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MASSBIRD for Monday, March 31, 2008
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Subject: Sn.Owl/Grt.Egret: same binoc view (Pl.Is.)
From: Lynette Leka <lynetteleka(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 6:48am
yesterday (Sunday, March 30) afternoon, a Snowy Owl and a Great Egret
could be seen in the same binoc view in the field north of the refuge
gatehouse, not far from the Plum Island Turnpike
another fascinating juxtaposition of seasonal transition!
Lynette Leka
Newbury, MA 01951
email: lynette.leka(AT)yahoo.com
____________________________________________________________________________________
You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total
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Subject: [Fwd: Great Meadows Concord 3/30/2008]
From: <tattler1(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 7:52am
A short visit to Great Meadow later in the afternoon on Sunday had a few things
to add to Steve's report:
Blue-winged Teal 4 (2 pair in the far south west corner)
Tree Swallow 5
Wood Duck 4 (2 pair)
Cheers!
Linda
Linda Ferraresso
Watertown, MA
tattler1(at)verizon(dot)net
From: Barbara Volkle and Steve Moore <barb620(AT)theworld.com>
Date: 2008/03/30 Sun PM 08:00:03 CDT
To: massbird(AT)theworld.com
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Great Meadows Concord 3/30/2008
We birded Great Meadows Impoundment in Concord from 10am to
12:30pm today (March 30, 2008). We spent most of the walk with
Mike Dougherty and also saw Simon Perkins, Bill Freedberg, Carolyn
Longworth and Jason Forbes.
Nice to see all the birders, the sun and the birds. Highlights:
Fish Crow - 4 (fly overs thanks to Simon)
American Coot - 3
Eastern Phoebe - 1
Ring-necked Duck - 100+
Green-winged Teal - 10
Northern Pintail - 30
Osprey - 1 (with a fish)
Mute Swan - 1 (only 1!!)
Canada Goose - 100+
Mallard - 25+
Hooded Merganser - 18
Bufflehead - 8
Common Merganser - 12
Common Goldeneye - 11
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Rusty Blackbird - 2 (reported by Jason and Mike)
At the rookery visible from Route 2 in Littleton:
Great Blue Heron - 2
Osprey - 1
Also, along the Assabet River in Northboro/Marlboro where the River
crosses Boundary Street:
Eastern Phoebe - 2 (setting up shop for the Breeding Bird census,
Tim)
Steve Moore
Northboro, Ma
barb620(AT)theworld.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: North Shore sightings 3/30
From: <winterwren2(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 8:40am
Gloucester 01930
John Nelson came by to join Ginie and I for a morning of birding, and luckily
the two Fox Sparrows made an appearance. We hadn't seen them once the previous
day. Crows appear to be setting up house in a large white pine behind the
house. I see them frequently bringing sticks to the tree and I will have to
watch for juvenile birds later this Spring.
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow 4
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
American Robin X
European Starling X
American Tree Sparrow X
Fox Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
House Finch X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Location: ScotlandRoad Fields Observation date: 3/30/08
Notes:grinley's wet spot, blackwell trust, industrial park and train station
Mallard X
Hooded Merganser 3
Common Merganser 6
Killdeer 5
Wilson's Snipe 12
Horned Lark 15
Northern Mockingbird 9
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Observation date: 3/30/08
Notes: Highlights from Parker River NWR outstanding looks at a Rough-
legged Hawk first perched then soaring, Great Horned Owl, 2 Snow Geese flying
by over the marsh, nice assortment of ducks in Bill Forward Pool-Pintails, A.
Widgeon, Green-winged Teal,
Number of species: 13
Snow Goose 2
American Wigeon 5
American Black Duck X
Northern Pintail 18
Green-winged Teal (American) X
Hooded Merganser 3
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Rough-legged Hawk 1 light phase
Merlin 1
Killdeer 1
Great Horned Owl 1 on nest in pine trees
Location: New England Biolabs RT 1A Ipswich
Observation date: 3/30/08
Mute Swan 2
Wood Duck X
Green-winged Teal (American) X
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
winterwren2(AT)verizon.net
Susan Hedman, Gloucester
"I believe in God, only I spell it Nature." Frank Lloyd Wright
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: A. Golden Plover Continues - 3/31
From: "Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift" <birdwsg(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 8:58am
Fay Vale called at 8:52 to report that the American golden plover is still
present, across from the PI Airport. Herman D'Entremont also just called on it.
