 |
|
|
|
|
MASSBIRD for Friday, July 10, 2009
[ Prev Day
| Next Day
| Calendar Month
| MASSBIRD Info
]
|
|
To use email addresses replace '(AT)' with '@'.
This is done to confuse the spam 'bots.
|
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Henslow's sparrow
From: Joy Bockius <jbockius(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 7:58am
--000e0cd2431c5a9eed046e58432b
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Has anyone seen the Henslow's sparrow in Montague the last few days?
Joy Bockius
Warner, NH
--000e0cd2431c5a9eed046e58432b
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<div>Has anyone seen the Henslow's sparrow in Montague the last few day=
s?</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>Joy Bockius</div>
<div>Warner, NH</div>
--000e0cd2431c5a9eed046e58432b--
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Henslow's sparrow
From: Ian Davies <goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 8:30am
Jeff Offermann, Jess Johnson and I tried for the sparrow yesterday
morning, and from 7:00-8:20am the bird was NOT seen, heard, or present
in any way. According to the birds previous habits, that seems to
indicate that it, sadly, has moved on. Or settled down..
Good birding,
Ian Davies
Manomet, MA
goshawk227(AT)earthlink.net
www.pbase.com/daviesphoto
http://picasaweb.google.com/goshawk227
On Jul 10, 2009, at 7:27 AM, Joy Bockius wrote:
> Has anyone seen the Henslow's sparrow in Montague the last few days?
>
> Joy Bockius
> Warner, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: GREAT WHITE HERON in Fairhaven! (was: RE: Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven)
From: "Marshall J. Iliff" <miliff(AT)aol.com>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 10:18am
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Massbird,
Regarding Carolyn Longworth's white heron:
http://clongworth.smugmug.com/gallery/8757052_tQSi5#586617827_rkVbD
Although I am in Maryland now and not watching Massbird closely, Jeremiah
Trimble just pointed these photos out to me and I was shocked to see that
they showed a GREAT WHITE HERON (or white Great Blue-see below)! Salient
points are:
-Large size, with very large head and bill
-Pale legs
-Gape line does not extend past the eye
White Great Blue Herons on the East Coast have traditionally been presumed
to pertain to the white form from Florida, Cuba, and the Yucatan, known as
Great White Heron (Ardea herodias occidentalis). There are now 15+ records
north of Florida, including at least 5 from VA, 4 from MD, 2 from DE, ~3
from NJ, several from NY, one from RI, one from MA (Nauset Marsh, recently
accepted by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee), and a few from
Atlantic Canada. See the map in Sibley's article (links below).
It remains unclear (to me) whether leucism or albinism on Great Blue Heron
could produce some of these birds, and it remains surprising that true Great
White Heron, which has a small breeding population and occurs no closer than
southern Florida, would stray northward with such frequency when species
with similar or more northerly ranges (Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, and
Wood Stork) occur only slightly more frequently, or even more rarely (for
the spoonbill). The pattern of records in some locations (e.g., 3-4 records
at inland Lake Pymatuning in PA) suggest perhaps that certain breeding
populations of Great Blue Heron may have recurring white individuals, which
would obviously be difficult (at best) to distinguish from Great White
Heron. Furthermore, nests have been found in Texas with a mix of white and
blue fledglings: does this alone mean that Great White Heron should not be
IDed in the field? David Sibley has provided some notes on how to
distinguish Great White Heron
http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/2007/11/great-white-heron-not-just-color-mo
rph.html. A worthwhile read which goes into more detail than I am providing
here and interesting to note his comments at the beginning, in particular.
The bill color in the photos looks dark, which surely contributes to the
confusion. This is either some photo illusion or mud on the bill, since this
is clearly a Great Blue Heron by size, structure, and leg color. Old World
Great Egrets (Ardea alba alba, Ardea alba modesta, or Ardea alba
melanorhyncha) have black bills but also have black legs, more dainty
structure, and a gape line extending well past the eye. North America's
first Old World Great Egret (away from Alaska, with a few records of A. a.
modesta) summered in Virginia last year and showed leg color typical of the
African-breeding (and thus most expected) A. a. melanorhyncha.
