eBird Report - Frances A. Crane WMA, 7/11/10 - 2 More Lifers -- Grasshopper Sparrow and Orchard Oriole!!!

Today was a perfect day to finally do some birding with my good buddy Kirk Marshall, for the weather was not as hot, the air was not quite as sticky, and today would be the last time in about 2 to 3 weeks from now before I am able to do any birding again with Kirk (though I will be doing some birding/hiking while on vacation up at Tall Timber Lodge off of Back Lake in Pittsburg, NH....from the 18th through 25th of July!) For a few weeks now Kirk and I had known about the sightings of several Grasshopper Sparrows and a few Blue Grosbeaks down at Crane WMA in Falmouth, MA, so we hoped with some good fortune that both target species would still be kicking around. Thankfully, to our delight, at least one of them was still with us, the Grasshopper Sparrow! And what a wonderful cooperative little sparrow it was! It was just sitting on a tall single-stalk plant, looking around furtively whilst holding what looked to be a grasshopper in its bill! Ironic huh, considering the species is commonly known as a Grasshopper Sparrow! And according to Cornell's All About Birds, this sparrow is aptly named, for its primary source of sustenance is indeed grasshoppers. Anyhoo, sadly, we did not chance upon any of the Blue Grosbeaks in the area, but 1 target species is good enough! As a bonus, I was able to see both male and female Orchard Orioles as well as what appeared to be fledgling Orchards.....yes, its about time I finally saw an Orchard Oriole, since they are somewhat common, though not as much so as the much more brightly colored Baltimore Oriole! Both the "Quail" and "Pheasant" sections of Crane WMA abounded with Eastern Towhees and Indigo Buntings, as many more numbers of both species were heard than seen (tallies below are birds actually seen). Oh yes, how could I forget....Kirk and I heard 2 Northern Bobwhites calling in the "Pheasant" section of Crane, but alas, could not flush them out to get a look....plus, these bobwhites may not have been wild ones, for they could've been stocked game birds. Still, very sweet nonetheless! Get out there folks and happy birding to all!!!

Location:     Crane WMA
Observation date:     7/11/10
Notes:     Visited both the "Quail" section off of Sandwich Road and the "Pheasant" section off of Route 151 of Frances A. Crane WMA in Falmouth, MA.
Number of species:     31

Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus     3
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura     4
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis     1
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     6
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) - Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]     3
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe     1
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus     6
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     2
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     11
Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia     3
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica     4
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     3
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     2
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     1
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus     1
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis     5
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     4
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis     3
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos     1
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor     1
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas     4
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus     8
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina     3
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla     1
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis     1
Grasshopper Sparrow - Ammodramus savannarum     1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     2
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea     5
Orchard Oriole - Icterus spurius     3
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis     11

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


General directions to Frances A. Crane WMA are as follows, per the route Kirk and I took: Route 128/I-95 South until I-95 South splits off and heads toward Rhode Island. At junction of I-95 and I-495, take I-495 South to the Cape. 495 will end and become Route 25. Follow 25 to Bourne. At rotary that is just over the Bourne Bridge, follow Route 28 South into North Falmouth. Keep following 28 South (you will come across a second rotary, stay on 28 South). At the exit for Route 151 off of 28, take 151 East. Parking for the "Pheasant" section of Crane WMA will be on your left for the Allieta Softball Field after a couple of miles on 151. If you want to continue to the "Quail" section of Crane WMA, keep going on 151 until it junctures with Sandwich Road. Take a right onto Sandwich Road and after about a mile or so, take a left onto Ashumet Road.

eBird Report - Woods Hole - Steamship Authority, 6/13/10 - Roseate Terns!

While waiting to board the Steamship Authority's Martha's Vineyard to head into Oaks Bluff on the Island, I chose to not waste my time and do a little bit of birding!! The first birds I noticed were a group of Double-crested Cormorants off on the rocks looking out from the pier, but then, closer to shore, a group of terns were fishing the currents and eddies near us. Several Common Terns were observed, but of much more fortune, 2 Roseate Terns came within 50 yards of us, dive-bombing the waters for something good to eat, then following them around until they dove into the frigid waters again! They had that mostly dark, black bill, long forked-tail, white underbelly with a hint of pink and were swifter than their fellow Commons. Had struck out the last 2 times looking for these particular terns, both at Sandy Point on Plum Island and at Plymouth Beach in Plymouth. Certainly the highlight of my time there before departing! The 2 Ospreys were busy attending to their nest atop some hazard tower (alternating red & white diamonds within the diamond-shaped signs). A few female Common Eiders were rafting along near the pier as well. All in all, very enjoyable! Happy birding to all!

Location:     Woods Hole - Steamship Authority
Observation date:     6/13/10
Number of species:     10

Common Eider - Somateria mollissima     3
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus     11
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus     2
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis     5
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus     4
Roseate Tern - Sterna dougallii     2
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo     8
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia     4
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     2
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus     13

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