The bird is in the field with water on the PI side of the curve. It is in
with six killdeer again. Herman said that there were also meadowlarks there.
Steve Grinley
Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift and Nature Shop at Joppa Flats
Newburyport, MA
BirdWSG(AT)Verizon.net
978-462-0775
15% Off All In Stock Optics - Now 'til April 15!
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: robins - wintering or migrating?
From: "Dee Stewart" <haberlea(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:46am
We've started seeing robins all over the open fields, which got me
wondering. I used to assume these were returning migrants. Now I know that
huge numbers of robins spend the winter in the orchards around here. I'm
wondering if what I'm seeing are our wintering birds spreading out as the
fields clear of snow or if these are truly returning migrants. Anyone know
the answer to this?
Dee Stewart
Stow MA
haberlea(AT)verizon.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Fox sparrow in Concord
From: "Mary Small" <mhsmall(AT)zeus.bwh.harvard.edu>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:20am
On Saturday, March 29 I spotted a Fox Sparrow in the
backyard (new yard bird for me).
Also seen Saturday and Sunday:
White-breasted nuthatch 1
Red-breasted nuthatch 1
Downy woodpecker 1
Red-bellied woodpecker 1
Northern cardinal 2
Bluebird 2
Mockingbird 1
Mourning dove 2
Dark-eyed junco 3
Black-capped chickadee 2
Goldfinch 3
House finch 4
Mary Small
Concord, Mass.
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: FW: eBird Report - Parker River National Wildlife
Refuge , 3/30/08
From: "Baker, Stephen" <Stephen.Baker(AT)umassmed.edu>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 10:10am
Sharon and I spent a cold but lovely Sunday afternoon at Plum Island.
Location: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Observation date: 3/30/08
Notes:
* Great horned owl was on nest
* snipe were at Scotland Road
* Turkey Vultures were on I95
Number of species: 27
Brant 2
Canada Goose X
Gadwall 2
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Pintail X
Common Eider X
Surf Scoter 2
White-winged Scoter X
Long-tailed Duck 2
Common Goldeneye 1
Horned Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk X
Sanderling 1
Wilson's Snipe 42
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 1
Great Horned Owl 1
American Crow X
American Robin X
Song Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Late report - Turners Falls Sunday
From: "Palmer, Ralph" <rpalmer(AT)keene.edu>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 10:40am
Greetings -
Yesterday, 03/30/2008, at about 10:00 a.m., at the power canal in
Turners Falls, there was a large flight arrival of Canada Geese. In the
space of about 3 minutes, 1,000+ birds came in from the south.
Amongst them, probably, were 2 Greater White-fronted Geese. I met up
(about 15 minutes after the big arrival) with a couple from S.
Deerfield. We heard a call that was reminiscent of a Loon, but not quite
right. We found two individuals that matched the Greater White-fronted
Goose in my Sibley. Sorry, no photos - we each had a point-and-shoot,
but they were a little too far away.
The other sighting of note was a hot air balloon (I hope they were
dressed warmly) _way_ up in the air, headed south.
Ralph
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ralph Palmer
Keene, NH and Greenfield, MA
rpalmer(AT)keene.edu
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Wild Turkey Arlington Heights 3-30-2008
From: "Joel Adamson" <sparrow1240(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 11:42am
My wife spotted a wild tom in full breeding regalia at 149 Madison
Avenue in Arlington Heights at 7:00 AM. He was in the front "yard" (a
brick patio, that is) of the house across the street from our home.
He was calling and spreading his tail feathers intermittently. He was
feeding occasionally, but mostly vigilant and seemed intent on staying
put and calling. We got some good looks at him, and my father got
some pictures. He stayed until about 9:00, but we did not see him
fly.
Joel
--
"...I'm in Colorado,
When I'm not in some hotel."
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Pied-Billed Grebe at Cherry Hill
From: "John Nelson" <jrnelson(AT)sprintmail.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 3:18pm
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Good Afternoon!
There was a Pied Billed grebe at the Cherry Hill Reservoir at lunchtime
today down in the corner by the gated road.
