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MASSBIRD for Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Subject: Dragonfly Workshop
From: High Pond Farm <birds(AT)highpondfarm.org>
Date: 29 May 2008 8:32am
Dragonflies in July at High Pond Farm, Plymouth New Hampshire
(Spaces are still available in our Avian Ecology Workshop, June 19 â~@~S 22:
please register by June 12th) Visit our website for details:
http://www.highpondfarm.org/
July 18-20 Michael Blust
An Introduction to Odonata â~@~S Dragonflies & Damselflies
This 2-day workshop will provide a thorough introduction to the identification,
life history, and ecology of Odonata. Emphasis will be placed on getting to know
the adult dragonflies and damselflies found around the High Pond Farm area.
With over 150 species recorded in New Hampshire, expect to see and become
familiar with at least 30 of these during the weekend. Many of these species are
found through the northeastern North America. Activities will include field
observation, netting techniques, field identification, and laboratory
identification of these primitive yet eminently successful insects. The process
of learning to observe, capture and identify these insects will be infused with
information about their fascinating adaptations and lifestyles.
Fee: $250, includes instruction in field and classroom, two nights lodging and
all meals from Friday supper through Sunday lunch.
Mike Blust was born and raised in northern New Jersey where it seemed to take
too long to get out to the field and rivers for bird watching. A summer job at
a mosquito control commission led to a M.S. (Univ. of Delaware) and Ph.D.
(Kansas State Univ.) in entomology. Predestined to live where the fields and
rivers were accessible, he has been teaching about birds and insects at Green
Mountain College, Vermont since 1987. More recently, he has developed a keen
interest in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) - the "birds" of the insect
world, and maintains a website on Odonata of Vermont.
High Pond Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Plymouth, New Hampshire
whose mission is to provide natural history education for curious adults and
professional and amateur naturalists. Please visit our website at
http://www.highpondfarm.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: RT Hawk Memorial Day/ more images
From: delsolar(AT)verizon.net
Date: 29 May 2008 11:16am
This pair of RT hawks is visiting my backyard so often I assume they may
have a nest nearby. Hope I can trace them to the nest! I have added
two more images of the female in flight in the New England Wildlife
Photography galleries. It sure helps getting full frame images of these
birds to get full plumage detail.
1
http://www.pbase.com/ne_wildlife_photography/image/97813386
2
http://www.pbase.com/ne_wildlife_photography/image/97768846
Eduardo del Solar
delsolar(AT)bellatlantic.net
Boston, Mass.
http://www.delsolar.org:82/nature/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: eBird Report - Belmont Hill, Middlesex County,
MA, US , 5/29/08
From: "Fred Bouchard" <frederickbouchard(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 29 May 2008 11:32am
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Location: Belmont Hill, Middlesex County, MA, US
Observation date: 5/29/08, 6-7:15am
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 3
Wild Turkey 1
Herring Gull 2
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 5
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 7
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 2
House Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Swainson's Thrush 1
Catharus sp. 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 32
Gray Catbird 7
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 12
Pine Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Ovenbird 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 6
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 19
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 6
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 15
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
--
frederickbouchard(AT)gmail.com
78 farnham st
belmont 02478 ma
617-484-6692
www.fredbouchard.com
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Subject: Mississippi kite at Pilgrim Heights, Truro today
From: "Melissa Lowe" <mlowe(AT)massaudubon.org>
Date: 29 May 2008 11:40am
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Hi Massbirders,
Don Manchester, primary counter at the Pilgrim Heights Hawk Watch,
recorded a Mississippi Kite at Pilgrim Heights in North Truro at 10:30
a.m. today. He and Blair Nikula were able to photograph the bird as it
flew past. It was an adult.
There have been well over 100 migrant raptors seen today with many
broad-winged hawks winging by.
The Pilgrim Heights Hawk Watch is conducted by Mass Audubon's Wellfleet
Bay Wildlife Sanctuary with generous support from Eastern Mass. Hawk
Watch and permission from the Cape Cod National Seashore. For more
details (including directions) visit
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay/hawkwatch. You can also visit
www.hawkcount.org and see daily totals for the site (as quickly as I can
enter them!).
Happy hawkwatching,
Melissa Lowe
mlowe(AT)massaudubon.org
***********************************************************
Melissa Lowe, Education Coordinator
Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
mlowe(AT)massaudubon.org
508-349-2615, ext 107
Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay
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Subject: Reminder : Avian Photography Exhibit in Belmont
From: Michael Milicia <milicia(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 5:50pm
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Just a quick reminder about my upcoming bird photography exhibit at
Habitat in Belmont
(see original post below).
Opening reception is this coming Wednesday, June 4 from 6-8 pm.
Show will be up for the month of June.
