Newburyport & vicinity - August 5, 2017

This annual trip, run a little bit earlier in the month this year, produced a fair variety of shorebirds albeit in lower numbers than one might expect later on.

Starting off with mixed weather, fog and clouds, we had no trouble making our way down to the southern end of the island and Sandy Point State Reservation Beach. We only had a few fishermen to contend with opposed to the hoards of beach goers expected this time of year. (This is one of the reasons I start the trip so early. Otherwise, we often will get boxed out.)

We made our way out to the beach, passing the roped nesting areas for Piping Plovers. We scanned these areas, but none were found. At this point, I think nesting has been completed, so young and old alike were out roaming the open beach.

One, then two, then four then six Piping Plovers were found all within one or two scope fields apart. Later on we found a flock of five, apparently different birds, then a handful of others, totaling fourteen birds.

As we were on the beach during a rising tide, a lot of the shorebirds had departed for their loafing areas. However, there were still Sanderlings, Semipalmated Plovers and Sandpipers and two Ruddy Turnstones to be found. It is not surprising, but still remarkable how the beach changes year over year. What was once a long and wide expanse of mudflats was now an abrupt cut off sand shelf.

We got information that there were lots of birds at Bill Forward Pool so we headed in that direction, only briefly stopping at the nearly barren Stage Island Pool.

Upon arrival at the blind at Bill Forward Pool, we found what would be spot of the day. Several thousand birds of all shape and sizes we actively feeding, resting and a little of both. A parade of Snowy Egrets, Double-crested Cormorants and Greater Yellowlegs followed one another chasing and feeding on trapped prey.

The majority of the birds were Semi Semis (Plovers and Sandpipers), but we also found single Hudsonian Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher (there might have been a second), Dunlin and Western Sandpiper.

While we traveled on the island, there were the flocks on Tree Swallows and European Starlings, just starting to amass into pre-migration flocks. A stop at Parking lot 1 to pick up cars and look out at the ocean, found forty or so Northern Gannets all heading south. Little else was seen.

The plan was to head over to the other side of the river and visit Nelson Island to wrap up the trip. However, as we starting off the island, a weather front opened up on us. Not knowing the duration, I cut the trip short.

Below is a list of what I recorded for birds.

Mike

Canada Goose              15                          
Gadwall                   1                           
Mallard                   9                           
Wild Turkey               1                           
Northern Gannet           40                          
Double-crested Cormorant  15                          
Great Blue Heron          2                           
Snowy Egret               15                          
Turkey Vulture            2                           
Osprey                    4                           
Black-bellied Plover      50                          
Semipalmated Plover       1187                        
Piping Plover             14                          
Killdeer                  1                           
Hudsonian Godwit          1                           
Ruddy Turnstone           2                           
Sanderling                100                         
Dunlin                    1                           
Least Sandpiper           5                           
White-rumped Sandpiper    4                           
Semipalmated Sandpiper    840                         
Western Sandpiper         1                           
Short-billed Dowitcher    62                          
Long-billed Dowitcher     1                           
Greater Yellowlegs        10                          
Willet                    2                           
Lesser Yellowlegs         15                          
Parasitic Jaeger          1                           
Bonaparte's Gull          3                           
Ring-billed Gull          27                          
Herring Gull              1                           
Great Black-backed Gull   5                           
Least Tern                10                          
Common Tern               30                          
Eastern Kingbird          20                          
American Crow             1                           
Purple Martin             18                          
Tree Swallow              3000                        
Bank Swallow              2                           
Barn Swallow              2                           
Marsh Wren                4                           
American Robin            30                          
Gray Catbird              5                           
Brown Thrasher            1                           
Northern Mockingbird      2                           
European Starling         1000                        
Cedar Waxwing             10                          
Common Yellowthroat       2                           
Yellow Warbler            1                           
Saltmarsh Sparrow         1                           
Field Sparrow             1                           
Savannah Sparrow          1                           
Song Sparrow              1                           
Eastern Towhee            5                           
Northern Cardinal         3                           
Red-winged Blackbird      5                           
Common Grackle            2                           
Baltimore Oriole          1                           
American Goldfinch        2  

Haskell Swamp WMA, 2nd July 2017

On July 2nd, seven adventurous birders met to explore what birds and nature Haskell Swamp WMA had to offer. We started our trip from the main entrance at the end of Dexter Ln., walking the main trail and poking into several side trails. The main trail is fairly well manicured and relatively wide, but many of the offshoots die off as trees and other vegetation fall onto the trail. As we walked we enjoyed bird song from several Hermit Thrush, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, Ovenbird, and Pine Warbler. Turning around at a brook which runs over the main trail, We had wonderful looks at a male Scarlet Tanager.

