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18 May Bet you haven't seen this! Rehoboth 5/18 [Kathleen ] 18 May Sora, GMNWR, 5/18 [] 18 May Fwd: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 18, 2013 [Kirk Elwell ] 18 May Amherst Lincoln's, Hell's Kitchen sandpipers, etc. [Joshua Rose ] 17 May CT Report 05/17/2013 [Roy Harvey ] 17 May Warblers in our man-made stream in Merrimac [Bob & Bonnie Buxton ] 17 May Essex: Forest Ave. and Stavros Res., May 17, 2013 ["Jim Berry" ] 17 May Ruby Throated Hummingbird - Haverhill [Andy Todzia ] 17 May Great Meadows- Concord ["Joan Chasan" ] 17 May Bird lens announcement [Mardi Dickinson ] 17 May Rattlesnake Hill, Bolton ["jamoos AT earthlink.net" ] 17 May Moose Hill, Sharon and Park School, Brookline [] 17 May Mass Audubon BIRD-A-THON starts at 6 pm this evening! [Wayne Petersen ] 17 May BBC trip to PI, and extensions [] 17 May Snowy Egret with Long Plumes, Hybrid? [Mary Keleher ] 17 May Little Gull, Newburyport [Bird Watchers Supply & Gift ] 17 May Little Gull YES. Joppa Park. 1115am [Justin Lawson ] 17 May Wilson's warbler and friends Riverway [Matt B ] 17 May Piping Plover Nest Update at Parker River NWR & Sandy Point State Reservation - 5/17/13 [Sue McGrath ] 17 May Drumlin Farm [Pamela Sowizral ] 17 May Eelgrass Restoration Project - Volunteers Needed [Sue McGrath ] 17 May West Island Town Beach morning [] 17 May Mt Tom - Worm Eating Warbler [Bill Lafley ] 17 May 5/17 Caspian Terns - PRNWR [John Keeley ] 17 May Fwd: Swallow Tailed Kite in Hatfield [Joshua Rose ] 16 May Plum island Road Re-opened Today [] 16 May Middleton rail trail and Middleton Pond, May 16, 2013 ["Jim Berry" ] 16 May 5/16/13 Mount Auburn Warblers, Triple Wilsons ["Matt S. " ] 16 May CT Report 05/16/2013 Warblers! [Roy Harvey ] 16 May No Car Access to Mt. Holyoke (Skinner) [] 16 May Chuck-will's-widow - Orleans [Mary Keleher ] 17 May Gloucester & Essex May10 -13 [Susan Hedman ] 16 May Nighthawks, Wayland [Bruce Black ] 16 May Forster's Tern May Have Been a 1st Yr. Common Tern [Paul Peterson ] 16 May Re: Kentucky Warbler-Plum Is 5/16 [Kirk Elwell ] 16 May Concord birds [Cole Winstanley ] 16 May RE: Outrageous morning on Gooseberry [Paul Champlin ] 16 May Concord birds [Cole Winstanley ] 16 May Point of Pines Iceland Gull, Forster's Tern; 15 Manx Shearwater further south [Paul Peterson ] 16 May Clay-colored Sparrow at Plum Island, 5/16 [Sam Miller ] 16 May ID help ["Roy Haddock" ] 16 May Working to the Song of the Swainson's Thrush [] 16 May Gypsy moths? [Martin Fox ] 16 May Kentucky Warbler-Plum Is 5/16 [Bird Watchers Supply & Gift ] 16 May Glossy Ibis, Fort Hill, Eastham ["Charlie Thompson" ] 16 May Tennessee warbler - Osterville [Peter Crosson ] 16 May 5/15 Tennessee warbler Houghton Gardens [Matt B ] 16 May Fwd: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 16, 2013 [Kirk Elwell ] 16 May Spotted Sandpiper [Sue McGrath ] 16 May Drumlin Farm - both cuckoos [Pamela Sowizral ] 16 May Parker River NWR road is open [David Larson ] 16 May Outrageous morning on Gooseberry [Paul Champlin ] 16 May Black-billed Cuckoo at Boston Public Garden 5/16 [Tim Factor ] 16 May Bank Swallows/PI [Kirk Elwell ] 16 May Lawrence Peregrines - Chicks!! - Photos ["Craig Gibson" ] 16 May Ruff and Little Gull photos 5/15 Newburyport [David Bernstein ] 15 May location of Hanover St. bridge ["Jim Berry" ] 15 May CT Report 05/15/2013 [Roy Harvey ] 15 May Pike Bridge Road West Newbury - 5/15/13 [Sue McGrath ] 15 May Birds around Concord, May 14, 2013 [David Swain ] 15 May BBC Lynnfield Marsh IBA walk - Virginia rails and Sora [] 15 May Ruff in Rowley (distant pics) [Tom Murray ] 15 May Outer Cape recent highlights - Mississippi Kite, Summer Tanager, etc. [Mark Faherty ] 15 May Photos from Plum island PRWR today ["Lesley Mattuchio" ] 15 May Fw: eBird Report - Franklin Park, May 15, 2013 [Paul Peterson ] 15 May Plum Island - Highlight was Blackburnian Warblers at 10 ft [] 15 May Male Reeve? (i.e., I think it's a Ruff at Pikul's) ["Floyd, Chris" ] 15 May Re: Mt. Auburn Cemetery access [Mark Rosenstein ] 15 May Sharp dressed man [] 15 May Plum Island (Parker River NWR) - 05-15-13 ["David K. Weaver" ] 15 May Blackburnian Warblers, Mt. Auburn ["Scholten, Andrew L" ] 15 May Mt. Auburn Cemetery access [Andrew Barndt ] 15 May Mt. Holyoke--Cerulean Warbler [] 15 May Newburyport Harbor, etc., May 15, 2013 ["Jim Berry" ] 15 May Reeve Yes, Little Gull Yes 5/15 [James Restivo ] 15 May Summary Table of BBC "Extreme" Pelagic Trips [Steve Mirick ] Subject: Bet you haven't seen this! Rehoboth 5/18 From: Kathleen <kab2769 AT ymail.com> Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 09:46:15 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, Sorry to be a tease, and to be tone deaf on this big Bird-a-thon day, but I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a Brown Bat flying around in broad daylight this morning at Shad Factory Pond Dam, Rehoboth. And since I know a bat is not a bird (although it should be an honorary one), here is a picture of a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW chasing the BROWN BAT. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31519389 AT N04/8749880355/in/photostream And here is a clearer shot of the bat: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31519389 AT N04/8749880573/in/photostream Can anyone say whether it is a Little or a Big Brown Bat? And as it doesn't show evidence of White Nose Syndrome, is there any explanation for it to be flying around in broad daylight other than rabies? Other birds seen this morning in the same location: Canada Goose 1 Mute Swan 2 With 6 cygnets. Mallard 3 Male and female foraging below the dam. They flew to the top of the dam, and the drake challenged a Great Blue Heron. The GBH went after it, and the mallard retreated. Double-crested Cormorant 1 Great Blue Heron 3 One fishing and two flyovers. Seen catching fish at the top of the dam, chasing off a drake mallard, then flying up to a tree, where it was harrassed by a Baltimore Oriole. Red-tailed Hawk 1 Being chased and harrassed by Grackles whether flying or perched. Struck repeatedly by grackles as it perched. Spotted Sandpiper 2 Seen flying back and forth under the bridge, and landing and foraging below the dam. Ring-billed Gull 1 Mourning Dove 2 Eastern Kingbird 2 Building a nest in one of the sycamores, and chasing off all comers. Warbling Vireo 1 American Crow 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Seen nest-building under the bridge. Might have seen three. At one point they chased a BROWN BAT that was flying around in broad daylight. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31519389 AT N04/8749880355/ Tree Swallow X Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 American Robin X Gray Catbird 2 European Starling X Cedar Waxwing 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Song Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird X Common Grackle X Orchard Oriole 1 1 male seen clearly. Baltimore Oriole X Kathleen Bartels Rehoboth kab2769 AT ymail.comSubject: Sora, GMNWR, 5/18 From: maurice.gilmore AT comcast.net Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 15:59:04 +0000 (UTC) Lucky, Along the trail to the left at the end of the dike, at the bench, Looking a little right, at 10:15 and again at 10:45, on my way back up to the dike, a Sora was feeding in the open on a small mound of vegetation, across the water, along the base of the reeds. I was able to watch her for at least 5 minutes each time. Probably out there most of that half hour. Pete Gilmore Newton, MA maurice.gilmore AT comcast.netSubject: Fwd: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 18, 2013 From: Kirk Elwell <alieboy2 AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 11:12:34 -0400 My Parker River NWR EBird report for this AM. Warblers were not as bountiful as most would like but lots of other species tucked into out of the way places. I especially went to the South end first because of the tide being high and the potential for Sandpipers and Plovers up foraging on the southwest marsh. Nice to see increasing numbers of Ruddy Turnstones but the 3 White-rumped Sandpipers feeding in the small panne with the Snowy's was a real treat. I especially avoided the crowd at Hellcat. Glad I did since lots of Warblers were in the S curves. A truly wonderful morning to be on the Island. Kirk. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 11:02:26 -0400 (EDT) Subject: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 18, 2013 To: alieboy2 AT gmail.com Parker River NWR, Essex, US-MA May 18, 2013 6:30 AM - 10:00 AM Protocol: Traveling 14.0 mile(s) Comments: From end to end. No HELLcat. 120 species (+1 other taxa) Brant 2 Canada Goose 12 Mute Swan 6 Gadwall 12 American Black Duck 40 Mallard 6 American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1 Green-winged Teal 2 Common Eider 1 Sandy Point Long-tailed Duck 5 Sandy Point Red-breasted Merganser 6 Sandy Point Wild Turkey 12 Common Loon 1 Double-crested Cormorant 40 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 8 Snowy Egret 20 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 4 Northern Harrier 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Bald Eagle 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Virginia Rail 1 Black-bellied Plover 40 Mostly on the southwest marsh Semipalmated Plover 8 Sandy Point Piping Plover 2 Sandy Point Killdeer 12 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Stage Island Pool Solitary Sandpiper 1 Stage Island Pool Greater Yellowlegs 12 Willet 40 Lesser Yellowlegs 4 Ruddy Turnstone 6 On the southwest marsh just north of Cross Farm HIll with BBPLs. Sanderling 12 Beach on ocean side, north of Sandy Point Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 6 White-rumped Sandpiper 3 In a small panne just north of Cross Farm Hill with some Snowy Egrets. Seen very clearly from about 300 feet away. Dunlin 12 With Sanderlings. Bonaparte's Gull 6 At Sandy Point Laughing Gull 1 At Sandy Point. Ring-billed Gull 2 Herring Gull 40 Great Black-backed Gull 5 Least Tern 6 Common Tern 30 Mourning Dove 5 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Singing/calling near the Bill Forward Blind. Black-billed Cuckoo 1 Singing/calling in the S curves just north of the Wardens. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Heard in Hellcat from the roadway north of Goodno Xing Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 American Kestrel 1 Adult male near the North/town marker field Willow Flycatcher 3 Least Flycatcher 4 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 20 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 4 Blue Jay 12 American Crow 20 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Foraging near Stage island. Purple Martin 1 One adult male near Lot 1. Tree Swallow 50 Bank Swallow 4 Over the southwest marsh. Barn Swallow 40 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Brown Creeper 1 House Wren 1 Singing near the Banding station gate. Marsh Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Veery 1 American Robin 20 Gray Catbird 35 Northern Mockingbird 6 Brown Thrasher 4 European Starling 3 Ovenbird 1 Northern Waterthrush 1 Blue-winged Warbler 2 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 Singing in the S curves just north of the Wardens. Nashville Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 20 American Redstart 25 Cape May Warbler 1 Singing male in the S curves just north of the Wardens. Northern Parula 12 Magnolia Warbler 20 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 45 Chestnut-sided Warbler 2 Blackpoll Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 Prairie Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 2 Canada Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 Eastern Towhee 20 Chipping Sparrow 1 Field Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 2 Sandy Point in the beach grass. Seaside Sparrow 1 Singing just north of the Pannes on the west marsh. Song Sparrow 20 Swamp Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 12 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 12 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 10 Bobolink 60 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Common Grackle 30 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Orchard Oriole 1 In the woods on the east sdie of Cross Farm Hill. Baltimore Oriole 8 Purple Finch 4 American Goldfinch 20 House Sparrow 12 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14155054 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/massaudubon/) -- Kirk S Elwell Amesbury, MA alieboy2 AT gmail.comSubject: Amherst Lincoln's, Hell's Kitchen sandpipers, etc. From: