Wompatuck State Park April 25, 2013

Eight birders set out in a just-ending rain shower with temperatures hovering below 50 degrees to find what the latest migration had to offer.   Bird calls were infrequent and sightings even less so for the first leg of our journey toward Wildcat Pond along an old railroad bed.  Our luck changed dramatically when a handsome barred owl flushed in front of us and landed overhead affording us fabulous looks from all angles.  Along with some pine warblers and white-breasted nuthatches, our first black-and-white warbler of the season made an appearance.  As we proceeded toward Wildcat Pond, I suggested tongue-in-cheek that we approach stealthily so as not to spook an American bittern.  Evidently we were not stealthy enough, as one soon flushed and circled around the pond so that we could admire his field marks in flight.  After returning to the parking lot, with the entrance gate now open, we drove to the far end of the park and walked to Picture Pond where yellow rumps, palm warblers, and blue-grey gnatcatchers were cavorting in the treetops.  Continuing on to Boundary Pond we admired two pairs of wood ducks swimming at pond's edge.  As we approached the gate leading to Holly Pond, a winter wren tantalized us with his vigorous song, but we were unable to get a visual on it.  A turkey vulture overhead was the consolation prize as our second (much less exciting) raptor of the day.

Sally Avery

34 species total

6 Canada Goose
4 Wood Duck
1 AMERICAN BITTERN
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Herring Gull
1 Mourning Dove
1 Barred Owl
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
9 Eastern Phoebe
2 Blue Jay
1 American Crow
3 Tree Swallow
3 Barn Swallow
7 Black-capped Chickadee
6 Tufted Titmouse
5 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Winter Wren
2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
6 American Robin
1 Northern Mockingbird
3 Black-and-white Warbler
4 Palm Warbler
9 Pine Warbler
6 Yellow-rumped Warbler
2 Eastern Towhee
6 Chipping Sparrow
2 Song Sparrow
3 Northern Cardinal
2 Common Grackle
11Brown-headed Cowbird
2 American Goldfinch

Interior South Shore Localities (Hanson, Pembroke, W. Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Middleboro, and Lakeville) - 3/23/2013

A sunny, breezy, and chilly day greeted the enthusiastic group that came together for the Club's annual early spring outing to some some of the more interesting spring destinations in the heartland of the South Shore.  After meeting in Hanson, our first stop was at Wompatuck Pond where we enjoyed a handsome flock of Common Mergansers gleaming in the morning sun.  These regal, but usually wary, fish-eating waterfowl are always a treat to see.  It won't be much longer before most of them will begin to drift north for the summer.  Though small numbers nest in central and western Massachusetts, overall the species is a decidedly uncommon as a breeder in the Bay State.

Tantalized by our views of Common Mergansers, the group next checked several of the Pembroke "Indian Ponds" - Oldham, Furnace, and Great Sandy Bottom - to see what other waterfowl we could find.  Other than small numbers of the expected diving ducks, the most notable sighting was a rather reticent group of 25 or so Green-winged Teal resting along the edge of a bog pond behind Great Sandy Bottom Pond.

Burrage Pond W.M.A. in Hanson was particularly windy because of its open expanse, but 2 Ospreys squabbling over a fish, as well as a Northern Harrier being buffeted by the wind, made the stop worthwhile nonetheless.  A brief discussion on the mating strategies used by waterfowl during spring migration punctuated our visit to Burrage Pond.

Following a warm up stop for coffee we next made our way to West Meadows W.M.A. in West Bridgewater.  Despite the continued wind, West Meadows produced a 200+ Ring-necked Ducks, including mainly drakes, only underscoring some of our discussion points made at Burrage Pond.  The flooded banks of the Town River along Scotland Street in W. Bridgewater offered some of the best birding of the day, highlighted by a group of 6 Northern Shovelers (always a choice find on the South Shore), a drake "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal among a large flock of nearly 300 Green-winged Teal, and a Common Raven soaring over the nearby Hockomock Swamp.  Club members were reminded that the "Eurasian" Green-wing is a form that has already been "split" in Europe and is likely to someday be split from the Green-winged Teal in North America.  It is suspected that most of the "Eurasian" Green-wings found in the eastern U.S. emanate from breeding grounds in Iceland, not unlike most of our Eurasian Wigeons and Tufted Ducks.  The raven was likely a bird from one of the South Shore cell towers currently hosting nesting ravens these days.

A check of the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro provided distant views of a Rough-legged Hawk - another species that will likely soon be departing for parts north. Notable was an apparent dearth of the usually ubiquitous blackbird flocks in these fields.

