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MASSBIRD for Saturday, March 1, 2008
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Subject: Leap Day, Plum Island
From: cmsbirds(AT)comcast.net (Chris Sheridan)
Date: 1 Mar 2008 12:24am
Today, It was COLD.
In the morning, very quiet--literally. Only the sounds of the surf and the
breeze in the reeds.
At at the bridge--juvenile Red Tailed hawk--adding to the the phenomenal number
of Red Tails spotted perched along Rts. 3 and 495 on the way down.
In the marshes and on the ice on the causeway--many Canada Geese and ducks,
mostly black ducks. (Seems most of the Mallards are paired off and hanging out
all along Joppa Park area!)
Between lots 1 and 2 on the beach:
1 Horned Grebe, 2 Great Black Backed Gulls. 3 Herring Gulls.
At Hellcat (finally, bird sounds!) 3 black capped chickadees. One managed a
"fee-bee"...spring will come...)
1 American Tree Sparrow.
Didn't walk up past the gate.
(Met some birders who had seen a light phase Rough-Legged Hawk, but didn't see
it myself---
the light hawk has eluded me this winter.)
Driving back towards the gatehouse:
7-8 American crows, seen mobbing something down in the marsh near the
causeway--I didn't see what was the cause of the commotion...
I was distracted by two ducks in open water in the pans, who were spending about
90% of their time with their tails in the air....I could use some help
identifying these ducks--they had the profile of Canvasbacks, heads long-billed
and sloping, but seemed mostly brownish in color--with the very bright sunlight,
everything was very "backlit" on that side, and colors hard to see. Photos not
good.
At the boat launch, I met a Crow who seemed quite cool, calm and collected. But
a large corvid perched on an electric pole near the gatehouse appeared
extremely agitated: clacking its bill, making weird low groaning
sounds,ruffling its feathers, and peering around. I wondered what the problem
was.
At Plum Island Sound, watched the antics of a Red Breasted Merganser, who would
catch and eat a fish, then toss his head around vigorously, till his plastered
down green "hair-do" was fluffed out to his apparent liking. Then he'd dive
again. A female RBME drew in--mate or potential mate?--seemingly attracted by
his activities.
Also in the Sound:
Wasn't really counting, but at least two Common Golden-Eyes, a Mute Swan,
Herring Gulls.
3 Common Loons, one a juvenile.
Common Eiders, male and female
After a late lunch in Newburyport, the tide was coming in, and so were the
predators:
At the bridge "the" male Kestrel, and again the juvie RTHA
A number of Northern Harriers, flying throughout. (To the women at the North
Pool--the motionless "fluffed up" hawk on the ground that none of us could make
out-- evenually flew off, revealing itself to be a Harrier.)
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk.
The Canada Geese (I stopped counting at 100) and ducks moved onto the open
water.
Off lot 1, a Long-Tailed Duck, male.
A few pictures (help requested on "upside down ducks..."!)
www.pbase.com/cmsbirds/leap_day_plum_island
Chris Sheridan
Nashua NH
cmsbirds(AT)comcast.net
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Subject: Close call/Cooper's Hawk
From: Richard Marchant <rmarchant31(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 7:56am
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Massbirders,
Just behind our property line, on the commuter train property, is an old
stone wall which, as of last November, has become the home of a family of rats!
They're rather cute rats, actually, and don't bother us as much as, let's say,
cockroaches would - both being in the 'vermin' category. Still, we'd rather
they'd not be there, but short of shooting them, haven't come up with a winter
plan to eradicate them yet. [Poisons are out of the question.]
Yesterday, Dick was looking out a window into the backyard (our birdfeeders
are on OUR side of the same property line, which may also explain the presence
of these 'varmits') and watching the birds fly in and out, a nice plump little
rat with bright pink ears was also feeding on the ground under the feeders.
Then, as if from out of nowhere, a Cooper's Hawk swooped down, talons extended,
intent on grabbing what would have been, I'd imagine, a very tasty meal. The
hawk, however, missed by, apparently a 'hair's breadth.' The rat took cover, and
the hawk did not reappear.