It would be great if Carolyn or other birders could keep tabs on this bird
and try for better photos, especially if it can be directly compared to an
adjacent dark Great Blue. Good directions to the site would be helpful too,
as I'll likely look for it when I return to the state on Monday and
hopefully will get attention from other Mass birders as well.
Nice find Carolyn-a second state record (caveats about ID of Great White
Heron vs. white Great Blue aside).
Best,
Marshall
--
-------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------
From: jeremiah.trimble(AT)gmail.com [mailto:jeremiah.trimble(AT)gmail.com] On
Behalf Of Jeremiah Trimble
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 9:36 AM
To: Rick Heil; Marshall J. Iliff; Blair Nikula
Subject: Fwd: [MASSBIRD] Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven
Did you guys see this? I have only seen it on my ipod but...
Great White Heron? Or can't the old world Great Egrets look like this??
JRT
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carolyn Longworth <bvm1290(AT)comcast.net>
Date: Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven
To: Massbird <Massbird(AT)theworld.com>
After a scary but thankfully minor fire at my library in Fairhaven, I went
for lunch to the marsh behind Atlas Tack on Egypt Lane. Saw some parent
crows watching an Osprey...there were young crows around.
When I turned to look at the other side, I saw a great egret, but when I
looked in my bins, it had a blue bill and legs. I took some pictures and
went back to the car for my scope and book, but when I returned it was gone.
what do you think?
http://clongworth.smugmug.com/gallery/8757052_tQSi5#586617827_rkVbD
Carolyn Longworth
Acushnet, MA
bvm1290atcomcast.net
Bird Pages at:
http://home.comcast.net/~birdpage/birdblog.htm
<http://home.comcast.net/%7Ebirdpage/birdblog.htm>
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bvm1290
<http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bvm1290&tag=Birds> &tag=Birds
--
Jeremiah Trimble
Curatorial Associate - Ornithology
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Harvard University
26 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
phone: 617-495-2471
fax: 617-495-5667
email: jtrimble(AT)oeb.harvard.edu
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: GREAT WHITE HERON in Fairhaven! (was: RE: Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven)
From: "Marshall J. Iliff" <miliff(AT)AOL.com>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 10:12am
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Massbird,
Regarding Carolyn Longworth's white heron:
http://clongworth.smugmug.com/gallery/8757052_tQSi5#586617827_rkVbD
Although I am in Maryland now and not watching Massbird closely, Jeremiah
Trimble just pointed these photos out to me and I was shocked to see that
they showed a GREAT WHITE HERON (or white Great Blue-see below)! Salient
points are:
-Large size, with very large head and bill
-Pale legs
-Gape line does not extend past the eye
White Great Blue Herons on the East Coast have traditionally been presumed
to pertain to the white form from Florida, Cuba, and the Yucatan, known as
Great White Heron (Ardea herodias occidentalis). There are now 15+ records
north of Florida, including at least 5 from VA, 4 from MD, 2 from DE, ~3
from NJ, several from NY, one from RI, one from MA (Nauset Marsh, recently
accepted by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee), and a few from
Atlantic Canada. See the map in Sibley's article (links below).
It remains unclear (to me) whether leucism or albinism on Great Blue Heron
could produce some of these birds, and it remains surprising that true Great
White Heron, which has a small breeding population and occurs no closer than
southern Florida, would stray northward with such frequency when species
with similar or more northerly ranges (Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, and
Wood Stork) occur only slightly more frequently, or even more rarely (for
the spoonbill). The pattern of records in some locations (e.g., 3-4 records
at inland Lake Pymatuning in PA) suggest perhaps that certain breeding
populations of Great Blue Heron may have recurring white individuals, which
would obviously be difficult (at best) to distinguish from Great White
Heron. Furthermore, nests have been found in Texas with a mix of white and
blue fledglings: does this alone mean that Great White Heron should not be
IDed in the field? David Sibley has provided some notes on how to
distinguish Great White Heron
http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/2007/11/great-white-heron-not-just-color-mo
rph.html. A worthwhile read which goes into more detail than I am providing
here and interesting to note his comments at the beginning, in particular.