Our final stop of the day was at the Lakevile ponds where we were treated to exciting views of 4 adult Bald Eagles that included one pair at their nest along the shore of Assawompsett Pond.  How cool is it to have these big boys back on the landscape as nesting birds?  Arthur Cleveland Bent would be proud.  And if you don't know who A.C.Bent is, by all means Google him!

Today actually represented a rare double-header for the S.S.B.C. because in the evening a robust group of club members (and others?) convened at the South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell to share member's slides and enjoy homemade cookies.  Thanks to everyone who participated in this fine day!

Canada Goose  400
Mute Swan  30
Wood Duck 2
American Wigeon 1
American Black Duck 84
Mallard 140
Northern Pintail 8
Green-winged Teal 300
"Eurasian" Green-winged Teal 1
Ring-necked Duck 300
Greater Scaup 70
Lesser Scaup  8
Bufflehead 38
Common Goldeneye 25
Hooded Merganser 17
Common Merganser 75
Red-breasted Merganser 1 (uncommon inland in spring)
Great Blue Heron 6
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 4 (includes a pair at nest)
Northern Harrier 4
Cooper's Hawk 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 11
Rough-legged Hawk 1 (light morph)
Killdeer 10
Wilson's Snipe 12
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 30
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 2
Common Raven 1 (becoming increasing frequent on the South Shore)
Horned Lark 30 (What subspecies, I wonder?)
Black-capped Chickadee 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 3
American Robin 250+
European Starling X
American Tree Sparrow 5
Savannah Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 10
Dark-eyed Junco 30
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 3000+
Common Grackle 1000+
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
American Goldfince 10
House Sparrow X

Admiring a Bald Eagle nest from afar. Courtesy of Christine Whitebread.

Wayne R. Petersen
Hanson, MA

Scusset Beach area, Bourne - 4/1/2013

This morning I led a Cape Cod/South Shore Bird Club walk at Scusset Beach State Reservation where we saw the continuing Yellow-crowned Night Heron in the drainage ditch, the male King Eider in the carnal east of the fishing pier and one of the Common Ravens across the canal at the power plant being chased by crows. We scanned the Sagamore Bridge from the fishing pier to see if we could spot one of the peregrines but no luck. Unfortunately work will begin on the bridge again in about a week. Not sure how the peregrine pair will do with all the commotion going on. Mink (non-avian highlight!) Brant 42 Mallard 1 King Eider 1 Common Eider 550 Surf Scoter 55 White-winged Scoter 5 Long-tailed Duck 3 Red-breasted Merganser 31 Common Loon 19 Northern Gannet 1 Great Cormorant 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Ring-billed Gull 5 Herring Gull 15 Great Black-backed Gull 16 Mourning Dove 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 1 Blue Jay 7 American Crow 14 Common Raven 1 Horned Lark 8 Black-capped Chickadee 18 Tufted Titmouse 6 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 6 American Robin 28 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 2 Eastern Towhee 3 Song Sparrow 17 White-throated Sparrow 4 Dark-eyed Junco 2 Northern Cardinal 15 Red-winged Blackbird 12 Common Grackle 72 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch 6 Mary Keleher Mashpee, MA

Woodcocks at Squantum Point Park - 3/30/2013

Saturday March 30th 2013 6:30 pm to 8 pm

The Woodcock walk at Squantum Point Park turned out to be a lovely mild evening. Quincy Bay looked like a mirror!
We hoped for a few land birds in the thickets, checked the point for ducks or shorebirds and were surprised with TWO American Oystercatchers. While the light was not ideal for photos, the red bills were glowing in the setting sun!

Unfortunately it was one of those evenings that had the landing planes flying over, the Woodcocks were harder to hear on Saturday than two days earlier. However we all heard some "peenting" and saw two of them briefly in flight.
Thanks to Steven Whitebread for the photos and for the counts.

Here is the list:

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) 1
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 2
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 5
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) 2
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) 2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 70
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 3
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) c.30
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 3
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 300

Christine Whitebread

Plum Island & vicinity - 3/17/2013

The list for today's trip to Plum Island and vicinity. We visited West Newbury, Newburyport, and Gloucester.

G-Gloucester, W-West Newbury, others at Plum Island except where noted. The best bird was not seen on the trip and is not included below-two Sandhill Cranes were seen in Newbury before the trip. They could not be found afterwards.