Joshua Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 00:30:41 -0400 Hi MassBirders My daughter Tevah, age 9, was ready to leave for school early this morning, so she and I spent a few minutes looking at birds on Jenks Street. I was surprised to see a Lincoln's Sparrow in our neighbors' bushes. Less surprised when I looked in my eBird records and found that my only other yard Lincoln's was May 11-12 of last year. Other yard sightings today included a flyover Belted Kingfisher high over the treetops, calling as it flew, presumably en route between nesting and feeding sites; and an immature male Baltimore Oriole visiting some of my oranges, the first oriole to do so since I moved here almost 4 years ago… This evening I joined Newell Pledger-Shinn and Bee Emily to help them jump-start their list for the MAS Birdathon. As with the Earlham Birding Big Day last weekend, they were doing Birdathon specifically in Franklin County. We started in Turners Falls with a Double-crested Cormorant and Northern Rough-winged Swallow on Barton Cove, and Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos at the Turners Falls Rod & Gun Club. A visit to Hell's Kitchen yielded Least, Spotted, and Solitary Sandpipers, while a Barred Owl was hooting from off toward Satan's Kingdom; maybe the most interesting sighting here, though, was a drake Wood Duck sitting on a log side-by-side with a hen Hooded Merganser, looking for all the world like a couple. Hybridization in the making? As the sun set, Newell and I tried in vain to break our Franklin County marsh bird drought. Through eBird I had identified maybe the best habitat in the county, a marshy pond near Shelburne. We stayed until after dark; as consolation prizes we had fly-by looks at a Kingfisher, an American Woodcock, and a couple of bats. We concluded our group effort with a stop in the Montague Sandplains that was just long enough to hear a Whip-poor-will call. After we split up, I made brief stops at the Mount Toby Friends Meeting and nearby Leverett Pond in Leverett but heard only 4-5 species of frogs, no birds…. Good birding, Josh Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D. Amherst, MA http://bugguide.net/user/view/2399 http://www.facebook.com/opihiSubject: CT Report 05/17/2013 From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey AT snet.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 23:20:47 -0400 From Jamie Meyers, in part via Sara Zagorski: 05/17/13 - Orange, Racebrook Track -- Orange-crowned Warbler near the parking area, about 30 yards down a trail that parallels the road and has a post with a lock on it. From the parking area there is a grassy trail that parallels the state highway. I found the bird very close to the parking area, in a copse of small trees that includes some evergreens just beyond the two posts. The right post has a chain around it but there is no gate to lock. The bird was very low to the ground and feeding quite actively. I tried to get photos but to no avail. I did see it three times between 1:00 and 1:45. From Tom Murray: 05/17/13 - New Haven, East Rock Park -- Summer Tanager at the Giant Steps, right off the road short way up from main road. From John Oshlick: 05/17/13 - New Haven, East Rock Park -- 1 Male Summer Tanager; originally found by 2 birders who's names I don't know and Richard Payne at 10 AM. Tom Murrey and I relocated it at around 11 AM singing on the paved road leading up to the giant steps. It continued to head down hill. From Richard Payne: 05/17/13 - New Haven, East Rock Park -- The Summer Tanager was originally found by Penny Sharp and Lauren Brown, and the three of us saw it around 10 AM (at one point in the same tree with two male Scarlet Tanagers). I also had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo skulking at the top of East Rock, in the woods right where English Dr meets the cliff face. From Scott Besade: 05/17/13 - New London side, Thames River -- 6:00 AM; Peregrine Falcon Southbound Goldstar Bridge. From Tina Green: 05/17/13 - Westport, Burying Hill Beach -- Black Tern flying east. Southport,Southport Beach -- Solitary Sandpiper continues in the creek just north of the beach. From Ed Dettore: 05/17/13 - East Hartford, Cabela's -- 7:30 AM, 1 CATTLE EGRET in the pond. From Mark Szantyr: 05/17/13 - East Hartford, Cabela's Pond -- Cattle Egret continues as of 4 PM. From Paul Cianfaglione: 05/17/13 - East Hartford, Hockanum River Linear Trail -- 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 6 SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 3 AMERICAN PIPIT. From Jo-Anne Roberts: 05/17/13 - Mansfield Center, yard -- White-crowned Sparrow. From Val and Chris Melnikov: 05/17/13 - ?????, Ash Creek Pine Mills Ffld.(next to boat launch) -- Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, m/f Orchard Orioles. From Paul Desjardins: 05/17/13 - Windsor, Northwest Park -- morning; Black Billed Cuckoo, 3 Swainson's Thrushes, Gray Cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush, 19 warbler species including 2 Bay Breasted Warbler, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows and a female BLUE GROSBEAK. The grosbeak was at the north end of the first big field near sign for triassic trail. From Frank Mantlik, with SUNRISE BIRDING group: 05/17/13 - Hamden/New Haven, East Rock Park -- pair Orchard Orioles (copulating). Also flying/calling family of 6 Common Ravens. From Greg Hanisek: 05/17/13 - Bristol, Roberts Field -- TENNESSEE WARBLER, 6 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, 4 BOBOLINKS. From Frank & Linda Mantlik: 05/17/13 - Stratford yard -- 3 adult White-crowned Sparrows feeding on ground under feeder. First time we've ever had more than one. From Peter DeGennaro: 05/17/13 - Naugatuck -- TENNESSEE WARBLER singing in neighbor's yard all morning. From Nick Bonomo: 05/17/13 - Stonington, Stonington Pt -- 4 Common Eider. ????? -- a raft of 50 Common Eider at the mouth of the Thames River. From Patrice Favreau: 05/17/13 - Simsbury, Penwood State Park -- 2 good looks at singing Philadelphia Vireo & a Gray-cheeked Thrush. Also Swainson's Thrush, Winter Wren. From Patrice Favreau: 05/16/13 - South Windsor, Station 43 -- 1 Common Nighthawk around 12:30 PM. From Kevin Finnan: 05/16/13 - Sharon, end of River Road / Appalachian Trail -- WINTER WREN. North Kent, Carter Road at Kent Falls Brook crossing -- ACADIAN FLYCATCHER. Goshen, yard -- COMMON NIGHTHAWK has been around since Monday. ********************************************************************** This CTDailyReport list is sponsored by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA). It is primarily meant to meet the informational needs of the active CT birder. Any other use requires written authorization from the board of directors of the COA. ********************************************************************** Visit the COA web site at http://www.ctbirding.org Reports should be sent to CTBirdReport AT ftml.net. Reports should include sender's name, date, location of sightings and species of note at each location. Reporting Guidelines are available at: http://www.ctbirding.org/ecommittee.htm#reporting To change your subscription options, or unsubscribe, please visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org Archives of these reports may be found at either of these locations: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CTDY.html http://lists.ctbirding.org/pipermail/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org/Subject: Warblers in our man-made stream in Merrimac From: Bob & Bonnie Buxton <bbxt AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 22:21:55 -0400 We've had some nice visitors to our little stream this past week, including Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped and Magnolia Warbler. We were surprised to find a Lincoln's Sparrow taking a bath this week as well! We rarely see them in our yard. The Baltimore Orioles are back in full force this week, and we've enjoyed many visits from Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at the nectar feeder. We usually see a Scarlet Tanager around this time in the stream, so hoping for that this weekend! Happy Spring, Bonnie & Bob Buxton Merrimac, MA bbxt(AT)comcast.netSubject: Essex: Forest Ave. and Stavros Res., May 17, 2013 From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3 AT verizon.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 21:20:09 -0400 > Essex: Forest Ave./Ebben Creek > May 17, 2013 7:10 AM - 10:20 AM > Protocol: Traveling > 1.5 mile(s) > Comments: I birded this mixed-habitat area with two friends by > invitation, as all the land is private. > 40 species (+1 other taxon); partial list: > > Great Egret 1 > Glossy Ibis 3 > Least Flycatcher 1 > Great Crested Flycatcher 3 > Red-eyed Vireo 1 > Brown Creeper 1 > House Wren 4 > Ovenbird 12 > Black-and-white Warbler 4 > Common Yellowthroat 8 > American Redstart 4 > Northern Parula 2 > Magnolia Warbler 5 > Yellow Warbler 2 > Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 > Pine Warbler 2 > Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 > Swamp Sparrow 4 > Scarlet Tanager 2 > Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 > Bobolink 1 > Red-winged Blackbird 25 flushed female off nest with 4 eggs in dry > hayfield > Baltimore Oriole 11 > > View this checklist online at > http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14146495 Essex: Stavros Reservation (TTOR) May 17, 2013 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM Protocol: Traveling 0.5 mile(s) Comments: On my way home I stopped at this TTOR property on Whites Hill (a coastal drumlin) at the beginning of Island Rd., expecting to be there for half an hour max. I stayed for an hour amid a good combination of residents and migrants. The marsh view from the hilltop is getting overgrown but is still excellent. 24 species; partial list: Red-tailed Hawk 1 Warbling Vireo 1 House Wren 1 Common Yellowthroat 7 American Redstart 1 Magnolia Warbler 4 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 this was a nice surprise, consorting with some magnolia warblers in a red-cedar surrounded by brush Northern Cardinal 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 2 Baltimore Oriole 4 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14146588 Jim Berry Ipswich, Mass. jim.berry3 AT verizon.netSubject: Ruby Throated Hummingbird - Haverhill From: Andy Todzia <atodzia AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 21:16:05 -0400 A female Ruby Throated Hummingbird arrived at our backyard feeder a few days ago. Here is a link to a few pics I took today. http://www.andytodzia.com/p1068217888/e5fd6ed82 I hope a male arrives. Last year we had a female and one or two males all summer. I'll continue to experiment with picture taking as long as she stays around. Andy Todzia Haverhill atodzia at comcast.net http://www.AndyTodzia.comSubject: Great Meadows- Concord From: "Joan Chasan" <jec56 AT rcn.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 20:24:49 -0400 I was at great meadows in Concord early Friday morning. Windy and Cold. Seen were a great blue heron, swans, redwing black birds, yellow warblers, Common black throated warbler, swallows, muskrat, red bellied woodpecker and ? A marsh wren was heard. Joan Chasan Framingham MASubject: Bird lens announcement From: Mardi Dickinson <mardi1 AT optonline.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 17:43:34 -0400 Birders et al, Here is a new article I just posted & thought you would be interested in. But it will cost you if you want it. Enjoy! http://kymry.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/announcement-canon-ef-200-400mm-f4l-is-usm-extender-1-4x/ Cheers, Mardi Dickinson Norwalk, CT mardi1 AT optonline.netSubject: Rattlesnake Hill, Bolton From: "jamoos AT earthlink.net" <jamoos@earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 17:41:52 -0400 "My Birds" are in - Ovenbird - 6 Scarlet Tanager - 2 E. Wood Peewee - h only and all on a short dog walk at 11:30! jamoos AT earthlink.net Jane Moosbruker, Ph.D. Bolton MA 01740Subject: Moose Hill, Sharon and Park School, Brookline From: brianrfg AT aol.com Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 08:56:52 -0400 (EDT) Hi,
This morning (5:20-5:40) while driving oh-so-slowly along Moose Hill Road, I
heard 15 wood warblers (Worm-eating Warbler by far the most interesting), Least
Flycatcher, 2 Swainson's Thrushes, Pileated Woodpecker. At Park School
(8:10-8:35), there were lots of warblers of fourteen species in the trees by
the after school building, across campus from the main entrance and academic
buildings. These included Cape May and Kentucky (which was singing on the
ground).
Good luck to all you MAS bird-a-thonners.
