eBird Report - Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, 4/9/11 - First visit of the year at my paradise in Mass!

What a superbly gorgeous day to be outside, no doubt about that! Temps in the low 60s, light and variable winds, a crystal-clear azure sky, with wood frogs and spring peepers abounding in song! I was at my own little slice of heaven here in Massachusetts, Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Harvard, MA, just after having finished up my work week in Bedford, MA. I honestly didn't expect to see much, but most appreciatively, was surprised to see what I did!

First up was a lone Wild Turkey just strutting around along the dirt road that leads to the entrance and parking lot for Oxbow NWR. I know, most everyone sees a turkey here and there (had a sizable flock in my own backyard last week), but I found this one most amusing for it didn't seemed to be phased by my car's presence at all as I was driving into the refuge. After a few minutes, it considered I posed no threat and meandered off slowly.

Next up I came across 2 Fox Sparrows along the Riverside Trail, nearer to the junction of said trail and Turnpike Trail. These two Fox Sparrows were calling to each other, Peterson referring to such a call as a "strong, flat chup." One was about 5 feet up in the snags of a pine tree while the other was foraging on the ground with its characteristic "double-scratching" move, kicking up the forest floor detritus for deliciousness.

Onwards I came across a soaring Red-shouldered Hawk on the Turnpike Trail, going in relatively lazy circles, its flight of choppy wing-beats in evidence.....though what is more tell-tale and striking is its "translucent window" along its primaries near the outer-edges of its wings....the sun was blazing gloriously through them as I followed its flight....the first time, as with the Fox Sparrows, that I had ever seen such a bird at Oxbow. I had seen Red-shouldered Hawks before at SVT's Memorial Forest in Sudbury, but to see it in my little slice of heaven was a real treat!

However, the biggest treat of the day has to go to while I was on my way back to the parking lot along Tank Road (along the wetlands on your left as you are walking back). Such a treat was an American Woodcock being flushed out in broad daylight, but to my good fortune, the woodcock landed about 15 feet away, just along the edge of the pathway and the mucky leaf matter littering the area. Whats most amusing to me was that I had been practically on top of this bird initially, me being unaware of the bird's presence as I was looking at other birds in the area. The timberdoodle had me in its sights the entire time, but whilst this bird was walking along, 15 feet away, it was performing its "mating dance" where it teeter-totters and bobbles in a herky-jerky motion that is purely comical and a delight to behold! Such a bizarre bird, I instantly fell in love with this bird the moment I first saw it, over 2 years ago, in the same area at Oxbow that I saw this particular woodcock today! 4 times now during my many ventures at Oxbow NWR have I had the good fortunes of coming across an American Woodcock out in broad daylight. Simply wonderful!

Anyhoo, the full listing of my sightings today during my time at Oxbow (12:45 to 2:45 pm) are below.....happy birding everybody and enjoy this superb weather we are finally having!

Location:     Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Observation date:     4/9/11
Notes:     Ruffed Grouse heard only drumming near parking lot; Red-shouldered seen on Turnpike Trail along the boardwalk sections; American Woodcock seen bobbing whilst walking amongst muck and leaf matter alongside Tank Road; Fox Sparrows seen along Riverside Trail nearer to the junction with Turnpike.
Number of species:     26

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     2
Wood Duck - Aix sponsa     2
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     5
Ruffed Grouse - Bonasa umbellus     1 (Heard only, drumming near parking/train tracks area)
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo     1
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura     2
Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus     1
American Woodcock - Scolopax minor     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus     1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     3
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata     3
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     4
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     13
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     4
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     2
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana     4
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis     2
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     21
Fox Sparrow (Red) - Passerella iliaca iliaca/zaboria     2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis     3
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis     1
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     5
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     32
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis     6

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

Doing some good and worthwhile work at Oxbow NWR!!

There are many days where I really wish I had a job (I wish I had a job period right now) working for an esteemed organization like that of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Sudbury Valley Trustees, Mass Audubon or the Trustees of Reservations. Today I joined Alan Bragg, Ziggy and Frank of USFWS at Oxbow NWR around 8 am. We worked together as a team clearing fallen trees, brush, weed-whacking the boating ramp parking lot and main parking lot, you know, general trail and property maintenance. I was there with them until 12:30 pm. It was solid, worthwhile and enjoyable work with a trio of fine gentlemen. I've met Alan before at Great Meadows NWR (Concord Unit) when doing some birding there. It was just such a pleasure being outside, helping maintain my "little piece of paradise" in this region while also doing some spot birding. Highlight for me was seeing an American Woodcock out in broad daylight (Ziggy saw another one earlier in the day), both along Tank Road. I love those bizarre Snipe-ish birds! I am including a partial list of what we all casually observed today while working. Alan may send me an updated list later on today with anything else I might have missed/he observed.

Location:     Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Observation date:     5/6/10
Notes:     Casually noticed these birds as we were going along performing trail and property maintenance at Oxbow NWR with Alan Bragg, Ziggy and Frank from USFWS. Many other birds were heard, but not seen, like American Redstarts, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, etc. I am sharing this list with Alan Bragg since he may have more to add to this report. It was fantastic seeing the timber doodles out in broad daylight (well, sort of, off and on rain/thunder showers).
Number of species:     15

Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     2
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias     1
American Woodcock - Scolopax minor     2
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus     1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe     1
Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus     2
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     2
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     3
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis     1
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia     1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheucticus ludovicianus     1
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     4
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     3
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula     1

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