The bill color in the photos looks dark, which surely contributes to the
confusion. This is either some photo illusion or mud on the bill, since this
is clearly a Great Blue Heron by size, structure, and leg color. Old World
Great Egrets (Ardea alba alba, Ardea alba modesta, or Ardea alba
melanorhyncha) have black bills but also have black legs, more dainty
structure, and a gape line extending well past the eye. North America's
first Old World Great Egret (away from Alaska, with a few records of A. a.
modesta) summered in Virginia last year and showed leg color typical of the
African-breeding (and thus most expected) A. a. melanorhyncha.
It would be great if Carolyn or other birders could keep tabs on this bird
and try for better photos, especially if it can be directly compared to an
adjacent dark Great Blue. Good directions to the site would be helpful too,
as I'll likely look for it when I return to the state on Monday and
hopefully will get attention from other Mass birders as well.
Nice find Carolyn-a second state record (caveats about ID of Great White
Heron vs. white Great Blue aside).
Best,
Marshall
--
-------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------
From: jeremiah.trimble(AT)gmail.com [mailto:jeremiah.trimble(AT)gmail.com] On
Behalf Of Jeremiah Trimble
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 9:36 AM
To: Rick Heil; Marshall J. Iliff; Blair Nikula
Subject: Fwd: [MASSBIRD] Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven
Did you guys see this? I have only seen it on my ipod but...
Great White Heron? Or can't the old world Great Egrets look like this??
JRT
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carolyn Longworth <bvm1290(AT)comcast.net>
Date: Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Immature Little Blue Heron???? Fairhaven
To: Massbird <Massbird(AT)theworld.com>
After a scary but thankfully minor fire at my library in Fairhaven, I went
for lunch to the marsh behind Atlas Tack on Egypt Lane. Saw some parent
crows watching an Osprey...there were young crows around.
When I turned to look at the other side, I saw a great egret, but when I
looked in my bins, it had a blue bill and legs. I took some pictures and
went back to the car for my scope and book, but when I returned it was gone.
what do you think?
http://clongworth.smugmug.com/gallery/8757052_tQSi5#586617827_rkVbD
Carolyn Longworth
Acushnet, MA
bvm1290atcomcast.net
Bird Pages at:
http://home.comcast.net/~birdpage/birdblog.htm
<http://home.comcast.net/%7Ebirdpage/birdblog.htm>
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bvm1290
<http://www.librarything.com/catalog/bvm1290&tag=Birds> &tag=Birds
--
Jeremiah Trimble
Curatorial Associate - Ornithology
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Harvard University
26 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
phone: 617-495-2471
fax: 617-495-5667
email: jtrimble(AT)oeb.harvard.edu
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Seavey Island this Sunday
From: "Eric Masterson" <emasterson(AT)plcnh.org>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 11:16am
This is a multipart message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Just three spots left on the trip to the tern restoration project this
Sunday July 12. Leaving Portsmouth at 8am, returning by about 4pm. The
trip will include about four hours on the island to view three species of
tern (nesting common, arctic and roseate tern), and will include a banding
demonstration by the resident tern biologists, hopefully including some live
tern chicks. The trip offers terrific photographic opportunities. There is
a slight chance of other pelagic species en route to and from the island,
including shearwaters and jaegers.
Cost $70pp. Contact me for further information.
