B-Mail(sm): MASSBIRD for Thu, 22 May 2008

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Subject: Brooks Estate 5/22/08
From: Ian Davies <goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 7:53am

I spent a little over an hour at Brooks this morning, 0545-0700 to be  
precise, with some decent birds. Not too much activity, only 9  
warblers, but tons of Canadas! I had FOUR Canadas singing from one  
spot at one point. Also  Yellow-billed Cuckoo was nice. Full list below:

Brooks Estate (0545-0700):

Mallard     2
Great Blue Heron     5
Osprey     1
Mourning Dove     4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     1
Chimney Swift     2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     3
Least Flycatcher     1
Great Crested Flycatcher     3
Eastern Kingbird     1
Red-eyed Vireo     9
Tree Swallow     1
Black-capped Chickadee     4
Tufted Titmouse     2
Carolina Wren     1
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     1
Veery     1 singing
Wood Thrush     11
American Robin     16
Gray Catbird     18
Northern Mockingbird     3
European Starling     4
Cedar Waxwing     57
Northern Parula     3
Yellow Warbler     3
Chestnut-sided Warbler     1
Blackpoll Warbler     1
Black-and-white Warbler     1
American Redstart     11
Northern Waterthrush     2
Common Yellowthroat     4
Canada Warbler     11
Scarlet Tanager     2
Chipping Sparrow     4
Lincoln's Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak     4
Common Grackle     10
Brown-headed Cowbird     6
Baltimore Oriole     9
American Goldfinch     3
House Sparrow     3

45 species

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Good birding,
Ian Davies
Medford, MA
goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net
www.pbase.com/daviesphoto

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Subject: Robbins Farm, Scotland Road, Plum I.
From: Plimpton-Magee <plimag(AT)rcn.com>
Date: 22 May 2008 8:36am

Birders:  Last evening, seven, at Robbins Farm Park in Arlington  
Heights a beautiful rainbow all the way across the sky and an Oriole  
flies up in the raindrops into the light of the Western sun to sing  
its song!  I'm walking from home to Habitat in Belmont for final  
natural history book group meeting with Elizabeth Atkins.  We are to  
review our own separate books this time, mine The Northern Forest by  
David Dobbs and Richard Ober (read by mistake instead of the  
previously assigned North Country by Howard Mosher).  The authors  
interview foresters, farmers, planners, CEOs, wildlife workers, one  
who monitors bird populations mostly by knowing their songs (hard to  
see the birds in the boreal forest) opining that a main reason for  
the decline in song bird populations is predation by Cowbirds caused  
by the fracturing of wilderness spaces allowing Cowbirds to  
penetrate.  Recounts successful and unsuccessful forest preservation  
strategy, failures caused by lack of consultation and communication  
with the people who live and work there!
	Took day off to go to Plum Island.  At the Scotland Road fields, a  
flock of maybe 50 Glossy Ibis rose and wheeled about settling into  
the adjacent field!!  We walked a little ways down the cart path  
slipping through the electric fence, but we paid for our trespass by  
getting zapped by the fence!  A lot stronger than the one at Drumlin  
Farm.  Beautiful views with the sun out!  The new field we saw from  
the signs is preserved by the Essex County Greenbelt.  We returned to  
our parked car slithering under the unconnected gate!
	At Plum Island, not one bird at the salt pans!  Not one hawk.  We  
saw further along Egrets, a pair of Willets, a few Yellowlegs, a  
White-crowned Sparrow (!), Yellow Warblers, a Myrtle, heard singing  
marsh wrens, a Bobolink, many Catbirds, a Thrasher, quite a few  
Towees around.  A couple on the Dune Trail by Hellcat told us they  
had seen them doing a mating dance in the leaves.  Alerted we got to  
see them at the end of the trail, but no doubt they were doing what  
Sibley said, "scratching vigorously in the leaf litter for seeds and  
insects!".  Lots of Grackles which had similar sheen to the Ibis!   
Two young buck deer were grazing in the field past Hellcat with  
velvet on their antlers.

												Good birding, Oakes (Plimpton)

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Subject: Waterbird Survey Results - GRM Concord
         Impoundments 5/20/2008
From: Jason_StSauver(AT)fws.gov
Date: 22 May 2008 8:58am

The following species of waterfowl were counted during a recent waterbird
survey conducted at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge �~@~S Concord
Impoundments on Tuesday, May 20 2008:

   Species                    Amount
   Greater Yellowlegs               10
   Lesser Yellowlegs                 6
   Spotted Sandpiper               2
   Least Sandpiper                   8
   Great Blue Heron               21
   Canada Goose                     79
   Wood Duck                        13
   Mallard                  61
   Mute Swan                       2
   Hooded Merganser                6

   If you have any questions regarding management at the Concord
   Impoundments, please contact the Refuge biological staff at
   978-443-4661at ext 37, 24 or 23.

