Cape Ann 1/29

From Bill Drummond:

Dear Friends, It was a perfect day to be at Cape Ann, Sat. Jan. 29. In my HUNDREDS of trips there I never before had a five alcid day. At 8:20 AM, at Jodrey Pier in Gloucester, we had Black Guillemot, Thick-billed Murre, and Dovekie. Only the Dovekie was far, near buoy #11. It then swam out of sight closer to the main part of town. We tried to find it just beyond the Gloucester House restaurant (as we came from Jodrey Pier) but there was too much snow to get to the harbor, where we hoped the Dovekie might be. We did not see it again. Later we saw the Common Murre at Dog Bar Breakwater at Eastern Point, Gloucester. There were plenty of Razorbills at Andrew's Point, Rockport. The drake King Eider at Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester was also a key bird. With any luck, maybe some of these alcids will stay around.

Good birding, everyone!

Owl Prowl 2011

Yesterday, Mark Burns and I led our annual Mass Owl Prowl for the Brookline Bird Club. The intent of this trip is to locate, either by sight or by sound, all seven species of owl wintering on the Massachusetts mainland in one day. We started out like gangbusters at 4:30 AM, but the owling fizzled off after dawn and we ended the day with a disappointing score of 3-4. The day began in the low double digits and warmed up to a balmy 22 degrees by mid-afternoon. Fortunately for us the winds were light throughout the day. We ended the day at 5:30 PM with 51 species, followed by dinner at Lorenzo's in Middleboro. OWLS EASTERN SCREECH-OWL 5 4 on Crooked Lane, Lakeville, 1 on Wood Street in Middleboro GREAT HORNED OWL 5 We had 4-5 GHOWs hooting simultaneously from all four compass directions near Raven Brook at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro. This was about 30 minutes after sunrise, and they all abruptly stopped calling at the same time. Pretty neat experience. We also got to see a GHOW on the far side of the Cumberland Farms fields at sunset (probably one of the ones we heard in the morning). BARRED OWL 1 River St, Middleboro INCIDENTAL SPECIES Canada Goose Brant Mute Swan Gadwall American Black Duck Mallard Common Eider White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Red-breasted Merganser Wild Turkey Red-throated Loon Common Loon We enjoyed an impressive raptor show over the course of the day: Bald Eagle 1 crossing Route 3 in Plymouth Northern Harrier 5-6 4 female/immature birds at MAS Daniel Webster, 1(2) at the Cumberland Farms fields (one definite male, possibly a second male) Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Great Herring pond, Plymouth Red-tailed Hawk several throughout the day at various locations ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 2-3 1 dark-phase bird at MAS Daniel Webster, 1 (possibly 2) light-phase birds at the Cumberland Farms fields Merlin 1 Cumberland Farms fields, Middleboro American Coot Bonaparte's Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker NORTHERN SHRIKE 1 striking bird in adult plumage off of Route 105 in Middleboro Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch American Robin Northern Mockingbird European Starling American Tree Sparrow Song Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Snow Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow Thanks to those that came out to brave the cold, and many thanks to the individuals that shared with me their owl sightings and locations over the past couple of weeks leading up to Saturday. It was very much appreciated. Eddie

Cape Ann 1/15

I led a group of 7 on a Brookline Bird Club trip to Cape Ann this morning.  It was a slow day for gulls and alcids, but a pretty good day for waterfowl.  Highlights included a drake King Eider at the north end of Good Harbor Beach at around 10:00, a drake Barrow's Goldeneye at Loblolly Cove from Penzance Road in Rockport, a Ruddy Fish at the State Fish Pier in Gloucester, and a Red-tailed Hawk perched at the tip of the rocks by the water at Andrews Point in Rockport.  It was a cold but beautiful day.

On my way home I found 6 Greater Scaup by Stage Fort Park in Gloucester.  A Red-breasted Nuthatch and Hairy Woodpecker continue to be regular at our feeders.

John Nelson

Nahant and Vicinity 1/10

Dear All,

Linda Pivacek and I were joined by 5 BBC members and 1 guest birder from Colorado, Kate Weeks.  Kate drove up from Enfield, CT to join the trip and was rewarded with several life birds.

IT WAS VERY COLD! We tallied 41 species for the 4 hour trip (8am-12pm) and mostly birded Nahant, but also visited Red Rocks, Lynn and Flax Pond, Lynn.

