Wompatuck State Park, May 10, 2018

On a misty, moisty morning, 15 birders gathered to experience the wonders of Wompatuck in spring. Since the gate was opened unexpectedly, the plan to walk around Triphammer was scuttled in favor of searching the interior of the park.

Wompatuck SP--Visitor's Center, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 10, 2018 6:25 AM - 6:38 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: A SSBC trip; 50 degrees and misty
8 species

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Wood Thrush 1
Ovenbird 1
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45511507

We spent some time around S. Pleasant Street hoping to hear a worm-eating warbler, but had no success as we looped back to the main road.  On the main road we had a potential candidate (possibly the WEWA without a striped-head that has been seen there historically) but the light was impossible and a positive ID could not be made. We continued down the path from Gate 9 and a few of us in the front had the thrill of seeing and hearing a flushed American woodcock.  Continuing along the path toward Wildcat Pond we had brief glimpses of a gaily singing winter wren and a brief look at a rather silent Veery.  The great-crested flycatchers that were singing this morning eluded us entirely. Warbler species were present and singing, but very difficult to see well because of the gray lighting.  One male and one female pine warbler did oblige us by hopping on the ground for a period of time.  One ovenbird also hopped into a tree for a few brief looks.  A northern waterthrush called incessantly from a distance too great to locate.

Wompatuck SP-Gate 9, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 10, 2018 6:42 AM - 9:47 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.858 mile(s)
Comments: A SSBC trip. Started at S. Pleasant St. and looped back to Gate 9; out to Wildcat Pond and back to cars at S. Pleasant.
37 species

Wood Duck 2
American Woodcock 1
Mourning Dove 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 8
Black-capped Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Winter Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Veery 2
Wood Thrush 3
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 3
Ovenbird 12
Northern Waterthrush 1
Blue-winged Warbler 4

Black-and-white Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 4
Northern Parula 3
Yellow Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 33
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 9
Scarlet Tanager 4
Northern Cardinal 5
Baltimore Oriole 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45515752

The far end of the park also had a lot of singing birds, but not the Louisiana Waterthrush we were hoping for. We stepped outside the gate to spot a previously located red-shouldered hawk nest which was seen well, alas, with no bird in residence.  A turkey vulture, not surprisingly, was the only raptor seen on this drizzly morning.  Chipping sparrows were abundant in this location along with the occasional woodpecker and other resident birds and a smattering of warblers.

Wompatuck SP--Picture Pond, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 10, 2018 9:51 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.232 mile(s)
Comments: A SSBC trip; From Picture Pond we walked to Boundary Pond and also down to the entrance of the path to Holly Pond.
31 species

Turkey Vulture 1
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Blue Jay 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Winter Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 1
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 2
Ovenbird 6
Northern Waterthrush 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Parula 2
Yellow Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 2
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Baltimore Oriole 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Common Grackle 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45518170