-------------------------------------------------
Jason St. Sauver
Biological Technician
Eastern MA NWR Complex
73 Weir Hill Road
Sudbury, MA 01776
978-443-4661 ext. 23

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Subject: Onota Lake, Pittsfield - Cerulean
From: "Jason D. Luscier" <jluscie(AT)uark.edu>
Date: 22 May 2008 9:00am

Below is a list of the species I detected along the eastern edge of Onota Lake
in Pittsfield this morning (22 May).  Among the abundance of warblers was 1 male
 Cerulean Warbler.

Canada Goose     
Mallard     
Ring-billed Gull     
Pileated Woodpecker     
Eastern Phoebe     
Eastern Kingbird     
Blue-headed Vireo     
Red-eyed Vireo     
Blue Jay     
American Crow     
Common Raven     
Tree Swallow     
Bank Swallow     
Barn Swallow     
Black-capped Chickadee     
American Robin     
Chestnut-sided Warbler     
Black-throated Green Warbler     
CERULEAN WARBLER   
Black-and-white Warbler     
Ovenbird     
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow     
Song Sparrow     
Northern Cardinal     
Red-winged Blackbird     
Common Grackle    
Baltimore Oriole     
American Goldfinch     

BEST!

Jason D. Luscier
http://comp.uark.edu/~jluscie/
Dept. of Biological Sciences - SCEN 632
1 University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201

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Subject: Roseate Terns - North Falmouth
From: Ian Nisbet <icnisbet(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 9:56am

There were about 200 Roseate Terns feeding over three schools of 
predatory fish in and just outside Wild Harbor this morning.  As of 
yesterday, the tern crew at Bird Island, Marion, had marked 150 
nests, but Roseate Terns rarely feed on this side of the bay in 
numbers in spring, except at Mashnee Flats in Pocasset, which is one 
of the most important feeding sites in North America.

Ian Nisbet
North Falmouth

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Subject: Dykes Pasture Road, West Gloucester
From: "John Nelson" <jnelson(AT)NORTHSHORE.EDU>
Date: 22 May 2008 11:22am

Highlights from a short walk this morning at Dykes Pasture (aka Dykes Meadow)
Road in West Gloucester:

2 Spotted Sandpipers
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
2 GC Flycatchers
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Least Flycatcher
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Indigo Bunting (same spot as last year)

WARBLERS:
Pine 
Black & White 
BT Green
Yellow-rumped
A. Redstart
Blackpoll
Ovenbird

John Nelson
Gloucester

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Subject: Mt. Auburn Hearsay
From: Brookestev(AT)aol.com
Date: 22 May 2008 11:24am

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Our final Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm Thursday bird  walk was held at Mt. 
Auburn Cemetery this morning.  For those of you who  heard me proclaim that we
had
a Louisiana Waterthrush, that would be hearsay  evidence. Bob Lawson and I saw 
a waterthrush, first at the edge of the dell  pond, then on the slope east of 
the pond. The bird was very white and heavily  streaked, with a clear white 
eyebrow. We never got a good look at the  bill, or under the chin, or at the 
full extent of the  eyebrow. Neither did we hear a call note or song, so we 
concluded  later that it could have been a 'white' Northern Waterthrush.  We  
heard birds that we did not see -- Tennessee Warbler, a possible Wormeating  
Warbler's dry truncated trill (a fellow reported one in the dell late yesterday 
afternoon), Scarlet Tanager. And we neither heard nor saw the Hooded Warbler  
that was singing in the dell between 4 and 5 p.m. yesterday. We watched a  first
summer American Redstart chase out an adult redstart, had killer looks at  
Blackburnian and Magnolia warblers, and tried to turn what we thought was a  
Blue-headed Vireo into a Blue-headed Vireo, but it could have been a 'slow'  
Red-eyed; we never saw more than its underside against gray sky. Near the end of
our walk two members of the group caught up to say that they had a  
Yellow-throated Vireo near the beginning of Mound Ave. in an oak, along with a
Blackpoll Warbler.

Brooke  Stevens
Cambridge, MA 

**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with 
Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.      
(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)

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Subject: Forest Hills Cemetery 5/22--Prothonotary Warbler
         YES
From: "Marshall J. Iliff" <miliff(AT)aol.com>
Date: 22 May 2008 12:34pm

Massbird/BostonBirds,

I arrived at Forest Hills Cemetery this morning at about 7:40, and did not
know that the Mary Lou Kaufmann and Joe Kukic (sp?) had already found the
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at the pond and posted to BostonBirds. Regardless, I
was excited to hear this bird singing loudly as soon as I pulled up. I had
little trouble tracking it down for some nice views. While I was there it
essentially circled the pond but never stopped singing from 7:40-9:00.