Hope you get a chance to stop by !
-------------------------------
I would like to invite you to an exhibit of my bird photography next
month at the
Mass Audubon Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary at 10 Juniper Road in
Belmont, MA.
There will be an opening reception on Wednesday, June 4 from 6 to 8
PM and it would be great to see you there !
It will hopefully be a pleasant evening so that you can also enjoy
the 2.5 miles of walking trails at the sanctuary
and maybe even get in some birding !
Please see my "virtual postcard" announcement at :
http://mysite.verizon.net/milicia/habitat_exhibit
You can find more information about the sanctuary at :
http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Habitat/
index.php
and driving directions are given below.
A portion of all proceeds from this show will benefit the
Massachusetts Audubon Society.
Hope you can make it !
-- Mike Milicia
Bedford, MA
milicia (at) verizon.net
Directions:
From the west: Take Rt. 2 (eastbound) to exit 58, Park Avenue. At
the first traffic light (Park Ave.) turn right.
Proceed a short distance to a small traffic circle.
Take the second right onto Prospect Street (The Belmont Hill School
will be on your right).
Take the next right onto Tyler Rd. Take the next right onto Juniper Rd.
The sanctuary entrance is 0.2 miles ahead on the right.
From the east: Take Rt. 2 westbound, to exit 59 (Rt. 60/Belmont Ctr.)
At end of ramp turn left onto Rt. 60 west/Pleasant Street.
Follow Pleasant Street for 0.6 miles and take a right at the third
traffic light onto Clifton Street.
Take the first left onto Fletcher Rd. Bear left at the fork and take
the next left onto Juniper Rd.
The sanctuary entrance is 0.2 miles ahead on the right.
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Subject: Horned Lark Nest
From: "Peter Trull" <petrull(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 6:56pm
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Hello Massbirders.
At daybreak on Nauset Beach south near Pochet while teaching a tracking =
workshop to the Orleans plover/tern wardens, the benefit of having 3 =
observers looking at the ground proved worthwhile as we found two Horned =
Lark nests, one south, an one in the dunes 3 miles north near Nauset =
inlet. Picture below.......And Listen to this! Last week I photographed =
Ospreys copulating on a beach snag near Nauset Inlet, This pair has been =
over the expansive, sparsly vegetated beach for about 10 days. Today =
they were walking on and dropping vegetation on a driftwood =
branch,covered dome of sand about a foot high. Anyone heard of ground =
nesting Ospreys????? These Ospreys bear watching.
12 Black-bellied Plovers
2 American Oystercatchers, 1 incubating
4 Boneparts Gulls all with no hood, black ear patch
.Peter Trull
Brewster, MA
petrull(AT)comcast.net
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676688@N03/
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Subject: Crane WMA (Falmouth)
From: Charles Nims <cwnims(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 7:50pm
> 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, Joe Scott, Sally & Dick Avery along with myself birded the
Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth. What a treat to bird these
wonderful fields=8Ba nice change of pace from the Wompatuck SP and Mt. Auburn
birding areas. It had been several years since I birded here and in the
future, I will try to do it annually. Finally, tks to Mary Keleher for som=
e
good input.
It was a good sparrow day with 5 species highlighted by Grasshopper Sparrow
and lots of Field Sparrow along with Eastern Meadowlark and lots of Prairie
Warblers. A few of the species seen included:
Bank Swallow
Fish Crow
Eastern Bluebird 4 **apparently a pair nesting in a natural cavity
Prairie Warbler 7
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow 8+
Savannah Sparrow 5+
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW 4+
Song Sparrow 3
Eastern Meadowlark 4+
Charlie Nims
Norwell, MA
cwnims(AT)comcast.net
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Horned Lark Nest
From: Eddie <emgiles(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 7:52pm
Peter Trull wrote:
> And Listen to this! Last week I photographed Ospreys copulating on a
> beach snag near Nauset Inlet, This pair has been over the expansive,
> sparsly vegetated beach for about 10 days. Today they were walking on
> and dropping vegetation on a driftwood branch,covered dome of sand
> about a foot high. Anyone heard of ground nesting Ospreys?????
*
Hi, Peter -
Yes. About 22 years ago I took a natural history trip through the
Sea of Cortez and around the Baja peninsula. Somewhere in storage I
have slides I took of an Osprey nest on the ground on one of the islands
in the Sea of Cortez. I assumed at the time it was due to a lack of
suitable trees to build a nest on, although there were sizeable saguaro
cacti present. What I found so fascinating aside from the assorted
flotsam and jetsam that the Ospreys had used to build the nest, was that
they had actually used dead gulls (yes, plural) in the construction of
the nest.
