Wompatuck State Park, May 26, 2022

Adding a fifth week to our early morning Wompatuck romps proved to be a popular idea.  Thirteen people braved the early morning cold in search of any birds, migrant or not, and lots of camaraderie.  Our route today took us around Triphammer Pond.  Along the way we made a couple of detours in search of a Pileated Woodpecker that was both calling and drumming regularly.  Although it always seemed to be just beyond the next tree, we eventually got fleeting glimpses of one from the other side of the pond, where a second PIWO was calling.  Whether a mated pair or a rival in an adjacent territory, we could not be sure without seeing enough of the birds.  Also along the pond were Eastern Kingbirds, Chimney Swifts swooping over the pond and dipping in, singing Scarlet Tanagers, a couple Baltimore Orioles with nest, and a few resident warblers.  

After returning to the parking lot, half the group headed out to pursue their daily routines and the rest of us stood around unwilling to have the morning end.  While there, a succession of raptors flew by including Broad-winged, Cooper's, and Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Turkey Vulture.  A pair of phoebes entertained us near the Visitor's Center. 

Eastern Phoebe

We were still determined to keep birding, so we headed over to the new Gate 11 area (formerly Gate 9) to search for a Worm-eating Warbler. We entered the woods across the street at Gate 10 and soon began to hear the buzzing of the WEWA.  Altering our route to the lower side of the hill, we followed the trilling until David Ludlow found the bird high in an oak tree where most of us got tortured looks.  It turned out to be the variant with the all-cream-colored head (no striping) that has been seen for the last several years in that area.  

Alas, all good things must come to an end and we reluctantly headed our separate ways around 11 AM.  There seemed to be a real joy in gathering as a group to bird after a couple of years of isolation.  Even though migration was never a strong component of this year's walks, seeing some new faces of birds and people seemed to lift everyone's spirits!

Sally Avery

Wompatuck SP--Triphammer Pond, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

May 26, 2022 6:26 AM - 9:22 AM

Protocol: Traveling

2.7 mile(s)

42 species

Canada Goose  3

Mourning Dove  2

Chimney Swift  3     Skimming low over pond and dipping in for bugs or perhaps water.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1

Common Loon  1     Flyover

Great Egret  1

Turkey Vulture  1

Cooper's Hawk  1

Red-shouldered Hawk  1

Broad-winged Hawk  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  3

Pileated Woodpecker  2

Eastern Wood-Pewee  3

Eastern Phoebe  2

Great Crested Flycatcher  7

Eastern Kingbird  1

Red-eyed Vireo  8

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  4

Black-capped Chickadee  1

Tufted Titmouse  4

Barn Swallow  2

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1

House Wren  1

Gray Catbird  12

Veery  2

American Robin  6

Cedar Waxwing  3

American Goldfinch  4

Chipping Sparrow  6

Song Sparrow  1

Eastern Towhee  1

Baltimore Oriole  2

Red-winged Blackbird  3

Common Grackle  6

Ovenbird  7

Black-and-white Warbler  3

Common Yellowthroat  1

Yellow Warbler  7

Pine Warbler  5

Scarlet Tanager  5

Northern Cardinal  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S111332345

Wompatuck State Park - Gate 10, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

May 26, 2022 9:58 AM - 11:11 AM

Protocol: Traveling

1.039 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:     Sunny warming up to 60’s.

14 species

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Eastern Wood-Pewee  2

Great Crested Flycatcher  3

Black-capped Chickadee  1

Tufted Titmouse  2

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

American Goldfinch  4

Chipping Sparrow  2

Eastern Towhee  2

Ovenbird  2

Worm-eating Warbler  1     Nice look at singing male. No stripes on cream-colored head like a bird ( if not the same male) that has been seen in this area of Wompatuck for last five years.

