Trip Highlights

The trip turned out to be a very wet walk at Stebbins.  One hardy soul braved the wet trails with the leaders until the rains became torrential.  In spite of the weather, we managed 30 species, including many Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, eye level Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and good views of a very soggy Swamp Sparrow.  

Pondside was quiet after weeks of hosting many migrating ducks.  Today, eight DC Cormorants proved to be the most exciting migrant to be seen.  One other highlight was the three coyotes that ran in the opposite direction as soon as they spotted us.

After the usual wonderful breakfast at Sylvester’s Restaurant in Northampton, we drove to Montague.  Most of the ice was gone and there were 150 Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Mute Swan, 42 Common and 7 Hooded Merganser, 6 Bufflehead, 4 Goldeneye, a pair of Wigeon, a few Black Ducks, 2 Wood Duck, and a dozen Mallards.  We were shocked and surprised by a Coyote tip-tip-toeing across the thin ice near far shore.  Two Bald Eagles flew over with one close carrying a long twig to the nest.  From the park we could see one eagle on the nest and one perched nearby.  We saw two Great Blue Herons fly over from there and the lingering Snow Goose.

The Rod & Gun Club was next with 8 Bufflehead, plus hordes of ducks migrating north high overhead.  Also there, was a Phoebe and few more Common Mergansers.  We stopped at the airport next and heard a Killdeer calling and flying past, eventually seeing it close and unmoving.  A Meadowlark was more unmoving and distant.  After a rest top at usual spot, we drove down along canal, where only a few Ring-necked Ducks were gathered.  At the turn-off, a Pine Warbler sang constantly and came into good view.  Two others were heard farther away.  It was a calm day with temps of 50-60.

It was a cloudy day with some rain and temps of 45-50.  The Pynchon Point area had 5-6 Wood Ducks in trees near an apparent nesting hole.  We drove to Eastern States, passing 2 Turkeys strutting on the landfill.  A Peregrine flew off as we arrived.  There were several Common Merganser pairs on both sides of entrance road and many Common Crows were gathered there and calling along with some Fish Crows.  A Kestrel flew south and a Red-shouldered Hawk circled.  Two Pileated Woodpeckers were in the trees.  With some brush clearing along the road, the old riverbed marsh was more visible with several more Common Mergansers.  There were only 2 Wood Ducks spotted on the swollen river from the dike.  

In Longmeadow, the Pondside waters were busy with ducks, and we counted 2 Wigeon, 12 Wood Duck, 60 Ring-necked Duck, 5 Goldeneye, 10 Bufflehead, a male Shoveler, 4 Hooded and 30 Common Merganser, a Pied-billed Grebe, and 3 Great Blue Heron.  A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over and a hundred Tree Swallows flew and perched along with 10 or more Rough-winged Swallows.

We had our usual good luck at the Meadowbrook School, a dependable spot for Woodcock in spring. Five participants heard about 4-5 Woodcock.

Eight participants enjoyed a sunny day on the North Shore with light northwest winds.  No birds showed themselves at our meeting spot in Gloucester, but when we arrived at Jodrey Pier, we found many Common Eiders, some Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Common Loons, a Goldeneye, a Black Guillemot, and six Surf Scoters, but no white-winged gull.  We had heard about a Dickcissel coming to a feeder nearby at the home of Paul Hackett, but two visits failed to get it, though we waited a long time with others on the second visit.  A Sapsucker and Red-breasted Nuthatch were the best feeder birds there.        

After lunch, while at Foley Cove we had 2 Eiders and some Black and White-winged Scoters.  At Andrews Point, we had 50 Buffleheads, 50 Harlequins, 30 Black and a few White-winged Scoters, 25 Eiders, 20 Goldeneyes, and 20 Great Cormorants.  Less common were 2 Oldsquaw, 2 Gadwall and 2 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Common and a Red-throated Loon, many Black and a few White-winged Scoters, a Razorbill, and a Horned Grebe.  Cathedral Ledge had 50 Harlequins, 25 Eiders, an Oldsquaw, Razorbill, 4 Bufflehead, and 3 Common Loons.  Granite Pier had 3 Brant, 32 Buffleheads, 14 Surf and 12 White-winged Scoters, 6 Common Loon, and 2 Great Cormorant.

At Brace Cove we got a Great Cormorant, all three Scoters, Buffleheads, Goldeneyes, and Eiders.  At the Elks Club we found an adult King Eider, 3 Black Guillemots, Buffleheads, Scoters, and Eiders.  At Eastern Point there were 300 Eiders, numerous Bufflehead and Red-breasted Mergansers, 15 each of Surf and White-winged Scoters, 9 Oldquaw, 2 Gadwall, and 2 Purple Sandpipers.  We went to the ocean side of Niles Pond and got good views of a flock of Greater Scaup with one Lesser Scaup.  In the pond there were two Gadwall, 2 Bufflehead, 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Surf Scoters, swans and a flying Iceland Gull.    A wonderful day of birding!