Good Birding,
John Nelson
Ipswich, MA
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: West Harwich Conservation Area
From: Mary Keleher <maryeak(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 2:44pm
This morning I stopped at the West Harwich
Conservation Area. When I arrived to other birders
mentioned that they had just seen a Glossy Ibis fly
over so be on the look out if you're in the area. The
tide was high. Didn't see any of the previously
reported Blue-winged Teal.
Location: West Harwich Conservation Area
Observation date: 3/31/08
Number of species: 36
Canada Goose 4
Mute Swan 2
Gadwall 9
American Black Duck 11
Mallard 2
Northern Pintail 7
Green-winged Teal 55
Ring-necked Duck 2
Bufflehead 8
Hooded Merganser 6
Common Merganser 9
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Double-crested Cormorant 14
Great Blue Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 7
Osprey 4
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Killdeer 5
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Wilson's Snipe 12
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 14
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 15
American Goldfinch 1
This report was generated automatically by eBird
v2(http://ebird.org)
Mary Keleher
Mashpee, MA
Cape Cod Bird Club
www.massbird.org/ccbc
____________________________________________________________________________________
You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:42:33 -0400
From: "Don Gould" <dongould(AT)dagoulds.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 3:18pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
In terms of the large number of Robins around the EMass area, I have a small
theory. I do NOT think that most of them are wintering birds: I think that
the warm push last Wed/Thur brought them into our area, and the subsequent
cold weather and north winds have stalled most of them temporarily. If my
theory is right, by Thursday we should be seeing far fewer.
don gould
Wayland, MA
dongould(AT)dagoulds.com
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Bohemian Waxwings in Groton
From: Tom Murray <tmurray74(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 3:54pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
This afternoon there were about 30 Bohemian Waxwings mixed in with 150 Cedar
Waxwings at Serenden Farms in Groton.
Here's the list of birds seen there today from 4:00pm to 4:30pm.
Mallard 2
Canada Goose 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1 female
N. Harrier 1 male
Cedar Waxwing 150
BOHEMIAN WAXWING 30
N. Mockingbird 5
N. Flicker 4
Tom Murray
Groton, Ma.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Subject: Cape Cod Report
From: "a strauss" <ansch100(AT)cox.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 4:06pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
March 31, 2008
South winds 12-20 knots
partly to mostly cloudy
Race Point: 7:30-10:00 AM
5 Finback Whales, many spouts, swimming just under surface
1 Humpbacked Whale, seen diving, back and flukes seen (white patches =
under each fluke corner).
Northern Gannets, numerous
Red breasted Mergansers, numerous
Herring Cove beach: 10:00-11:00 AM
Two first winter Iceland Gulls (see National Geographic pg. 153.
One breeding plumage Iceland Gull (see National Geo pg. 153).
One Winter Adult (see National Geo pg. 153--gray tail bands seen up =
close).
One possible Thayers Gull, first winter white (see National Geo. pg. =
153).
Brewster 1283 Main Street at feeder; 1 P.M.
Two Western Tanagers: female/imm. Wide Upper wingbar yellow. Orange =
tinted bill, dark wings. Second. lower wingbar offwhite. Yellow =
undertail coverts. Belly: dirty yellow.
Alan Strauss, Providence
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Bohemian Waxwings in Northampton
From: "Geoff LeBaron" <glebaron(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 4:50pm
Greetings all,
The Bohemian Waxwing incursion continues in the Connecticut River Valley.
This afternoon at 5:10 pm there was a flock of 60 Bohemian Waxwings with 15
Cedars feeding on a large fruit-laden crabapple tree at 56 Olive Street in
Northampton.
Fyi, no sign today of the flock of 150 Bohemians seen yesterday evening in
Williamsburg.
Good luck everyone, and enjoy them while they're here!
Cheers,
Geoff
Geoff LeBaron
Williamsburg MA
glebaron(AT)comcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Boston College
From: Glenn Long <hdtwblg(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 5:20pm
There is a Red-tailed Hawk building a nest on St.Thomas More Drive (this is
the main road through the campus) in Boston College. The nest is between Robsham
Theater and Ignacio Hall in a White Pine tree.
Glenn Long
Natick
_________________________________________________________________
Watch “Cause Effect,” a show about real people making a real difference. Learn
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Wood Ducks in Deerfield
From: "Rob Ranney" <rranney(AT)rcn.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 5:16pm
The puddle in the farm field at the Mill Village Road end of Stillwater Road
is finally unfrozen. 22 Wood Ducks, males and females, have arrived, along
with some of the Canada Geese, Mallards, Black Ducks and Killdeer seen all
over town farm land today.