Blue-winged Warbler  1

Black-and-white Warbler  2

Pine Warbler  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S111332746

Wompatuck walk, April 28th, 2022

 Clad in full winter outerwear, I showed up at the Wompatuck Visitors  center with very low expectations. I had warned potential bird clubbers  that temperatures around 40 degrees, wind gusts up to 40 mph, and low  migration forecasts promised little in the way of bird sightings that  morning. Seven hardy members joined Dick and me anyway for the first  of the spring walks around the park. Thanks to new rules, the gate into  the park is now open 24/7 as are the restrooms greatly expanding our  opportunities for exploring its many great trails.  

Unbeknownst to me, the group saw a red shoulder fly over my head as I  was coming out of the visitor's center. I did see the American crow that  was chasing it, but it was only at the end of the morning that I learned  that the RSHA had been part of the chase.  

We began the walk at the end of the park for a quick jaunt to Picture  Pond in case there was a LOWA (there wasn't); from that parking area  we walked some back trails over to the "lollipop" path and South Park  where early warblers can often be found. We weren't disappointed.  Palms, yellow-rumps, Black and white, ovenbird, pines, and northern  waterthrushes were all singing and four species were seen. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

At a wetland stop along the lollipop where many of our species were  found, Trevor Lloyd Evans told us about the black eyebrow found on a  male BGGN only during the breeding season, a fact new to the rest of 

the group. Since then, I have been looking and have found this field  mark which is often easier to see on photos. As it turns out, Clark  Johnson (who provided all of these photos) got a photo in which it is  somewhat visible.  

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Several winter wrens were singing but not seen along our 4-mile route; I  assured everyone that we were bound to see one along the lollipop stick  on the way back from Holly Pond toward the main road. And, as  predicted, one obliging wren sang lustily from an upended tree stump so  that Clark could get his life view of the bird as well as a photo. 

Winter Wren

My pessimistic outlook about the productiveness of the walk was  unfounded as we counted up our list at the end of the morning. The 40  species we saw under less than ideal conditions made for a very  satisfying morning indeed!  

Sally Avery  

Wompatuck State Park, Hingham US-MA 42.19685, -70.85005, Plymouth,  Massachusetts, US 

Apr 28, 2022 6:26 AM - 10:13 AM 

Protocol: Traveling 

6.766 mile(s) 

Checklist Comments: A SSBC walk. Mileage reflects driving from visitor  center to far end of park birding with windows open as well as a 4- mile walking  loop. Sunny but Below 40 degrees with with wind gusts well over 20mph.  BirdCast showed low migration but we still saw 40 species. 

40 species 

Canada Goose 1 

Wood Duck 1 Heard flying away from Holly pond 

Mallard 1

Wild Turkey 1 

Turkey Vulture 1 

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 

Broad-winged Hawk 1 

Red-tailed Hawk 1 

Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 

Downy Woodpecker 2 

Northern Flicker 1 

Eastern Phoebe 3 

Blue-headed Vireo 1 

Blue Jay 16 

American Crow 3 

Black-capped Chickadee 6 

Tufted Titmouse 7 

Barn Swallow 2 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 Lots of singing birds with only one seen well. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Vocalizing only 

White-breasted Nuthatch 2 

Brown Creeper 1 Vocalizing only 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 

Winter Wren 5 We saw 3 of these birds, two of which were actively singing  and the third was poking around probable nesting sites. Two others were heard  singing near streams along the four mile loop our group walked. Small dark  brown wren-shaped bird with short cocked tail. 

Carolina Wren 1 

Hermit Thrush 4 

American Robin 1 

American Goldfinch 4 

Chipping Sparrow 8 

White-throated Sparrow 1 

Eastern Towhee 1 Audio only 

Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Audio only 

Common Grackle 3 

Ovenbird 1 Audio only 

Northern Waterthrush 1 

Black-and-white Warbler 1 

Palm Warbler 3 

Pine Warbler 13 

Yellow-rumped Warbler 14 

Northern Cardinal 2