Squantum section of Quincy - 8/18/2013

  A group of 10 met in the Squantum section of Quincy to observe mainly shorebirds during their migration. The weather was a mix of clouds and sun with calm winds, but humid, with temps 62-75F. A variety of shorebirds were present in the salt marsh pans along E. Squantum St. during high tide, including both Yellowleg species and a couple of Short-billed Dowitchers. Three Red-tailed Hawks (an adult and 2 immature) were perched on various high spots on the fringes of this area. Seems like a good breeding year locally for raptors, as I've encountered several young of the year in the suburbs SW of Boston.

  Our next stop in Squantum was a Squaw Rock Park. This small wooded patch has the potential for land bird migrants and provides a nice vantage point for viewing Quincy Bay and parts of Boston Harbor. Migrant land birds were scarce today, save for an American Redstart and a somewhat surprising Broad-winged Hawk. Broad-wings can be on the move at this date, but typically use more inland migratory routes. A check of the large sandbar between here and Thompson's Island revealed a flock of nearly 50 Black-bellied Plovers and a few Ruddy Turnstones.
  We hit Orchard Beach next at high tide (not ideal), and the exposed rocks just offshore had several Laughing Gulls. These gulls do not breed here, but show up after their nesting season from parts unknown. The closest breeding colony to here is Plymouth Beach about 30 miles to the south.  Two American Oystercatchers were  on the rocks with the gulls as well.

49 species

American Black Duck  18
Mallard  26
Double-crested Cormorant  101
Great Blue Heron  5
Great Egret  13
Snowy Egret  5
Osprey  2
Broad-winged Hawk  1    Squaw Rock Park (uncommon here, migrant)
Red-tailed Hawk  4
Black-bellied Plover  50
Semipalmated Plover  20
Killdeer  3
American Oystercatcher  2    Orchard Beach
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  4
Lesser Yellowlegs  13
Semipalmated Sandpiper  225
Least Sandpiper  15

Least Sandpiper

Short-billed Dowitcher  2
Laughing Gull  71   Majority at Orchard Beach
Ring-billed Gull  55
Herring Gull (American)  71
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Common Tern  9
Rock Pigeon  5
Mourning Dove  6
Chimney Swift  15
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  3
Eastern Kingbird 4Blue Jay  4
American Crow  4
Barn Swallow  11
Black-capped Chickadee  2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren  1
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  5
Northern Mockingbird  4
European Starling  210
American Redstart  1
Yellow Warbler  1
Saltmarsh Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  6
Northern Cardinal  5
Red-winged Blackbird  7
Common Grackle  12
American Goldfinch  4
House Sparrow  52

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Vin Zollo