Scarlet Tanager, Haskell Swamp WMA

Working our way back I hooted several times with no success, but toward the end of our walk we heard several hawk calls which proved to be a pair of Sharp-shinned. Everyone in the group was able to hear the birds and see them dashing through the trees, and a few were able to get decent looks at the birds.

Eastern Phoebe, Haskell Swamp WMA

Haskell Swamp WMA, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Jul 2, 2017 6:25 AM - 9:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC Trip
34 species

Sharp-shinned Hawk  2     Pair seen and calling together, flight calls and calls labeled by Sibley app as alarm calls given near nest. At least one probably continuing from yesterday, based on sightings they may be breeding in here.
Mourning Dove  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Eastern Phoebe  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  5
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Tufted Titmouse  6
Red-breasted Nuthatch  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Brown Creeper  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Veery  24
Hermit Thrush  8
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  3
Ovenbird  17
Common Yellowthroat  2
Yellow Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  10
Chipping Sparrow  6
Eastern Towhee  8
Scarlet Tanager  3
Northern Cardinal  1
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  7
Baltimore Oriole  1
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  1
House Sparrow  1

After a long walk through the WMA, we decided against going in the second entrance to Haskell Swamp and instead went to the Rochester Land Trust property Church's Field across the street. This is a small flowery meadow along the roadside which has a trail that goes through the woods, has some benches along the Mattapoisett River, and loops back to the parking lot. We took a small break at the picnic table before walking the trail, taking another quick break to appreciate the river, and headed back to the entrance. Along the way we were rewarded with nice looks at a few American Redstarts and a Blue-Winged Warbler.

Chipping Sparrow, Church's Field

Church's Field, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Jul 2, 2017 10:31 AM - 11:31 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC Trip
25 species

Black-billed Cuckoo  1
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Tree Swallow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Carolina Wren  1
Veery  6
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  5
Yellow Warbler  2
Pine Warbler  3
Chipping Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
American Goldfinch  6
House Sparrow  2

-Nate Marchessault

June 25th Westover AFB andkinner SP - or Some days you just get lucky

Some days you just get lucky.

Our luck didn't kick in right away, and although we had good views of American Kestrels, Grasshopper Sparrows, Bobolinks, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, it took some effort before we found the usually
obliging Upland Sandpipers at Westover AFB. Today they were not so obliging. The first views were of a very distant head just barely visible over the grass, and we only had 2 other birds, both of which were seen in flight when a Red-tailed Hawk flushed them. We had similarly mediocre luck with Eastern Meadowlarks and Horned Larks, seeing them, but only poor and distant views. We did have a cooperative adult Cooper's Hawk that flew around and perched up on a pole and a building for a while. 

Male Cerulean Warbler feeding a chick, photo by Steven Whitebread 

Our luck really kicked in at our next stop however. As we pulled into the parking space at the top of Skinner State Park, there was some movement just 10 feet above the windshields. Amazingly, this was the main target of the entire trip, a Cerulean Warbler! We all had great views of a male feeding in the trees around the cars, at times almost at eye level! Soon we noticed a juvenile bird up in a tree, and while trying to figure out what it
was, the male Cerulean came in and fed it, answering that question for us. We watched the male feed the juvenile a few more times before continuing to the summit house. There we had a Junco and a family of
Indigo Buntings, as well as a female Scarlet Tanager that posed in the open just 30 feet away. Walking back down the road from the parking lot, the juvenile Cerulean had moved, but the male was still in the same general area collecting more food. A bit further down the road, while listening to Yellow-throated Vireos, Worm-eating Warblers, and a Pileated Woodpecker, we came across a female Cerulean gathering food
over the road. We all got to see the female at close range before she moved off into the woods, presumably to feed another juvenile.

The merry birders atop Skinner SP

 Next, we drove through the actively farmed Honey Pot area of Hadley looking for Vesper Sparrows. We were rewarded with at least three singing birds, two of which we saw while dodging cars, dust, and pesticides being sprayed from trucks (how are the birds able to cope with that?).