There were a few other warblers around this morning. A full eBird list is
below:

Location:     Forest Hills Cemetery
Observation date:     5/22/08
Number of species:     55

Canada Goose     28     18 adults and two families of downy young (7 and 3)
Mallard     4     on pond
Double-crested Cormorant     1     on pond
Spotted Sandpiper     1     on pond
Rock Pigeon     3
Mourning Dove     2
Chimney Swift     6
Downy Woodpecker     1     woodpeckers have been very quiet recently
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     2
Eastern Phoebe     2     singing by rocky outcrops east of entrance
Great Crested Flycatcher     1
Eastern Kingbird     4
Warbling Vireo     3
Red-eyed Vireo     2     singing
Blue Jay     5
American Crow     25     one group of 25+--may have been mobbing something
Tree Swallow     2     pair--one carrying nesting material
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Tufted Titmouse     1
Red-breasted Nuthatch     1     called in from hemlocks/pines east of
entrance; a nesting bird?
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
House Wren     3
Wood Thrush     1     singing; presumed migrant
American Robin     25
Gray Catbird     8
Northern Mockingbird     6
Brown Thrasher     1     singing; east end
European Starling     10
Cedar Waxwing     30     including one flock of 25; most recent waxwings
have been pairs so perhaps this was a migrant group
Northern Parula     2     one signing male and one silent female in the yew
bushes
Yellow Warbler     1     singing at pond
Magnolia Warbler     1     heard singing
Black-throated Blue Warbler     1     heard singing
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     2
Black-throated Green Warbler     3     heard singing
Pine Warbler     1     heard singing
Bay-breasted Warbler     1     heard singing; near yew bushes just east of
entrance; my FOY for MA
Blackpoll Warbler     2     singing
Black-and-white Warbler     1     singing
American Redstart     4     singing
Prothonotary Warbler     1     singing male at pond; found 40 minutes
earlier (unbeknownst to me) by Mary Ann Kaufman and Joe Kukic (?) and
reported on Boston Birds. Song a loud, clear ringing "tsweeet, tsweeet,
tsweet.." usually repeated ~7x. Seen well above pond. Large, chunky warbler.
Bright golden yellow head and breast, with black bill and isolated black
eye. No other face markings. Wings blue gray without wing bars. White lower
belly and white bases to rectrices. My first for Suffolk County and third
for MA.
Common Yellowthroat     2
Wilson's Warbler     1     singing male; near pond
Scarlet Tanager     1     singing male; near pond
Chipping Sparrow     8
Song Sparrow     4
White-throated Sparrow     3     migrants dwindling now
Northern Cardinal     3
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Common Grackle     20
Brown-headed Cowbird     2
Orchard Oriole     2     pair (incl. adult male) near pond
Baltimore Oriole     6
American Goldfinch     10
House Sparrow     4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

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-- 

-------------------------------------------------
Marshall J. Iliff
West Roxbury, MA
miliff AT aol.com
-------------------------------------------------
eBird/AKN Project Leader
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
http://www.ebird.org
http://www.avianknowledge.net
-------------------------------------------------

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Subject: Black-headed Gull Lynn Beach
From: "Andrew Birch" <andrewlbirch(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 22 May 2008 1:28pm

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Hello All,

I hit Lynn Beach this morning hoping to find a Black-tailed Gull, but had no
luck with that one.  I did see this "1st Summer" Black-headed Gull however -
http://picasaweb.google.com/andrewlbirch/BlackHeadedGull

Others of note:

Dunlin - 8
Sanderling - 35
Semipalmated Plover - 60
Peeps (too distant to ID)

There was also quite a Peregrine show.  A peregrine dove over the beach
flushing the shorebirds.  It isolated one of the birds from a flock and
repeatedly dove at it.  I was watching all this through the scope when it
dawned on me that the Peregrine would have to be breaking several laws of
physics to be making dives at that velocity that frequently.  So I looked up
over my scope and sure enough there were two Peregrines dive bombing the
same shorebird - It was quite a show - And the little guy won todays round!

Best,

-- 
Andrew Birch
http://bostonbirds.org
andrewlbirch(AT)bostonbirds.com

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Subject: Possible Black-tailed Gull
From: "Jim Barton" <redwingatfp1986(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 2:02pm

    Hello.  Linda-- I suggest you check out the photos of BTGU in Howell and 
Dunn, Gulls of the Americas .  In second-cycle birds, the white sub-terminal 
band is very narrow, and, for all practical purposes, might be said to be 
missing.  Possibly, this band starts out extremely narrow, or starts out so 
narrow that feather wear can eliminate or nearly eliminate it.  The photos 
also show some red at the tip of the bill of second-cycle birds.

    Can you tell us what kind of contrast you saw, if any,  on the upperside 
of the bird, between the outer wing, the inner wing and the mantle?  Did you 
see any white at the sides of the tail bordering the broad dark  band?  Did 
the dark band present a clean-cut upper edge or a fuzzy upper edge?

    I would also suggest that you check out both Belcher's Gull and Olrog's 
Gull, which present red on the bill, just like BTGU.  These two South 
American species also present a broad black tail band.  Interestingly, a 
white sub-terminal band is very narrow or absent in a number of views, 
including views of adults.