Brian Cassie, Foxboro
Subject: Mass Audubon BIRD-A-THON starts at 6 pm this evening!From: Wayne Petersen <wpetersen AT massaudubon.org> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 14:38:02 +0000 Mass Audubon is on the eve of celebrating its 30th annual spring Bird-a-thon. Beginning at 6 pm this evening, Bird-a-thon is one of Mass Audubon's most important fundraising events of the year. Literally hundreds of birders of all ages and degrees of experience will be combing local shorelines, marshes, fields, and woodlands in a quest to find as many bird species as possible in the 24-hours between 6 pm this evening and 6 pm tomorrow. With support from an even greater number of generous sponsors, individual birders and birding teams will be raising money for conservation based upon the number of different species located with the 24-hour Bird-a-thon period. Knowing that many Massbirders will be participating in this traditional rite of spring, on behalf of Mass Audubon I wish to extend to all the best of luck in finding lots of birds tonight and tomorrow, but also offer sincere thanks in advance for your efforts in whatever way you may be participating. The weather is lining up nicely to potentially produce some spectacular birding conditions for the Bird-a-thon, so I anticipate hearing about some exciting birding experiences once the event is over. Finally, readers are reminded that it is not too late to participate in this most enjoyable birding event. You are welcome to go birding tomorrow and raise money for the Mass Audubon sanctuary or program of your choice, and as a sponsor you still have plenty of time to make a pledge in support of an individual birder or birding team. For more information and complete details about how to participate in the Bird-a-thon visit http://www.massaudubon.org/birdathon/ Wayne R. Petersen, Director Massachusetts Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program Mass Audubon 208 South Great Road Lincoln, MA 01773 (781) 259-2178 Protecting the Nature of MassachusettsSubject: BBC trip to PI, and extensions From: dave.williams6 AT gmail.com Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 13:55:04 -0400 The BBC trip to PI this morning was very enjoyable. Lots of birds. The trip was extended to Newburyport Harbor for the Little gull (successful) and to Pikuls Pans for the Reeve (unsuccessful). Highlights include: Plum Island Chimney swift - 3 Ruby-throated hummingbird - 1 Least flycatcher - 1 Phoebe - 1 Blue-headed vireo - 1 Warbling vireo - 1 Red-eyed vireo - 1 Brown thrasher - 5 Ovenbird - 1 Black-and-white warbler - 3 Nashville warbler - 2 Common yellowthroat - 6 Am. Redstart - 5 Parula - 3 Magnolia warbler - 2 Blackburnian warbler - 3 Yellow warbler - 19 Chestnut-sided warbler - 1 Black-throated blue - 2 Yellow-rumped - 1 Black-throated green - 2 Wilson's warbler - 1 White-crowned sparrow - 1 Bobolink - 22 Purple finch - 1 Brant - 3 Newburyport Harbor Long-tailed duck - 37. Newburyport Harbor Black-bellied plover - 11 Newburyport Harbor Dunlin - 55. Newburyport Harbor Short-billed do witches - Newburyport Harbor Little gull - 1 Newburyport Harbor Reeve - 1. Pikul's Pans Least sandpiper - 5. Pikul's pans Wilson's phalarope - 2. Pikul's Pans Dave Williams Reading, MA Sent from my iPadSubject: Snowy Egret with Long Plumes, Hybrid? From: Mary Keleher <maryeak AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 10:23:59 -0700 (PDT) I wasn't sure what to make of this Snowy Egret that had 2 long plumes. I wondered if it could be a Little x Snowy Egret. Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/26056276 AT N07/ Mary Keleher, Mashpee, MASubject: Little Gull, Newburyport From: Bird Watchers Supply & Gift <birdwsg AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 15:52:42 +0000 (UTC) Karsten Hartel called the store at 11:35 to report that the Little gull seen most of this week is still in Newburyport Harbor. He and Dave Williams spotted the gull in the river by the Newburyport Yacht Club. Barrett Bacall Steve Grinley Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift Route 1 Traffic Circle Newburyport, MA 01950 Birdwsg AT comcast.net 978-462-0775 On Consignment: Swarovski ST80HD Scope, Pentax PF80EDA Scope.Subject: Little Gull YES. Joppa Park. 1115am From: Justin Lawson <justindlawson AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 11:40:00 -0400 Bird was seen actively feeding and observed by about 8 people. Giving great looks. Justin Lawson Millbury Ma justindlawson AT gmail.com My Wildlife Photos/Videos www.creakyfloorstudios.com/wildlife www.flickr.com/photos/justinlawsonSubject: Wilson's warbler and friends Riverway From: Matt B <mattbirding AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 11:13:47 -0400 I birded Riverway in Boston this morning and turned up a life Wilsosn's warbler on one of the islands. Today's ebird list is below, but also a chestnut-sided turned up yesterday along with some of the more usual suspects Canada Goose X Mallard X Red-tailed Hawk 1 Chimney Swift X Warbling Vireo 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Veery 1 American Robin X Gray Catbird 1 European Starling X American Redstart 1 auditory only "tse tse tse-o" Northern Parula 2 auditory visual Blackpoll Warbler 1 auditory then visual ID Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 visual Black-throated Green Warbler 1 auditory Wilson's Warbler 1 auditory visual Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird X Common Grackle X Baltimore Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow XSubject: Piping Plover Nest Update at Parker River NWR & Sandy Point State Reservation - 5/17/13 From: Sue McGrath <newburyportbirders AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 10:44:11 -0400 Birders, I've had several emails asking me about the nesting status of Piping Plovers on Plum Island. The Refuge biology staff's numbers are below. Piping Plover update: Refuge Beach: 13 nests & total of 15 pairs of birds Sandy Point State Reservation: 2 nests Best Wishes, Sue Sue McGrath Newburyport Birders Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify Newburyport, MA www.newburyportbirders.comSubject: Drumlin Farm From: Pamela Sowizral <psowizral AT massaudubon.org> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 14:11:43 +0000 On my way into the Drumlin Farm Nature Center this morning I could hear a lot of activity near the adjacent gift shop. A quick scan turned up black-billed cuckoo, magnolia, black-throated blue, yellow-rumps, and northern parula. Could have been more species but I needed to get to work. Pam Sowizral Mass Audubon - Drumlin Farm LincolnSubject: Eelgrass Restoration Project - Volunteers Needed From: Sue McGrath <newburyportbirders AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 10:19:15 -0400 Birders, Nancy Pau, a biologist at Parker River NWR, is seeking 2 people for the morning of Friday, May 24, to help with an eelgrass restoration project. They're working with the University of New Hampshire and other partners on this exciting, pilot research to see if it's possible to restore eelgrass which has been been extirpated since the 1980's in the Plum Island Sound. They're looking for 2 volunteers to tie eelgrass plants to a PVC frame from 9:00 am to noon. These frames will then be dropped by boat at suitable locations in The Sound. The researchers mentioned that the task is best suited for people with small hands. In any case, it'll be a repetitive task, so patience and attention to detail are probably good traits as well. Every blade of eelgrass is a small, food factory. Diatoms, bacteria, decaying plant and animal matter gather on eelgrass leaves. This detritus provides food for many invertebrates. It's these invertebrates that make eelgrass beds such rich feeding areas for fish and marine birds. If you're interested, please email Nancy directly at: Nancy_Pau AT fws.gov Best wishes, Sue Sue McGrath Newburyport Birders Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify Newburyport, MA www.newburyportbirders.comSubject: West Island Town Beach morning From: lbarteau AT comcast.net Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 13:35:56 +0000 (UTC) A quick walk around Fairhaven Town Beach at 7 am today: Summer birds are here 7 common terns 3 pairs of willets calling loudly, flying, landing in the marsh (looking for nest sites?) 10 tree swallows at ankle level up and down the beach (picking off insects in the seaweed wash-up 2 yellow warblers darting out of edge shrubs 1 eastern towhee singing at the top of an oak tree (I heard yellowthroats singing but did not see them ) 12 sanderlings poking around in the seaweed wash-up on the shore 2 piping plovers near their enclosure (cage is up meaning eggs are laid) and a sunbathing gray seal on a rock I talked to a neighbor who has had breeding oystercatchers on his small western shore rocky beach for the last 3 years. He says no sign of the oystercatchers at his site yet this year. Louise Barteau West IslandSubject: Mt Tom - Worm Eating Warbler From: Bill Lafley <blafley AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 07:42:43 -0400 Hello, Yesterday while passing through Holyoke I stopped at Mt Tom Reservation and the gate on the Route 141 entrance was closed for road construction so folks were parking at the bottom and walking the road. Don't know if it is closed on the weekends also. There was a singing Worm-eating Warbler on the right not too far in and a Swainson's Thrush on the road and a Winter Wren singing a bit farther up the road. Did not walk too far up because there was lots of noise from the construction crew. Bill Lafley New Salem blafley AT gmail.comSubject: 5/17 Caspian Terns - PRNWR From: John Keeley <kestrel2009 AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 07:34:35 -0400 Suzanne Sullivan just called and said she had 3 Caspians at Stage Island (Plum Island) at 7:30a. They were flying north. -- John Keeley Wilmington, MA kestrel2009 AT gmail.comSubject: Fwd: Swallow Tailed Kite in Hatfield From: Joshua Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 00:32:07 -0400 MassBirders - the below message was distributed this evening via the Hampshire Bird Club's e-mail RBA. Thought it seemed worth sharing with the group. JSR Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D. Amherst, MA http://bugguide.net/user/view/2399 http://www.facebook.com/opihi Begin forwarded message: > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Swallow Tailed Kite in Hatfield > Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 19:26:27 -0400 > From: CarolSubject: Plum island Road Re-opened Today From: ERUTMAN AT aol.com Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 23:38:24 -0400 (EDT) I just learned from Steve Grinley that the road to Sandy Point has been re-opened as of today. Eileen Rutman Springfield, MASubject: Middleton rail trail and Middleton Pond, May 16, 2013 From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3 AT verizon.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 23:30:41 -0400 > Middleton rail trail > May 16, 2013 8:30 AM - 10:10 AM > Protocol: Traveling > 1.0 mile(s) > Comments: I birded two places in Middleton today; this was the first. > The rail trail parallels Essex St. > 31 species; partial list: > > Wood Duck 5 > Chimney Swift 2 > Great Crested Flycatcher 4 > Eastern Kingbird 2 > Yellow-throated Vireo 2 finally heard a couple > Warbling Vireo 6 one carried material to a fully outlined nest, > perhaps half complete > Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 > Swainson's Thrush 1 > Wood Thrush 1 > Common Yellowthroat 11 > Yellow Warbler 2 > Song Sparrow 7 > Swamp Sparrow 4 > Northern Cardinal 2 > Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 > Baltimore Oriole 8 one female carried nest material > > View this checklist online at > http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14134714 Middleton Pond, Essex, US-MA May 16, 2013 10:25 AM - 12:15 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) Comments: This "pond" is a mile-long lake that is the town's water supply. It is surrounded on most sides by town conservation land: mixed forest and a fairly new beaver swamp. There is a powerline at the western end to which I extended my walk. 40 species; partial list: Great Blue Heron 19 I counted 19 nests in this new colony, with perhaps an average of one bird per nest seen. Chimney Swift 10 Northern Flicker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 This is one arrival I am always pleased to hear. Great Crested Flycatcher 4 one (of a pair) carried nest material Red-eyed Vireo 2 Brown Creeper 1 Eastern Bluebird 3 Wood Thrush 3 Ovenbird 5 Common Yellowthroat 2 Blackburnian Warbler 1 female Yellow Warbler 1 Pine Warbler 3 Prairie Warbler 2 on the powerline, needless to say Eastern Towhee 4 on the powerline Scarlet Tanager 4 singing males Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 singing males Indigo Bunting 2 on the powerline; singing males Baltimore Oriole 9 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14134873 Jim Berry Ipswich, Mass. jim.berry3 AT verizon.netSubject: 5/16/13 Mount Auburn Warblers, Triple Wilsons From: "Matt S. " <accipiter22 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 23:03:50 -0400 Great trip today, ended up sticking around the various lakes/ponds at the Cemetery and was rewarded. Started by Willow pond, the place is rife with Orioles, someone said they had found a nest by the willow trees, but I couldn't find it. Gnatcatchers are still there, as were a few redstarts, one of which was particularly tame and posed for some photos. Headed over to the dell and saw a BTB Warb. as well as more redstarts, and a BTG Warb. It was actually a bit quiet there today. Headed over to Auburn lake last, heard Wilsons were there earlier. What I wasn't expecting was a BTB, several more redstarts, and THREE Wilsons. I think that matches my previous total for the last 3 years on them. They were hanging out with a Common Yellowthroat, and all of them were posing for photos at intervals. Tried to get a group shot, failed miserably. But still, what a treat. The BTB was serenading us the whole time as well, which was nice. Good trip! That's all for now Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Middlesex, US-MA May 16, 2013 11:15 AM - 2:00 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) 32 species Mallard 2 Green Heron 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Warbling Vireo 2 American Crow 2 Tree Swallow 2 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Robin 75 Gray Catbird 2 European Starling 1 Black-and-white Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 1 American Redstart 8 Northern Parula 1 Yellow Warbler 2 Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 4 Black-throated Green Warbler 2 Wilson's Warbler 3 Group by the far 1/2 of Auburn lake, if you're facing the bridge, looking towards the back of it, on the left. There were 3 of them, moving closely with a common yellow throat, and a black-throated blue nearby as well! Chipping Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Common Grackle 5 Baltimore Oriole 8 House Sparrow 1 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14140560 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) Matt Sabourin Brighton, MASubject: CT Report 05/16/2013 Warblers! From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey AT snet.