Blue Hills June 4th and 5th 2016

The first weekend in June we visited two places in the Blue Hill Reservation. One was a new spot with a new leader, the other has been on our program for many years.

June 4^th Buck Hill, led by Evan Lipton

Evan led his first walk for the SSBC and was joined by six club members. On the way to the start of the trail we saw something on the road which looked a bit like multiple snakes. Just to make sure they were not, we turned back and confirmed they were indeed only pieces of rope. Seeing multiple snakes would have been a lot more exiting!

Having this sorted, we set out up the Hill to the spot where Evan has reliably seen multiple Prairie Warblers and Indigo Buntings. We were in luck and despite the somewhat dreary weather we managed great looks at both target species. With all the fog around, the looks at the scenery was not very spectacular – but on a clear day this would be a great spot with a 360 view!

We continued down and up and around, covering among other places Burnt Hill where we were thrilled with a Brown Creeper carrying nesting material to the tree where he/she/they were obviously building a nest.

The final highlight was tracking down a Worm-eating Warbler, it took some patience, but thanks to Evan knowing where he hangs out we all got good looks

Here are the lists:

Blue Hills Reservation--Buck Hill, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 6:17 AM - 8:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC Buck Hill trip<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
34 species

Wild Turkey 1
Herring Gull 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 First for the hotspot.
Chimney Swift 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Hermit Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 10
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 4
Cedar Waxwing 8
Ovenbird 4
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 3
Chipping Sparrow 6
Field Sparrow 1 Singing.
Eastern Towhee 12
Scarlet Tanager 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 First for the hotspot. Singing on the north edge of the hill.
Indigo Bunting 3
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30069058



Blue Hills Reservation, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 8:11 AM - 10:26 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.5 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
33 species

Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Black-billed Cuckoo 1 Singing; Burnt Hill.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 6
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 4
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 3 Great to see a pair building a nest on Burnt Hill.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 3
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 2
Cedar Waxwing 2
Ovenbird 12
Worm-eating Warbler 1 Good views of singing male; usual spot, south side of Tucker Hill.
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 5
Chipping Sparrow 5
Eastern Towhee 8
Scarlet Tanager 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Singing male on Burnt Hill.
Indigo Bunting 2
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30069041

Blue Hills Reservation--Buck Hill, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 4, 2016 10:26 AM - 10:56 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip. On the way back around the hill in the woods.<br />Submitted from eBird Android 1.2.1
10 species

Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 5
Ovenbird 3
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 30

June 5^th 2016 Fowl Meadow with Patty O’Neill

Patty led her traditional walk to Fowl Meadow once again.  As had been predicted it was drizzly and started to rain in earnest by 10 am. However, in the three hours the four of us spent on the trail we saw 38 species - a respectable number for a single habitat. Fowl Meadows is always a great spot to bird, today we had 7 species of warblers – all breeding here. Most notable were the large numbers of Blue-winged Warblers a real treat to see a female too.

Fowl Meadow, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US
Jun 5, 2016 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: SSBC trip led by Patty ONeill
38 species

Double-crested Cormorant 1
Herring Gull 2
Mourning Dove 7
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 possibly even 3
Black-billed Cuckoo 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Warbling Vireo 9
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 2
House Wren 1
Veery 3
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 11
Cedar Waxwing 3
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush 2
Blue-winged Warbler 8 accurate count, known to be common at this location. Males seen and/or heard singing, Female "just" seen
Black-and-white Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 24
American Redstart 3
Yellow Warbler 26
Song Sparrow 11
Swamp Sparrow 7
Eastern Towhee 5
Northern Cardinal 4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Red-winged Blackbird 28
Common Grackle 17
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 being fed by Yellow Warbler
Baltimore Oriole 4

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30103751

Wompatuck State Park, May 26, 2016

Thirteen birders set out at 6:30 intent on finding a Worm-eating Warbler for our Thursday list.  We met with success across from gate 9, although a few members were unable to see the bird.  We did walk gate 9 but were unsuccessful in hearing or seeing the one reported on that side.  Many other species including a Blackpoll were found; a lustily singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak in a back tier of trees eluded us. From there we headed to the campground and quickly determined that the area was quiet, so we proceeded down the road toward the boat launch area.  At the water's edge one singing Common Yellowthroat multiplied into two Canadas, a Magnolia,a Yellow, and a Redstart while an Osprey flew overhead and a Spotted Sandpiper disappeared around the back side of a sand island.  On the return trip, an Eastern Kingbird repeatedly chased a Broad-winged Hawk.  And then, to cap the day off, a Barred Owl peered down at us from a high branch of a pine tree affording us excellent looks.