    Size comparisons from H&D:

    American Herring Gull smithsonianus length 56-67 cm
    Olrog's Gull atlanticus 50-60 cm
    Belcher's Gull belcheri 45-54 cm
    Black-tailed Gull crassirostris 43-51 cm

    Yours,

    Jim Barton
    Cambridge

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Subject: 5/22 Plum Island a.m.
From: Mark Daley <mbkm(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 22 May 2008 2:36pm

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Thursday, 22 May 2008:Plum Island (0520-0835 hrs.)South to Pines lot incl P=
ines Trail & Hellcat Trails. No ocean views.
Weather: Cool, Mostly cloudy w/ light winds, WSW 0-4 mph, 47-52F
=20
Small to moderate movement of birds onto the island overnight. Some nice mi=
grant warblers incl Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Canada and my 1st Blackpoll=
s. Also notable were Olive-sided Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, and 2 cucko=
os (1 Black-billed Cuckoo heard, 1 cuckoo sp. seen). Marsh birds continue w=
/ Least Bittern and Common Moorhen both heard from old blind.
=20
SPECIES SEEN
Common Loon 2 flyover hellcat
Double-crested Cormorant 11
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Least Bittern 1h old blind
Mute Swan 2 pans
Canada Goose 2
Gadwall 12
Mallard 8
American Black Duck 3
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 1 near lot 1
Merlin 1 hellcat lot
Sora 2h old blind
Common Moorhen 1h old blind
Semipalmated Plover 15+ flyover
Killdeer 4
American Woodcock 1 hellcat trails
Greater Yellowlegs 1=20
Willet many
Ring-billed Gull 1 pans
Great Black-backed Gull 2
American Herring Gull 3
Common Tern 4 pans
Mourning Dove 6
Black-billed Cuckoo 1h s curves (1 cuckoo sp n. goodno xing)
Great Horned Owl 1 + 1 young
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Willow Flycatcher 1h old blind
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 appeared to be migrating. Came in low from SE n. o=
f goodno xing and continued NNW at strong pace never setting down.
Eastern Kingbird 12
Tree Swallow
Purple Martin 10+ lot 1 colony
Barn Swallow few
Cedar Waxwing 19 3 flocks appeared to be migrating
Gray Catbird 26
Northern Mockingbird 2=20
Brown Thrasher 3
Veery 1 old blind
Wood Thrush  1-2 heard hellcat trails
American Robin 11
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 8
European Starling 1=20
House Sparrow 1
Purple Finch 4 pines
House Finch 2 lot 1 johns
American Goldfinch 12
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 14
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1h
Magnolia Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2h=20
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1=20
Black-throated Green Warbler 3=20
Blackburnian Warbler 1m curves
Bay-breasted Warbler 1m singing and seen hellcat near marsh trail (thanks D=
oug)
Blackpoll Warbler 5=20
American Redstart 6=20
Northern Waterthrush 4=20
Common Yellowthroat 22=20
Wilson's Warbler 2=20
Canada Warbler 1m singing and seen hellcat near marsh trail
Eastern Towhee 13
Field Sparrow 2
Savannah Sparrow 2
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1 marsh s. lot 1
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 1 marsh trail
White-crowned Sparrow 2 1 hellcat johns, 1 banding station entrance
White-throated Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 3
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird 4
Baltimore Oriole 3
=20
Species seen - 78
=20
Good birding,
Mark Daley
Reading, MA
mbkm (at) hotmail (dot) com
_________________________________________________________________
E-mail for the greater good. Join the i=92m Initiative from Microsoft.
http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Join/Default.aspx?source=3DEML_WL_ GreaterG=
ood=

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Subject: Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary Norfolk,MA
From: "Taylor Yeager" <tyeager(AT)massaudubon.org>
Date: 22 May 2008 3:10pm

There has been some fun activity this week.  

Lots of Great Blue Herons
A Green Heron or 2. 
Least Sandpipers
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Lots of Baltimore Orioles
A very drab Magnolia Warbler that looks like it is still getting it's
breeding plumage.
Tons of Warbling Vireos
Family of Wood Ducks

I had the pleasure of encountering a cooperative Orchard Oriole on the
boardwalk yesterday morning before work.
A picture can be found at:

 http://photos.tayloryeager.com/p861237856/?photo=1007539789

Taylor Yeager
Naturalist
Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary

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Subject: Kettle Island heron-nest count, 5/22
From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 3:48pm

Two folks from the Trustees of Reservations and I helped Simon Perkins from 
MAS conduct the annual count of heron nests on Kettle Island off Manchester 
today.  We didn't have time to count on Eagle Island and will have to do 
that later.  Here are the totals:

great egret             142 nests (new record)
snowy egret           300 nests (new record)
little blue heron     12-15 nesting pairs (typical count)
black-cr. night heron    28 nests (Eagle I. usually has more)
glossy ibis             172 nests (the record is 185, last year)

Little blue nests are estimated from the number of adults seen, as the nests 
and eggs are virtually indistinguishable from those of the snowy egrets.