NAHANT THICKET:

Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Common Eider ( start Nahant Bay)
Red-breasted Merganser
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead

EASTERN POINT:

Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Horned Grebe (3+)
Black Guillemot (Lifer for Kate)
Common Loon (2)
Red-necked Grebe (2)
Purple Sandpiper
Great Cormorant (1, Lifer for Kate)
Brant (Lifer for Kate)
Greater Scaup (Lifer for Kate)
Song Sparrow
House Sparrow
American Crow
Mourning Dove
European Starling

NAHANT THICKET:

Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (new Nahant bird for Don)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco

MARGINAL WAY:

Common Goldeneye
American Black Duck
Canada Goose

LINDA' PLACE:

Lesser Scaup
Black Scoter (Lifer for Kate)
Carolina Wren (Lifer for Kate)

RED ROCKS, Lynn:

Ring-billed Gull

FLAX POND, Lynn:

BALD EAGLE (Adult, attacking the ducks!)
American Coot
Ruddy Duck (2)
Northern Shoveler (1 male)
Mute Swan

NAHANT CAUSEWAY:

American Kestrel

42 Species.

Thanks to all who participated.

Best, Don and Linda

Boston 1/9

Two members  joined me on a BBC trip  around Boston- concentrating on the coast starting downtown- Charlestown, East Boston, Deer Island, South Boston , Mattapan and ending up at Olmstead Park. The highlights included  Lesser-Black-backed Gull and Peregrine at Christopher Columbus Park, the continuing Barrow's Goldeneye first found by Matt Garvey on New Year's day and an adult Iceland Gull at Deer Island and several Fish Crows at Franklin Field and the Boston Nature Center.

Boston  7:30-3:15PM
32-36F windy  40 species

Common Loon  1

Canada Goose   450

Brant  4

Mute Swan  2

Am. Black Duck  174

Mallard  329

Ring-necked Duck  2

Common Eider  310

Surf Scoter  34

White-winged Scoter  26

Black Scoter  4

Bufflehead  135

Common Goldeneye  28

BARROW'S GOLDENEYE  1 m

Red-breasted Merganser  40

Cooper's Hawk  1 ad, 1 imm

Red-tailed Hawk  2

Peregrine Falcon- 1 ad at Custom House nest box

Wild Turkey   2 (admiring themselves in mirrored glass at Boston Nature Center)

American Coot  1 Ring-billed Gull  285

Herring Gull   210

ICELAND GULL  1 ad- Deer Is.

Lesser Black-backed Gull- 1 ad

Great Black-backed Gull  26

Rock Pigeon  240

Mourning Dove  4

Downy Woodpecker  1

Blue Jay  4

Common Crow  15

FISH CROW  12  (Franklin Field- Boston Nature Center)

BC Chickadee  6

WH Br Nuthatch  1

Robin  1

Mockingbird  1

Starling  360

Song Sparrow  3

Junco  12

Cardinal  1

House Sparrow  52

Bob Stymeist

 

Westport 1/8

On Saturday six members of the Brookline Bird Club joined me on a Club trip to Westport.

As Karsten and myself headed down to meet the group we experienced heavy snow, white- out conditions but when we arrived- the roads were dry and the sun came out and there was no wind and great visibility. I have done this trip for many years starting at Wattupa Reservoir and traveling west of Rte 88 to Acoaxet, on Saturday we travelled east of 88 from Old Colony Road to Drift Road to Horseneck finally ending up in Acoxet late in the day

We had many highlights of our 77 species, 78 with a BLACK Swan on Allen's Pond. Hadn't heard of this 'exotic" but I think it's the first I'd ever seen in the state outside of Franklin Park Zoo.  Low numbers of several species that we usually encounter on this trip- Carolina Wren, Hermit Thrush, Robin, and totally missing for the first time  Winter Wren, Golden crowned Kinglet and Eastern Towhee


Location:     Westport, Massachusetts 8:00-5:00PM
Observation date:     1/8/11  35-44F
Number of species:     78