Eric Masterson
Executive Director
Piscataquog Land Conservancy
www.plcnh.org
Phone: 487-3331
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Friday, July 10 - Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow,
Scituate
From: "John Galluzzo" <jgalluzzo(AT)massaudubon.org>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 2:24pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Mass Audubon's South Shore Sanctuaries' Friday Morning Birders stuck to
Scituate and Marshfield today, scoring 61 species, including great looks
at a saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow at Myron's Puddle behind Peggotty
Beach. Here are the highlights:
=20
North River Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield
Red-tailed hawk
Chimney swift
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Purple martin
=20
Tilden Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield
Red-shouldered hawk
Red-bellied woodpecker
Downy wood[pecker
Northern flicker
Eastern phoebe
Red-eyed vireo
Tree swallow
Carolina wren
Eastern bluebird
Wood thrush
Pine warbler
Ovenbird
Common yellowthroat
Bobolink
=20
Third Cliff, Scituate
Double-crested cormorants
Great blue heron
Great egret
Snowy egret
Black-bellied plover
Piping plover (with 3 chicks)
Killdeer
Greater yellowlegs
Willet
Semipalmated sandpiper
Least sandpiper
Short-billed dowitcher
Laughing gulls
Least tern
Common tern
Bank swallow
Barn swallow
=20
Myron's Puddle, Scituate
Green heron
Yellow warbler
Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow
=20
John Galluzzo
Adult Education Coordinator
Citizen Science Coordinator
Mass Audubon South Shore Sanctuaries
2000 Main Street
Marshfield MA 02050
jgalluzzo(AT)massaudubon.org
www.massaudubon.org/southshorejournal
781-837-9400
=20
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Re: Henslow's sparrow
From: tattler1(AT)verizon.net
Date: 10 Jul 2009 2:30pm
----DELETED HTML-ENCODED SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Native Americans of the south and their
connection to birds: interview on-line NOW at WICN
From: "Mark Lynch" <moa.lynch(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 3:34pm
When we envision Native Americans they are typically dressed in feathers.
How did indigenous peoples of North American look at birds? Were birds used
simply as food, as decorations or as something more symbolic and spiritual?
The answers are complex, surprising and reveal a lot about how much Native
Americans understood about the natural world around them. Tonight on
Inquiry, we talk with SHEPARD KRECH III, Professor of Anthropology and
Director of the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology at Brown University. His
latest book SPIRITS OF THE AIR: BIRDS AND AMERICAN INDIANS IN THE SOUTH is a
sumptuously illustrated and scientific look at how birds fit into the
day-to-day lives of Native Americans. Tune in tonight and learn about why
Ivory-billed Woodpeckers and eagles were revered but vultures, owls and
nightjars were feared.
To listen to this interview NOW on your PC or download to your i-Pod, go to:
http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-shepard-krech-iii
Mark Lynch
WICN
moa.lynch(AT)verizon.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Henslow's Sparrow - NO Friday am
From: rmschs(AT)comcast.net
Date: 10 Jul 2009 4:14pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
This morning, my wife and I searched for the Henslow's Sparrow between 10 a=
m and 12 am with no sightings or callings.=C2=A0 Many thanks to the local b=
irders who stopped and pointed out where they had seen them consistently (1=
00 yards down from the intersection (away from the=C2=A0barn) =C2=A0of Nort=
h Taylor Road with Meadow Road - they often perch on the taller green plant=
s about 2/3 of the way across the field).=C2=A0=20
Also thanks to the local bicyclists who recommended lunch at Lady Kilgrew r=
estaurant at the Montague Mill about 2 miles from the field.=C2=A0=20
Bob and Carolyn Stevens=20
Littleton, MA=20
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Daily seabird report
From: Blair Nikula <odenews(AT)odenews.org>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 9:00pm
Brought to you by.....
My almost daily early morning P'town run (I thought I only did this
in May?!), was again very productive. Shearwater numbers off Race
Point were much lower today than yesterday, and there were no
pronounced movements, but there were hundreds of birds feeding in the
rip early on.
Although the cast of characters has been essentially the same every
day, the relative abundance of each species, as well as their
behaviors and movements changes daily, and often even
hourly. Yesterday there were thousands of Sooty Shearwaters, today I
saw about five; yesterday hundreds of gannets, today about five;
yesterday only two jaegers, today 20 or so (of all three
species). It's all very mysterious and infinitely intriguing - the
reasons remain secreted beneath the surface, but undoubtedly are food
related. Whatever's going on, it's been a once-in-a-lifetime
experience for those of us fortunate enough to bear witness. How
long will it last?
My totals today (0535 - 0715 hrs.; clear, N wind @ 5mph; Visibility excellent)
13 Common Eider
600 Cory's Shearwaters (they were especially thick early on)
1200 Greater Shearwaters
5 Sooty Shearwaters
30 Wilson's Storm-Petrels
5 N. Gannets
250 Laughing Gulls
150 Herring Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (1cy.)
30 Great- Black-backed Gulls
15 Least Terns
50 Common Terns (much below recent averages)
2 Pomarine Jaegers (1 sub-ad w/"tails"; 1 imm.)
10+ Parasitic Jaegers (2 sub-ad., 6+ 1cy., 2 dark birds)
2 Long-tailed Jaegers (both 1cy.; one bird was very small with
strikingly white head, body, and uppertail - a very distinctive individual)
5+ jaeger sp.
