Anyone who’s been to Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge and hiked the Recreational Trail to the Tudor Richards observation deck has seen the remains of old railroad tracks. But are you aware that not far from the observation deck once stood a two-story house? This was the station agent’s house for Waumbek Junction, a very busy railroad junction in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A passenger railroad station and freight house also occupied the area nearby at the crossroads of the Maine Central and Boston & Main tracks where Tudor Richards described birding Cherry Pond from the top of parked railroad cars! If you’re a birder as well as a railway enthusiast you’ll enjoy this article and photos (including a photo and note from a 1979 NH Audubon field trip to Waumbek Junction) in the Spring 2012 issue of New Hampshire Bird Records (“The Story of Waumbek Junction at Pondicherry NWR” begins on page 51).

Other articles in this issue include: Birding Peterborough and Hancock Conservation Lands, New Hampshire-born Falcon Sets New England Record for Breeding Dispersal, Chimney Swift-The Fascinating Will-o-the-wisp of Urban Areas, field notes and photos from the 2012 spring season, and of course a Photo Quiz. Enjoy them all!

From all of us at New Hampshire Bird Records–

Stay Safe – Stay Healthy!

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New Hampshire Bird Records is providing free access to its archives during the Covid-19 outbreak to help birders find information on birding locally and to remind us of the joy of birding.