I didn't see the swoop, but it was apparently quite dramatic and we hope the
Cooper's comes back.
BTW, does anybody have a black rat snake that we can borrow over the
summer?
DD&W
Dick and Donna Marchant
Gloucester, MA
rmarchant31(AT)verizon.net
"If you think your dog can't count, put 3 treats in your pocket, and only give
him 2."
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Subject: chipping sparrow 03-01-08
From: treeswallow5(AT)aol.com
Date: 1 Mar 2008 8:43am
Here in Marion, the first bird seen at the feeders this a.m. was an
adult
chipping sparrow! Seems a bit early, although I think they have been
known to
winter over on the Cape.
Mike Maurer
Marion, MA
"The time to save a species is while it is still common" Rosalie Edge,
Founder of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
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Subject: Re: chipping sparrow 03-01-08
From: "middleton/walker" <walker.middleton(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 9:21am
They sure have wintered over on Cape Cod. For the first time in all the
years we've lived here, we've had Chipping Sparrows showing up at the
feeders every time we've had a little snow. Last Sunday I counted 13, and
every day since then, there have been a few around.
Anne Middleton
South Yarmouth, MA
walker.middleton(AT)comcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Redpoll and Goldfinch mania - Scituate
From: steve(AT)maguirepresentations.com
Date: 1 Mar 2008 9:21am
Something to pass the rainy Saturday...
At our feeders in Scituate this morning...
31 goldfinches
7 Common Redpolls
Best Regards,
Steve
Stephen Maguire - Speaking Professional
www.maguirepresentations.com
steve(AT)maguirepresentations.com
781.545.5266 x 1
24 Hatchet Rock Road
Scituate, MA 02066
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: 1st National Wildlife Refuge
From: "Janis LaPointe" <janlan2(AT)cox.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 10:39am
Let's not forget the contributions of the women of Boston who began the
movement and the effort to ban killing birds for feathers in the late
1800's. MassAudubon had an excellent article entitled The Mothers of
Conservation in its magazine a number of years ago. If I remember
correctly, their group may have led to a spin off that helped launch the
National Audubon movement. A small grass root effot that focused attention
and had a national impact.
Janis LaPointe
Enfield, CT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Volkle and Steve Moore" <barb620(AT)theworld.com>
To: <massbird(AT)theworld.com>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 3:25 PM
Subject: Re: [MASSBIRD] 1st National Wildlife Refuge
> For more about Pelican Island NWR, go to www.fws.gov/pelicanisland/ .
>
> Barbara Volkle
> Northboro, MA
> barb620(AT)theworld.com
>
>
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Subject: more on goldfinches
From: "Jim Berry" <jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 10:44am
We've lived at our house in Ipswich for over 30 years and had never seen
more than about 25 goldfinches at one time until this morning. (We have one
niger tube--never more than that--and currently have three sunflower tubes.)
Counts this winter had not exceeded 15 until Feb. 18, when I counted 25 for
the first time in years. This morning in the rain, for some reason, they
came out of the woodwork. I have tried to count them many times and my
highest total so far is 50. It's hard to get an exact count with birds
moving all the time, but that number is close and may be low, as some are
usually up in the spruce where they can't be seen. They compete for spots
on the tubes with many feeding on the spillage on the ground. Others are
using the platform feeder, where the doves are having unexpected company.
The rain is changing to snow again now, so let's see what happens. (I
suspect it won't make much difference to the birds.) Sometimes it pays to
stay home, which is easy to do in the rain!
Jim Berry
Ipswich, Mass.
jim.berry3(AT)verizon.net
----- Original Message -----
From: <steve(AT)maguirepresentations.com>
To: <massbird(AT)TheWorld.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 9:21 AM
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Redpoll and Goldfinch mania - Scituate
> At our feeders in Scituate this morning...
>
> 31 goldfinches
> 7 Common Redpolls
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Subject: Circle of bird life (and death)
From: Richard Danca <rdanca(AT)ix.netcom.com>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 12:26pm
Yes, slightly off-topic, since it happened in California, but a nice
circle of life story taken from the Silicon Valley daily e-mail,
published by the San Jose Mercury.