1 PINE SISKIN (my third flyover here in the past month)
Herring Cove Beach (0725 - 0745 hrs.)
20 Common Eider
1 Surf Scoter
1 White-winged Scoter
2 Cory's Shearwaters
2 lg. shearwater sp. (the fewest shearwaters I've seen here in a
couple of weeks)
25 Wilson's Storm-Petrels
2 Black-legged Kittiwakes (sitting at Hatches Harbor)
2 Bonaparte's Gulls (" ")
350+ Laughing Gulls
4 Ring-billed Gulls
500 Herring Gulls (many feeding offshore; there were very few large
gulls here yesterday)
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (2cy)
300 Great Black-backed Gulls
100 Common Terns
5 Parasitic Jaegers (3 sub-ad., 2-1cy.)
3 jaeger sp.
Blair Nikula
2 Gilbert Lane
Harwich Port, MA 02646
USA
mailto:odenews(AT)odenews.org
web site: http://www.odenews.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: CT Report 07/10/2009
From: Roy Harvey <rmharvey(AT)snet.net>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 9:58pm
From Glenn Williams and Nick Bonomo:
07/10/09 - Long Island Sound, ferry from New London to Orient Pt -- 7
WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS (high count at one time in CT waters).
From Tony Hager:
07/10/09 - Middletown, over the Science Tower at Wesleyan -- 3:30 PM,
4 BLACK VULTURES.
From Brian Webster:
07/10/09 - Stratford yard/woods -- 1 Common Raven fly-over.
From Steve Spector:
07/10/09 - Milford, Silver Beach -- two breeding plumage Horned Grebes
persist just off of Silver Beach.
From William Young:
07/09/09 - Coventry, Skunkamaug golf course -- Heard a Northern
Bobwhite.
**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************
Visit the COA web site at http://www.ctbirding.org
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:
http://www.ctbirding.org/ecommittee.htm#reporting
To change your subscription options, or unsubscribe, please visit
http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org
Archives of these reports may be found at either of these locations:
http://www.virtualbirder.com/bmail/ctbird/latest.html
http://lists.ctbirding.org/pipermail/ctdailyreport_lists.ctbirding.org/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: A Visit to the Heron Rookery at the Lyons-Cutler
Reservation in Sudbury
From: Fred <fred(AT)cetussoft.com>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 10:00pm
Today I visited the Lyons-Cutler Reservation in Sudbury.
Mistake Number 1 -
The online directions (from the trail brochure) (
http://www.svtweb.org/sites/default/files/LyonsCutler.pdf ) say:
"If school is not in session parking is allowed at Israel Loring
School. From the intersection of Route 20 and Landham Road take
Landham Road south about one mile before turning right onto Woodside
Road. The school is on the right after passing Cutler Farm Road. Park
and walk back to Cutler Farm Road, following that road past Read Road.
Facing the home at 42 Cutler Farm Road, look to the left edge of the
yard; to the right of a small wetland, and less than 100 yards from
the sidewalk there is a post and a trail marker."
What is not clear from the above is that you will be walking on an
easement across private property, and you might (as I did) waste a bit
of time tenuously (and sheepishly) walking around on the edge of some
private property looking for trail signs while also trying to look
like you're not trespassing. Eventually you will find a trail marker
that explains about the easement. Maybe.
Mistake Number 2 -
The trail leading in from the above directions is nearly totally
overgrown, so that it is not always clear if you might still be
walking on the trail or not, and you will not be able to see much of
the ground that you will be walking on because of the very dense
underbrush. You might go about half way (toward trail marker "E")
down the trail before you decide (as I did) that the safest thing to
do is to retreat before you get hurt, or get lost, or both.
Success Number 1 -
After retrieving my car from the school parking lot, I instead decided
to follow some personally emailed directions that told me to park at
the end of Wright Road and enter the Reservation there (a fairly short
distance from trail Marker "F"), despite the fact that this did not
seem to be an "authorized" entrance to the Reservation. However, it
is quite clear from the well-traveled condition of the trail there
that this likely ~is~ a commonly used entrance to the Reservation.
