Mt Greylock and October Mountain; a Berkshire weekend

Eight Birders from two clubs (BBC and SSBC) joined Glenn d'Entremont for this June weekend with a long tradition.
We spent Saturday morning making our way up Mt. Greylock. Our first stops gave us several great looks at the most 'gaudy' of all the warblers, the Blackburnian Warbler and the first of several Yellow -bellied Sapsuckers - the 'default' Woodpecker in this area. We also listened and glimpsed a few Black-throated Blue  and Chestnut-sided Warblers.

Photo by Steven Whitebread

 At Jones' Nose we admired the deep blue of two singing male Indigo Buntings in the early morning sun, we searched in vain for Mourning Warblers (habitat has changed and vegetation is probably too high now). We then walked part of the Saddleback trail listening to the eerie sounds of Hermit Thrush and enjoying the musical Winter Wren among others.

The campground trail gave us more looks at Blackburnian Warblers and of course the omnipresent Red-Eyed Vireos were challenging to see, but not so difficult to hear! The dainty Foamflowers (Tiarella cordifolia) were in bloom and we gladly stopped to admire them on our way back up the hill.

Near the top we enjoyed our 'lunch with a view', hoping for more raptors than just the odd Turkey Vulture flying below us, before making our way down for a well deserved rest before dinner.
After dinner we stopped at a few wetland areas in Pittsfield, even knocked on  a strangers door and were graciously granted access to a marsh behind their house!

Here is the ebird list for this day on Mout Greylock

Mt. Greylock, Berkshire, Massachusetts, US
Jun 10, 2017 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
15.0 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC/BBC trip, Paul C
52 species

Turkey Vulture  3
Broad-winged Hawk  2
Mourning Dove  3
Black-billed Cuckoo  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  4
Hairy Woodpecker (Eastern)  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Least Flycatcher  2
Eastern Phoebe  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Blue-headed Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  74
Blue Jay  10
Common Raven  2
Tree Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  13
Tufted Titmouse  1
Red-breasted Nuthatch  4
Winter Wren  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet  3
Eastern Bluebird  2
Veery  8
Swainson's Thrush (Olive-backed)  3
Hermit Thrush  4
Wood Thrush  3
American Robin  18
Gray Catbird  2
Cedar Waxwing  9
Ovenbird  40
Black-and-white Warbler  11
Mourning Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  26
Magnolia Warbler  3
Blackburnian Warbler  23
Chestnut-sided Warbler  18
Blackpoll Warbler  2
Black-throated Blue Warbler  21
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  12
Black-throated Green Warbler  8
Canada Warbler  1
Chipping Sparrow  2
Field Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  11
White-throated Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  7
Scarlet Tanager  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  4
Baltimore Oriole  1
Purple Finch (Eastern)  5

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37598065

On Sunday morning we again started bright and early, to look at Cliff Swallows and listen for - and finding! - Alder Flycatcher before making our way up to October Mountain.

We not only looked at Swallows, but also saw some Tiger Swallowtails

Photo by Steven Whitebread

This year we had no luck in finding a Mourning Warbler, and we felt even more unlucky by being disturbed by many Helicopters flying in at Four Corners. It got very hot by 11 AM and the birds took a rest, so we decided to start heading home a bit earlier than usual.
Some of us had a very nice surprise on the way off the mountain as we encountered a female Moose crossing just behind our car! Alas, the view was too brief for a picture.

October Mountain SF, Berkshire, Massachusetts, US
Jun 11, 2017 7:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
14.0 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC/BBC trip, Paul C
49 species

Canada Goose  2     4 young
Great Blue Heron (Blue form)  2
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1     male
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  6
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Alder Flycatcher  6
Eastern Phoebe  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Blue-headed Vireo  4
Red-eyed Vireo  71
Blue Jay  8
American Crow  5
Tree Swallow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Red-breasted Nuthatch  3
Brown Creeper  3
Winter Wren  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  5
Veery  6
Hermit Thrush  1
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  10
Cedar Waxwing  16
Ovenbird  35
Northern Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  11
American Redstart  6
Magnolia Warbler  6
Blackburnian Warbler  8
Yellow Warbler (Northern)  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  14
Black-throated Blue Warbler  7
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  4
Black-throated Green Warbler  7
Canada Warbler  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2
White-throated Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  5
Swamp Sparrow  6
Eastern Towhee  2
Scarlet Tanager  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  14
Purple Finch (Eastern)  3
American Goldfinch  4

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37598082

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

A great time was had by everyone and we look forward to visiting this beautiful and birdy area again next year.