-------------
Also, this slice of life from the porch of the Villa Murrell, tucked
in the Silicon Valley sprawl. Last evening, as the birds are
settling in, I hear the squeaky flutter of a mourning dove down the
way, and then, thwap, a hawk makes a hard landing on the sidewalk
below me in a cloud of feathers from the dove in his claw. He sits
there for a few seconds, giving me a long, hard look, like, "What,
you got somethin' to say, pal?" then glides off to have dinner. This
morning I'm watching a hummingbird build her nest on a branch barely
an arm's length from the porch. She's making quick runs to the
sidewalk and back, carpeting her little twig cup with the dove's
down. And so it goes.
--
---------
Richard A. Danca
Newton, MA
mailto:rdanca(AT)ix.netcom.com
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Subject: Eastern Bluebirds
From: Joe Vincent <jvince96(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 3:01pm
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I have been fortunate enough to photograph a pair of Eastern Bluebirds in t=
he backyard lately. Even though they are very skittish birds, they do allow=
me to get a photo here and there. For those of you (like myself) that ador=
e these lovely birds, I have attached a link for you to enjoy. Please feel =
free to visit the gallery.
=20
http://www.pbase.com/jawvince96/march_08_wildlife
=20
Thanks for looking!
Joe Vincent
Attleboro, MA
=20
All my galleries can be found at http://www.pbase.com/jawvince96 =
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
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Subject: Southwick
From: "Scott Ricker" <ptbagger(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 4:20pm
MassBirders,
About 45 minutes ago I came across 10 Turkey Vultures circling over and
moving South/Southwest @ the intersection of Klaus Anderson Rd & Rt 10/202.
They were strikingly attractive with the black & white pattern against the
blue sky! Also, 3 Red-wing Black Birds & a Hairy Woodpecker @ the feeders.
Scott Ricker
Southwick, MA.
Ptbagger(at)Verizon(dot)net
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.2/1305 - Release Date: 2/29/2008
6:32 PM
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Still Laughing
From: kmr46(AT)comcast.net
Date: 1 Mar 2008 6:40pm
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Hi Sister
Donna and I got a Real good laugh out of that. Only one month to go!
Love
Kevin
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Subject: Bluebirds
From: kmr46(AT)comcast.net
Date: 1 Mar 2008 6:38pm
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Hello Massbirders
For the last few days I have had up to 6 Bluebirds coming to my feeders. They
have been to the suet scraps under my feedersand I grated up a couple of suet
cakes which they also seem to like. Everything was fine and dandy until the
Adult male Coopers Hawk came in and ruined the picnic! Although he Did not get
anything I did"nt see them again. As someone mentioned on a previous post I"ve
noticed more Goldfinches than usual in the last couple of days.
Spring is Near
Kevin Ryan
North Easton
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Subject: Local birding-Pepperell area
From: "Erik Stromsted" <siskin(AT)charter.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 6:56pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Local birding Observers: Partial List As noted below: J Nevard. H=20
Hornblower, P. Terrasi. E Stromsted
Nashua River West Trail by trotting Track-River Rd Pepperell Feb 28 -Mar =
1-=20
Snow flurries, Feb 28Partly sunny and 20-50 F. ~4pm H Hornblower, E=20
Stromsted
2 Mute Swan
~100 max Canada Goose active- feeding in river and resting on ice- ~70 =
ice cover
~80 Mallard
~ 45 Common Merganser
8 Hooded Merganser
2 Ring-billed Gull
(Lower) Mt Lebanon St.- J Nevard
12 Wild Turkey
Carolina Wren
4 Bluebird
Mt Lebanon St (Upper) feeders- E Stromsted
Red-Tailed Hawk-pr.