Canada Goose 575 (200-W)
CACKLING GOOSE 3-W
Mute Swan 7 (4-W)
Wood Duck 4-W (actually before the trip)
Gadwall 33
American Wigeon 15
Black Duck 325
Mallard 117 (50-G, 50-W)
Northern Pintail 71
Green-winged Teal 6 (5-W)
Ring-necked Duck 8-G
Greater Scaup 20-G
KING EIDER 2 ad m-G

Common Eider 75 (50-G)
Surf Scoter 10-G
White-winged Scoter 50 (35-G)
Black Scoter 5
Long-tailed Duck 12
Bufflehead 93 (75-G)
Common Goldeneye 22 (15-G)
Hooded Merganser 9 (1-G, 6-W)
Common Merganser 7-W
Red-breasted Merganser 60 (50-G)
Ruddy Duck 12-G
Common Loon 12 (7-G)
Horned Grebe 18 (6-G)
Red-necked Grebe 3-G
Great Cormorant 8-G
Turkey Vulture 1-W
Bald Eagle 2 (1 ad, 1 5th yr)
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper's Hawk 1-G
Red-shouldered Hawk 1-Ipswich
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Rough-legged Hawk 2 lt
Killdeer 4
Sanderling 9
Purple Sandpiper 19-G

Purple Sandpipers

Dunlin 6
Ring-billed Gull ***-G
Herring Gull ***-G
Iceland Gull 1+ (1W)-G
Glaucous Gull 1 (1 or 2W)-G
Great Black-backed Gull ***-G
Black Guillemot 6-G
Rock Pigeon ***
Mourning Dove 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 1-W
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Horned Lark 2
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 52 (25-G, 25-W)
Northern Mockingbird 2
Starling ***
Cedar Waxwing 9-G
American Tree Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 4
House Finch 3-Newburyport
House Sparrow ***

*Thanks to Liam Waters for these fine images.

Glenn d'Entremont: gdentremont1@comcast.net Stoughton, MA

Upcoming Indoor Program - Member's Night, Photo Share 3/23/2013

Volcano Junco

  Member's Night, Photo Share
  Saturday, March 23, 2013, 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
  South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell
  Join in with expert Bird Photographer Shawn Carey 
  for an evening of sharing digital photos of recent travels 
  or club trips at the South Shore Natural Science Center, 
  98 Jacobs Lane, Norwell.

Collared Redstart 

  *Please note there is a Club trip that day. Folks can easily get to do both if   they want. Details: 

  Interior South Shore Localities
  Saturday, March 23, 2013, 8:00 a.m.
  Wayne Petersen, wpetersen@massaudubon.org
  Shaw's Plaza on Rt 58, near the intersection of Rt 14 in Hanson.  
  Meet to the left of Shaw's, in front of the Dollar Store.
  A search for early spring migrants, including waterfowl, raptors, 
  shorebirds, and early passerines.

Iceland Gull

Photos by Steven Whitebread.

Vin Zollo

Owl Prowl - 3/2/2013

Nine people gathered together at the Cumberland Farm Fields in Halifax and Middleboro late in the afternoon. The trip is run at this time of day because these fields have been a reliable place over the years to observe Short-eared Owls, which can be actively hunting the fields shortly before dusk. In recent years however, sightings have been scarce, possibly in line with a regional decline of this open country species.
No sign of Short-eared Owls this day (3rd year in a row on this trip), but these fields at this time of year have large flocks of mixed blackbirds and several species of waterfowl heading to nighttime roosts. Some of our sharp observers were able to pick out Wood Ducks, Pintails, and Green-winged Teals among the many Am. Black Ducks and Canada Geese flying around at dusk. At least 4 American Woodcocks were heard and seen well.
We heard 2 Great Horned Owls hooting several times at dusk from the south end of the fields along Wood St. This species is often vocal at dusk and then gets quiet for the rest of the night, before starting up again in the early AM hours (3AM- dawn). One of the Great Horned sounded higher pitched (female?), so we figured this was a pair. Great Horned Owls, our earliest nesters, would already be tending to young.

Eastern Screech Owl (gray phase)

We spent a few hours after dark attempting to call in other owls. Weather conditions for owling were close to ideal, with overcast skies, calm winds and temps in the 30sF. Calm winds make for great hearing and overcast skies aid in seeing an owl's silhouette in case it flies in. Eastern Screech Owls are common in this area and we were able to hear 5 and get nice looks at a few (both red and gray phases). Despite covering many areas and many different habitats we could not add any additional species of owls. Other species we had hoped to encounter were Barred and N. Saw-whet Owls, which nest locally but may not be on territory yet, or they could just be silent. "Who" knows?!
*Thanks to Liam Waters for providing these nice pictures.

Canada Goose 300
Wood Duck 10
American Black Duck 300 Conservative number
Mallard 25 Conservative number
Northern Pintail 5
Green-winged Teal 2 Heard only
Great Blue Heron 1
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk 4
Killdeer 2
American Woodcock 4 Calling and displaying, south end of field.
Mourning Dove 4
Eastern Screech-Owl 5
Great Horned Owl 2
American Robin 1
Song Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 5
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 450 Rough estimate
Brown-headed Cowbird 20

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Vin Zollo