Rob Ranney-Blake
Deerfield, Mass.
rranney(AT)rcn.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Redpoll mania continues (1 Hoary)- Scituate
From: steve(AT)maguirepresentations.com
Date: 31 Mar 2008 6:52pm
Highest number of redpolls to date... 15 (commons) 1 (Hoary) at the feeder this
afternoon along with 12 goldfinches...
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: Common Loon, Cape Cod Canal
From: "Gene Harriman" <vze2brn7(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 7:58pm
Hi Fellow MassBirders!
I hope this note finds you and yours well. Spring is right around the corner!
FYI...I saw my first breeding plumage Common Loon in the Sandwich Marina off the
Cape Cod Canal this
morning. Here's a pic fer ya...
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i298/genebearpix/P3310058c.jpg
Good Birding!
Gene Harriman
'BigWingBoy'
Plymouth, Massachusetts
vze2brn7atverizondotnet
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Another sign of spring
From: Al Curtis <killdeer89(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:12pm
Saw my first Laughing Gull of the season this afternoon (3/31) at Red
River Beach in Harwich. No sign of the banded oystercatcher, however.
Al Curtis
Harwich, MA
killdeer89 "at" comcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Watertown, Brown Creeper & Winter Wren
From: Douglas Logan <dougsmassage(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:02pm
On a walk this morning along the Charles River between
Galen and Bridge Street, I spotted one brown Creeper
and two Winter Wrens. They were on the South side of
the river closer to Bridge Street.
Other sightings were: Canada Goose, Black Duck,
Mallard, Red Tailed Hawk,Ring billed Gull,Morning
Dove, Downy Woodpecker,Crow, Blue Jay, Chickadee,
Robin, Mockingbird, Starling, Song Sparrow,
White-throated sparrow, Junco, Cardinal, Red-winged
Blackbird, Grackle, Goldfinch, House Sparrow.
Happy birding!
Doug Logan
Watertown, MA
dougsmassage(AT)yahoo.com
____________________________________________________________________________________
OMG, Sweet deal for Yahoo! users/friends:Get A Month of Blockbuster Total
Access, No Cost. W00t
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: CT Report 03/31/2008 BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey(AT)snet.net>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:12pm
From Ingrid & Tom Schaefer
3/31 - Canaan, 60 Orchard Street -- Bullocks Oriole on the feeder 7:12
am.
From Don Morgan:
3/31 - Canaan, 60 Orchard Street -- Bullocks Oriole appeared at least
4 times for fairly brief visits to the feeder between about 8:45 and
9:15.
From Steve Broker:
3/31 - Canaan, 60 Orchard Street -- BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, 12:15-12:28PM in
the rain, on the sunflower hearts feeder.
From Meredith Sampson w/ Penny Solum:
3/31 - Canaan, 60 Orchard St. -- BULLOCK'S ORIOLE on sunflower seed
feeder at about 2:30, in light rain. Also a Common Redpoll.
From Tim Antanaitis:
3/31 - Canaan, 60 Orchard St -- BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at backyard feeder
5:00pm & 5:25pm; 2 BLACK VULTURES flew over at 4:45pm
From Greg Hanisek:
3/31 - Watertown, Sandbank Road -- 40 Wilson's Snipe
From Jerry Connolly:
3/31 - Madison yard -- 21 RUSTY BLACKBIRD
From Sarah Johnston:
3/31 - Farmington feeder -- BROWN CREEPER and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
(f) continue at suet feeder; both birds have been regular since last
fall. A male RB Nuthatch has also visited irregularly, sometimes alone
and sometimes with the female.
From John Johnson
3/31 - Kent & Washington, Lake Waramaug -- 1-2,000 COMMON MERGANSERS.
Hundreds at each end of the lake, with large rafts in between. Also 12
LESSER SCAUP.
From Tanner Steeves:
3/31 - Coventry -- 2 AMERICAN WOODCOCK, both peenting and displaying,
7:45pm.