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 22:02:40 -0400 Note: What may not be obvious from the limited list of birds included in the daily report is that there were lots of warblers all (or almost all) over CT today, but of course most of them were more common species. From Glenn Williams: 05/16/13 - Mystic yard -- early morning; 2 BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, late RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, two late PURPLE FINCH. From Dave Provencher: 05/16/13 - Norwich yard -- Cape May Warbler sang once as it moved through backyard early Thursday morning. From Tina Green: 05/16/13 - Fairfield, Birdcraft -- 2 Hooded Warbler. From Kathy Van Der Aue: 05/16/13 - Fairfield, Birdcraft -- Banding; the place was jumping! Hooded Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Wilson's Warbler. From Lynn Jones: 05/16/13 - Stratford Yard -- 7:30 to 8:00 AM; Blackburnian Warbler. From Bill Asteriades: 05/16/13 - Glastonbury, Old Maids Lane near Nayaug School -- 1 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, 2 male BOBOLINKS and 2 COMMON RAVEN. Riverfront Park -- 1 male WILSON'S WARBLER and 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. From Lorraine Gundersen, Lesley Weissman-Cook: 05/16/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- Blackburnian Warbler. From Frank Mantlik w/ Scott K and Charlie B: 05/16/13 - Stratford, Wooster Park (Freeman) -- 3 Bay-breasted Warblers, 2 Blackburnian Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 1 or 2 Swainson's Thrush. Community Garden on Connors Ln -- Wilson's Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow, 6-7 Bobolinks ( with Scott Kruitbosch). From Tom Murray: 05/16/13 - Kent(?), North Kent Rd -- Hooded Warbler. From Mark Scott with Dori Sosensky, Richard Payne, Kerry [sp.?] Conrad, Richard Prum, Sol Satin and many observers: 05/16/13 - New Haven/Hamden, East Rock Park, in variety of spots, including Giant Steps, river path, Trowbridge Drive -- 20 warbler species, including Tennessee Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson's Warbler. Also Gray-cheeked Thrush, Acadian flycatcher, White-crowned Sparrow. From Paul Carrier: 05/16/13 - Cornwall(?), Cornwall River Rd north -- 19 Warbler Species. Best was a Wilson's Warbler seen and singing across the river. Also 5 Vireo species incl a Philadelphia Vireo. On the way back to Harwinton -- 8 Bobolink in field, a dead Swainson's Thrush in the road, and the bird of the day was an OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER in big open wet area on Creamery Hill Rd in Cornwall. From Roy Harvey: 05/16/13 - Naugatuck, Naugatuck State Forest, from Hunters Mountain Rd -- 5:55 AM to 12:55 PM; 2 Blackburnian Warblers, several Hooded Warblers, 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 1 Brown Thrasher. From Kathy Van Der Aue: 05/16/13 - Southport, yard -- For the second day in a row we have a Brown Thrasher at the feeder. They used to nest in the tangles under our Forsythia bushes but I haven't seen them in some years. They are birds of "Special Concern" here in Connecticut, so it's really nice to have one, if only for a day or two. From Nick Bonomo: 05/16/13 - East Hartford, Cabela's -- 4 UPLAND SANDPIPER, BROWN THRASHER, 10 GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, 3 EASTERN MEADOWLARK all behind the fences. Glastonbury, Old Maids Ln -- 3 BROWN THRASHER, COMMON RAVEN, ORCHARD ORIOLE. Portland, Wangunk Meadows -- SOLITARY SANDPIPER, LINCOLN'S SPARROW. Portland, Rte 17A south of meadows -- BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. From Greg Hanisek: 05/16/13 - Watertown, Artillery Road -- 9 BLACK VULTURES, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, 2 HOODED WARBLERS. From Angela Dimmitt: 05/16/13 - New Milford -- Cliff Swallows back at Boardman's Bridge on Route 7. From Sara Zagorski: 05/16/13 - West Hartford, Rt 44 powelines -- Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow-billed cuckoo was a nice surprise, as was a Philadelphia Vireo. From Russ Smiley: 05/16/13 - Glastonbury, Meshomasic State Forest -- Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson's Warbler. From David Keller 05/16/13 - Trumbull, Old Mine Park by the pond at the parking lot -- pair of CLIFF SWALLOWS, apparently nesting. From Mike DiGiorgio: 05/16/13 - Madison -- A walk down Northern Summer Hill Road in Madison, CT produced the following birds this morning about 8:00 AM; drumming Ruffed Grouse, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black Vultures. From Bob MacDonnell: 05/16/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- what looks like a hybrid Little Blue x Tri-colored Heron this morning in the Meig's Point pond. Overall, more mottled looking than LBH with white feathers in the under wing, very long two-tone bill and dull yellowish legs. It landed near 2 LBHs and then was chased away by one of them. Also, on Willard's Island, Blackburnian Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Swainson's Thrush. From Mark Szantyr: 05/16/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- I saw a bird that is possibly the bird Bob saw this morning and it is certainly one of the hybrid Tricolored X Little Blue Herons, now returning for the third year. This bird looks roughly like a little blue but has a slightly muted pale stripe down the throat and ventral surface of the neck, all dark underparts with contrasting white thighs. The bird spent all 1.5 hours i observed it in the pools and marsh east of the Nature Center. Again, these birds represent the first documentation anywhere of this hybrid combination and it is incredibly fortunate to have documented the plumage changes and transitions in their first three years. This is the good stuff! (Later, after reviewing photos by Bob, "I am not sure if this is the same bird i had this evening.") From Jack Swatt: 05/15/13 - Wolcott yard -- Wednesday at dusk, an AMERICAN WOODCOCK displaying in the neighborhood. 05/16/13 - 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW foraging beneath my feeders all morning long. ********************************************************************** This CTDailyReport list is sponsored by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA). It is primarily meant to meet the informational needs of the active CT birder. Any other use requires written authorization from the board of directors of the COA. ********************************************************************** Visit the COA web site at http://www.ctbirding.org Reports should be sent to CTBirdReport AT ftml.net. Reports should include sender's name, date, location of sightings and species of note at each location. Reporting Guidelines are available at: http://www.ctbirding.org/ecommittee.htm#reporting To change your subscription options, or unsubscribe, please visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org Archives of these reports may be found at either of these locations: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CTDY.html http://lists.ctbirding.org/pipermail/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org/Subject: No Car Access to Mt. Holyoke (Skinner) From: ERUTMAN AT aol.com Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 21:35:36 -0400 (EDT) I spoke to DCR staff today who confirmed that access to Mt. Holyoke will be off limits to cars through at least mid-June due to road construction. People can still hike to the summit which has been the most reliable spot to see Cerulean Warbler in the past few years. I was told that the heavy equipment used to restore the Summit house damaged the road, culverts and edges which are difficult to restore. Eileen Rutman Springfield, MASubject: Chuck-will's-widow - Orleans From: Mary Keleher <maryeak AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:16:30 -0700 (PDT) Keelin Miller, Ashley Keleher & I heard the Chuck-will's-widow calling from Pochet Island in Orleans at about 8:00pm this evening. Mary Keleher Mashpee, MASubject: Gloucester & Essex May10 -13 From: Susan Hedman <winterwren2 AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 01:09:55 +0000 (UTC) Catching up on my checklists. Nothing unusual, but happy to see/hear each new arrival. Susan Hedman, Gloucester "I believe in God, only I spell it Nature." Frank Lloyd Wright Magnolia Woods-W.Gloucester, Essex, US-MA May 13, 2013 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) Comments:Walked on wooded trails to the far end of M.Woods and further, came back through the center,spent time at the wetland and a short jaunt across the street into Ravenswood. 51 species (+1 other taxa) Canada Goose 20 Wood Duck 1 Mallard X Little Blue Heron 1 Glossy Ibis 1 Accipiter sp. 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Herring Gull X Mourning Dove X Chimney Swift 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 4 Eastern Kingbird 1 Blue Jay 4 American Crow X Fish Crow 15 a flock of 15 crows together- with fish crow vocalization-also heard A. Crows there too Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 Tree Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 10 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 House Wren 1 Carolina Wren 1 Eastern Bluebird 4 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin X Gray Catbird 5 Brown Thrasher 1 European Starling X Ovenbird 6 Black-and-white Warbler 3 Common Yellowthroat 1 Northern Parula 2 Yellow Warbler 2 Pine Warbler 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 4 Savannah Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 4 White-throated Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird X Common Grackle X Brown-headed Cowbird X Baltimore Oriole 1 House Finch X American Goldfinch X --------------------------------------- Essex MA, Essex, US-MA May 12, 2013 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) Comments: stopped at shea brothers rt 133 and Island Rd in Essex after delivering kayak in Rowley 10 species (+1 other taxa) Glossy Ibis 5 Turkey Vulture 2 Osprey 1 Greater Yellowlegs 5 Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Least Sandpiper 4 American Crow X Bobolink 1 Red-winged Blackbird X Eastern Meadowlark 1 Common Grackle X --------------------------------------- Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary & Dog Bar, Essex, US-MA May 11, 2013 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) Comments; stayed home with Strep throat- afternoon walk around EP 43 species American Black Duck X Mallard X Common Eider X Northern Gannet 1 Double-crested Cormorant 12 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Killdeer 1 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 4 Laughing Gull 2 Herring Gull X Mourning Dove X Chimney Swift X Downy Woodpecker X Blue Jay 4 American Crow X Fish Crow X Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8 Tree Swallow 8 Barn Swallow 8 Black-capped Chickadee X Tufted Titmouse X White-breasted Nuthatch X House Wren 2 Carolina Wren 2 American Robin X Gray Catbird 10 Northern Mockingbird 4 European Starling X Black-and-white Warbler 1 Nashville Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 1 Song Sparrow X Northern Cardinal X Red-winged Blackbird X Common Grackle X Brown-headed Cowbird X Baltimore Oriole 1 House Finch X American Goldfinch X --------------------------------------- Bond St. Gloucester 01930, Essex, US-MA May 10, 2013 6:00 PM Protocol: Incidental Comments: Friday evening saw first male hummingbird arrive at feeder- have seen daily since and a female two white-crowned sparrows have been in my yard for May 11-16 4 species Chimney Swift 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 House Wren 2 White-crowned Sparrow 2Subject: Nighthawks, Wayland From: Bruce Black <bruce AT wellpsych.