Scusset Beach area, Bourne - 4/6/2012

Scusset Beach

Five hardy birders joined me for some morning birding at Scusset Beach, including my 9 year old daughter Ashley. She had the day off from school, which I didn't realize when I scheduled the trip several months ago! She became my co-leader for the trip. We checked off birds at the meeting spot in the Sagamore Park & Ride with the highlight being decent scope looks at the male Peregrine Falcon perched in one of his favorite spots on top one of the arches of the Sagamore Bridge. From there we headed down Sagamore Beach Road to the first large parking area to walk the wooded trail across the road. Within a few minutes my co-leader called out a beautiful Fox Sparrow that we all got on. Other highlights were a calling Winter Wren, a Gray Catbird and two Eastern Towhees. We then made our way to the beach where we had nice views of three Horned Larks in the large field adjacent to the parking area. We walked to the beach to scan the water and saw a lone Piping Plover walking along the wrack line. There were a few different species of sea ducks, both Double-crested and Great Cormorants and several Common Loons in various stages of plumage, from dull winter plumage to full breeding plumage. A single Red-throated Loon was in close and we all watched a flyby Laughing Gull, a FOY for everyone in attendance. Three Northern Gannets were seen well, including one sitting on the water near a small group of Surf Scoters. Across the canal we could see a flock of Brant and we spotted a Common Raven perched near the Power Plant. We briefly checked the camp ground before we headed back to the meeting spot. On our way back down Scusset Beach Road one of the participants noticed some Wild Turkeys off to the side of the road, 5 females and 2 big Toms, one in full display. We pulled over for a look. As we were watching them my co-leader said, "Did I just hear a Red-shouldered Hawk?" Sure enough she did. We all got out of our vehicles and saw a Red-shouldered Hawk circling above us. As we watched it a second one appeared and called back. They both flew off towards the wooded area and disappeared. A nice way to end the trip!

April 6, 2012
Scusset Beach Area - Sandwich, MA
8:00am - 11:00am
Species - 52
Staring temperature 38 degrees climbing to 46 degrees later in the morning. Bright sunshine to begin fading to partly cloudy skies with little to no wind at times.

Brant - 34
Canada Goose  8
Common Eider  75
Surf Scoter  18
White-winged Scoter  3
Long-tailed Duck  2
Red-breasted Merganser  42
Wild Turkey  7
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  32
Northern Gannet  3
Double-crested Cormorant  13
Great Cormorant  4
Turkey Vulture  1
Osprey  2
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  2
Peregrine Falcon  1
Piping Plover  1
Killdeer  1
Laughing Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  8
Herring Gull  26
Great Black-backed Gull  16
Rock Pigeon  9
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  1
Common Raven
American Crow  8
Horned Lark  3
Black-capped Chickadee  17
Tufted Titmouse  4
Carolina Wren  7
Winter Wren  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1
American Robin  44
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  4
Pine Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  2
Fox Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  22
White-throated Sparrow  14
Northern Cardinal  18
Red-winged Blackbird  6
Common Grackle  14
Brown-headed Cowbird  5
House Finch  8
American Goldfinch  14
House Sparrow  2

Mary Keleher