Ducks & Cocoa - Western Massachusetts
This event is free to attend, with optional donations welcomed.
Join us for a stationary birding event as we recover from the holiday season and welcome 2026 with warm beverages, community, and (hopefully) weird ducks!
This is a free event focused on gathering as a queer and trans community, enjoying the beauty of nature in winter, and getting to know some of our winter resident species of waterbirds. Birders of all experience levels are encouraged. If you’re brand new to or just curious about birding, we enthusiastically welcome you to join us! MJ and Sam will go over birding basics like waterfowl identification and how to use binoculars. We’ll have field guides on site for you to use (we’ll help you get oriented to how to use these and other resources).
Come dressed warmly (with hand warmers if you’d like). Hats, gloves, scarves, warm jackets, long underwear, and layers are encouraged. Bring yourself, a friend (please register each person in your group), and we’ll have spotting scopes, extra binoculars, snacks, and hot beverages to share—or bring a picnic lunch and your warm drink of choice!
Accessibility: This is a stationary event at a riverfront park. Ample parking (including van accessible spaces) is available in a paved lot across the street, but participants should be aware that the potential for snow or ice could make this location less accessible to people using mobility devices. Please bring a seat with you—lawn chairs with a blanket or sleeping bag as insulation will keep us warm and allow us to change location if needed. Accessible restrooms and warming areas are available at a nearby gas station and visitor center, both a 1-2 minutes drive from our site. This event will be masks-optional. Please refrain from wearing any strong scents like perfume and cologne. If you’d like to share any access needs you have with us, we welcome you to do so in the registration form or by emailing [email protected].
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We ask folks under the age of 18 to please register themselves and an adult to accompany them. If you require a service dog to attend, please let us know and we’ll collaborate with you on how to keep you both comfortable and hydrated at this event.