Christine Whitebread

Plymouth Day May 28 2017

Part I of the Plymouth day is the 6 mile round trip walk out to the very tip of Plymouth beach. Sometimes this effort yields some great sights of rarer migrants and newly arrived breeders.

This year our walk coincided with a historical King Tide. The sad evidence were many washed out eggs from Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus)  which had not yet hatched








A few Plovers had gotten down to business early and their chicks had managed to hatch just one day before the astronomical high tide!

Photos by Steven Whitebread

The plovers which had lost their nests were already busy with mating calls and display. The melodious piping was heard all over.

Below are the ebird lists from Plymouth beach and Plymouth Airport

Plymouth Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

May 28, 2017 6:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC/BBC/FMSSF/Paskamansett trip  More terns than last year, but obviously still an issue with predators.  At least one nest of Herring and Great Black-backed.  Few shorebirds as well.  Lovely walk still.
43 species

Brant (Atlantic)  1
Canada Goose  5
Mute Swan  2
Mallard (Northern)  8
Double-crested Cormorant  20
Great Blue Heron (Blue form)  4
Osprey (carolinensis)  3
Black-bellied Plover  5
Piping Plover  23     2 young; recent storm caused high water and nest damage of both plover and Least Tern.  Saw eggs on plover in wet rack and at least one plover displaying as another nesting attempt.
Ruddy Turnstone  2
Sanderling  4
Semipalmated Sandpiper  2
Greater Yellowlegs  1
Willet (Eastern)  8
Laughing Gull  50
Ring-billed Gull  25
Herring Gull (American)  X     1 nest at least; this is not good for the terns
Great Black-backed Gull  X     2 nests, one on the channel marker and one in the colony; not good for the terns
Least Tern  75     widening the road the town limited another section used by Leasts
Common Tern (hirundo)  175
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  X
Mourning Dove  8
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Willow Flycatcher  1
American Crow  4
Fish Crow  2     one high up and coming in from the ocean/bay ??
Horned Lark  3
Tree Swallow  10
Bank Swallow  10
Barn Swallow (American)  5
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  X
Common Yellowthroat  2
Yellow Warbler (Northern)  4
Saltmarsh Sparrow  1     surprised several of us who called it out together-clearly sang once only near the beginning of beach; near a small section of cattail
Song Sparrow  24
Northern Cardinal  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  1
Common Grackle  21
Baltimore Oriole  1
House Finch  6
House Sparrow  X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37253366

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

Plymouth Airport, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

May 28, 2017 12:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments:     SSBC/BBC/FMSSF/Paskamansett trip
34 species

Great Blue Heron (Blue form)  2
Turkey Vulture  6
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Killdeer  1
Upland Sandpiper  2
Mourning Dove  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
American Kestrel  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  4
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  5
Fish Crow  8
Horned Lark  2
Tree Swallow  4
Barn Swallow (American)  1
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  2
Brown Thrasher  3
Northern Mockingbird  2
Ovenbird  3
Common Yellowthroat  2
Pine Warbler  1
Prairie Warbler  3
Grasshopper Sparrow  3
Chipping Sparrow  4
Vesper Sparrow  3
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  1
Eastern Towhee  3
Eastern Meadowlark (Eastern)  6
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
American Goldfinch  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37253372

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

Willow Brook Farm Preserve May 27, 2017

Seven Birders enjoyed their walk through the well maintained Wildlands Trust Property, on this really pleasant morning.
We had hoped for some rarer  Flycatchers moving through, but had no luck on those.
Highlight of our walk were two Barred Owls duetting close to the Tower. They were well heard, but never seen over a period of more than 20 minutes.
Amazing were both the visual on one of three Black-billed Cuckoo and the later audio of two Yellow billed Cuckoos. Impossibly difficult to see were the numerous Blue-winged Warblers which are  a specialty at this property.

