities such as a beaver dam and many beaver-cut trees, and various owl nest boxes. Jane Galat, Rick’s mother, identified many plants which have just come into bloom. The Massachusetts state flower, trailing arbutus, also known as “May Flower”, was on prominent display. Both Rick and Jane showed themselves to be highly knowledgeable amateur naturists.

A lively auction of items donated by MBA members generated over $90.00.

Ed and Jane Galat invited us to return to their cabin for the 2009 Spring Fling. Members are challenged to design and bring their favorite nest box for a “show and tell” next year

NABS 2008

Greetings

Just a quick reminder even while we're in the midst of the holiday season that early registration for NABS 2008 ends on January 1, 2008. After that date, registration, meals, and tours will all cost a bit more. Please go to www.bbne.org, or www.nabluebirdsociety.org for all the information you need. I hope to see many of you there. It will be a great opportunity to see the Sandhill Cranes and to celebrate NABS' 30th birthday.

Brian Swanson

NABS Vice President for Affiliates

MBA 2007 Annual Meeting

October 6, 2007, Westfield, Ma.

The Massachusetts Bluebird Association's Annual Meeting was held on a gorgeous Saturday at Gwen Newton-Denton and MBA President Henry Denton’s Westfield, Massachusetts home. We were surrounded by wonderful country fields complete with horses grazing in the pasture.

Attendees enjoyed sharing stories about this season’s monitoring experiences. J.J. White told of his visits to Dana J. Lemon’s bluebird trails in Hampden this summer where he banded 44 Bluebirds.

Jane Galat, an MBA member from Winchendon MA, displayed her scrapbooks of Bluebird memorabilia. Among her collection was a very special book containing many magazine articles by deceased MBA charter board member Jerry Pattee of Auburn, Mass.

Jane passed around a card for us to sign for member J. Douglas Quinn (Mr. Bluebird of Ashburnham Mass). Mr. Quinn’s wife passed away recently.

Members were treated to a scrumptious lunch featuring Henry’s spectacular barbecued ribs and Gwen’s delicious home-made apple pies. The Annual Business Meeting was conducted after lunch.