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 20:18:13 -0400 4 Nighthawks flying over Heard Farm this evening. Plus uncountable dozens of Bobolinks, abundant Yellow Warblers, a few B. Orioles, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Bruce Black & Mary BroganSubject: Forster's Tern May Have Been a 1st Yr. Common Tern From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 14:08:48 -0700 (PDT) Hi, I knew I should have looked at the library's Sibley first! Now that I have looked at it, I can't say with certainty that the bird eye saw had a completely isolated black ear patch or not. Nor can I say whether it had a dark carpal area on wing or not. Also, I can't say that the bill on the bird was bigger than the surrounding birds' bills. Paul Peterson petersonpaul63 AT yahoo.com BostonSubject: Re: Kentucky Warbler-Plum Is 5/16 From: Kirk Elwell <alieboy2 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 19:09:46 -0400 Well, I tried for Steve's Kentucky but struck out. Alas no Bay-breasted either but I did hear and see the C. Raven and forgot to include it to my list. Thanks to Steve. On 5/16/13, Bird Watchers Supply & GiftSubject: Concord birds From: Cole Winstanley <crw2998 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:54:25 -0400 Birders: I had two personal foy species in Estabrook Woods in Concord this afternoon - Purple finch (singing) and a Solitary Sandpiper. Also present were two Bank Swallows and a handful of Red-eyed Vireos. Very quite otherwise, with no Eastern Wood-Pewees, which were my target bird. On a different note, on Sunday I birded the Massport trails at Hanscom AFB, and saw 59+ species including a backcross hybrid Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler. I encourage anyone who birds this area (excellent for warblers!) to pay attention to the Blue-winged Warblers and try to get documentation of any unusual birds. Maybe we'll find more hybrids or even pairs between hybrids and pure Blue-wings! Estabrook list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14136804 Hanscom list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14092066 Photos of the hybrid: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrine_falcon/8732316361/ Cole Winstanley Concord, MA crw2998 AT gmail.comSubject: RE: Outrageous morning on Gooseberry From: Paul Champlin <skua99 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:35:53 -0400 Pant, pant, pant... Had to catch my breath. This morning was the best spring birding I've done so far this year, and certainly the best Southcoast spring birding I've experienced yet. Those who think the Southcoast is a black hole for spring migrants just haven't been timing it right (yours truly included!). Radar images of nocturnal migrants in the air seem to predict Gooseberry Neck (Westport, MA) migration pretty well. Two nights ago, there were lots of birds in the air over Long Island and exiting New Jersey, but the east fork of Long Island had few to no migrants over it. As had been the case during all of spring migration so far, Gooseberry was rather dead after that kind of pattern (yesterday). On the other hand, last night was consistent with the handful of better migration events for Gooseberry this spring, in that the eastern fork of Long Island was shrouded in radar echos, and radar returns showed many birds well off the New Jersey coast. Sure enough, we saw waves of migrants bunch up on the north end of Gooseberry and take off north over the gap between the island and the mainland, and birds arrived throughout the morning. Birding predawn to 1pm provided a fantastic window into this astounding migration event. I separately listed the species actually seen migrating and those seen on the island but not in migration. Matt Milan, Dan Zimberland, Bev King, Dan Logan, and I tallied these species, mostly from standing in one spot all morning... 70ish species, 60ish from almost a single spot... okay, 20 yards X 20 yards square). There were certainly more, though we did manage to identify approximately 60 to 70 percent of the birds that crossed (that we could see - there were certainly many stratospherical birds that we never saw nor heard). 50+ Common Loon 30+ Red-throated Loon 2 Great Cormorant (had just yesterday mentioned that I hadn't had any migrate past this spring) Double-crested Cormorant 10 Northern Gannet (all young birds) 8 White-winged Scoter 9 Black Scoter 12 Surf Scoter 2 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Merlin 1 American Golden Plover 7 Least Sandpiper 6 Chimney Swift 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Eastern Wood Peewee 7 Great Crested Flycatcher 6 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Purple Martin (female; 4th migrant in 3 days) 1 Bank Swallow 6 Tree Swallows 10 Barn Swallows 3 Red-breased Nuthatch 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Catharus Thrush sp. (prob. Gray-cheek; early flyover) 1 Northern Mockingbird (migrant) WARBLERS 10 Nothern Parula 3 Nashville 6 Yellow (migrants, many more residents) 30+ Magnolia (predominant migrant for the day, some nearly hitting us) 1 Black-throated Blue (female) 2 Blackburnian Warbler 20 Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Prairie Warbler (heard sing twice near the tower) 1 Bay-breasted Warbler (singing male) 6 Blackpoll Warbler (one female, and one male with very greenish wings) 3 Black and White Warbler 8 American Redstart 2 Northern Waterthrush (one seen migrating, one singing near towers) 1 Kentucky Warbler (made a dash below waist level, and into thicket; very long undertail coverts, plain green back, entirely yellow underside) Common Yellowthroat (none actually seen migrating, but new females on the island; many new males on territory) 1 Wilson's Warbler (remained near trailhead, below foot-level, and singing for much of the morning... still there when I left at 1pm)) 1 Canada Warbler (unidentified warbler flew out and photos proved it to be a Canada) 3 Scarlet Tanager (2 males and a female; very close views in bushes, below eye level) [Indigo Bunting] heard migrating overhead but never seen (3?) 1 Savannah Sparrow 16 Baltimore Oriole (only 3 males noted, one in what could be considered sufficient bling) 1 Orchard Oriole (second year male) 1 Pine Siskin (Perhaps we saw this bird headed south last fall!) Birds not seen migrating Mallard Common Eider 2 Piping Plover 4 American Oystercatcher 6 Willet Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Common Tern Least Tern Mourning Dove Rock Pigeon Gray Catbird European Starling Rose-breasted Grosbeak (singing male at south end of island) Eastern Towhee (not nearly as many as prev. days(!) so they were migrants) 2 White-throated Sparrow 3 White-crowned Sparrow Song Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird American Goldfinch As far as I can tell, this is a relatively newly discovered phenomenon. Figuring out the mechanics here is going to be interesting and fun. I've had 4 Kentucky Warblers this spring already, three on Gooseberry. I have a few ideas about the timing and trends based on this spring so far. I sure will be interesting to see what happens when migration REALLY gets underway (heh heh). Paul Champlin Westport, MA > Subject: [MASSBIRD] Outrageous morning on Gooseberry > From: skua99 AT hotmail.com > Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 10:11:43 -0400 > To: massbird AT world.std.com > > At least 17 warbler species incl. Kentucky, Bay-breast, Canada, at least 20 Magnolias > Y-t Vireo (eye level), Scarlet Tan (eye level), 15+ Baltimore Orioles... > > Siskin, 3 R-b Nuthatches... Head's still spinning. More to report later (still on island). > > Paul Chanplin > Westport, MA > > Sent from my iPhoneSubject: Concord birds From: Cole Winstanley <crw2998 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:54:25 -0400 Birders: I had two personal foy species in Estabrook Woods in Concord this afternoon - Purple finch (singing) and a Solitary Sandpiper. Also present were two Bank Swallows and a handful of Red-eyed Vireos. Very quite otherwise, with no Eastern Wood-Pewees, which were my target bird. On a different note, on Sunday I birded the Massport trails at Hanscom AFB, and saw 59+ species including a backcross hybrid Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler. I encourage anyone who birds this area (excellent for warblers!) to pay attention to the Blue-winged Warblers and try to get documentation of any unusual birds. Maybe we'll find more hybrids or even pairs between hybrids and pure Blue-wings! Estabrook list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14136804 Hanscom list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14092066 Photos of the hybrid: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrine_falcon/8732316361/ Cole Winstanley Concord, MA crw2998 AT gmail.comSubject: Point of Pines Iceland Gull, Forster's Tern; 15 Manx Shearwater further south From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 12:44:38 -0700 (PDT) Hi, I walked the length of Revere Beach including near the breakwater today from 11:25 a.m.-2:00 p.m. My reward came at the end at end of my trip at Point of Pines, for that's where the immature Iceland Gull, Forster's Tern, Laughing Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, two Piping Plover, the Bank Swallow, and one hundred plus Common Tern greeted my arrival. I had perfect timint too; for if I had arrived ten minutes later, I would have missed all the terns and the Bonaparte's Gull. They all took off to forage out in the ocean just as most of the mudflats had been covered by the incoming tide. Manx Shearwater 15-six roost pink bldg.; nine roosting bit north Egret sp. 1 flying over the water Brant 11 P.O.P. Common Eider 17 breakwater area White-winged Scoter 100 + too far out, too much glare Turkey Vulture 1 Piping Plover 5-one s. exclosure, two middle of beach, two P.O.P. Spotted Sandpiper 2-breakwater area Ruddy Turnstone-1 breakwatwer area Least Sandpiper 2 Forster's Tern 1 roosting at tip with the commons Common Tern 126-Wow! ICELAND GULL 1 imm. near the tip of P.O.P. Laughing Gull 1 ad.-P.O.P. Bonaparte's Gull 1 roosting with the terns Bank Swallow 1 P.O.P. Paul Peterson petersonpaul63 AT yahoo.com BostonSubject: Clay-colored Sparrow at Plum Island, 5/16 From: Sam Miller <sam.miller AT us.ibm.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:05:03 -0400 The only addition I can make to Steve's additions to Kirk's list is a cooperative Clay-colored Sparrow, in handsome breeding plumage, at the Warden's (maintenance shed area) on Plum Island, around 1:00. Back around the dirt pile, out in the open feeding on, pretty sure, dandelion seeds, yum, when not approached too closely. Also, two handsome White-crowned Sparrows near the sheds. Sam Miller Acton, MA sam.miller AT us.ibm.com 978-899-2560 ____________________________________________________ Need an answer? Go to Asset Management Support Resources Asset Management Community on SMC | Real Estate and Facilities Management on SMC | Process Automation on SMCSubject: ID help From: "Roy Haddock" <haddiewon AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 16:33:45 -0400 http://www.flickr.com/photos/74104618 AT N08/ While at Plum Island today, I photographed what I believe is an immature male Baltimore Oriole, but I am not sure. Your help would be appreciated. Roy Haddock Bradford Ma.Subject: Working to the Song of the Swainson's Thrush From: stevensimpson AT comcast.net Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 20:05:28 +0000 (UTC) At Boston College, where I work, we've had a Swainson's Thrush behind the building since Tuesday. Today, it's warm enough to have the windows open and the Swainson's has been singing all day long. Beats the hell out of anything on iTunes. Steven A. Simpson www.gallerysimpson.com http://paintnature.blogspot.com/Subject: Gypsy moths? From: Martin Fox <martinfox1234 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 15:15:22 -0400 As i write this, millions of small leaf fragments are swirling in the air, and falling on my back porch like snow. Could this be a gypsy moth infestation year? And, if so, will it have any effects (positive/negative) on our reaident bird populations? Martin Fox MansfieldSubject: Kentucky Warbler-Plum Is 5/16 From: Bird Watchers Supply & Gift <birdwsg AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 18:44:24 +0000 (UTC) The only additions that I can make to Kirk's fine list of birds at the PRNWR on Plum Island this morning: Raven, being chased by crows over the Pines Trail Bay-Breasted Warbler, Pines Trail - thanks to Sherrill Pierce Kentucky Warbler, heard and seen briefly before it disappeared, left side of small clearing along Marsh Trail after first intersection of Marsh Loop. Steve Grinley Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift Route 1 Traffic Circle Newburyport, MA 01950 Birdwsg AT comcast.net 978-462-0775 On Consignment: Swarovski ST80HD Scope, Pentax PF80EDA Scope.Subject: Glossy Ibis, Fort Hill, Eastham From: "Charlie Thompson" <cot AT cape.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 15:03:10 -0400 Mid morning 5/16/13 a single Glossy Ibis flew into the little pond in the main field at Fort Hill in Eastham. It stayed for about 5 minutes and then flew out heading north. Charlie & Susan Thompson South Orleans, MA cot AT cape.comSubject: Tennessee warbler - Osterville From: Peter Crosson <pcrosson AT emeraldphysicians.