Below is the ebird list, click on the link at the bottom to see the ebird entry with the photos

Willow Brook Farm Preserve, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 27, 2017 8:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling  3 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC Trip, temps starting at 54 F ended at 63 F, overcast with some sun
44 species

Canada Goose  2     audio only
Great Blue Heron  3
Cooper's Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  2
Black-billed Cuckoo  3
Barred Owl  2     audio : duetting at 10:30 am!
Chimney Swift  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Eastern Phoebe  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  4
Eastern Kingbird  1
Red-eyed Vireo  6
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Tree Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  13
Tufted Titmouse  11
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Carolina Wren  1
Veery  8
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  10
Ovenbird  7
Northern Waterthrush  2
Blue-winged Warbler  5
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Common Yellowthroat  7
American Redstart  2
Yellow Warbler  6
Pine Warbler  3
Canada Warbler  1
Song Sparrow  1
Swamp Sparrow  2
Eastern Towhee  2
Scarlet Tanager  2
Northern Cardinal  5
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Baltimore Oriole  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37190270

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

Wompatuck State Park, May 25, 2017

A dozen birders braved the pending rainstorm to see what Wompatuck had to offer this morning.  Unfortunately, the promised early gate opening did not happen, so we were forced to start the morning near the Visitors Center for the 5th week in a row.  Heading toward Triphammer Pond we listened for reported Black-billed cuckoos and an Acadian Flycatcher with no success.  We did have one call from a Pileated Woodpecker and saw it flying through the woods briefly, but not well.  A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was singing and making his sneaker squeak calls near the Pond.  Perhaps we saw the same male that a few of us watched guarding a female gathering nesting material in that area on Bird-a-thon day.

Returning to the parking lot, two menfolk thought they heard a Mourning Warbler sing once, but it never repeated its song or showed itself to any of us.  We drove to Boundary Pond in the hopes of hearing an Olive-sided Flycatcher reported yesterday.  One promising sighting turned out to be a "lichen bird" as seen through a spotting scope.

We then headed on foot toward the Aaron River Reservoir from the transfer station parking lot even though the scattered sprinkles were becoming steadier rain.  We found several phoebe nests along the eaves of the building and saw a few individuals sitting on nests or flying nearby.  A nice look at a Veery in a swampy area was probably our biggest reward for that trek.  

Wompatuck has some stunning scenery and everyone enjoyed the outing even if the bird count was on the low side.

Until next year in the big woods!

Sally Avery

Wompatuck SP, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 25, 2017 6:29 AM - 9:47 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments:     A South Shore Bird Club trip.  cloudy skies soon turned to rain spatters and steady rain by 9 am. 
36 species

Canada Goose  4
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Chimney Swift  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1     Audio and brief visual
Eastern Phoebe  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
Eastern Kingbird  1
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  2
Fish Crow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Veery  4
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  2
Ovenbird  6
Black-and-white Warbler  5
Mourning Warbler  1     Two people thought they heard song. No one else saw or heard bird. 
American Redstart  2
Yellow Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  4
Northern Cardinal  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Red-winged Blackbird  3
Common Grackle  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Baltimore Oriole  4
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  3

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37133349

Wompatuck Blitz, May 21 2017

This is the second year in a row we held this brief survey of Wompatuck SP.
SSBC members met at the main parking lot at 6 AM, we split into 4 teams (ideally we would have 6 teams to cover the park). We invited the BBC - Club who also had a walk at the same time to join us but they declined.

After 4 hours of birding in designated sections we all met up for coffee and cake and to create a list.
Everyone agreed it was a fairly slow morning - to our surprise we ended up with 7 more species than last year - where we covered more areas with 5 teams!