Today's timing was good because the nests held either eggs or very small 
young, not big enough to be able to climb out of the nest.  Most of the 
young had apparently hatched within the last few days.

The herring and black-backed gulls were mostly still on eggs.  We didn't 
spend any time surveying them, but i saw only one or two gull nests in which 
the eggs were hatching.  Cormorants don't nest on Kettle like they do on 
most of the other islands.  Maybe they don't like herons?

Odds and ends:

1 trashed canada goose nest; 1 pair seen without young
1 mallard nest with 8 eggs; another with broken shells
several grackle nests (we see some every year)
5 common eiders, but no nests or young seen
1 pair of rock pigeons entering and leaving a probable nest site in a 
crevice

Jim Berry
Ipswich, Mass.
jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net

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Subject: Brookline Bird Club Trip for Puffins and Boreal
         Birds  to Maine, June 13-16, 2008
From: "Ida Giriunas" <Ida8(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 3:48pm

Folks:
Two spaces have just opened up on the Brookline Bird Club Machias Seal
Island trip scheduled June 12-16, 2008.  If you want to register for the
trip please let me know.

The trip begins in Machias at 2 pm on day one to check out local areas in
Machias for the Boreal birds. On Day two, we take a boat to Machias Seal
Island for Atlantic Puffin, Razorbills, Common Murres and Artic Terns in the
morning. In the afternoon, we drive to Scenic Quoddy Head to enjoy the view,
the bog plants and a few birds.  On day three, we will explore Washington
County, Maine looking for Northern Species including Spruce Grouse, Boreal
Chickadees, Gray Jays, Black-backed Woodpecker, Crossbills and breeding
warblers. On day four, on the way back to Boston, we stop at the Weskeag
Marsh in Thomaston, Maine to look for the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 

The cost is $95.00 which covers the boat trip and services of a local bird
guide. For more information regarding Meals, Motel reservations,
car-pooling, etc., please contact me. 

Thanks you.

Ida Giriunas
Reading, MA
<ida8(AT)verizon.net>
781-944-5135

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Subject: Wompatuck State Park--IBA , 5/22/08
From: Warren Tatro <wtatro(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 4:57pm

> Hello Massbirders,

    Scott Santino and I led a program today for Mass Audubon's  
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield to Wompatuck State Park  
in Hingham.  Our goal was to see the southern specialties we have  
been hearing about and usually only
    dream about on the north shore. We were not disappointed.  We had  
great looks at the Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers, and after a lot  
of work, the Cerulean Warbler too.  We also heard Yellow-billed  
Cuckoo and Tennessee Warbler.
    We all went home satisfied.  The following list were species seen  
or heard.

    Warren Tatro
    Peabody, MA
    wtatro(AT)verizon.net

>
> Turkey Vulture     1
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo     1
> Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
> Downy Woodpecker     1
> Northern Flicker     1
> Pileated Woodpecker     1
> Eastern Wood-Pewee     1
> Eastern Phoebe     4
> Great Crested Flycatcher     X
> Eastern Kingbird     X
> Red-eyed Vireo     2
> Blue Jay     1
> American Crow     X
> Black-capped Chickadee     1
> Tufted Titmouse     X
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     1
> Veery     X
> Wood Thrush     X
> American Robin     X
> Gray Catbird     X
> Cedar Waxwing     X
> Tennessee Warbler     1
> Yellow Warbler     1
> Black-throated Blue Warbler     1
> Black-throated Green Warbler     2
> Blackburnian Warbler     1
> Pine Warbler     X
> Cerulean Warbler     1
> Black-and-white Warbler     1
> American Redstart     2
> Worm-eating Warbler     1
> Ovenbird     X
> Common Yellowthroat     X
> Hooded Warbler     1
> Scarlet Tanager     2
> Eastern Towhee     2
> Chipping Sparrow     X
> Song Sparrow     1
> Northern Cardinal     2
> Indigo Bunting     1
> Red-winged Blackbird     1
     Common Grackle   X
> Brown-headed Cowbird     X
> Baltimore Oriole     3
> American Goldfinch     X
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

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Subject: Manomet 5/22/08 - King Eider, Northern Goshawk
From: Ian Davies <goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 8:08pm

I spent most of the day today banding and birding at MBO, with some awesome
birds for company. The highlight was probably the first-spring King Eider that I
 found at about 1400, which was still there when I left an hour ago. A link to a
 picture is available below. Also nice was a Northern Goshawk, almost certainly
a migrant, a first for Plymouth County for me! Full list below, as well as
highlights from my yard this morning.