Brant     13
Canada Goose     470
Mute Swan     39
Black Swan     1     Bird seen from Horseneck Road in Westport at Allens Pond. Bizarre- first time I believe that I've ever seen or heard of an "escaped" Black Swan!!
American Wigeon     8
American Black Duck     380
Mallard     15
Northern Pintail     6     all on Westport River- River Road
Green-winged Teal     8
Canvasback     7     Cockeast Pond
Redhead     4     Richmond Pond
Ring-necked Duck     2     Cockeast Pond
Greater Scaup     56
Lesser Scaup     2     Richmond Pond
Common Eider     68
Harlequin Duck     4
Surf Scoter     18
White-winged Scoter     6
Black Scoter     2
Bufflehead     75
Common Goldeneye     60
Hooded Merganser     9
Common Merganser     1
Red-breasted Merganser     46
Red-throated Loon     2
Common Loon     8
Horned Grebe     22
Great Cormorant     25
Great Blue Heron     3
Turkey Vulture     1
Bald Eagle     2 immature     Wattapa Reservoir
Northern Harrier     2     male at Fisherville road
Sharp-shinned Hawk     2
Red-shouldered Hawk     2
Red-tailed Hawk     9
American Kestrel     1     Westport Rivers Winery
American Coot     2
Sanderling     10
Purple Sandpiper     35
Ring-billed Gull     X
Herring Gull     X     Incredible numbers high in the sky (photos) and just as many on ice along the Westport River at River Rd
Iceland Gull     1
Glaucous Gull     1     young bird (2W) eating Black Duck on River Road (photos)
Great Black-backed Gull     100
Rock Pigeon     40
Mourning Dove     43
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     6
Northern Flicker     4
Blue Jay     14
American Crow     11
Black-capped Chickadee     77
Tufted Titmouse     34
Red-breasted Nuthatch     1
White-breasted Nuthatch     16
Brown Creeper     1
Carolina Wren     19     low numbers
Eastern Bluebird     10
Hermit Thrush     3     unusual low numbers
American Robin     44     low
Gray Catbird     4
Northern Mockingbird     4
Brown Thrasher     1
European Starling     600
Yellow-rumped Warbler     17
American Tree Sparrow     11
Field Sparrow     1
Savannah Sparrow     18     Westport Rivers Winery
Song Sparrow     34
White-throated Sparrow     27
White-crowned Sparrow     6     Westport Rivers Winery
Dark-eyed Junco     22
Northern Cardinal     27
Red-winged Blackbird     10
Brown-headed Cowbird     380     large flock- perhaps many more with equal number or better of Starlings- very few Redwings
House Finch     38
American Goldfinch     26
House Sparrow     85

Bob Stymeist

Cape Ann 1/8

In spite of the intermittent snow squalls, there was some good birding on Cape Ann today!

Canada Goose 250+
Mute Swan 1
Gadwall 23
American Black Duck 7
Mallard 86
Greater Scaup 4 (from the Fisherman's Memorial)
Common Eider 114
Harlequin Duck 56
Surf Scoter 7
White-winged Scoter 28
Black Scoter 1
Common Goldeneye 11
Bufflehead 23
Hooded Merganser 1 (next to Stop and Shop)
Red-breasted Merganser 63
Ruddy Duck 1 ( Jodrey Pier)
Common Loon 11
Horned Grebe 3
Great Cormorant 3
Wild Turkey 2
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 300+
Iceland Gull 1
Glaucous Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 100+
Thick-billed Murre 1 ( Jodrey Pier -Thanks for the call Ann Gurka!)
Black Guillemot 1
Razorbill 4 (Andrew's Point)
Rock Pigeon 100+
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 1 (next to Stop and Shop)
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 18
Horned Lark 9 (Good Harbor Beach parking lot)
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 3
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 20
American Tree Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 9
Snow Bunting 21 (Good Harbor Beach parking lot - thanks Jeff O for the call)
Northern Cardinal 3
American Goldfinch 29
House Sparrow 100+

We missed the King Eider, not for lack of trying though it was reported by others.

Thanks to all the birding camaraderie today - it was fun crossing paths with other braving the snow!

Linda

Salisbury and Newburyport 1/8

Dear Friends,
As Bob Mayer's group had a slow birding  day at the arboretum, we had a very slow day at Salisbury and Plum Island today, Sat. January 8.    We worked hard to find owls , etc.   but we had no such luck.    There were no Redpolls and very few birds along the roads as there usually are just before the snow.   We could find no Greater White-fronted Goose in the harbor.   Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Good birding, everyone.
Bill Drummond

Arnold Arboretum 1/8

Twelve birders joined me at the arboretum this morning for a beautiful if not very bird productive walk to Bussey Hill and back.  It snowed moderately but persistently throughout the walk which kept the bird numbers way down. We did have very nice looks at one of the Red-belied Woodpeckers as well as the adult Red-tailed Hawk.
Half of the species seen were at the new feeder near the administration building.  Prior to the walk I looked unsuccessfully for the Wilson's Warbler sen on the CBC and now presumed gone and the Winter Wren seen there as recently as a week ago but not since.
As the birding was slow we spent some time viewing some of the botanical specimens that show well in winter. A century old Ozark Witch-Hazel, Hamamelis vernalis, was in early bloom near the ponds, it's tiny flowers coated with fresh snow. Robins were feasting on frozen berries on a Chinese Cork Tree, Phellodendron chinense, along Meadow Road.  On Bussey Hill Road we admired two rare species of Lindera, their marcescent leaves persisting as if it were September.  All in all a nice morning. The list:
Location:     Arnold Arboretum
Observation date:     1/8/11
Notes:     30, moderate snow, light wind 
Number of species:     14