Since we had not seen a Yellow-throated Vireo yet, we went to the Notch visitor center for the Mount Holyoke Range SP where we eventually found a nest with the parents swapping incubation duties. It was here that we had probably the most unexpected species of the trip. Right after we arrived, three Black Vultures flew over the
parking lot with some Turkey Vultures, and then as we were leaving, we noticed a Black Vulture perched on a tower halfway up neighboring Bare Mt.

 Yellow-throated Vireo on Nest and Black Vulture in serious molt, photos by Steven Whitebread

From there we headed to Quabbin Park. Shortly after entering, we heard a Least Flycatcher calling away from right along the road. After briefly stopping at the tower where a Broad-winged Hawk flew right over our heads, we continued to the Enfield lookout. There we had good looks at Chestnut-sided and Blackburnian Warblers, and had an immature Bald Eagle fly by. We also watched a heavy rain squall move toward us over the reservoir giving us a beautiful view, but leaving us wondering how wet we were about to get. While trying to beat the rain to our next stop, we spotted 2 Porcupines in the trees alongside the road, so we pulled over and looked at them, though they were more interested in sleeping than noticing us. Beating the rain to the parking area for the Goodnough Dike, we decided to stay near the cars in case it started pouring. Here some of us had very good looks at a male Black-throated-blue Warbler as well as a pair of Black-and-white Warblers feeding on and just over the ground in front of us. We also heard a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker calling from here. As we were leaving (still dry), a Pileated Woodpecker flew at, and then over us fairly low giving everyone a good look at another fun bird.

Broad-winged hawk and Porcupine at Quabbin SP, photo by Steven Whitebread

From there we continued on to our last stop of the day, a bridge in the Three Rivers village of Palmer. Here we had great views of Cliff Swallows, Rough-winged Swallows, and Chimney Swifts all flying around at eye level and lower.

Cliff Swallow, photo by Steven Whitebread

We ended the day with a surprisingly high collective total of 90 species before a drive home that was much longer than any of us would have liked.

1 Wild Turkey (drive by)

1 Common Loon
1 Double-crested Cormorant
4 Great Blue Heron
3 Black Vulture
38 Turkey Vulture
1 Osprey (drive by)
3 Cooper's Hawk
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
2 Broad-winged Hawk
6 Red-tailed Hawk
4 hawk sp.
2 Killdeer
3 Upland Sandpiper
1 Spotted Sandpiper
13 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
33 Mourning Dove
1 Black-billed Cuckoo
18 Chimney Swift
2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)
6 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
2 Pileated Woodpecker
2 American Kestrel
7 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Willow Flycatcher
1 Least Flycatcher
8 Eastern Phoebe
2 Great Crested Flycatcher
4 Eastern Kingbird
5 Yellow-throated Vireo
2 Blue-headed Vireo
7 Warbling Vireo (Eastern)
33 Red-eyed Vireo
8 Blue Jay
8 American Crow
9 Common Raven
4 Horned Lark
12 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
10 Tree Swallow
2 Bank Swallow
10 Barn Swallow
8 Cliff Swallow
8 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Tufted Titmouse
27 White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)
2 House Wren
6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 Eastern Bluebird
3 Veery
2 Wood Thrush
36 American Robin
12 Gray Catbird
3 Northern Mockingbird
25 European Starling
22 Cedar Waxwing
13 Ovenbird
2 Worm-eating Warbler
10 Black-and-white Warbler
3 Common Yellowthroat
23 American Redstart
3 Cerulean Warbler
3 Blackburnian Warbler
11 Yellow Warbler (Northern)
5 Chestnut-sided Warbler
3 Black-throated Blue Warbler
12 Pine Warbler
7 Grasshopper Sparrow
17 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
4 Vesper Sparrow
3 Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)
9 Song Sparrow
5 Eastern Towhee
8 Scarlet Tanager
5 Northern Cardinal
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
7 Indigo Bunting
13 Bobolink
13 Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)
5 Eastern Meadowlark (Eastern)
8 Common Grackle (Bronzed)
20 Brown-headed Cowbird
6 Baltimore Oriole
4 House Finch
17 American Goldfinch
18 House Sparrow


Liam

Southern Plymouth County Breeders, 17th June 17

On June 17^th, seven intrepid birders drove through the pouring rain to meet in Mattapoisett at 6AM. At the meetup, the rain dwindled down to a drizzle and it was unanimously decided upon to risk getting rained on, and as such the trip began.