Bartlett Pond (1100-1120):

Spotted Sandpiper     1
Chimney Swift     15
Bank Swallow     30
Barn Swallow     5
Nashville Warbler     1
Northern Parula     2
Blackpoll Warbler     4
Black-and-white Warbler     1
American Redstart     2

9 species

Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (1120-1900):

King Eider     1     1st spring male, lousy photo can be seen at:
http://www.pbase.com/daviesphoto/image/97487934.
Common Eider (Atlantic)     15
Surf Scoter     14
Long-tailed Duck     2
Red-breasted Merganser     65
Common Loon     13
Double-crested Cormorant     320
Great Cormorant     4 juvs
Northern Goshawk     1 - Thermaling overhead at 1800ish. First at MBO for me.
Spotted Sandpiper     6
Laughing Gull     11
Bonaparte's Gull     18
Ring-billed Gull     80
Herring Gull (American)     20
Great Black-backed Gull     15
Least Tern     25
Roseate Tern     1ad
Common Tern     45
Mourning Dove     6
Chimney Swift     30
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Downy Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     3
Eastern Phoebe     2
Great Crested Flycatcher     5
Red-eyed Vireo     2
American Crow     5
Fish Crow     3
Tree Swallow     4
Bank Swallow     5
Barn Swallow     2
Black-capped Chickadee     5
Tufted Titmouse     4
Carolina Wren     3
House Wren     3
Wood Thrush     1
American Robin     30
Gray Catbird     40
Cedar Waxwing     55
Nashville Warbler     3
Northern Parula     1
Yellow Warbler     1
Black-throated Blue Warbler     6
American Redstart     2
Northern Waterthrush     1
Common Yellowthroat     9
Canada Warbler     1
Lincoln's Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     4
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Common Grackle     15
Orchard Oriole     1
Baltimore Oriole     5
American Goldfinch     8

55 species

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Good birding,
Ian Davies
Manomet, MA

[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Eagles ~ Dunlin ~ Sanderlings ~ Purple Sandpipers
          ~ Baltimore Oriole Nest ~ Savannah Sparrow Images ~
         Plymouth and North Andover
From: jfenton(AT)natureandwings.com
Date: 22 May 2008 10:02pm

I've had a couple of neat opportunities lately and thought I'd share
some images and information with you.

The local breeding eagles along the Merrimack River are doing just fine
and I've included some flight shots of both the male and female. She is
of course the larger of the two and fortunately flies lower, allowing
for some better images. He, tends to soar higher and is always back lit
for the most part, but he calls constantly when Ospreys fly by, which
makes for some nice images.

I had what for me was a unique opportunity in West Newbury this past
week, as I saw my first ever Baltimore Oriole nest and was able to
photograph it. I'm sure that most have seen an oriole nest before, but
if you haven't take a look so that you know what one looks like.

In north Andover two weekends ago, I found numerous shorebirds foraging
in the mud of a beaver pond and among them, some small sparrows (I guess
all sparrows are small actually), which when I really studied them, were
absolutely beautiful. Thanks to Ann and Steve for the ID assistance as I
know know just how beautiful and exactly what savannah sparrows look
like up close.

This past weekend, Plymouth Long Beach was alive with common and least
terns once again and it was wonderful to have them back. I also had the
wonderful privilege of meeting one Mr Rick Bowes!

The dunlins and sanderlings were in spectacular breeding plumage as
you'll see if you take a look.

The highlight of the weekend however was photographing breeding plumage
purple sandpipers. I've never even encountered them at this time of year
and while I had to go wading to photograph them, it was well worth the
cold water encounter.

If you'd like to take a look (there are some other images as well), the
photos can be found at:

http://www.pbase.com/soonipi1957/may_2008

Thanks,

Jim Fenton
42 11th Ave
Haverhill, MA 01830

Cell: 978-420-6363

Images at: www.pbase.com/soonipi1957

[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: CT Report 05/22/2008 LARK BUNTING, EURASIAN
         COLLARED-DOVE
From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey(AT)snet.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 10:14pm

Note 1: I will be away and/or busy for a bit and am not sure when the
next daily report will be produced - Saturday, or Sunday, or perhaps
even Monday.  If today was any example there could be a LOT happening
so I suggest reading CTBirds to keep up with the latest news.

Note 2: For those not up to the minutes on these things, the Eurasian
Collard-Dove would be the second record for Connecticut, and the Lark
Bunting is scarcely more common as I heard speculation that this would
be the fourth state record.

Note 3: The large grass and gravel parking lot by the Meigs Point
nature center at Hammonasset has cones up in an attempt to prevent
people from entering the area where Killdeer have been nesting.  When
looking for the latest Hammonasset rarities please respect this area
do not drive or walk there.

 From Dori Sosensky and Nick Bonomo:
5/22 - Madison, Hammonasset Beach State Park -- female LARK BUNTING
seen twice (3:30, 5:30) near the west end of the small marsh near the
entrance to Willard's Island (the opposite end from the blind).
Photographed and ID confirmed.