Eddie
*
--
***************************
Eddie, Maura, & Jason Giles
East Bridgewater, MA
emgiles(AT)verizon.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Manomet 5/29/08 - Bicknell's Thrush!
From: Ian Davies <goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 8:36pm
The far and away highlight this afternoon at MBO was a BICKNELL'S THRUSH that
sang three times while we were closing nets, just at dusk. Details are below in
my post. A lifer for me and Mass bird # 339!
Other nice stuff included a few Blackpolls (BLPW) still hanging around, but I
didnt have enough time to adequately cover everything today.
Before I arrived they had 12 Canada Warblers, 3 Alder Flycatchers, 1 Willow, 1
Mourning Warbler, and 15+ Magnolias, among other good birds. Also a Blackburnian
singing. None of these were had by me.
Full list below, and I'll be back there early tomorrow morning!
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences--IBA (1530-1950):
Double-crested Cormorant 40
Laughing Gull 3
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull (American) 2
Great Black-backed Gull 3
Common Tern 15
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 3
Bank Swallow 12
Carolina Wren 2
House Wren 3
Bicknell's Thrush 1 One bird sang three times between 1944-1946,
distinctly
upslurred at the end, with a downslurred mid-phrase ending. It was the first
time
I had ever heard a Gray-cheeked (GCTH) or a Bicknell's (BITH) sing, and I
thought
it was a GCTH, until I got back and listened to a tape out of curiosity. Then I
realized that this was for sure not a GCTH.
Only sang those three times.
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 25
European Starling 4
Cedar Waxwing 12
Yellow Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 5
American Redstart 5
Common Yellowthroat 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 4
American Goldfinch 3
38 species
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Good birding,
Ian Davies
Manomet, MA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Mississippi Kite photos
From: Blair Nikula <odenews(AT)odenews.org>
Date: 29 May 2008 9:32pm
I've posted a few images of the Mississippi Kite that passed Pilgrim
Heights in Truro this morning at:
http://www.capecodbirds.org/MIKIsubNTruro0508.htm
Although initially reported as an adult, it was actually a sub-adult,
as indicated most obviously by (among other features) the dark secondaries.
Blair Nikula
2 Gilbert Lane
Harwich Port, MA 02646
USA
mailto:odenews(AT)odenews.org
web site: http://www.odenews.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: South Beach - 5/28
From: Blair Nikula <odenews(AT)odenews.org>
Date: 29 May 2008 9:56pm
I made it out to South Beach late yesterday (5/28), only my second
trip so far this year. The shorebird show was impressive, by spring
standards, though there were no surprises (and very little other than
shorebirds). There were hundreds of pairs (and triples, and
quadruples) of horseshoe crabs coming ashore to spawn and most of the
shorebirds were indulging in a feeding frenzy (Delaware Bay
lite). In recent years, the number of spawning horseshoe crabs on
South Beach has been increasing rather dramatically (there were
virtually none just a few years ago, though they have always been
numerous on North Monomoy), and the spring shorebirds have responded
in kind. From 1700 - 2000 hrs., I recorded the following:
600 Black-bellied Plovers
45 Semipalmated Plovers
4 Piping Plovers
9 Am. Oystercatchers
5 Willets
300 Ruddy Turnstones
250(!) Red Knots (my personal spring high, though there are
historical counts an order of magnitude higher)
1500 Sanderlings
900 Semipalmated Sandpipers
1 Least Sandpipers
6 White-rumped Sandpipers
2000 Dunlin
6 Short-billed Dowitchers
75 Common Terns (roosting on South Beach, thousands more in the area)
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (1s)
Blair Nikula
2 Gilbert Lane
Harwich Port, MA 02646
USA
mailto:odenews(AT)odenews.org
web site: http://www.odenews.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: CT Report 05/29/2008
From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey(AT)snet.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 9:42pm
---- COA Birding by Ear Workshop
---- Saturday, June 7, 7am
---- Audubon Center at Bent of the River
---- Southbury, CT
---- For details see:
http://lists.ctbirding.org/pipermail/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org/Week-of-Mon-20080526/007616.html
From Paul Cianfaglione:
5/29 - West Hartford, Route 44 powerlines -- 2 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
(2 birds calling on opposite sides of powerline cut in different
locations).
From Paul Carrier:
5/29 - New Hartford, Bakerville swamp -- 2 BOBOLINK in grass field to
the south; Also one OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and a good possible YELLOW
BELLIED FLYCATCHER there as well low in the bushes. Have not heard the
Alder here this year yet.
From Randy Domina:
5/29 - New Haven, East Rock -- MOURNING WARBLER near the bend of the
"river trail".
From Patrick Comins:
5/29 - Southbury, Audubon Center at Bent of the River --
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. Hooded Warbler singing outside my window
as I type.