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 12:55:41 -0400 Hi all, I had a loudly and repetitively singing Tennessee Warbler perched on a large oak right above my car this morning. I was able to get pretty good looks. This was a new Yard Bird for me, joining a redstart I had yesterday. Also singing in our yard were a black-throated green Warbler and a great crested flycatcher. Peter Crosson Osterville, Mass.Subject: 5/15 Tennessee warbler Houghton Gardens From: Matt B <mattbirding AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 13:12:19 -0400 I birded Houghton Gardens in Newton yesterday morning and found a fair number of warblers, including a life Tennessee warbler. I thought I also heard a Nashville warbler but after listening to recordings at home I actually wonder if it was a second Tennessee. I'm still trying to figure that one out. Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Blue Jay 1 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 10 Gray Catbird 3 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 auditory only Nashville Warbler ? Auditory need confirmation. Common Yellowthroat 1 auditory only American Redstart 1 Northern Parula 3 auditory only Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 auditory only Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 Northern Cardinal 2 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Baltimore Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 5 Matt Bakker Newton, MASubject: Fwd: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 16, 2013 From: Kirk Elwell <alieboy2 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 13:33:03 -0400 My EBird Report for this AM. Great morning to be on the island. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 13:31:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: eBird Report - Parker River NWR, May 16, 2013 To: alieboy2 AT gmail.com Parker River NWR, Essex, US-MA May 16, 2013 7:00 AM - 10:30 AM Protocol: Traveling 15.0 mile(s) Comments: From end to end with detours. 107 species Canada Goose 8 Mute Swan 4 Gadwall 6 American Black Duck 20 Mallard 8 Green-winged Teal 2 Wild Turkey 8 Double-crested Cormorant 6 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 5 Snowy Egret 7 Turkey Vulture 2 Osprey 3 Northern Harrier 2 Adult male and female. Bald Eagle 1 Adult sitting on the dike near the north pool. Red-tailed Hawk 1 Resident immature bird. Virginia Rail 1 Black-bellied Plover 4 Marsh north of Stage Island Semipalmated Plover 12 At Sandy Point. Piping Plover 2 At Sandy Point. Killdeer 8 Greater Yellowlegs 12 Willet 40 Lesser Yellowlegs 3 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Near Emerson Rocks. Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 At Sandy Point. Least Sandpiper 1 Bonaparte's Gull 8 Sandy Point Ring-billed Gull 6 Herring Gull 50 Great Black-backed Gull 6 Least Tern 4 Common Tern 60 Mourning Dove 3 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Eastern Whip-poor-will 1 Singing & seen at HellCat. Chimney Swift 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker 4 American Kestrel 1 Willow Flycatcher 2 Least Flycatcher 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 12 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Warbling Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 3 Blue Jay 6 American Crow 12 Tree Swallow 50 Bank Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 4 Black-capped Chickadee 8 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Brown Creeper 1 House Wren 1 Marsh Wren 6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Veery 2 Swainson's Thrush 1 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 20 Gray Catbird 12 Northern Mockingbird 4 Brown Thrasher 7 European Starling 4 Ovenbird 4 Northern Waterthrush 3 Blue-winged Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 12 Nashville Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 20 American Redstart 40 Northern Parula 9 Magnolia Warbler 20 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 20 Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 Black-throated Blue Warbler 20 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Prairie Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 15 Canada Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 Eastern Towhee 20 Chipping Sparrow 1 Field Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 2 Seaside Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 20 Swamp Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 12 White-crowned Sparrow 1 Scarlet Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2 Bobolink 40 Red-winged Blackbird 45 Common Grackle 25 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Baltimore Oriole 4 Purple Finch 6 American Goldfinch 4 House Sparrow 3 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14133886 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/massaudubon/) -- Kirk S Elwell Amesbury, MA alieboy2 AT gmail.comSubject: Spotted Sandpiper From: Sue McGrath <newburyportbirders AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 10:58:29 -0400 Birders, Spotted Sandpipers (Actitis macularia) I'll fondly remember. In Greek, Actitis means "coast dweller", and in Latin, macularlia means "possessing a spot or mark". This is the appropriate name for a small shorebird, only 7-8 inches from head to bobbing-tail, which weighs just less than two ounces. Luckily, I was sheltered and wearing clothing designed for wicking, shedding and repelling water. The Spotteds, in their own way, were too with their efficient feathers layered one over the other like shingles on a roof. These birds lacked umbrellas or a shield from that raw wind in which they rested and would spend the night on a cold, solid substrate that was harder and grayer than the heavy, dark sky. We all recognize their 15 inch wingspan and a flight that's weak and stiff. I'd be arthritic in gait and cadence too after resting for a portion of the night on a rock in the middle of the swiftly flowing river. The tide would put them in flight again in a matter of four to six hours. These freshwater breeders are found across most of the United States and Canada. Spotted Sandpipers are not social birds and are seldom seen in flocks. Pete Dunne's "Essential Field Guide Companion" states that they migrate in flocks of fewer than a dozen individuals. I've watched their teetering accelerate when they're unsettled and nearly stop when they're content. When they forage, they're recognized by the endless nodding and teetering. They are visual feeders and can catch a flying insect. It's the Spotted Sandpipers' life history that interests me. Were these a group of females on a journey to establish and defend breeding territories by arriving earlier than the males? In other species of migratory birds, it is the males who establish territories by arriving earlier. The Spotted Sandpiper females are nearly 25% larger than males. Spotted Sandpipers are ground nesters. Females may copulate with up to 5 mates, but they leave the job of incubation and chick rearing to the males. Males incubate a maximum of 4 eggs for up to three weeks, and the young fledge in 17-21 days. By having multiple mates, a female is able to boost her reproductive efforts. The female may store seminal fluid for nearly a month. That means that the eggs she lays for one male may be sired by another from a previous mating. The male provides the parental care, and it is possible that those young have none of his genetic material. Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye's text states "Spotted Sandpipers thus forgo the advantages of having two parents to care for eggs and chicks. At least in the study population, however, that does not seem to affect the fledge rate greatly, and the Spotted Sandpipers' reproductive strategy seems to be highly successful." The text also says that Spotted Sandpipers breed at an early age, live a relatively short time (breeding females live an average of only 3.7 years). The Spotted Sandpipers rested and then moved on for the procurement of the next generation. The season's insects hatch out to nourish them, and the days shorten; fall migration begins in July. I'll be watching for the polyandrous females, the nurturing males and this season's fledglings as they linger to forage for insects and aquatic invertebrates along many shores, building their fat stores to fuel their journey to Chile, Argentina or Uruguay. Good birding, Sue Sue McGrath Newburyport Birders Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify Newburyport, MA www.newburyportbirders.comSubject: Drumlin Farm - both cuckoos From: Pamela Sowizral <psowizral AT massaudubon.org> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 14:54:50 +0000 Nice morning at Drumlin Farm. A pair of yellow-billed cuckoos outside the Nature Center and a black-billed cuckoo at wooded island by the compost piles in Boyce Field. Five warbler species including magnolia and FOY blue-winged warbler. Seven least sandpipers in Boyce Field. Lots of Baltimore orioles. Now up to 22 bobolinks. 42 species total. Pam Sowizral Mass Audubon - Drumlin Farm Lincoln Canada Goose 18 Wild Turkey 7 Green Heron 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Killdeer 5 Least Sandpiper 7 Mourning Dove 13 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Black-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Eastern Kingbird 5 Blue Jay 8 American Crow 2 Tree Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 5 Black-capped Chickadee 6 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 House Wren 1 Eastern Bluebird 9 Wood Thrush 1 American Robin 12 Gray Catbird 14 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 4 Blue-winged Warbler 1 American Redstart 1 Magnolia Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Chipping Sparrow 9 Savannah Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 16 White-throated Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 3 Bobolink 22 Red-winged Blackbird 15 Common Grackle 12 Baltimore Oriole 8 House Sparrow 2Subject: Parker River NWR road is open From: David Larson <dlarson AT massaudubon.org> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:54 +0000 The press release just went out. The road is now finished and the entire refuge road is now open. Congratulations to the PRNWR staff and contractors for finishing ahead of time! -- David M. Larson, Ph.D. Education and Science Coordinator Joppa Flats Education Center Mass Audubon Newburyport, MA 978-462-9998 Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts Please donate to Bird-a-thon 2013 at https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/david-m-larson/bird-a-thon-2013Subject: Outrageous morning on Gooseberry From: Paul Champlin <skua99 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 10:11:43 -0400 At least 17 warbler species incl. Kentucky, Bay-breast, Canada, at least 20 Magnolias Y-t Vireo (eye level), Scarlet Tan (eye level), 15+ Baltimore Orioles... Siskin, 3 R-b Nuthatches... Head's still spinning. More to report later (still on island). Paul Chanplin Westport, MA Sent from my iPhoneSubject: Black-billed Cuckoo at Boston Public Garden 5/16 From: Tim Factor <tef617 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 09:56:18 -0400 A Black-billed Cuckoo was seen and heard on three separate occasions in the Public Garden this morning. A FOE (First of Ever) bird for me personally both in the Garden and in Boston. Otherwise lots of turnover overnight, as the radar promised. FOY for the Garden were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, "Traill's" Flycatcher. Not firsts but notable were multiple Least Flycatchers, male and female Blackburnian Warblers, a Wilson's Warbler that's likely the same bird present since the weekend. The oddest new arrival was a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - odd because of the lateness of its arrival (although April migrants sometimes linger to early May) and because it was in full juvenile plumage, looking like what one might expect to see in July in the Berkshires, not in May in Boston. There is at least one chick now visible in the Red-tail Hawk nest on the Arlington Street Church (on the ledge under the East-facing clock). Eggs were laid April 1, hatched roughly May 6, but today was the first day that I've been able to see a fuzzy white noggin peeking over the edge of the nest. This is the fourth year that the hawks have nested here, or more accurately the fourth year that this female has nested here. The male is on his second year; the previous two didn't live to the end of nesting season (the first collided with a truck, the next year's was found dying with what Animal Rescue League said was abdominal puncture wounds consistent with an animal attack). Tim Factor tef617 AT gmail.com BostonSubject: Bank Swallows/PI From: Kirk Elwell <alieboy2 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 08:09:26 -0400 There is a "colony" of Bank Swallows at Sandy Point. In the exposed soil escarpment that faces SSE. At the upper left corner of the exposed soil area. 10+/- active burrows. Pick a rock, sit down and enjoy the show. Kirk. Kirk S Elwell, Amesbury, Ma. alieboy2 AT gmail.comSubject: Lawrence Peregrines - Chicks!! - Photos From: "Craig Gibson" <cbgibson AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 07:44:42 -0400 The Lawrence Peregrine pair moved their nest this year