Trip Highlights

The morning was sunny and cool.  Thirteen members joined in and were able to identify a total of 44 species.

As we waited in the Dunkin parking lot for everyone to arrive for our walk, we had 13 species! Seen flying high: Red-tailed Hawk, Canada Geese, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, and a couple of Mallards.  Spotted around the parking lot: Red-winged Blackbirds, Rock Pigeons, House and Song Sparrows, Goldfinch, Cardinal, and a few Starlings.  The star attraction was the Killdeer that kept walking back and forth on a very busy State Street!

The morning was sunny and cool and at Lake Wallace, we started at the viewing platform. Birds seen here: Red-winged Blackbirds, Double-crested Cormorants, a Green-winged Teal, a Common Merganser, Green Herons, a Solitary Sandpiper, Great Blue Herons (one on confirmed nest), Tree Swallows, Mourning Doves, and plenty of Catbirds.

The star attraction here was the Northern Flicker perched outside its nesting hole, displaying the use of its tail as a kickstand to stable itself. (Very cool for those who were watching this for the first time)!

As we continued our walk around Lake Wallace, around the playing fields and onto the trail in the wooded area in the back, more of the above-mentioned birds were seen plus the following: Carolina Wren, Grackles, Phoebes, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Warbling Vireos. The warblers seen were, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, Black-and-white, and Palm, also Common Yellowthroat and Ovenbird.

Other birds seen included Swamp and Chipping Sparrows, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadees, Raven, Crow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mockingbird, and the beautiful Eastern Bluebird and the Baltimore Oriole.

Great morning with a great group!

Migration continues.  There were 10 participants, and working together, we managed to hear and/or see a total of 48 species.  We walked the Bark Haul loop, and also did a detour onto the Eliot Trail.  Early on, a Virginia Rail was doing its kek, kek, kek, but stayed out of view.  Yellow-rumped Warblers seemed to be everywhere, and after careful looking and listening, we found several Northern Parulas and a few Black-throated Greens among them.  A single Black-throated Blue Warbler was spotted on the Eliot Trail by new member Allan Burrage, mixed in with Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroat also added to the almost constant bird song.  Baltimore Orioles, Wood Thrush, and Catbirds were new from last week.

The weather was cloudy and cool, with temperatures running in the mid-40s as thirteen members gathered in the parking lot.  While awaiting everyone’s arrival, we captured 15 species.  There was an abundance of Tree and Barn Swallows, and Red-winged Blackbirds.  Sparrows spotted were House, Song, and Field.  Woodpeckers seen were Red-bellied and Northern Flicker.  Flying overhead, we spotted Canada Geese, Wood Ducks, and a Red-tailed Hawk.  Other birds in the lot were Robins, Blue Jays, Eastern Bluebirds, Goldfinches, and Mourning Doves.

On the one-mile trail, we saw Swamp, Field, Chipping, White-throated, and Savannah Sparrows.  Woodpeckers identified were the Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Northern Flicker.  Other birds seen were Grackle, Eastern Towee, Phoebe, Brown-headed Cowbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-capped Chickadee, and Crow.

Our first and only warbler of the day was the Yellow-rumped!  The last platform on the trail didn’t dis-appoint with a beautiful view (through a scope) of an American Kestrel resting on its nesting box.  Continuing to the end of the trail, we had beautiful views of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

The final stop for birding was the area on Moody Bridge Road by the pond and the fields.  Highlights there were another Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Brown Thrasher, and Belted Kingfisher.  Also spotted were Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Starlings, Mallards, and Field Sparrows.  Flying overhead, we saw a Raven and a Turkey Vulture while walking back to our cars.

Great morning, great group of birders, and a total of 41 species for the morning!

Ten members joined in the fun of this annual trek at Ashley Ponds in hopes of sighting early spring arrivals.  They were rewarded with a total of 56 species.  Click below to view complete list.

Though forecasters predicted rain for the morning, thankfully they were wrong (again).  A Rose-breasted Grosbeak greeted us with its beautiful song soon after the walk began.  Green Herons were migrating in and we were treated to a flyover early in the walk and later spotted two more perched in trees on separate ponds.  For a short time it was like the "old days" as we bumped into a large feeding flock of Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Palm Warblers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  Along Bark Haul Trail and West Rd Trail to the back culvert, the regulars made themselves known as we heard and/or saw Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinals, and Tufted Titmice.  After checking out the new beaver dam and resulting pond, we returned to Pondside where swallows and Chimney Swifts were hawking insects.  Here we found many Tree Swallows, a few Rough-winged Swallows, and a single Barn Swallow.  A female Ring-necked Duck was feeding with the Mute Swans and Canada Geese.  There were also Double-crested Cormorants and Wood Ducks. A final stop by the Bald Eagle's nest gave us scope views of the female on the nest with occasional glimpses of an eaglet.  The male eagle stood regally across the pond.  Last bird for the trip was a newly arrived Warbling Vireo claiming his territory.  We had 6 participants that contributed to a total of 38 species.  There were also two new people that joined us.  One asked to see a Red-bellied Woodpecker and with the groups help, the request was granted - one of the joys of having club trips.  And a special thanks to Joanna, visiting from California, who kept the list.