This
year's (2012) SSBC Raptor Sweep trip started at the main entrance to the
Cumberland Farm Fields in Halifax on Feb. 19th. Fourteen participants enjoyed favorable weather conditions, with comfortable temperatures and calm wind. Immediately 2 pairs of Red-tailed Hawks were spotted
on a tree in the manure pit area and across the way on another tree in the
hedgerow to the west. Red-tailed Hawks are amongst the earliest breeders in MA
save for Great Horned Owls.
Several
participants were treated to close, but brief views of a Cooper's Hawk as it
winged by at eye level. The group then headed up the main road to the old manure
pit area to get a more expansive view of the main field. Two or three Northern
Harriers were spotted low over the fields exhibiting their typical coursing
hunting behavior, relying on a combination of sight and hearing (more so than in
other hawk species). We had nice looks at an adult male N. Harrier, aka "Gray
Ghost" (always a crowd favorite with it's black, white, and gray plumage). This Harrier then flushed a Sharp-shinned Hawk off of a tree at fairly close range.
Next
the group was able to get on a Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) perched
on a distant tree. On our way out of the manure pit area there was a large flock
of Blackbirds on one of the trees. The majority were Red-winged Blackbirds with
several E. Starlings and about 30 Brown-headed Cowbirds.
We then
headed over to the fields on Fuller St. and had a Rough-legged Hawk in the air
showing it's typical hovering hunting style. The other highlight here was that all Canada Geese, Mallards, & Am. Black Ducks suddenly flushed and among
them were a pair of Northern Pintails and an American Wigeon. Here is our
complete list:
Canada
Goose 350 Majority on Fuller St.
American Wigeon 1 Fuller
St.
American Black Duck 20
Mallard 75 Majority on Fuller
St.
Northern Pintail 2 Pair, Fuller St.
Northern Harrier
3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 5 2 sets
of birds perched side by side.
Rough-legged Hawk 1 Light morph
Great
Black-backed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 9
Great Horned Owl 1 Calling @
dawn - Wood St.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
American
Crow 30
Horned Lark 35 distant flock, NW corner of
field.
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted
Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
Eastern Bluebird 2 Wood St. @
dawn.
American Robin 24
Northern Mockingbird 1
American Tree Sparrow
70 Conservative number. Majority were near abandoned house along Rte.
105.
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 1 heard only @ dawn. South end of
field.
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 980 Several flocks
flying over the fields @ dawn.
Common Grackle 12 In with a flock of RWBBs
@ dawn.
Brown-headed Cowbird 30 Most were seen at manure pit.
American
Goldfinch 2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
After we
covered the Cumberland Farm Fields, part of the group continued on to Dry Dock
Ave. in South Boston to scan Logan Airfield. This can be a good location to spy a Snowy Owl, a
specie that regularly hunts this large, open expanse from November to March. No
luck with any Snowy Owls today. It looks like Norman Smith, director of the Blue
Hills Trailside Museum and Snowy Owl researcher, has been effectively removing
them from here. To date this season, he has captured and removed 34 Snowy Owls
from Logan and relocated them to points north and south. Other species out on
the airfield included 2 Red-tailed Hawks, a Northern Harrier, and an American
Kestrel (getting tough to find in recent times). Another highlight for the trip
were 2 Razorbills in the vicinity of Castle Island in Boston Harbor. These
plump, black and white seabirds are more often seen in open ocean. Here is the
list:
American
Black Duck 4
Common Eider (Atlantic) 45
Surf Scoter 7
Bufflehead
20
Red-breasted Merganser 15
Red-throated Loon 4
Common Loon
1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Logan airfield.
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull (American) 15
Great
Black-backed Gull 5
Razorbill 2 Out towards Castle Island. Large black
& white alcids with long, upturned tails. Large, thick bills. Apparently
they been around for quite a while.
Rock Pigeon 7
European Starling
1
Vin Zollo