Success Number 2 -
I followed the trail from "F" to "E" to "D" and did manage to find the
great blue heron rookery area (
http://www.fromabove.us/usa/ma/sudbury/lyonscutler.asp ). There was
a modest number (a dozen perhaps) of nests visible to me (although it
was difficult to see the nest area clearly from the trail facing the
area, to the west and east of trail marker "D"). However, many (most,
I believe) appeared to be unused (at least from the vantage points I
tried). I did take a few photos of some nests with herons (and also a
couple shots of a red-tailed hawk circling above the entrance to the
Reservation) and posted them at
http://fredw.smugmug.com/gallery/8864166_YaN2E .
An additional note - There is one other "authorized" (as in
"published") entrance, which requires more walking, both to get from a
parking area to the entrance and then to get from the entrance to the
heronry area. The online brochure directions:
"Alternatively, from Sudbury Center go south on Concord Road. After .6
mile bear right onto Union Avenue, following to Route 20. Turn left on
Route 20 (east) and go .1 mile to Raymond Road on the right. Follow
Raymond Road .2 mile to Feeley Field on the left. Park and walk south
along the Raymond Road sidewalk. The trail entrance is on the left
past a brick town water building and almost opposite a 30 mph sign."
However, I did not try this entrance.
Fred (Frederick Wasti)
Marshfield, Massachusetts
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Manchester MA 7/8,7/9 & 7/10
From: winterwren2(AT)verizon.net
Date: 10 Jul 2009 10:04pm
----DELETED HTML-ENCODED SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Gloucester yard birds
From: winterwren2(AT)verizon.net
Date: 10 Jul 2009 10:12pm
Location: Bond St. Gloucester 01930 Observation date: 7/8/09<br/>Notes:
group of 7 downy and striped young with mom<br/>Wild Turkey
8<br/>Catbird FY This pair has been regular in the yard<br/>Rubythroat
Hummingbird visiting the bee balm<br/><br/>Location: Bond St.
Gloucester01930 Observation date: 7/10/09<br/>Notes:2 adult female turkeys
with 2 groups of young 5 downy young and 10 muchlarger young<br/>3 juvenile
house wrens in the pear tree and garden<br/><br/>Wild Turkey 17<br/>House
Wren 3s<br/><br/>winterwren2(AT)verizon.net <br/>Susan Hedman,
Gloucester<br/>"I believe in God, only I spell it Nature." Frank Lloyd Wright
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: BBC Trip Reports: Claybrook Mountain Lodge &
Rangeley, Maine 2009
From: Eddie <emgiles(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 10 Jul 2009 11:28pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--------------020008060507000006080201
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
*CLAYBROOK MOUNTAIN LODGE (Highland Plantation, ME) June 28 - July 1, 2009*
*RANGELEY LAKES REGION July 2 - July 5, 2009*
**
*Last week I led two trips for the Brookline Bird Club across the lakes
& mountains of western Maine. Fourteen birders filled Claybrook
Mountain Lodge to capacity, while twenty-one birders joined me for the
12th Annual BBC Weekend to the Rangeley Lakes Region. Of the 22 years
that I have been birding this area, 2009 proved to be the coolest and
wettest so far. Temperatures ranged from the 50s to low 70s, with a few
days topping out only in the upper 50s. Precipitation fell in various
forms for the entire eight day period. While talking with some of the
locals I learned that it had rained every single day up there during the
month of June. The adverse weather conditions apparently had a
detrimental effect on the breeding birds. We encountered limited
numbers of birds that were either tending their young or engaged in nest
building (second attempt?). Other birds behaved as if they had given
up on breeding for the season - not singing, not defending territory,
not carrying food and not feeding young. Copious rainfall amounts
produced higher than normal water levels in the rivers and lakes. As a
result, our waterbird numbers were well below our 12 year average and I
was forced to cancel our annual canoe trip down the Kennebago River in
Rangeley. Nonetheless, we pulled on our wellies, slathered on the DEET
and sallied forth to make the best of it. We ended up with a total of
123 species between the two trips - 100 at Claybrook, 103 in Rangeley
and 5 on Lake Messalonskee extensions for the two trips. Complete list
(with notes) as follows (individual lists available upon request):
Canada Goose (52)
American Black Duck (2) Rangeley area.