 From Mike DiGiorgio:
5/22 - Madison, Hammonasset Beach State Park, near the entrance of
Willard's Island near the outhouse building -- a Eurasian
Collared-Dove was spotted feeding on the lawn at the edge of the
bushes with a Morning Dove at 9:15 AM. It flew to a tree where is was
photographed, and then flew off over the marsh.

 From Noble Proctor via The Audubon Shop:
5/22 - Madison, Hammonasset Beach State Park -- 1PM, EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE seen on roof of Meig's Point Nature Center bldg, then it
flew towards Meigs Point.

 From Dan Sgro via Ross Geredien:
5/21 - Mansfield PROTHONOTARY WARBLER -- one male and one female, both
seen on the Willimantic River about 1/8-mile upriver from the Plains
Rd bridge.  Male has been singing regularly.
5/14 - Mansfield PROTHONOTARY WARBLER -- one male seen at same
location as on 5/21.  Dan has photographed both the male and female
and believes they will attempt to breed in this location.

 From Mark Szantyr:
5/18&19 - Ashford -- A Philadelphia Vireo was present for two mornings
singing and visible in my apartment complex.
5/22 - Naugatuck, Naugatuck State Forest -- Clay-colored Sparrow
continues in the location reported.

 From Roy Harvey:
5/22 - Kent, River Rd -- 19 species of warblers, including 1 Mourning
Warbler, a few Bay-breasted Warblers, 1 or 2 Blackpoll Warblers, 1
Tennessee Warbler, many Cerulean Warblers.
Kent, Schaghticoke Rd -- singing Hooded Warbler.

 From Roy Harvey with Ron Peletier:
5/22 - Naugatuck, Naugatuck State Forest -- Clay-colored Sparrow
continues in the location reported, late afternoon.

 From Greg Hanisek:
5/22 - Waterbury, neighborhood walk -- 3 TENNESSEE WARBLERS, 1
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, 1 female BAY-BREASTED WARBLER.

 From Paul Cianfaglione:
5/22 - South Windsor, Strong Road -- 4 SORA, including 2 birds chasing
each other over the marsh.
South Windsor, Vibert Road -- 2 BROWN THRASHER, 1 adult WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW

 From Marty Moore:
5/22 - Madison, Hammonasset Beach State Park -- one American Bittern
calling from the marsh about 100 yards up the left trail on Willard
Island.

 From Meredith Sampson:
5/22 - Old Greenwich, Greenwich Point -- WILSON'S WARBLER, SNOW GOOSE.

 From John Schwarz:
5/22 - West Hartford, Avon Mountain powerline cut -- 7:30-10AM,
BREWSTER'S WARBLER backcross (singing, not hard to find, and
cooperative). Also Wilson's Warbler.

 From Ray Belding:
5/22 - Harwinton, Roraback Wildlife Management area -- 14 species of
warbler including Tennessee Warbler. Black-billed Cuckoo.

 From Ian Sinclair and Gerry Nicholls:
5/22 - Monroe, Wolfe Park Lake -- White-winged Scoter.

 From Carolyn Cimino:
5/22 -- Lyme, Nehantic State Forest -- 1 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.

 From Donna Lorello:
5/22 - Branford yard -- Brown Thrasher.

 From Renee Baade:
5/21 - Stratford, R x R trail off Long Beach Blvd -- LINCOLN SPARROW

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**********************************************************************

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[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Re: Kettle Island heron-nest count, 5/22
From: gdentremont(AT)juno.com
Date: 22 May 2008 10:06pm

Cormorants and egrets nest side by side on Sarah Island in Hingham.  The
trees which the cormorants seem to be using are void of vegetation;
apparently dead for several years.  Perhaps too much vegetation on
Kettle?

        Glenn

On Thu, 22 May 2008 15:51:35 -0400 "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>
writes:
> Two folks from the Trustees of Reservations and I helped Simon 
> Perkins from 
> MAS conduct the annual count of heron nests on Kettle Island off 
> Manchester 
> today.  We didn't have time to count on Eagle Island and will have 
> to do 
> that later.  Here are the totals:
> 
> great egret             142 nests (new record)
> snowy egret           300 nests (new record)
> little blue heron     12-15 nesting pairs (typical count)
> black-cr. night heron    28 nests (Eagle I. usually has more)
> glossy ibis             172 nests (the record is 185, last year)
> 
> Little blue nests are estimated from the number of adults seen, as 
> the nests 
> and eggs are virtually indistinguishable from those of the snowy 
> egrets.
> 
> Today's timing was good because the nests held either eggs or very 
> small 
> young, not big enough to be able to climb out of the nest.  Most of 
> the 
> young had apparently hatched within the last few days.
> 
> The herring and black-backed gulls were mostly still on eggs.  We 
> didn't 
> spend any time surveying them, but i saw only one or two gull nests 
> in which 
> the eggs were hatching.  Cormorants don't nest on Kettle like they 
> do on 
> most of the other islands.  Maybe they don't like herons?
> 
> Odds and ends:
> 
> 1 trashed canada goose nest; 1 pair seen without young
> 1 mallard nest with 8 eggs; another with broken shells
> several grackle nests (we see some every year)
> 5 common eiders, but no nests or young seen
> 1 pair of rock pigeons entering and leaving a probable nest site in 
> a 
> crevice
> 
> Jim Berry
> Ipswich, Mass.
> jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net
> 
> 
> 
> 