4 Bluebird
6 Robin
12 Cedar Waxwing
8 Crow
~20 Common Redpoll
1 Hoary Redpoll- pale, small beak, red crown patch. red chest black =
bib,=20
several white feathers on wing, several weak stripes on flanks, none =
under=20
rump
2-Hairy Woodpecker
1 Chipping Sparrow
6 Tree Sparrow
15 Junco
2 Grackle
Coon Tree Farm area-P Terrasi partial list Feb 24-Mar 1 6-8 am
Barred Owl
Great-Horned Owl
2-Ruffed Grouse
~50 Max Bluebird- feeding on hayfield border invasives & crab =
apples,misc=20
shrub fruits
max 25 Cedar Waxwings
max 60 Robins
Carolina Wren
Dunstable/ E Groton areas: H Hornblower
Merlin
Erik Stromsted
Pepperell, Ma
Siskin(AT)charter.net=20
Erik Stromsted
Pepperell, Ma
Siskin(AT)charter.net
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Subject: local birding -Pepperell area
From: "Erik Stromsted" <siskin(AT)charter.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 7:00pm
Local birding Observers: Partial List As noted below: J Nevard. H
Hornblower, P. Terrasi. E Stromsted
Nashua River West Trail by trotting Track-River Rd Pepperell Feb 28 -Mar 1-
Snow flurries, Feb 28Partly sunny and 20-50 F. ~4pm H Hornblower, E
Stromsted
2 Mute Swan
~100 max Canada Goose active- feeding in river
~80 Mallard
~ 45 Common Merganser
8 Hooded Merganser
2 Ring-billed Gull
(Lower) Mt Lebanon St.- J Nevard
12 Wild Turkey
Carolina Wren
4 Bluebird
Mt Lebanon St (Upper) feeders- E Stromsted
Red-Tailed Hawk-pr.
4 Bluebird
6 Robin
12 Cedar Waxwing
8 Crow
~20 Common Redpoll
1 Hoary Redpoll- pale, small beak, red crown patch. red chest black bib,
several white feathers on wing, several weak stripes on flanks, none under
rump
2-Hairy Woodpecker
1 Chipping Sparrow
6 Tree Sparrow
15 Junco
2 Grackle
Coon Tree Farm area-P Terrasi partial list Feb 24-Mar 1 6-8 am
Barred Owl
Great-Horned Owl
2-Ruffed Grouse
~50 Max Bluebird- feeding on hayfield border invasives & crab apples,misc
shrub fruits
max 25 Cedar Waxwings
max 60 Robins
Carolina Wren
Dunstable/ E Groton areas: H Hornblower
Merlin
Erik Stromsted
Pepperell, Ma
Siskin(AT)charter.net
Erik Stromsted
Pepperell, Ma
Siskin(AT)charter.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Snow Buntings, Plymouth
From: Kathryn Doyon <gizzybird(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 7:57pm
My friend Sharla introduced me to a Wildlands Trust
area that can be accessed from Rte. 80 and indirectly
from behind Sam's Club. There is a large, sandy,
weedy area behind Sam's Club. I was there late this
afternoon and found a flock of 17 Snow Buntings.
Kathy
Kathryn Doyon
Plymouth, MA
Gizzybird(AT)verizon.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: bluebirds in Mansfield
From: gwilym jones <gwilstrong(AT)rcn.com>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 8:26pm
A pair of Eastern Bluebirds at a feeder about 1/2 mile west of the
train station in Mansfield, MA.
Also:
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
White-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco
House finch
Gwil Jones
Marine Science Center
Northeastern University
Nahant, MA 01908
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: CT Report 03/01/2008 TUNDRA SWAN
From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey(AT)snet.net>
Date: 1 Mar 2008 9:26pm
From Ron Pelletier:
3/01 - Stratford, pond at the end of Long Beach Blvd -- Tundra Swan;
this is part of the McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.
From Paul Cianfaglione w/Roger Preston:
3/01 - Simsbury, Simsbury Farms Park -- 11 PINE GROSBEAK (1 male, 10
female).
3/01 - Canton, Canton feeder -- 6 COMMON REDPOLL.
From Perry Green:
3/01 Winsted, near Highland Lake, at thistle feeder and in trees --
after the snow storm 25-30 COMMON REDPOLLS.
From Luke Tiller:
3/01 - Westport, Compo Beach -- 9 SNOW BUNTINGS.
From Joe Bear
3/01 - Wilton yard -- One male Common Redpoll at feeders, and a few
Pine Siskins singing from treetop perches.