From Don Morgan:
5/29 - Thompson, Thompson Dam, area being managed as grass lands --
at least 10 Bobolinks.
**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************
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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:
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To change your subscription options, or unsubscribe, please visit
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Shorebird quandry
From: "Douglas Chickering" <dovekie(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 29 May 2008 9:54pm
Massbirders:
Lois Cooper and I were on the island today. We had a nice
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in the Old Pines and there were still a few
migrating warblers about; i.e. Magnolia, Black-throated Green, and Parula.
We were also impressed by the large number of shorebirds we found in Stage
Island Pool. Close to a hundred Semipalmated Sandpipers, a like number of
Semipalmated Plovers, and more Dunlin. There were a good scattering of
White-rumped Sandpipers, some Dowitchers and even a few Least Sandpipers.
It seemed to me to be a lot of shorebirds for the last days of May. It got
Lois and I to wondering. I should like to hear from those Massbirders who
are more knowledgeable about these things than I. Which one of these two
statements is wrong?
1. It's too late for these birds to be migrating north to their breeding
grounds.
2. It's too early for them to be leaving their breeding grounds and be
heading back south.
Doug Chickering
Groveland
dovekie(AT)comcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: South Beach access
From: Blair Nikula <odenews(AT)odenews.org>
Date: 29 May 2008 10:17pm
In anticipation of the inevitable inquiries, I thought I'd provide a
quick update on the status of access to South Beach this year. There
is both good news and bad news for birders.
The good news is that South Beach is virtually unchanged from last
year. Indeed, I can't recall a winter in the past two decades in
which the beach was so little changed. And the land bridge to South
Monomoy has ended the inexorable southward drift (i.e.,, farther and
farther from the standard ferry drop-off site) of the best shorebird flats.
The bad news is that South Beach is virtually unchanged from last
year. Which means the shorebirds are as widely dispersed as ever, so
plan on doing some hoofing if you wish to cover the beach
thoroughly. And it looks like the marsh grasses will be at least as
extensive and thick as last year.
Although I've not yet talked to either of the ferry operators, the
channel between South Beach and Monomoy appears to have changed
little, so I assume it will still be possible to get dropped off at
the south end of the beach (for an additional fee), thus considerably
reducing the amount of walking necessary. It also appears to me that
the increasingly restricted tidal flow into the area has resulted in
an additional delay in the timing of the tides. Previously, high
tide on South Beach averaged about 45 minutes to an hour after high
tide in Boston Harbor. But my initial impressions this year are that
the tide is now running at least and hour and a half later than
Boston. So plan you trips accordingly.
Blair Nikula
2 Gilbert Lane
Harwich Port, MA 02646
USA
mailto:odenews(AT)odenews.org
web site: http://www.odenews.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: RE: Shorebird quandry
From: "Soheil Zendeh" <szendeh(AT)rcn.com>
Date: 29 May 2008 11:20pm
Doug, see Blair Nikulas post on shorebirds at Monomoy. Also see my notes
from last Sunday at Nahant Beach.
The story seems to be that shorebirds have just started to show up on their
northward migration. This is possibly a few days later than previous years,
but the first week of June is often when the big waves of birds like
Blackbellies and Sanderlings hit places like Plymouth Beach. I don't know
the recent history of shorebirds on the island, but I'd say the ones you saw
were within the normal dates.
The end of June we'll start to see returning (southbound) migrant
shorebirds!
Soheil Zendeh
42 Baker Ave
Lexington, MA 02421
home phone 781-863-2392
cell phone 617-763-5637
office phone 617-528-4013
-----Original Message-----
From: massbird-approval(AT)world.std.com
[mailto:massbird-approval(AT)world.std.com] On Behalf Of Douglas Chickering
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:51 PM
To: Massbird
Cc: Douglas Chickering
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Shorebird quandry
Massbirders:
Lois Cooper and I were on the island today. We had a nice
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in the Old Pines and there were still a few
migrating warblers about; i.e. Magnolia, Black-throated Green, and Parula.
We were also impressed by the large number of shorebirds we found in Stage
Island Pool. Close to a hundred Semipalmated Sandpipers, a like number of
Semipalmated Plovers, and more Dunlin. There were a good scattering of
White-rumped Sandpipers, some Dowitchers and even a few Least Sandpipers.
It seemed to me to be a lot of shorebirds for the last days of May. It got
Lois and I to wondering. I should like to hear from those Massbirders who
are more knowledgeable about these things than I. Which one of these two
statements is wrong?
1. It's too late for these birds to be migrating north to their breeding
grounds.
2. It's too early for them to be leaving their breeding grounds and be
heading back south.
Doug Chickering
Groveland
dovekie(AT)comcast.net
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