Mallard (43)
Hooded Merganser (11) Rangeley area.
Common Merganser (3) Town & Lake Motel, Rangeley.
Ruffed Grouse (7)
SPRUCE GROUSE (3+) On an old logging road at Claybrook, we encountered
a hen with chicks. Behaving in a very unSpruce Grouselike manner, she
quickly gathered up her chicks and disappeared before any of us could
exit the van.
Wild Turkey (27) Our first record of Wild Turkey was (2) birds in
2007. Growing exponentially...
Common Loon (5) I learned from the folks over at Rangeley Lakes
Heritage Trust that Common Loons seem to have suffered a complete
nesting failure in the Rangeley Lakes area.
Pied-billed Grebe (2) Lake Messalonskee
Double-crested Cormorant (3)
Great Blue Heron (3)
SANDHILL CRANE (2) Lake Messalonskee. (2) birds observed flying out of
the marsh at 9:00 AM on July 6th by Jason & Charmaine Clevenger.
Turkey Vulture (16)
Osprey (4)
Bald Eagle (3) (1) adult and **(2) eaglets on the nest at South Bog.
Scoped from the Noyes Overlook off of Route 17.**
Sharp-shinned Hawk (1) Harassing a Red-tailed Hawk for a considerable
length of time & distance.
Cooper's Hawk (2)
Northern Goshawk (1) Claybrook Mountain Lodge.
Broad-winged Hawk (8) One repeatedly harassing a Red-tailed Hawk.
Red-tailed Hawk (3)
American Kestrel (3)
Merlin (2)
Virginia Rail (1) Lake Messalonskee.
Killdeer (6)
Spotted Sandpiper (1) Gilman Pond.
Wilson's Snipe (21) High numbers along Gilman Pond Road near Claybrook.
American Woodcock (1)
Ring-billed Gull (25)
Herring Gull (10)
BLACK TERN (4) Lake Messalonskee.
Rock Pigeon (4)
Mourning Dove (16)
Chimney Swift (6)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (11)
Belted Kingfisher (9)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (28) Many nests with young around Claybrook.
Downy Woodpecker (7)
Hairy Woodpecker (8)
Northern Flicker (10)
Pileated Woodpecker (10)
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (1) Boy Scout Road, Rangeley Plantation.
Eastern Wood-Pewee (4) Claybrook area.
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (6)
Alder Flycatcher (5)
Least Flycatcher (15)
Eastern Phoebe (8)
Great Crested Flycatcher (5) Claybrook area.
Eastern Kingbird (9)
Blue-headed Vireo (39)
Warbling Vireo (1) Lake Messalonskee.
PHILADELPHIA VIREO (2) One each in the Claybrook area and Rangeley.
Bird in Rangeley was observed singing in a tree less than 100 feet from
where a pair was observed nesting in 2008.
Red-eyed Vireo (36)
GRAY JAY (8) A family group of (5) birds (2 adults, 3 young) along Boy
Scout Road gave us the trip's best Gray Jay experience in 12 years. We
enjoyed these birds for about 30 minutes as they ate trail mix that we
scattered on the side of the road. Later on one of the adults ate from
Rob Finch's outstretched hand.
Blue Jay (19)
American Crow (18)
COMMON RAVEN (14)
Tree Swallow (80)
Bank Swallow (1) Gilman Pond Road.
Cliff Swallow (4) **Gilman Pond Road.*
*Barn Swallow (9)
Black-capped Chickadee (26)
BOREAL CHICKADEE (5) Adult feeding fledglings along South Shore Road in
Rangeley.
Red-breasted Nuthatch (10)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1) Claybrook area.
Brown Creeper (6) Adult observed feeding two begging fledglings in
Oquossoc.
Winter Wren (29)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (38)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3) A singing male at Black Brook Flowage WMA led
us to it's nest. The outside shell of the nest was composed of an
intricate arrangement of lichens. Photographed.
