The Howard County Bird Club

A Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS)

• Monthly programs (Sept–May)
• Field trips
  • Beginning birding trips
  • Local birding "hot spots"
  • Birding by ear (identification by sound)
• Club bookstore at meetings
• Rare Bird /Lister Alert for Howard birds
• Annual Seed Sale

• Annual potluck dinner
• Annual MOS state convention
• Projects
  • MD/DC Breeding Bird Atlas
  • Annual seasonal bird counts
  • County dragonfly/damselfly survey
• State & local newsletters, journal

Programs

Open to the public. Programs are held the second Thursday of each month except June, July, and August at 8:00 p.m., at Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks Headquarters, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, on the east side of Columbia. Programs generally conclude 9:30-10:00 p.m. School age children are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Topics are predominantly about birds (local to worldwide) but occasionally focus on other nature subjects as well as conservation, ecology and endangered species. The Club Bookstore opens at 7:30 p.m., one‑half hour prior to the beginning of the meeting. Field guides, books, bird song tapes and records are sold at discounted prices.

Field Trips

Open to the public. These trips are an ideal way for both the beginner and the more experienced observer to learn and to share knowledge in an informal atmosphere. Families are encouraged to participate; children with an adult are welcome. For birding trips, binoculars and a field guide are recommended but are not necessary. For other natural history subjects, bring your enthusiasm! No pets.

The Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS), in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and other conservation groups, has completed a second 5-year Breeding Bird Atlas Project covering all of Maryland and the District of Columbia (DC). This project maps in detail the distribution of all bird species that breed in Maryland and DC.

Cumulative results for Howard County are available. Results from the state are being compiled into a form accessible to the general public.

• For Howard County go to Breeding Bird Atlas Results
• For Maryland go to MOS Atlas page or Email the Breeding Bird Atlas manager

• Midwinter Count, the first Saturday in February covering the entire county
• May Count, the second Saturday in May covering the entire county
• Fall Count, the third Saturday in September covering the entire county

The Bird Club monitors bird populations both formally and informally. Many members keep records of the birds they observe. At the end of each season, the sightings are compiled and submitted to state and national journals. These records provide an informal picture of migrants and their numbers, along with any rarities. More formally, three countywide surveys are conducted each year. On a Saturday in the months of February, May, and September, dozens of birders cover assigned areas from dawn to dusk counting every bird seen or heard. Although these counts are not scientific studies, over many years they do provide a rough measure of trends.

  See Seasonal Counts