Sally Avery

Wompatuck SP, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
May 26, 2016 6:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments:     sunny day rising to 70's; a SSBC trip
52 species

Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Egret  1
Osprey  1
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Herring Gull  1
Mourning Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1     audio only
Barred Owl  1     sitting on branch of tree on road to boat ramp on Aaron River Reservoir
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Eastern Phoebe  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  8
Eastern Kingbird  3
Red-eyed Vireo  15
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  4
Tree Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  9
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Veery  8
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  7
Cedar Waxwing  18
Ovenbird  12
Worm-eating Warbler  1
Northern Waterthrush  2
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  7
Common Yellowthroat  8
American Redstart  10
Magnolia Warbler  1
Yellow Warbler  6
Blackpoll Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Canada Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  7
Song Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  7
Scarlet Tanager  5
Northern Cardinal  5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Baltimore Oriole  12
House Finch  4
American Goldfinch  1

Wompatuck from all directions May 21 2016

Ten members of the SSBC attempted to cover Wompatuck State Park in one morning. Unfortunately, we were just one team short to be able to cover the whole park which had been divided into 6 segments.

After maps were handed out, each team walked or drove to a starting point to maximize the time they could spend in their sector. Four hours and a combined 20 miles later we all met up at the picnic area near S. Pleasant / Union Street (the former Hooded Warbler spot) to compare notes.
 A pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos joined us right there too!

Together we then set off to find some more birds. On the wish lists were species such as the Cape May Warbler or the Worm-eating Warbler which some teams had discovered earlier. Despite some intense listening by 10 avid birders we found neither one of these.

Photo by Linde Eyster

 

However we did find an Ovenbird nest (thanks Sean!). It is truly amazing how rare finding a nest is, considering we noted a combined 164 Ovenbirds seen or heard over the previous 4 hours! Note the different colored eggs, sadly it looks like Cowbirds have also found this particular nest.

Photos by Steven Whitebread

 

Below is the complete list of the 80 species seen.

Species Name	Species Count
Canada Goose	4
Wood Duck	1
Mallard	1
Ruffed Grouse	1
Wild Turkey	3
Double-crested Cormorant	8
Green Heron	1
Red-shouldered Hawk	1
Broad-winged Hawk	2
Red-tailed Hawk	1
Herring Gull	1
Mourning Dove	3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	9
Black-billed Cuckoo	2
Chimney Swift	3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	9
Downy Woodpecker	4
Hairy Woodpecker	4
Northern Flicker	2
Pileated Woodpecker	2
Olive-sided Flycatcher	1
Eastern Wood-Pewee	3
Eastern Phoebe	8
Great Crested Flycatcher	35
Eastern Kingbird	1
Yellow-throated Vireo	3
Warbling Vireo	1
Red-eyed Vireo	24
Blue Jay	20
American Crow	11
Fish Crow	3
Tree Swallow	4
Black-capped Chickadee	42
Tufted Titmouse	30
Red-breasted Nuthatch	1
White-breasted Nuthatch	12
Brown Creeper	4
Winter Wren	2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	17
Veery	54
Swainson's Thrush	2
Hermit Thrush	5
Wood Thrush	24
American Robin	34
Gray Catbird	49
Cedar Waxwing	4
Ovenbird	164
Worm-eating Warbler	2
Northern Waterthrush	9
Blue-winged Warbler	8
Black-and-white Warbler	57
Common Yellowthroat	17
American Redstart	40
Cape May Warbler	1
Northern Parula	6
Magnolia Warbler	3
Blackburnian Warbler	1
Yellow Warbler	14
Chestnut-sided Warbler	2
Blackpoll Warbler	2
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2
Pine Warbler	27
Yellow-rumped Warbler	1
Black-throated Green Warbler	10
Canada Warbler	1
Chipping Sparrow	38
Savannah Sparrow	2
Song Sparrow	7
Eastern Towhee	32
Scarlet Tanager	31
Northern Cardinal	40
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	3
Indigo Bunting	8
Red-winged Blackbird	32
Common Grackle	14
Brown-headed Cowbird	36
Baltimore Oriole	20
House Finch	1
American Goldfinch	10

 

Christine Whitebread