just prior to laying eggs. They returned to an alternate nest location that has been used in prior years. The nest is in a very tight space inside a window corner in an old mill building. Looks like 4 chicks are hatched and they are feeding and growing each day! Last year 4 eggs were laid but only 2 hatched. For those with an interest photos are posted: Adult pair with Starling: http://www.pbase.com/birdshots/image/150226501 Chicks: http://www.pbase.com/birdshots/image/150226502 Enjoy, Craig Gibson Winchester, MA cbgibson AT comcast.net www.lawrenceperegrines.comSubject: Ruff and Little Gull photos 5/15 Newburyport From: David Bernstein <davidbbernstein AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 00:46:48 -0400 Hi guys, As you are all probably aware by now, the Ruff and Little Gull were both seen again today (5/15). Dave Pettee and I ventured to Rowley and found the Ruff in the pans around 8:15am without difficulty. The bird did have a tendency to hide behind the phragmites every now and then for extended periods of time, but always seemed to return. We then went to search for the Little Gull at Joppa Park and got on the bird fairly quickly. Both birds were lifers for me, so it was a pretty great day despite dipping on the Phalaropes (which also would have been a lifer for me). I have posted some horrible documentation shots of both the Little Gull and the Ruff on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbbernstein/sets/72157633491246841/detail/ There is one shot the Little Gull in the water right next to a Bonaparte's and right in front of a Ring-billed/Herring - so you get a great size comparison. I hope everyone gets a chance to see these awesome birds while they last! Best, Dave Bernstein West Rox davidbbernstein at gmailSubject: location of Hanover St. bridge From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3 AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 23:04:42 -0400 Sorry, I didn't pinpoint the location of said bridge. Hanover St. is in Newbury, and runs between 1A and 1. It is the street that goes left from 1A where Rolfe's Lane goes right toward PI. The west end is at the new traffic light on rt. 1 just south of the new RR bridge. This is the street that the famous Newbury "Round School" is on. So from rt. 1, go east on Hanover St. a hundred yards or so to the small bridge over a creek. From 1A, go west on Hanover about a mile to the same bridge. The cliff swallows will be flying around near the bridge, under which they presumably still nest. Jim Berry Ipswich, Mass. jim.berry3 AT verizon.netSubject: CT Report 05/15/2013 From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey AT snet.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 22:27:13 -0400 From Greg Hanisek: 05/15/13 - Waterbury, neighborhood -- BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 2 TENNESSE WARBLERS. From Kathy Van Der Aue: 05/15/13 - Fairfield, Birdcraft -- Cape May Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Swainson's Thrush. From John Oshlick: 05/15/13 - New Haven, East Rock Park, Trowbridge -- 1 Cape May Warbler, 2 Bay-breasted Warbler, 1 Wilson's Warbler. From Fran and Tom Holloway: 05/15/13 - Middletown, Guida Farm -- 9:00; two HOODED WARBLERS, one seen singing. Durham, Fair Grounds -- 9:30; several BOBOLINK at southern corner of meadows, near the small white utility building. From Roy Harvey: 05/15/13 - Derby, Osbornedale State Park -- Tennessee Warbler on the Kestrel Trail (adjacent to Kellog Center parking). Solitary Sandpiper (upper pond across from museum). Swainson's Thrush (Picket's Pond side). From Tom Murray: 05/15/13 - Fairfield, Mohegan Lake -- Wilson's Warbler. From Steve Spector: 05/15/13 - Milford, Milford Point -- White-rumped Sandpiper. From Paul Desjardins: 05/15/13 - ?????, Cedar Hill -- Swainson's Thrush. From Jim Carr: 05/15/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- 7:30 AM; 2 Northern Shovelers on Swan Pond. From Mark Scott: 05/15/13 - West Haven, Center Street, someone's front yard -- White-crowned Sparrow. New Haven / Hamden, East Rock Park -- Swainson's Thrush. From Tina Green: 05/15/13 - Westport, Maplegrove Ave, private residence -- 4:49 PM; Wilson's Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow. Southport, Southport Beach, in the creek on the north side -- 1 Solitary Sandpiper. From Jonah Cohen: 05/15/13 - Kent, River Rd -- a few Cliff Swallows were under the bridge on Rte 341. From Vanessa Caccamise: 05/15/13 - Westport, Newman Pose Reserve -- Wilson's Warbler. From Brenda Inskeep: 05/15/13 - Stamford, Shippan neighborhood -- Common Nighthawk flew out of a tree while I was out on a walk just before dusk. From John Pfitzner: 05/15/13 - Clinton Yard -- Late afternoon; White-crowned Sparrow. Madison, Hammonasset Beach State Park -- pair of Northern Shovelers were still present, late afternoon. From Charlotte Matthews: 05/15/13 - Housatonic River between Stratford and Milford (Devon) -- 7:30 PM; 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons below Washington Bridge between Stratford and Devon on Islands in Housatonic River. Seen from residence on Housatonic Avenue at 7:30 PM after they flew in. From Steve Broker with NHBC field trip: 05/15/13 - River Road, Kent -- 8:35 AM to 1:35 PM; Black Vulture, Solitary Sandpiper, Common Raven, Cliff Swallow, Winter Wren, Swainson’s Thrush,Tennessee Warbler, Hooded Warbler (2 heard in close proximity; the more vocal one heard for an extended period from well up in a tulip-poplar, but not seen) Cerulean Warbler (total of two males and one female), Blackburnian Warbler. From Paul Cianfaglione: 05/14/13 - Bloomfield, Reservoir #2 Recreation Area (behind Seabury Retirement) -- 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, 2 EASTERN MEADOWLARK, 20+ BOBOLINK. From Angela Dimmitt: 05/15/13 - Milford, Gaylordsville yard -- Hooded Warbler back on usual territory. ********************************************************************** This CTDailyReport list is sponsored by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA). It is primarily meant to meet the informational needs of the active CT birder. Any other use requires written authorization from the board of directors of the COA. ********************************************************************** Visit the COA web site at http://www.ctbirding.org Reports should be sent to CTBirdReport AT ftml.net. Reports should include sender's name, date, location of sightings and species of note at each location. Reporting Guidelines are available at: http://www.ctbirding.org/ecommittee.htm#reporting To change your subscription options, or unsubscribe, please visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org Archives of these reports may be found at either of these locations: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CTDY.html http://lists.ctbirding.org/pipermail/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org/Subject: Pike Bridge Road West Newbury - 5/15/13 From: Sue McGrath <newburyportbirders AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 21:29:42 -0400 Birders, Tonight, I led the third in the series of Wednesday Evenings in Wild West Newbury. My group was well prepared for a shower and we did have just a brief one. We were greeted by a Black-billed Cuckoo vocalizing near the parking area. We heard a rhythmic & fast series of two to five notes all the same pitch, with a momentary pause between each set: "cu-cu-cu-cu, cu-cu-cu-cu". A Black-billed Cuckoo was reported there yesterday morning by Paul Miliotis. During the breeding season, this secretive, forest dweller eats caterpillars. I've read that it often calls throughout the night. Close by the cuckoo, we also heard both a Blue-winged Warbler and a Wood Thrush. We heard several Ovenbirds and a few Bobolink. We had Wood Duck spring up and out of the water by the culvert. The native Jack-in-the-pulpits are taller this week. Just at dusk, we were treated to displaying American Woodcock across from the parking area. Black-billed Cuckoo American Woodcock Canada Goose Mute Swan - on nest Wood Duck Green Heron Mourning Dove Black-capped Chickadee Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - heard American Robin Wood Thrush Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Common Grackle Ovenbird Common Yellowthroat Blue-winged Warbler Swamp Sparrow Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Bobolink Brown-headed Cowbird American Goldfinch House Sparrow Good birding, Sue Sue McGrath Newburyport Birders Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify Newburyport, MA www.newburyportbirders.comSubject: Birds around Concord, May 14, 2013 From: David Swain <davidswain79 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 21:23:12 -0400 With a day finally free of school obligations, I birded as much of the day as my parental schedule allowed (8-5). Not a Big Day but a leisurely "biggish" day. I spent half the day in Estabrook woods, entering at Punkatasset on Monument St., with a lot of time warblering the thickets and edges, and some walking up to Mill Pond and then up Two Rod Road. Pretty productive at 55 species and 13 species of warblers (finally some Magnolias!) with FOY Eastern Wood-Peewees and a Blackburnian deep in the forest. Nicest sighting was two very pale Peregrine Falcons migrating high on thermals. After lunching in the car, I headed to the Elm Brook wetland and CLCT trail on Virginia Rd, where I had 4 more warblers and some locally uncommon Hooded Mergansers (two pairs) on the beaver pond. A storm was rolling in, so activity was low. A brief stop at Great Meadows in drizzle and wind gusts yielded some good swallow activity, with all five seen. Two Least Sandpipers and a Green Heron were FOY. Really quiet, otherwise. Last bird of a the day was a large Coopers darting across Main Street, making a total of 80 birds to share with Ludlow G. (who is at 177 species). David Swain Concord, MA birdingwithludlow.blogspot.comSubject: BBC Lynnfield Marsh IBA walk - Virginia rails and Sora From: dave.williams6 AT gmail.com Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 20:41:49 -0400 I lead a BBC walk into the Lynnfield Marsh IBA this evening. Highlights were 7 Virginia rails and a Sora. Photos of the Sora at: https://picasaweb.google.com/105834953321143381147/SoraLynnfieldMarshMay152013?authkey=Gv1sRgCJOi_8zdz86aNg Birds see were: Wood duck - 5 Mallard - 2 Virginia rail - 7 Sora - 1 Marsh wren - 2 Robin - 7 Red-winged blackbird - 24 Grackle - 6 Starling - 1 Baltimore oriole - 3 Blue jay - 2 Mourning dove - 3 Yellow warbler - 4 Common yellowthroat - 3 Chickadee - 1 Gray catbird - 1 Swamp sparrow - 6 House finch - 1 Goldfinch - 2 House finch - 2 Dave Williams Reading, MA Sent from my iPadSubject: Ruff in Rowley (distant pics) From: Tom Murray <tmurray74 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 16:20:10 -0700 (PDT) This afternoon I got to see the Ruff along with many other birders. It was way in the back pools and I managed to get a few documentation shots. http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/150219488 http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/150219487 http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/150219489 http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/150219490 Tom Murray Groton, Ma.Subject: Outer Cape recent highlights - Mississippi Kite, Summer Tanager, etc. From: Mark Faherty <msfaherty AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 16:04:08 -0700 (PDT) These are a little tardy, but so is the migration, I reckon. Don Manchester called in a belated report of the season's first Mississippi Kite at Pilgrim Heights from Monday, a subadult that came through with 19 Broad-wings. He's been having a very slow season, otherwise. Here at the sanctuary, the best we've been able to do migrant-wise is a Yellow-throated Vireo (a nice bird out here), a Blackburnian Warbler, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak that Ellison Orcutt and I had back on Friday. At my winter house by Cahoon Hollow in Wellfleet I had some interesting back deck ocean watching this morning - at one point I had an offshore flyby Snowy Egret, a Parasitic Jaeger, and some Harbor Porpoises in the same field of view. Humpbacks were feeding at the surface with attendant gulls several places, and a pod of dolphins headed north fairly close. I never saw a pattern on them like you would see for Common or White-sided Dolphins, making me wonder if they might have been Bottlenose, which would be rare, but a couple of bottlenoses stranded in Dennis this week. On Sunday morning I had a Summer Tanager calling in the yard, then moving north toward the Beachcomber along Ocean View Drive. The last two days I've had a White-crowned Sparrow joining the towhees and other regulars under the feeders. I'm trying not to think about the fact that I have to move out this weekend. ********************************************************************* Mark Faherty Science Coordinator Mass Audubon/Wellfleet Bay Wildlife SanctuarySubject: Photos from Plum island PRWR today From: "Lesley Mattuchio" <leslm AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 18:28:14 -0400 WOW... what a fabulous day it was on Plum. One I will long remember. Many
birds, many warblers, but my favorites were the Marsh Wrens and the most
spectacular Blackburnian Warbler that, as Doug Chickering wrote about, gave us
the most amazing close-up looks. Please enjoy the photos I took on my best ever
day at Plum Island...
