Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield - 11/10/2012

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary

November 10

8 AM to 12 noon

After a spectacular start viewing at least 10 Evening Grosbeaks feeding in the trees around the caretakers house and the entry garden to the sanctuary, five of us scoured all the trails on the property.  Light winds at 10-15 were cool, tempering the warmth of a brilliant sun at about 45-50 degrees.  Not long after the grosbeaks were spooked by a Cooper's Hawk, a Northern Shrike flew overhead, hovering briefly near us, and landing on the top of a tree near the first blind. The shrike was in juvenile plumage, quite brownish, mask not yet very dark, and belly showing streaking.  We encountered the same bird on our return toward the blind on adjacent fenceposts.  Most of the birds we encountered were at or near the entrance to the sanctuary, in the gardens, and the blind.  Even at noon several new species appeared in the garden, including my first Tree Sparrows of the fall.

38 species total

120	Canada Goose
2	American Black Duck
55	Mallard
9	Green-winged Teal
1	Double-crested Cormorant
1	Northern Harrier
1	Sharp-shinned Hawk
1	Cooper's Hawk
1	Red-tailed Hawk
10	Mourning Dove
2	Red-bellied Woodpecker
3	Downy Woodpecker
1	Hairy Woodpecker
2	Northern Flicker
1	Northern Shrike Juvenile plumage
10	Blue Jay
6	American Crow
5	Black-capped Chickadee
7	Tufted Titmouse
2	White-breasted Nuthatch
2	Carolina Wren
1	Golden-crowned Kinglet
6	Eastern Bluebird Birds seen on wires and bluebird boxes at one time; perhaps 4 more
45	American Robin
4	Northern Mockingbird
5	European Starling
7	Cedar Waxwing
2	American Tree Sparrow
4	Song Sparrow
5	White-throated Sparrow
2	Dark-eyed Junco
4	Northern Cardinal
17	Red-winged Blackbird
5	Brown-headed Cowbird
10	House Finch
5	American Goldfinch
10	Evening Grosbeak Males and females feeding in crabapple and entry garden until spooked by a Cooper's Hawk; at least 5 were seen at the North River Sanctuary the preceding day
5	House Sparrow Sally Avery, leader