Date: 8/10/25 3:16 pm From: Eric Mueller <ericmueller1912...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Fall Hawk Watch begins at Mt Wachusett on Aug 23
Hello MassBirders,
Eastern Mass Hawk Watch is proud to announce that we'll begin our 50th season of Fall hawk watch coverage on Mt. Wachusett on Saturday, August 23. We invite everyone who enjoys watching birds or who wants to know more about raptor migration to join us at the summit. The auto road to the summit will be open almost every day this Fall through Saturday, October 25, and we'll continue to hike and bike up the mountain after that as the weather and our energy allow. The raptors often appear at a fair distance from the mountain, so binoculars are a must, and if you have a spotting scope, feel free to bring that along as well. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to scan the skies for raptors and give a shout out when you see something. We'll be happy to share tips on where to look, what to look for and how to identify different species.
Our watches are always more successful when we have multiple observers on the mountain every day, so we'd like to invite folks who are interested to consider volunteering on a scheduled basis, such as the same day each week during the season. Barring poor weather or other circumstances, we'll always have at least one veteran hawk watcher present each day to handle recording and reporting duties, so volunteers can just concentrate on spotting birds and calling out their locations. If you'd be interested in helping out this way, please contact me (Eric Mueller) at the email address or phone number shown below. This doesn't preclude you from just showing up whenever you can - we're always happy to have extra help at any time.
The gates to the auto road that leads to the summit open at 9:00 am each morning, so we start right after that. The address of the park entrance is 345 Mountain Road, Princeton MA. We typically stay until at least 2:00 pm each day early and late in the season, and to 3:00 pm or later during the heart of the season in mid-to-late September. The park closes the auto road entrance gate just before sunset each day. There are more details about the site posted on the hawkcount.org website at https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?r=on&rsite=228&go=Go+To+Hawkwatch+Profile .
One thing to note is that the Wachusett Mt Reservation is a MA state park and they charge a daily parking fee of $5.00 for vehicles with MA license plates, or $20 for out-of-state. If you're a MA resident, you can buy an annual park pass (Jan 1- Dec 31) for $60. MA residents who are age 62 and older can purchase a lifetime park pass for only $10 (great deal!) To purchase either type of pass, go to https://www.mass.gov/how-to/purchase-an-annual-parking-pass-for-massachusetts-state-parks . Each pass is now linked to a single MA vehicle license plate, so have that information available when you order your pass.
Parking is free for vehicles with disability plates or placards, or with Purple Heart recipient or Disabled Veteran plates. Many MA public libraries and recreation centers have daily park passes that MA residents can borrow for free.
We are expecting a few interruptions at Wachusett Mt this year as the ski area replaces the ski lift just below the summit. They will have to close the summit road on a few days this Fall to accommodate the construction. I'm working closely with the staff at the park's Visitor Center to find out when those interruptions will occur and will pass along the details here as they become available. If the summit itself remains open, we'll hike up and conduct the watch there. We're also working on plans for alternate viewing sites on those days and will let you know what happens.
We'll also be conducting the Mt. Watatic hawk watch (Ashburnham MA) this year from Sept. 11 through Sept. 24. It requires a climb up the mountain and there are no facilities up there, but the birds often ride the uplifts coming up the steep slopes on both sides and can give you great, up-close views. Everyone is welcome.
The Eastern Mass Hawk Watch annual in-person meeting in early September will be announced shortly. Keep your eyes peeled for more details. It's always a great time!
If you have any questions about the upcoming hawk watch or about volunteering, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards, Eric
Eric Mueller EMHW Site Coordinator for the Wachusett Mt. hawk watch Clinton MA <ericmueller1912...> 978-337-9150 (voice and text)