Glenn d'Entremont, gdentremont(AT)juno.com, Stoughton, MA

[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: SSBC trip at Wompatuck Sp
From: Charles Nims <cwnims(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 11:06pm

> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----

This morning, I led my 4 and final South Shore Birding Club (SSBC) for
spring migration at Wompatuck SP (Hingham, Norwell, et al).  21 of us
enjoyed a good morning although the migration has clearly slowed.  During
the 4 week period, we had 84 species with a one day high of 20 warblers.  N=
o
luck on the Kentucky Warbler nor Louisiana Waterthrush.  Hooded and Cerulea=
n
Warblers continue with Worm-eating Warblers in 3 separate locations.  Our
only raptors were Barred Owl and Turkey Vulture.  Some of our highlights
included:

Warblers:

Nashville
Northern Parula
Yellow  2
Black-throated Blue
Black-throated Green  4
Blackburnian
Pine  6=20
Cerulean
Black-and-white   5
American Redstart  3
Worm-eating  3
Ovenbird  21
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat  4
Hooded =20

Non-warbler:

Wood Duck  2
Barred Owl
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great-crested Flycatcher  7
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo  6
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren  3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2
Veery  8
Hermit Thrush =20
Wood Thrush  2
Cedar Waxwing  3+
Scarlet Tanager  6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Baltimore Oriole  6+
Purple Finch  2

Surprisingly, missed on Blue-winged Warbler.  We heard a distant cuckoo but
it goes as =B3species=B2.

Charlie Nims
Norwell, MA
cwnims(AT)comcast.net

----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----

[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Re: nesting cormorants
From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 22 May 2008 10:48pm

In contrast, the cormorants don't nest in vegetation on any of the north 
shore islands, but almost entirely on bare rocks.  They nest on most of the 
islands where the large gulls nest, but for some reason bypass Kettle. 
Since they usually nest on the  highest parts of the islands, and since 
Kettle is thickly vegetated there, that may indeed be the reason they don't 
like the place.

Jim Berry
Ipswich, Mass.
jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <gdentremont(AT)juno.com>
To: <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>; <MASSBIRD(AT)theworld.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: [MASSBIRD] Kettle Island heron-nest count, 5/22

> Cormorants and egrets nest side by side on Sarah Island in Hingham.  The
> trees which the cormorants seem to be using are void of vegetation;
> apparently dead for several years.  Perhaps too much vegetation on
> Kettle?
>
>        Glenn
>
> On Thu, 22 May 2008 15:51:35 -0400 "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>
> writes:
>> Two folks from the Trustees of Reservations and I helped Simon
>> Perkins from
>> MAS conduct the annual count of heron nests on Kettle Island off
>> Manchester
>> today.  We didn't have time to count on Eagle Island and will have
>> to do
>> that later.  Here are the totals:
>>
>> great egret             142 nests (new record)
>> snowy egret           300 nests (new record)
>> little blue heron     12-15 nesting pairs (typical count)
>> black-cr. night heron    28 nests (Eagle I. usually has more)
>> glossy ibis             172 nests (the record is 185, last year)
>>
>> Little blue nests are estimated from the number of adults seen, as
>> the nests
>> and eggs are virtually indistinguishable from those of the snowy
>> egrets.
>>
>> Today's timing was good because the nests held either eggs or very
>> small
>> young, not big enough to be able to climb out of the nest.  Most of
>> the
>> young had apparently hatched within the last few days.
>>
>> The herring and black-backed gulls were mostly still on eggs.  We
>> didn't
>> spend any time surveying them, but i saw only one or two gull nests
>> in which
>> the eggs were hatching.  Cormorants don't nest on Kettle like they
>> do on
>> most of the other islands.  Maybe they don't like herons?
\

The Virtual Birder

MASSBIRD for Thursday, May 22, 2008

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Last Updated: Sunday, June 1, 2008 6:35pm MT

The Virtual Birder

MASSBIRD for Thursday, May 22, 2008

Send feedback on these pages to: BMail@greatblue.com B-Mail Message Content Disclaimer Layout Copyright © 1999-2001 Great Blue Media Works Last Updated: Sunday, June 1, 2008 6:35pm MT

Send feedback on these pages to: BMail@greatblue.com
B-Mail Message Content Disclaimer
Layout Copyright © 1999-2001 Great Blue Media Works
Last Updated: Sunday, June 1, 2008 6:35pm MT