Eastern Bluebird (2) Mingo Loop Golf Course, Rangeley.
Veery (20)
BICKNELL'S THRUSH (4) (1) bird on Stewart Mountain and (3) birds on
Saddleback Mountain. One of the birds on Saddleback was observed and
photographed carrying nesting material - second nesting attempt?
Swainson's Thrush (48)
Hermit Thrush (17)
Wood Thrush (4)
American Robin (45)
Gray Catbird (2)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (1) Observed July 1st at Claybrook Mountain
Lodge. First record for Claybrook, and our most northerly encounter
with a Northern Mockingbird.
European Starling (111)
Cedar Waxwing (57)
TENNESSEE WARBLER (1) Claybrook Mountain Lodge.
Nashville Warbler (49) Our highest total for Nashville's in 12 years.
They were everywhere...
Northern Parula (41) Female observed and photographed weaving a nest
off of Capitol Road near Claybrook.
Yellow Warbler (8)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (24)
Magnolia Warbler (53)
CAPE MAY WARBLER (1) Off of Route 16 near Cupsuptic Campground
previously reported on the Maine Bird List by Eric Hynes of Maine Audubon.
Black-throated Blue Warbler (10)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (39)
Black-throated Green Warbler (21)
Blackburnian Warbler (10)
Pine Warbler (3)
Palm Warbler (3) Route 16, Rangeley.
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (3) Black Brook Flowage WMA.
Blackpoll Warbler (23)
Black-and-white Warbler (5)
American Redstart (26)
Ovenbird (20)
MOURNING WARBLER (10) One bird in Rangeley, nine in the Claybrook
area. M/F nest-building pair on Oliver Road and no fewer than SEVEN
singing males on Stewart Mountain northeast of Claybrook. An incredible
morning! (No pun intended...)
Common Yellowthroat (59)
Canada Warbler (1) Boy Scout Road.
Scarlet Tanager (2) Claybrook area.
Chipping Sparrow (17)
Savannah Sparrow (10)
Song Sparrow (15)
LINCOLN'S SPARROW (6) Route 16 heading west towards Wilsons Mills.
Swamp Sparrow (14)
White-throated Sparrow (102)
Dark-eyed Junco (54)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2) Feeders at Claybrook Mountain Lodge.
Indigo Bunting (1) Proctor Road, Rangeley.
Bobolink (11) Gilman Pond Road.
Red-winged Blackbird (51)
RUSTY BLACKBIRD (20) Single flock in vicinity of Cape May Warbler location.
Common Grackle (19)
Brown-headed Cowbird (1)
Baltimore Oriole (1)
Purple Finch (15)
RED CROSSBILL (9) Single flock on Oliver Road near Claybrook.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (3) Flyovers while unsuccessfully trying to
locate Bob Brown's nesting Black-backed Woodpeckers in Lincoln
Township. We quickly found the nest but the young had fledged by the
time we arrived in the area.
PINE SISKIN (5)
American Goldfinch (28)
EVENING GROSBEAK (13) Claybrook and Rangeley areas. As many as five at
once on the feeders at Claybrook.
MAMMALS
On Stewart Mountain in the Claybrook area we observed a Longtail Weasel
predating a White-throated Sparrow nest. During the daylight hours in
Rangeley we counted about (10) Moose and (1) Gray/Cross Fox. A late
night wildlife cruise on July 5th along Route 16 found (8) Moose
(including (2) cow/calf pairs), (3) White-tailed Deer, (3) Snowshoe
Hare, (2) Red Fox and (1) Porcupine.
FLORA
Lupines were at their breath-taking peak in the Rangeley region, and the
wet weather produced an impressive display of ferns throughout the area.
For information on Claybrook Mountain Lodge, go to
http://claybrookmountainlodge.com/index.html.
Until next year - stay dry!
Eddie
*
--
***************************
Eddie, Maura, & Jason Giles
East Bridgewater, MA
emgiles(AT)verizon.net
--------------020008060507000006080201
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
----DELETED HTML-ENCODED SECTION----
--------------020008060507000006080201--
|
|
|
|
BIRDxxxx
US:NewEngland
CTBIRD
MASSBIRD