Red-tailed Hawk     1
Mourning Dove     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     2
Blue Jay     1
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Red-breasted Nuthatch     1 on feeder
American Robin     15
Northern Mockingbird     2
European Starling     9
Song Sparrow     2
Dark-eyed Junco     10
Northern Cardinal     X
American Goldfinch     3

Bob Mayer

Cape Ann 1/5

A Brookline Bird Club trip to Cape Ann yielded the following highlights.  Temps were 35 - 41 degrees, moderate winds, sunny. Tide was high.

Halibut Point:
Gray Catbird - Gott Ave near the pink house
Pheasant - calling near parking lot
Carolina Wren - 2
Black Guillemot - 2
Long-tailed Duck - 1
Red-necked Grebe - 1
Surf Scoter - 6
Harlequin Ducks - 6

Andrews Point:
Harlequin Ducks - 50
Red-necked Grebe - 1
Black Scoter - 2

Bass Rocks/Elks Club:
Red-necked Grebe - 8
Black Guillemot - 5
Purple Sandpipers - 28
Ruddy Turnstones - 10
Horned Grebe - 1
Harlequin Duck - 2

Jodrey Fish Pier:
Thick-billed Murre - 1 - several hundred yards out - center of harbor.  There both in the morning and just before lunch
Peregrine Falcon - 1 - city hall
Iceland Gull - 1
Ruddy Duck - 1 (in the small cove before the large warehouse on the right)

The Purple Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones were on a rock near the water - facing the water at the Elks Club, several hundred yards to your left in a cove.

There were good numbers of Common Eider, White-winged Scoter and Red-breasted Mergansers at several locations.  Did not find the King Eider.

Where are all the Horned Grebes?

All the Razorbills must have been on the Cape...

Thanks to all the birders along the way who shared information with us and thanks to those of you who joined us today!

Barbara Volkle

New Year’s Day Birding ~ 2011

Mark Burns and I led our 15th annual New Year's Day birding trip for the Brookline Bird Club (BBC!) At 9:00AM, 30 BBCers met us at the municipal parking lot in Newburyport where we toasted in the New Year with sparkling apple cider and greeted each other! The weather could not have been more perfect for a New Year's Day birding trip – it was 43df as we started our day and the mercury slowly rose to 55df throughout the day! We had abundant sunshine and the wind was very light. We birded until 4:00PM.

We birded Salisbury Beach State Reservation and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge during the morning and then drove to Cape Ann for some afternoon birding.

We tallied 56 species for the Club list. Following is a complete list of the birds we saw:

Canada Goose – 750

Mute Swan – 3

Gadwall - 24

American Black Duck – 350

Mallard – 85

King Eider - 1

Common Eider – 280

Harlequin Duck – 8

Surf Scoter – 12

White-winged Scoter – 120

Black Scoter – 17

Bufflehead - 95

Common Goldeneye - 13

Red-breasted Merganser – 40

Ruddy Duck – 1

Red-throated Loon – 70

Common Loon – 35

Horned Grebe - 50

Red-necked Grebe – 30

Great Cormorant – 10

Bald Eagle -1

Northern Harrier – 4
Cooper's Hawk - 1

Red-tailed Hawk - 13

American Kestrel – 1

Peregrine Falcon – 2

Ruddy Turnstone – 2

Sanderling - 45

Purple Sandpiper – 18

Dunlin – 2

Bonapart’s Gull - 9

Ring-billed Gull – 100

Herring Gull - 200

Glaucous Gull - 2

Great Black-backed Gull – 45

Thick-billed Murre – 1

Razorbill – 101

Black Guillemot – 9

Rock Pigeon - 150

Mourning Dove – 75

Eastern Screech Owl - 1

Downy Woodpecker – 2

Blue Jay – 60

American Crow - 55

Black-capped Chickadee – 24

White-breasted Nuthatch - 5

American Robin – 24

Northern Mockingbird – 5
Brown Thrasher - 1

European Starling – 1,000

American Tree Sparrow – 12

Savannah Sparrow – 1

Song Sparrow – 2

Dark-eyed Junco - 3
Northern Cardinal - 2

House Sparrow - 100

Many Thanks again to all who joined us on New Year’s Day and to those who kept us informed of the birds that were being seen.

Here’s wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and birdy 2011!

Laura H. de la Flor