From Bev Propen:
3/01- Orange backyard -- One Common Redpoll (first one since 12/03) at
my sunflower chip feeder.
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Winter of Pine Grosbeaks
From: newburyportbirders(AT)comcast.net
Date: 1 Mar 2008 9:48pm
Birders,
On December 1, 2007, while on the campus of St. Michael's College in
Colchester, Vermont, we came across a small flock of stout, heavy billed fruit
crushers, the Pine Grosbeaks [Pinicola enucleator]. [The translation of the
Latin
"enucleator" is "to remove the kernel".] It was a bitterly cold, Saturday
morning, and
some of the birds were eating snow. Rory, my nephew, a senior at SMC, was
fascinated with their size; their long, forked black tail and the sexually
dimorphic,
rosy-red headed males and females blushed with bronzy yellow-olive on their grey
backs and underparts.
Susan commented on how close together they fed; there was no competition for
food with the amount of fruit available in the trees behind the townhouses. We
were all present in this moment, watching this tight flock feed voraciously. We
lingered and listened to their call which to me was like "tee-tee-tew," somewhat
like that of a lispy Cedar Waxwing or a yellowlegs.
These large finches are medium-sized ~ 8 to 10 inches. They are plump songbirds
with heavy chests and two, white wingbars on dark wings. They are equipped with
a large, stubby, curved, slightly hooked bill. Their head is flat crowned, and
their neck is short and thick.
Later that week, Rory called me to report that the flock had stayed with those
heavily ladened fruit trees until the trees were stripped of all their fruit.
Their breeding habitat is coniferous woods across Canada, Alaska and the western
mountains of the United States. A bulky, loose cup nest is built of moss,
lichen, fine
grass, rootlets and lined with fur and secured on a horizontal branch or in a
fork
of a conifer or birch. The female lays 2 - 5 bluish-green eggs that are
streaked with
purple, brown or black, and she'll incubate for nearly two weeks. The male
provides
her nourishment during this period, but the female leaves the nest to accept his
offering. Males partake in the feeding the nestlings, providing a mix of insects
and
plant foods. Fledging takes place in 13 - 20 days.
Pine Grosbeaks develop a pair of sub-lingual [under the tongue] pouches in the
floor of their mouth for carrying and storing food items.The adult Pine Grosbeak
selects
from a menu of buds, seeds and insects found in trees and also gleans from the
ground. The
fruits of cherry, spruce, pine, juniper, elm, maple, mountain ash, apple and
crabapple are
all part of their diet. Outside of the nesting season, they feed in flocks;
there's safety
in numbers and many eyes to seek food sources.
Pine Grosbeaks are graceful and flowing in flight as I witnessed with a flock on
Emery Lane in West Newbury this January. They have a wingspan of 13 inches with
round-tipped, long wings and a long tail. In flight, they resemble an elongated
American
Robin. I watched with delight those West Newbury birds as they bathed in the
snow ~ my
reward for seeking them out.
Some literature states that the Pine Grosbeak is the only member of its genus
and
represents a divergence from the ancestors of the bullfinches. Given that
bullfinches are only found in Eurasia, is it possible that the Pine Grosbeak
evolved in
North America from wind-blown individuals?
The Pine Grosbeak was the first bird of Rory's, Susan's and my Vermont foray on
that blustery, cold, arctic blast of a day. We headed to explore the Dead Creek
Management Area where we saw White-breasted Nuthatches gritting and an
abundant raptor show. We had a hearty meal at "The Bridge" and chatted about
birds and their special adaptations. That's where we discussed birders' trivia,
starting with the grosbeak's moniker, "Mope". It's what the Newfoundlanders
call the approachable, slow moving and tame Pine Grosbeak. And when the tab
arrived, I stated that a Canadian thousand dollar bill in the late 1980's
depicted
a Pine Grosbeak ~ more trivia for what it's worth; with today's exchange rate,
it's worth much more; that's for sure...
Best wishes,
Sue
Sue McGrath
Newburyport Birders
Newburyport, Ma 01950
978-462-4785
newburyportbirders(AT)comcast.net
www.newburyportbirders.com
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