eBird Report - Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary--IBA, 6/1/10 - Sedge Wren = YES!; numerous Bobolinks!

I had the darndest time trying to get some sleep last night. I was awoken by thunder at 2, then was in and out of sleep until I said screw this and got up at 4:20 am. I took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast and decided to do something with my day since I was up. So, what better to do then to go do some birding when one is still unemployed (sadly)! I had been reading the earlier posts about the Sedge Wren being reported at Daniel Webster in Marshfield, so I figured that was where I was going to go!

It was a fairly long drive, but being up so early, I beat all the morning traffic and got to Daniel Webster by 7:30 am (stayed until 9:30). I must say, what a truly beautiful parcel of land Mass Audubon has here....there should be more grassland habitat like this, that of which is found at Daniel Webster! There were BOBOLINKS everywhere! Too bad there weren't any Eastern Meadowlarks yet, surely they would love this place! The PURPLE MARTIN colony was in full swing, nearly every box inhabited by a Martin. CEDAR WAXWINGS were quite numerous as well, especially going through the red maple swamps found along the River Walk Trail and Secret Trail.

But of course, the highlight and target bird was the SEDGE WREN that of which is still found near the Fox Hill Observation Platform (along right-hand side of pathway leading up to platform). Fantastic looks, but of course it was its "dry, staccato chattering" that alerted me to its precise location. Even if I did not get this bird, it was well worth heading out to Marshfield to experience this MAS sanctuary! Thankfully, the Sedge Wren was very cooperative, and we all know how much I adore wrens!

Anyhoo, happy birding to all, and I hope everybody had a great Memorial Day Weekend!

(Above photo of SEDGE WREN was taken by Joe Vincent)

Location:     Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary--IBA
Observation date:     6/1/10
Number of species:     39

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     12
American Black Duck - Anas rubripes     3
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     6
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo     4
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias     1
Great Egret - Ardea alba     1
Green Heron - Butorides virescens     3 (wet panne nearest observation blind off of Fox Hill Trail)
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus     1 (flying over fields near parking lot)
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) - Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]     2
Willow Flycatcher - Empidonax traillii     5
Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus     2
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus     1
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus     1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata     4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     5
Purple Martin - Progne subis     28
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     27
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     2
House Wren - Troglodytes aedon     2
SEDGE WREN - Cistothorus platensis     1 (Fox Hill Observation Platform)
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis     3
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     3
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis     8
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum     37
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia     12
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - Dendroica coronata coronata     2
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas     11
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus     4
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     6
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis     2
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus     46 (throughout all the fields)
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     31
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     11
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater     4
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula     1
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus     2
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis     15
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus     18

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

Here are the directions from MAS' website to Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary:

From Rt 3 north or south: Take exit 12 (Rt 139). Follow Rt 139 east for 3.7 miles to Marshfield Center. Turn right at light onto Webster Street. Follow Webster Street 1.5 miles and turn left onto Winslow Cemetery Road. Sanctuary parking is 0.7 miles ahead (at the end of the road).