Thanks to all who participated in this effort to gather data and have fun

Christine Whitebread

Here are the combined results for the two years:

Date Range	May 21, 2016 - May 27, 2016			May 21, 2017 - May 27, 2017
Locations	Wompatuck SP			Wompatuck SP
Total Number of Species	80			87
Total Number of Checklists	5			4
	21-May			21-May
Number of Species	80			87
Number of Individuals	1,104			893
Number of Checklists	5			4
	2016	2016		2017	2017
	21-May	21-May		21-May	21-May
Species Name	Species Count	Sample Size		Species Count	Sample Size
Canada Goose	4	2		4	2
Wood Duck	1	1		1	1
Mallard	1	1		11	3
Ruffed Grouse	1	1		0	0
Wild Turkey	3	2		2	1
Double-crested Cormorant	8	2		2	2
Great Blue Heron	0	0		1	1
Green Heron	1	1		0	0
Great Egret	0	0		1	1
Snowy Egret	0	0		1	1
Green Heron	0	0		1	1
Cooper's Hawk	0	0		3	2
Red-shouldered Hawk	1	1		1	1
Broad-winged Hawk	2	1		8	3
Red-tailed Hawk	1	1		0	0
Spotted Sandpiper	0	0		1	1
Herring Gull	1	1		2	1
Rock Pigeon	0	0		2	1
Mourning Dove	3	2		12	3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	13	5		3	2
Black-billed Cuckoo	2	2		4	2
Chimney Swift	3	1		0	0
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	1	1		6	2
Red-bellied Woodpecker	9	5		13	4
Downy Woodpecker	4	2		5	3
Hairy Woodpecker	4	2		3	3
Northern Flicker	2	2		4	2
Pileated Woodpecker	2	2		2	2
woodpecker sp.	0	0		2	1
Olive-sided Flycatcher	1	1		0	0
Eastern Wood-Pewee	3	2		6	2
Acadian Flycatcher	0	0		1	1
Least Flycatcher	0	0		2	1
Eastern Phoebe	8	5		8	4
Great Crested Flycatcher	35	5		29	4
Eastern Kingbird	1	1		5	1
Yellow-throated Vireo	3	3		0	0
Warbling Vireo	1	1		6	2
Red-eyed Vireo	24	5		27	4
Blue Jay	20	5		21	4
American Crow	11	3		14	2
Fish Crow	3	3		0	0
Tree Swallow	4	2		2	1
Barn Swallow	0	0		2	1
Black-capped Chickadee	42	5		47	4
Tufted Titmouse	30	5		36	4
Red-breasted Nuthatch	1	1		1	1
White-breasted Nuthatch	12	5		9	4
Brown Creeper	4	2		1	1
House Wren	0	0		2	2
Winter Wren	2	2		3	2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	17	4		14	3
Veery	54	5		22	4
Swainson's Thrush	4	3		6	2
Hermit Thrush	5	2		4	2
Wood Thrush	24	4		6	3
American Robin	34	5		14	4
Gray Catbird	49	5		37	4
European Starling	0	0		1	1
Cedar Waxwing	4	2		8	1
Ovenbird	164	5		95	4
Worm-eating Warbler	2	2		1	1
Northern Waterthrush	9	4		12	4
Blue-winged Warbler	8	3		7	2
Black-and-white Warbler	57	5		29	3
Common Yellowthroat	17	5		24	4
American Redstart	40	5		24	3
Cape May Warbler	1	1		0	0
Northern Parula	6	3		6	3
Magnolia Warbler	3	1		5	3
Blackburnian Warbler	1	1		3	1
Yellow Warbler	14	4		24	4
Chestnut-sided Warbler	2	2		0	0
Blackpoll Warbler	2	2		10	3
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2	2		0	0
Pine Warbler	27	5		15	4
Yellow-rumped Warbler	1	1		2	2
Black-throated Green Warbler	10	2		3	2
Canada Warbler	1	1		8	2
Wilson's Warbler	0	0		1	1
Chipping Sparrow	38	5		40	4
Savannah Sparrow	2	1		0	0
Song Sparrow	7	4		6	3
Lincoln's Sparrow	0	0		1	1
Swamp Sparrow	0	0		2	1
Eastern Towhee	32	5		21	4
Scarlet Tanager	31	4		9	3
Northern Cardinal	40	5		13	4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	3	2		3	1
Indigo Bunting	8	3		8	1
Red-winged Blackbird	32	4		20	3
Common Grackle	14	5		17	3
Brown-headed Cowbird	36	5		9	4
Orchard Oriole	0	0		1	1
Baltimore Oriole	20	5		15	4
House Finch	1	1		13	2
Purple Finch	0	0		1	1
American Goldfinch	10	4		16	4