http://lesleymattuchiophotography.zenfolio.com/p94793982
Lesley Mattuchio
Photography By Lesley
lesleymattuchiophotography.zenfolio.com
leslm AT verizon.net
Melrose, MA
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Franklin Park, May 15, 2013From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 14:42:58 -0700 (PDT) ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org"Subject: Plum Island - Highlight was Blackburnian Warblers at 10 ft From: d.skillman AT comcast.net Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 22:25:35 +0000 (UTC) Spent 3 hours on the refuge concentrating at Hellcat. The highlights for me were walking through the trails with Tom Wetmore guiding me from one bird to another and then on the way out when I came upon several birders looking up at an oak tree in the S-curves, They said they thought they were seeing Blackburnian Warblers, and they were right! Three in one tree sometimes only ten feet away! Just kept pushing the shutter button and exclaiming "Oh my God"! Photos start at: http://www.pbase.com/dennissk/image/150216748 Plum Island, Essex, US-MA May 15, 2013 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM Protocol: Traveling 6.0 mile(s) 41 species Canada Goose 9 Gadwall 2 Wild Turkey 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 Snowy Egret 3 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Willet 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Willow Flycatcher 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Warbling Vireo 2 Blue Jay 2 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 American Robin 4 Gray Catbird 3 Northern Mockingbird 2 Brown Thrasher 3 Ovenbird 2 Blue-winged Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 5 American Redstart 7 Northern Parula 2 Magnolia Warbler 3 Blackburnian Warbler 3 Yellow Warbler 6 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Blackpoll Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 5 Wilson's Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 3 Savannah Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Baltimore Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 3 Dennis Skillman http://www.pbase.com/dennissk http://www.liteworksphoto.comSubject: Male Reeve? (i.e., I think it's a Ruff at Pikul's) From: "Floyd, Chris" <chrisf AT mitre.org> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 21:49:00 +0000 I had a fairly distant scope view of this bird at around 2:00 PM today, 15 May. I conferred with George Gove and Judy Gordon, and we all think it's an immature Ruff. It's too big (seen in comparison to Greater Yellowlegs), it's bill is too big, and it's too chesty to be a Reeve. Just our opinion. I haven't checked posted photos yet for corroboration. (If there were perfect gender equality, Ruffs might be referred to as "male Reeves.") Chris Floyd Lexington chrisf AT mitre.orgSubject: Re: Mt. Auburn Cemetery access From: Mark Rosenstein <mar AT actwin.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 16:55:16 -0400 While Mt. Auburn Cemetery officially opens at 8am, the grounds keepers start at 7am at this time of the year, and open the gates when they show up. Some days recently the gates have been open as early as 6am, but I wouldn't count on that. There's a pedestrian gate whose key many local birders have, so you can count on being able to walk in at sunrise this time of year. If you show up after the main gates are open, drive in, and park on any road not marked with a green line (there are signs that explain this). If you arrive earlier, parking is more complicated. Most of the nearby streets are marked "Resident Parking Only". There are a few open spaces across the street in front of the small medical building and in front of the grocery store a couple blocks west on Mt Auburn. Some people (illegally) park in the lot of the medical building, but if you do you must move your car before 8am or it will get towed (you can move it into the cemetery after the gates open). The grocery has had people towed who park in their lot, so don't do that. Mark Rosenstein Cambridge, MA mar AT actwin.com On 5/15/13 3:12 PM, Andrew Barndt wrote: > Hi massbirders, > > I'm planning to go to Mt. Auburn Cemetery tomorrow, and will be > driving in from the central part of the state. The only problem is > that I want to avoid rush hour traffic, but Mt. Auburn's website says > they open their gates at 8:00 A.M. I've also seen eBird checklists > from 6:30 A.M. > > How exactly does this work? Can people park outside and walk in? If > so, how do they walk in? Any help would be appreciated. > > Thanks, > > Andrew Barndt > Hudson, MA > andrew.barndt AT gmail.comSubject: Sharp dressed man From: dovekie AT comcast.net Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 21:11:54 +0000 (UTC) Massbirders:        "Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man." - ZZ Top.     This is the time; these are the days. All birding is good, all birding is an adventure, but the middle of May is the pinnacle of the experience. Finally this year the weather has turned and our long agonizing wait for the passerines that epitomize the season is over. Here at last, a wave of Warblers. Today Lois Cooper and I were in the S Curves at Plum Island. We had encountered Peter and Fay Vale who informed us that they had just seen two Blackburnians a few score yards north. That, of course got our attention.  We moved up and at the northern most large oak on the ocean side of the road I pulled over and got out. Immediately I spotted a male Blackburnian and motioned to Lois, before she could get to the tree the Blackburnian dropped into the heavy stuff and vanished. We waited. I got a few more glimpses and soon we were joined by a pair of photographers and then by Sam Miller. Then suddenly the bird reappeared; this time on a lower branch, right at the! edge of the road. It was only about ten feet from us and it perused and foraged in the same general area.    I had already seen a Blackburnian Warbler, a nice one at hellcat, last week. We eventually found another full male and then a female.  The female was a little dull, but still nice, and the other male was beautiful.  This Blackburnian before us was of a different, higher order. He that foraged over our head, glowed and shone, his marking crisp and pure. The black was a deep perfect black, as if these parts weren't reflecting any light at all. The white markings were sharp and  stood out in clear focused forms upon the black background. The fire throat was the deepest orange I had ever seen; like burning embers they seemed to glow even in the shade. The bird moved in and out of the shadows and as it did the throat seemed to flash in the changing light.  It was so dominant that the orange seemed to seep down into the lower breast, giving it a light orange wash. He was in his prime; dressed to shame a Victorian Hussar and ready to set the ladies hear! ts to flutter. This Blackburnian was indeed a sharp dressed man. Of course it drew a crowd, and before long the laughs and murmers of appreciation rippled through the gathering. This was a special bird indeed.    Later in the day Lois Cooper and I were fortunate to watch a Scarlet Tanager in the bare sumac's of the Salisbury grove. At eye level perched and patient he gave us looks that one can never expect and are filled with gratitude when it happens.  He was almost as spectacular as the Blackburnian.    I have always maintained that if do not see a Blackburnian Warbler and a Scarlet Tanager during a given year, my life has been diminished. This year my cup runneth over. Now Lois and I will try to see another before the season is over. I make no apologies for this kind of greed.  Doug Chickering Groveland dovekie AT comcast.net   ÂSubject: Plum Island (Parker River NWR) - 05-15-13 From: "David K. Weaver" <cygnus-dkw AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 16:29:20 -0400 Bill Gette, back from his travels, joined me for Wednesday Morning Birding on this the 15th day of May. It was quite a good day on Plum Island's Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The sun shone most of the morning, temps were upper 50s to mid 60s, and winds were building out of the SSW until they were a stout 20-25 mph across the top of Hellcat dike in late morning. There should be some migrants moving on these assisting breezes. The highlight was the big, flowering oak in the S-curves, alive with Northern Parula, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided, and Black-and-white Warblers. Many of our group had never seen a Blackburnian before. Imagine all the oooos and ahhhhhs generated by that flaming orange throat of the male! There were great looks to be had not far above eye level . . . . Our list for them morning: Canada Goose Mute Swan (2) - Bill Forward Pool. Gadwall (4) American Black Duck (2) Mallard (~ 12) Double-crested Cormorant (8) Great Blue Heron (3) - 1, BFP; 2, marsh w. North Pool dike. Great Egret (6) Snowy Egret (1) Glossy Ibis (~ 15) - BFP. Osprey (5) - nesting platforms to west of boat ramp and at the Pines occupied. Bald Eagle (1) - ad., on NP dike in distance from Hellcat dike. Red-tailed Hawk (1) - imm., lot #2. Killdeer (2) - 1, pans; 1, marsh w. NP dike. Greater Yellowlegs (3) - boat ramp. Willet - common. Least Sandpiper (1) Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull (3) LEAST TERN (1) - flyby at boat ramp. Common Tern (4) - boat ramp. Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Chimney Swift (3) - over Hellcat. WILLOW FLYCATCHER (1) - seen vocalizing; across from main pan. Great Crested Flycatcher (1) - Hellcat. Eastern Kingbird (~ 8) Blue-headed Vireo (3) - 1, across from main pan; 1, S-curves; 1, Hellcat johns. Blue Jay (2) American Crow Tree Swallow (6) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2) - 1, across from main pan; 1, Hellcat johns. American Robin - common. Gray Catbird (~ 6) Northern Mockingbird (1) European Starling Black-and-white Warbler (2) - S-curves. Common Yellowthroat (~ 6) - various. American Redstart (3) - 1, across from main pan; 1, S-curves; 1, Hellcat parking lot. Northern Parula (3) - 1, across from main pans; 2, S-curves. Magnolia Warbler (1) - S-curves. Blackburnian Warbler (4) - S-curves. Yellow Warbler - common. Chestnut-sided Warbler (3) - 2, across from main pan; 1, S-curves. Blackpoll Warbler (2) - across from main pan. Black-throated Blue Warbler (2) - across from main pan. Yellow-rumped Warbler (5) - 3, across from main pan; 2, S-curves. Black-throated Green Warbler (4) - S-curves. Eastern Towhee (3) Savannah Sparrow (2) Song Sparrow - common. White-crowned Sparrow (1) - across from main pan. Northern Cardinal (3) Bobolink (6) - fields, North Pool Overlook. Red-winged Blackbird - common. Common Grackle - common. Baltimore Oriole (2) - S-curves. Purple Finch (2) - Hellcat. American Goldfinch (4) House Sparrow We will meet again next week back at Joppa Flats Education Center at 9:30 for Wednesday Morning Birding. For more information about Joppa Flats programs, call Bill Gette or Dave Larson at 978-462-9998. Dave Weaver Manchester, MA 01944 cygnus-dkw AT verizon.netSubject: Blackburnian Warblers, Mt. Auburn From: "Scholten, Andrew L" <ascholten AT assumption.edu> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 16:39:44 +0000 Hello, Mass Birders, I had two male Blackburnian Warblers chasing each other on the hill above the dell this morning around 9:30. They were flying back and forth between an oak tree and a balsam fir. Other highlights included both orioles on Indian Ridge (adult male Orchard,) Warbling Vireo (Indian Ridge,) Red-eyed Vireo (Ivy Path,) and a singing male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the dell. Yellow-rumped and Black-and-White Warblers, as well as parulas, were singing everywhere. Good birding, Andy Scholten, SudburySubject: Mt. Auburn Cemetery access From: Andrew Barndt <andrew.barndt AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 15:12:55 -0400 Hi massbirders, I'm planning to go to Mt. Auburn Cemetery tomorrow, and will be driving in from the central part of the state. The only problem is that I want to avoid rush hour traffic, but Mt. Auburn's website says they open their gates at 8:00 A.M. I've also seen eBird checklists from 6:30 A.M. How exactly does this work? Can people park outside and walk in? If so, how do they walk in? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Andrew Barndt Hudson, MA andrew.barndt AT gmail.comSubject: Mt. Holyoke--Cerulean Warbler From: Tombwhawk AT aol.com Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 14:39:34 -0400 (EDT) The Hampshire Bird Club held our annual walk to the top of Mt. Holyoke
today. When I left my home in Florence there was ICE on the bird bath.
Needless to say, the list started off VERY SLOW as we hiked to the top on the
road. (We were told the road will be CLOSED until sometime in June, when
the renovations will be complete). The Wild Flowers were just OK, not as
good as some years in the past. Numbers of warblers and thrushes were
VERY LOW. Here are the hi-lites of the walk. (4 1/2 hours) Most of the
trees were well leaved out already, making viewing very difficult.
Swainson's Thrush 1
Woodthrush 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Junco 1
Winter Wren 2
BARRED OWL 2 (great looks)
Eastern Wood Pewee 1
Scarlet Tanager 5
WORM-EATING WARBLER 3
CERULEAN WARBLER 1 male (sang only twice and a few people
got to see the bird for a few seconds.
Good luck to all those participating in BIRD-A-THON this coming
weekend.
Tom Gagnon, Florence, Massachusetts
Subject: Newburyport Harbor, etc., May 15, 2013From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3 AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 14:11:19 -0400 > Newburyport Harbor > May 15, 2013 8:30 AM - 10:15 AM > Protocol: Traveling > 1.0 mile(s) > Comments: Ran into Chris Leahy, Peter and Fay Vale, and a few others > here, finding the little gull fairly quickly. > 22 species (+1 other taxon); highlights: > > Long-tailed Duck 97 these were the ones on the surface when I made > the scan > Double-crested Cormorant 46 > Black-bellied Plover 43 > Semipalmated Plover 0 > Spotted Sandpiper 1 > Greater Yellowlegs 58 > Willet (Eastern) 5 > Lesser Yellowlegs 6 > Semipalmated Sandpiper 30 rough estimate of birds among the hundreds > of dunlins > Least Sandpiper 12 > Dunlin 250 rough estimate, surely conservative > Short-billed Dowitcher 4 > Bonaparte's Gull 140 minimum number > Little Gull 1 Immature bird found yesterday; easily found in flight > off the sewage treatment plant due to its smaller size and much darker > carpal bar than nearby immature Bonaparte's; seen also by the Vales. > Common Tern 50 estimate > > View this checklist online at > http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14122220 I made several other stops, the first at the Hanover St. bridge, where I saw at least 7 CLIFF SWALLOWS. At the pond next to the Newbury boat ramp, there was no yellow-crowned night heron; only a green heron was there. At the Rowley pans I saw the REEVE with several others including James Restivo, who just posted it. Its browner color than the gray of the yellowlegs made it stand out, and i saw the white on the face at the base of the bill as well as the yellow legs. I must say that people parked considerately today, on the northbound side of the road where you can pull completely off the pavement and not block traffic. That's where EVERYONE should park routinely when birding this hotspot. Jim Berry Ipswich, Mass. jim.berry3 AT verizon.netSubject: Reeve Yes, Little Gull Yes 5/15 From: James Restivo <james.restivo AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 13:24:33 -0400 Birders, Just a quick note. The Reeve (female Ruff) was at Pikul's Farm around 11am. The bird stayed mostly hidden around the corner of the pool, but was at one point flushed out into the open. Much browner than the surrounding Yellowlegs. No Wilson's Phalaropes while I was there. I made a mad dash to Newburyport's Joppa Park for the Little Gull. It took a while to pick out, but I finally found this diminutive visitor. Seems to still be in 1st winter plumage. Much much smaller than the Bonaparte's which are all over the river now. Also of note, two White-rumped Sandpipers at the boat ramp. Good birding! James Restivo Medford, MaSubject: Summary Table of BBC "Extreme" Pelagic Trips From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 13:13:27 -0400 In anticipation of the upcoming pelagic season, and as my final post as co-leader of these trips, I am re-posting the raw data for bird and wildlife sightings from the BBC "Extreme" Pelagic Trips out to the edge of the Continental Shelf and associated canyons. I've tried to maintain a running table of species seen and numbers recorded on a daily basis over the years. There have been 16 total trips run since the first trip in 2004 with 3 of these being overnight trips and the remainder day trips for a total of 19 days on the shelf. 2 of these trips were in June, 5 were in July, and 9 were in late August into early September. The geographic area covered has stretched along the shelf edge from as far west as the Rhode Island state line (nearly to Block Canyon) to as far east as Oceanographer's Canyon. http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/Shelf%20Edge%20Map.jpg Thanks to Rick Heil, Marshall Iliff and the other leaders for keeping accurate counts over the years. And, of course, an extra thank you to Ida Giriunas for her hard work in making these successful trips happen over the years. http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/SummaryTableofPelagics.htm And an overlay map of about 9 of the day trips gives an example of the routes we took: http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/Overlay%20of%20BBC%20trips.png Steve Mirick Bradford, MA |