From Max Ehrman:
3/31 – Litchfield, 478 Torrington Rd. -– 2 Fox Sparrows
From John Eykelhoff:
3/31 – Litchfield, 59 Case Rd. -– 3 Fox Sparrows
From Carol Parent:
3/30 – Winchester, 105 Laurel Way -– 12 Common Redpolls at the feeders
From Dave Rosgen:
3/30 – 121 Laurel Way (Rosgen Wildlife Sanctuary) -- 9 Common
Redpolls, 4 Purple Finches, 5 PINE GROSBEAKS, 1 EVENING GROSBEAK.
3/31 – Winchester, Newfield Rd., ¼ mile north of Wahnee Rd. -– 1
RUFFED GROUSE
Litchfield, White Hall Rd. (White Memorial’s Museum Feeders) -– 6 Fox
Sparrows, 4 Common Redpolls, 1 Purple Finch
From Brian O'Toole:
3/30 - Greenwich, Audubon Center -- RUSTY BLACKBIRD
From Meredith Sampson:
3/30 - Old Greenwich, home feeders -- FOX SPARROW.
From John Schwarz via Luke Tiller:
3/30 - Milford, Milford Pt -- young Northern Shrike.
From Jerry Connolly and Patrick Dugan:
3/30 - Guilford, Mulberry Point Rd, Indian Cove -- BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
(drake)
3/30 - Guilford, Sachem's Head -- BROWN THRASHER, YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT.
From Tom Zissu:
3/30 - Woodbury, 42 Paper Mill Rd. -- Two Pine siskins and one
Red-breasted Nuthatch at my feeders on Sunday.
From Lisa Gagnon and Caitlyn Eaton:
3/30 - Eagleville -- 2 Snow Geese.
**********************************************************************
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Mandarin Duck, Deerfield
From: David Mako <massmakos(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 9:06pm
Following up Frank Bowrys' discovery of a drake Mandarin duck this
morning, I went to check the Stillwater Rd "puddle" off Mill Village Rd
at 5:15 pm. The Mandarin duck was still there, in the company of 36
wood ducks, 1 hooded merganser, some mallards, Canada geese and a
couple killdeer. The Mandarin duck was observed copulating with a hen
wood duck and chasing away some of the drakes. Regardless of the
provenance, this is a beautiful bird to find "out in the wild".
Also, in the corn stubble fields near the south end of Mill Village Rd
was a large flock of Canada geese, including 57 snow geese.
All in all, some nice birds in just a brief period of birding on this
rainy day!
Good birding,
Dave Mako
South Deerfield
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Rusty Blackbird flock at Millennium Park 30-31
Mar 2008
From: "Marshall J. Iliff" <miliff(AT)aol.com>
Date: 31 Mar 2008 10:05pm
Massbird,
In preparation for this week's "Rusty Blackbird Survey" which starts
tomorrow (see http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/RUBL_Survey.html), I have
checked Millennium Park which has nice swampy woods along the Charles River
that last year were attractive to up to 20 Rusties in April. So yesterday
(Sunday, 30 March) I was pleased to find 36 Rusties at 6:40 pm staging for a
roost at Millennium and today was able to up the count to 58 Rusties at 6:35
pm! Overall, I was pleased to find these kinds of numbers since so many
alarm bells are going off about the species in the East and its precipitous
decline.
For anyone wishing to check these birds out, my recommendation would be to
visit Millennium Park (off VFW Parkway in West Roxbury, just south of La
Grange Rd.) between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. After entering the park, go left down
to the canoe launch and then walk the short distance down the paved trail to
the canoe launch. From here the Rusties have been easy to hear (but distant
enough that a scope is helpful when trying to get views of them) in the tall
trees across the Charles River that stand along the railroad tracks. (Note,
one could get close to this flock by walking down the railroad tracks, which
is possible but I don't think it is legal. My one foray here met with a
scary run-in with the train, which I do not recommend!).
If you go see them, please enter your sightings in eBird, especially since
this is "Rusty Blackbird week"!
Location: Millennium Park
Observation date: 3/31/08
Notes: Sort of a pre- Rusty Blackbird Survey. Did a stationary count
from the boat ramp with the scope, where the Rusty Blackbird flock was even
more impressive than yesterday evening. WEATHER: Overcast, intermittently
rainy, cool (40F)).
Number of species: 6
European Starling 8
American Tree Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Rusty Blackbird 58 carefully counted with scope; pre-roost staging
along railroad tracks, at same location they were last night; I estimated
80% males, but it was difficult to count for sure.
Common Grackle 20
--
-------------------------------------------------
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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