Blue Hills June 4th and 5th 2016

The first weekend in June we visited two places in the Blue Hill Reservation. One was a new spot with a new leader, the other has been on our program for many years.

June 4^th Buck Hill, led by Evan Lipton

Evan led his first walk for the SSBC and was joined by six club members. On the way to the start of the trail we saw something on the road which looked a bit like multiple snakes. Just to make sure they were not, we turned back and confirmed they were indeed only pieces of rope. Seeing multiple snakes would have been a lot more exiting!

Having this sorted, we set out up the Hill to the spot where Evan has reliably seen multiple Prairie Warblers and Indigo Buntings. We were in luck and despite the somewhat dreary weather we managed great looks at both target species. With all the fog around, the looks at the scenery was not very spectacular – but on a clear day this would be a great spot with a 360 view!

We continued down and up and around, covering among other places Burnt Hill where we were thrilled with a Brown Creeper carrying nesting material to the tree where he/she/they were obviously building a nest.

The final highlight was tracking down a Worm-eating Warbler, it took some patience, but thanks to Evan knowing where he hangs out we all got good looks

Here are the lists:

Blue Hills Reservation--Buck Hill, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 6:17 AM - 8:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC Buck Hill trip<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
34 species

Wild Turkey 1
Herring Gull 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 First for the hotspot.
Chimney Swift 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Hermit Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 10
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 4
Cedar Waxwing 8
Ovenbird 4
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 3
Chipping Sparrow 6
Field Sparrow 1 Singing.
Eastern Towhee 12
Scarlet Tanager 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 First for the hotspot. Singing on the north edge of the hill.
Indigo Bunting 3
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30069058



Blue Hills Reservation, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 8:11 AM - 10:26 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.5 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
33 species

Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Black-billed Cuckoo 1 Singing; Burnt Hill.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 6
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 4
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 3 Great to see a pair building a nest on Burnt Hill.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 3
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 2
Cedar Waxwing 2
Ovenbird 12
Worm-eating Warbler 1 Good views of singing male; usual spot, south side of Tucker Hill.
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 5
Chipping Sparrow 5
Eastern Towhee 8
Scarlet Tanager 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Singing male on Burnt Hill.
Indigo Bunting 2
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30069041

Blue Hills Reservation--Buck Hill, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 10:26 AM - 10:56 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip. On the way back around the hill in the woods.<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
10 species

Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 5
Ovenbird 3
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 30

June 5^th 2016 Fowl Meadow with Patty O’Neill

Patty led her traditional walk to Fowl Meadow once again.  As had been predicted it was drizzly and started to rain in earnest by 10 am. However, in the three hours the four of us spent on the trail we saw 38 species - a respectable number for a single habitat. Fowl Meadows is always a great spot to bird, today we had 7 species of warblers – all breeding here. Most notable were the large numbers of Blue-winged Warblers a real treat to see a female too.

Fowl Meadow, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 5, 2016 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip led by Patty ONeill
38 species

Double-crested Cormorant 1
Herring Gull 2
Mourning Dove 7
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 possibly even 3
Black-billed Cuckoo 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Warbling Vireo 9
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 2
House Wren 1
Veery 3
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 11
Cedar Waxwing 3
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush 2
Blue-winged Warbler 8 accurate count, known to be common at this location. Males seen and/or heard singing, Female "just" seen
Black-and-white Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 24
American Redstart 3
Yellow Warbler 26
Song Sparrow 11
Swamp Sparrow 7
Eastern Towhee 5
Northern Cardinal 4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Red-winged Blackbird 28
Common Grackle 17
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 being fed by Yellow Warbler
Baltimore Oriole 4

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30103751