It’s not every year the South Shore Bird Club runs an event on Easter Sunday. On major holidays, birding normally takes a back seat to attending religious services, visiting with family, or preparing a special meal. But with all of our usual activities disrupted this year, many members found themselves with some free time to get out and bird.
During this challenging time when it feels like so much of
the human world has been turned upside down, it can be a great comfort to get
outside and see how the natural world continues to move forward at its own
pace. Spring migration will not be postponed this year. Although most concerts
have been cancelled, the dawn chorus will go on as scheduled. And birds will
continue gathering food, establishing territories, building nests, and doing
all of their other “essential” activities.
Pied-billed Grebe by Moe Molander
As early migrants continue to arrive, several new species
were added to our “Social Distancing” list this week. Kathy had a Blue-headed
Vireo in Wompatuck. Lisa reported a Green Heron, Barn Swallows, and Northern
Rough-Winged Swallows in Plymouth. Pete found a Lesser Yellowlegs at Cumbies.
Nate and Beth both had Marsh Wrens. Beth’s recording from Cato’s Ridge is
available here: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/222899291.
Nate also had a Broad-winged Hawk in Falmouth.
Around this time every year, Northern Gannets put on a show
by flying into bays and diving close to shore. The Molanders found more than
expected, with over two hundred taking over Buzzards Bay.
Northern Gannets by Moe Molander
And since it is only mid-April, there were still some
wintering species hanging on this week, such as Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern
Harriers, and a Purple Sandpiper. Other notable sightings this week include Nelson’s
and Seaside Sparrows, seen by Keelin in Eastham. Glossy Ibis were seen by
multiple members at Cumbies and in Plymouth. Kim and Mike saw a Snowy Egret in
Dartmouth. And Glenn heard a Pileated Woodpecker in Wompatuck.
-Brian
The full species list is below:
Species Name
|
Species Count
|
Sample Size
|
Brant
|
8
|
1
|
Canada Goose
|
145
|
19
|
Mute Swan
|
40
|
8
|
Wood Duck
|
15
|
7
|
Blue-winged Teal
|
2
|
1
|
Gadwall
|
4
|
2
|
Mallard
|
42
|
13
|
American Black Duck
|
15
|
7
|
Green-winged Teal
|
9
|
3
|
Ring-necked Duck
|
5
|
2
|
Greater/Lesser Scaup
|
8
|
2
|
Common Eider
|
3
|
1
|
Bufflehead
|
33
|
7
|
Common Goldeneye
|
1
|
1
|
Red-breasted Merganser
|
26
|
2
|
Wild Turkey
|
14
|
7
|
Northern Bobwhite
|
2
|
1
|
Horned Grebe
|
2
|
1
|
Rock Pigeon
|
5
|
1
|
Mourning Dove
|
49
|
21
|
American Coot
|
1
|
1
|
American Oystercatcher
|
6
|
2
|
Killdeer
|
21
|
6
|
Purple Sandpiper
|
1
|
1
|
Wilson’s Snipe
|
22
|
3
|
Greater Yellowlegs
|
15
|
6
|
Lesser Yellowlegs
|
2
|
1
|
Ring-billed Gull
|
24
|
3
|
Herring Gull
|
128
|
12
|
Great Black-backed Gull
|
11
|
4
|
gull sp.
|
35
|
3
|
Northern Gannet
|
240
|
2
|
Great Cormorant
|
1
|
1
|
Double-crested Cormorant
|
111
|
11
|
Great Blue Heron
|
8
|
8
|
Great Egret
|
10
|
4
|
Snowy Egret
|
1
|
1
|
Green Heron
|
1
|
1
|
Black-crowned Night-Heron
|
18
|
2
|
Glossy Ibis
|
5
|
4
|
Black Vulture
|
1
|
1
|
Turkey Vulture
|
26
|
7
|
Osprey
|
33
|
14
|
Northern Harrier
|
3
|
3
|
Cooper’s Hawk
|
1
|
1
|
Bald Eagle
|
5
|
2
|
Red-shouldered Hawk
|
3
|
3
|
Broad-winged Hawk
|
1
|
1
|
Red-tailed Hawk
|
22
|
15
|
Buteo sp.
|
1
|
1
|
Great Horned Owl
|
2
|
1
|
Belted Kingfisher
|
4
|
4
|
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
|
1
|
1
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker
|
35
|
15
|
Downy Woodpecker
|
46
|
16
|
Hairy Woodpecker
|
10
|
7
|
Pileated Woodpecker
|
1
|
1
|
Northern Flicker
|
21
|
15
|
woodpecker sp.
|
3
|
2
|
American Kestrel
|
2
|
2
|
Eastern Phoebe
|
25
|
11
|
Blue-headed Vireo
|
1
|
1
|
Blue Jay
|
60
|
25
|
American Crow
|
81
|
24
|
Fish Crow
|
26
|
11
|
Common Raven
|
6
|
5
|
Black-capped Chickadee
|
122
|
21
|
Tufted Titmouse
|
84
|
17
|
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
|
4
|
2
|
Tree Swallow
|
24
|
10
|
Barn Swallow
|
2
|
1
|
Golden-crowned Kinglet
|
2
|
1
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
|
3
|
3
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch
|
5
|
4
|
White-breasted Nuthatch
|
43
|
15
|
Brown Creeper
|
8
|
2
|
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
|
3
|
2
|
Winter Wren
|
5
|
2
|
Marsh Wren
|
4
|
2
|
Carolina Wren
|
25
|
16
|
European Starling
|
74
|
7
|
Gray Catbird
|
3
|
2
|
Eastern Bluebird
|
1
|
1
|
Hermit Thrush
|
8
|
3
|
American Robin
|
215
|
25
|
House Sparrow
|
23
|
8
|
American Pipit
|
29
|
2
|
House Finch
|
22
|
13
|
American Goldfinch
|
77
|
20
|
Chipping Sparrow
|
32
|
10
|
Field Sparrow
|
4
|
2
|
Dark-eyed Junco
|
13
|
6
|
White-throated Sparrow
|
22
|
11
|
Seaside Sparrow
|
1
|
1
|
Nelson’s Sparrow
|
1
|
1
|
Song Sparrow
|
118
|
24
|
Swamp Sparrow
|
44
|
7
|
Eastern Towhee
|
4
|
3
|
Red-winged Blackbird
|
241
|
19
|
Brown-headed Cowbird
|
41
|
11
|
Common Grackle
|
168
|
16
|
blackbird sp.
|
2
|
1
|
Palm Warbler
|
22
|
4
|
Pine Warbler
|
59
|
11
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler
|
13
|
7
|
Northern Cardinal
|
72
|
25
|
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