Our first stop was the Schoolman Preserve in Rochester. This is a medium-sized trail within mixed forest, which has two offshoots that end and different locations along the Mattapoisett River. Typically, this forest holds many American Redstart and Veery and we were not disappointed to have great looks as well as several calling and singing birds of both species. Of note was when we heard a Redstart and Yellow Warbler singing at the same time, offering a great study of the two somewhat similar songs. We spent some time admiring the large Holly trees near one of the side trails, one of which appeared to be a fallen branch which rooted and continued growing, and were pleased to be accompanied by Jewelwings for the entirety of our trip. We also took some time to appreciate some Orange-patched Smoky Moths before the trail looped back to the parking lot.

Orange-patched Smoky Moth, photo by Kim Wylie

Schoolman Preserve, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

Jun 17, 2017 6:15 AM - 8:05 AM

Protocol: Traveling

1.5 mile(s)

Comments:     SSBC trip

32 species

Mourning Dove  2

Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1

Black-billed Cuckoo  1

Downy Woodpecker  1

Hairy Woodpecker  2

Eastern Wood-Pewee  3

Great Crested Flycatcher  1

Eastern Kingbird  1

American Crow  2

Barn Swallow  2

Black-capped Chickadee  8

Tufted Titmouse  6

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

Brown Creeper  1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1

Veery  12

American Robin  4

Gray Catbird  6

Ovenbird  13

Black-and-white Warbler  1

Common Yellowthroat  3

American Redstart  12

Yellow Warbler  7

Pine Warbler  6

Chipping Sparrow  8

Song Sparrow  2

Eastern Towhee  10

Northern Cardinal  3

Red-winged Blackbird  1

Brown-headed Cowbird  4

Baltimore Oriole  4

American Goldfinch  1

In an attempt to evade forecasted heavier rainfall, we then went to grab some coffee and a quick breakfast to wait it out. To our pleasant surprise, the rain stopped and fog lifted. We then made our way to Nasketucket Bay State Reservation, a series of trails which go through several different habitats; open meadow, mixed forest, thickets, and several trails which lead to Nasketucket Bay. We started by walking the main trail, which holds several Blue-winged Warblers because of all the secondary growth bordering the forest along the sides of the trail. Essentially as soon as we got on to the trail we found a Blue-winged Warbler which was singing low, and all had great looks at the bird. 

Blue-winged Warbler, Photo by Steven Whitebread

We continued down Meadow Trail, and were treated to singing Wood Thrush as we worked our way down, eventually taking Saltmarsh Trail to Nasketucket Bay. The group spent some time looking at the bay and abutting saltmarshes, and got great looks at Willet, Common Tern, a distant American Oystercatcher, and to my personal surprise we found another location along Buzzard’s Bay which appears to have a healthy population of (likely breeding) Saltmarsh Sparrows. These sparrows were being incredibly showy for this species, posting up on bare branches and singing occasionally. We also spent a decent amount of time trying to identify what appeared to be a small heron in the back of the marsh, which ended up being an extremely heron-like piece of vegetation. From here we worked our way back to the parking lot taking Holly Trail, the time of year showing its colors in the noticeable decrease in bird activity as the morning grew later.

Mystery egg on wrack, photo by Steven Whitebread

The crew, photo by Christine Whitebread

Nasketucket Bay State Reservation, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

Jun 17, 2017 8:45 AM - 10:44 AM

Protocol: Traveling

1.5 mile(s)

Comments:     SSBC trip

43 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  1

Double-crested Cormorant  4

Snowy Egret  2

Osprey  2

American Oystercatcher  1

Willet  5

Herring Gull  3

Great Black-backed Gull  2

Common Tern  4

Mourning Dove  3

Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1

Yellow-billed/Black-billed Cuckoo  1

Downy Woodpecker  2

Hairy Woodpecker  1

Eastern Wood-Pewee  2

Great Crested Flycatcher  3

Red-eyed Vireo  1

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  3

Tree Swallow  2

Barn Swallow  2

Black-capped Chickadee  3

Tufted Titmouse  4

Wood Thrush  4

American Robin  6

Gray Catbird  8

European Starling  20

Cedar Waxwing  4

Ovenbird  10

Blue-winged Warbler  3

Common Yellowthroat  5

Yellow Warbler  8

Pine Warbler  4

Saltmarsh Sparrow  3

Song Sparrow  3

Eastern Towhee  10

Northern Cardinal  3

Bobolink  1

Red-winged Blackbird  4

Common Grackle  7

Brown-headed Cowbird  5

Baltimore Oriole  2

House Finch  1

American Goldfinch  1

Our third stop was what I (and possibly only me) refer to as Antassawamock. This is a property that is at the end of Mattapoisett Neck Rd. in Mattapoisett which has been recently acquired by Mattapoisett Land Trust and given the less exciting name the “Munn Preserve”. This is a trail which is a little over a half-mile, leading to a narrow strip of beach along Brant Island Cove.  Following suit with the end of our walk at Nasketucket the woods were mostly quiet, but we were lucky to hear a singing White-eyed Vireo before the end of the trail. This species is a probable breeder here, with a pair being present in-season last year. We approached the song and tried to find the bird, and a few of us were able to get brief looks at it before it hopped into the dense vegetation never to be seen again, a quality of which this species is known for notoriously. After the forest opened up to the beach we worked our way up the peninsula to get scope views of Ram Island. On several instances we got great looks at Saltmarsh Sparrows moving throughout the marshes and walking along the wrack line. Once we got to a good vantage spot we spent some time scoping Ram Island, studying the hundreds of Common and Roseate Terns that breed there. While we were scoping, four American Oystercatcher flew over our heads and into the marsh, and a strange duck flew past toward Ram Island, looking overall brownish with white secondaries. Further examination of this duck once it landed revealed that it was a female Gadwall, and while scoping it as it landed and swam close to shore near Ram Island a male also revealed itself. This is a species that was completely unexpected as we were not aware that this species was a possible breeder at this location.

Munn Preserve, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

Jun 17, 2017 11:15 AM - 12:20 PM

Protocol: Traveling

1.0 mile(s)

Comments:     SSBC trip

45 species

Gadwall  2     Out by Ram Island, female seen in flight. Relatively long-necked ducks with white patches near rump, all color was essentially washed out given the distance and cloudy conditions.

Mallard  2

Common Eider  6

Common Loon  3

Double-crested Cormorant  6

Snowy Egret  1

Osprey  6

American Oystercatcher  4

Willet  6

Herring Gull  2

Great Black-backed Gull  2

Roseate Tern  15

Common Tern  300

Mourning Dove  2

Downy Woodpecker  1

Willow Flycatcher  1

Eastern Phoebe  1

Great Crested Flycatcher  2

White-eyed Vireo  1

Red-eyed Vireo  1

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  2

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1

Tree Swallow  3

Barn Swallow  6

Black-capped Chickadee  2

Tufted Titmouse  2

American Robin  2

Gray Catbird  4

European Starling  3

Ovenbird  2

Common Yellowthroat  3

Yellow Warbler  3

Pine Warbler  1

Saltmarsh Sparrow  8     Breeding location, excellent looks at several individuals.

Song Sparrow  2

Eastern Towhee  3

Northern Cardinal  2

Red-winged Blackbird  2

Common Grackle  4

Brown-headed Cowbird  2

Baltimore Oriole  1

House Finch  2

American Goldfinch  1

House Sparrow  4

After a quick lunch, we decided to end the trip at Egypt Lane in Fairhaven. Some of the members on the trip were able to hear one of the Clapper Rails that have been present in the breeding season since last year. We spent a fair amount of time watching the pond and left on a high note, getting spectacular looks at the adult Pied-billed Grebe with young.

Pied-billed Grebes, Photo by Steven Whitebread

Egypt Lane Ponds, Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts, US

Jun 17, 2017 1:25 PM - 2:10 PM

Protocol: Traveling

0.25 mile(s)

38 species

Mute Swan  7

Wood Duck  2

Mallard  8

Pied-billed Grebe  4     Breeding birds with young

Double-crested Cormorant  1

Great Egret  1

Green Heron  2

Turkey Vulture  2

Osprey  2

Sharp-shinned Hawk  1     Small accipiter, wrists projected about the same amount as the head. Going after a TUVU

Cooper's Hawk  1

Clapper Rail  1     Heard calling toward Hacker St area of marsh

Willet  1

Herring Gull  3

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Common Tern  3

Mourning Dove  4

Chimney Swift  3

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Hairy Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker  1

Willow Flycatcher  1

Warbling Vireo  1

American Crow  2

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1

Tree Swallow  1

Barn Swallow  4

Tufted Titmouse  1

American Robin  3

Gray Catbird  2

European Starling  5

Cedar Waxwing  2

Yellow Warbler  3

Song Sparrow  3

Red-winged Blackbird  10

Common Grackle  5

American Goldfinch  2

House Sparrow  4

-Nate Marchessault