More signs of Spring have become evident with the coming of the Eastern Phoebe! The phoebe I observed at Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Westford was not the first one nor would it be the last one for today! When I got up this morning, after having showered and had breakfast, I observed a singing Eastern Phoebe on the edges of our backyard while taking Mr. Gildor, our Corgi, outside for a bathroom break. And as the phoebe at Nashoba was not the last one, another was heard singing along Gray Farm Road in Littleton while taking Gildor for a walk late this afternoon, after having done my 4 miles worth of trekking at Nashoba.
It sure was a pleasant day to be outside, in spite of the brisk winds and slightly-below-normal temperatures. Today's little excursion started off with coming across 5 Golden-crowned Kinglets way up in the tops of the pines along the Woodland Loop Trail. Onwards, while on the trails situated on lands owned by the Westford Conservation Trust that connect the 2 parcels of property that make up Nashoba Brook, I came upon a Brown Creeper going from tree to tree, singing its lovely, ethereal song....a treat that was since the song of the creeper is one of my favorites! Lastly, the other most notable species of bird I came across was while on the trails near Nonset Brook that reside within property owned and maintained by the Westford Conservation Commission. These trails also connect to the MAS lands comprising Nashoba Brook. This particular species was a pair of calling Common Ravens observed flying just above the treetops heading northwards. I just love their guttural croak! The full listing of birds seen at MAS Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary are below:
Location: Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary
Observation date: 3/28/11
Number of species: 17
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 6
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 3
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 5
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus 1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 15
Common Raven - Corvus corax 2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 18
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 6
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 14
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa 5
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis 2
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Before I depart here, I also wanted to mention a bird I have never had in our yards at home before until this past Saturday, that being a lone Fox Sparrow that came around late afternoon time (4:15 to 5:40), kicking up the ground very much in the fashion of an Eastern Towhee.....twas only the 3rd time I had ever seen a Fox Sparrow! Below is the full listing of birds in our yards observed at that time:
Location: 83 Hartwell Avenue, Littleton, MA 01460
Observation date: 3/26/11
Notes: First Fox Sparrow I have ever seen in our yard, only the 3rd Fox Sparrow I have seen in my life thus far (first in 2009 in Sanbornton, NH; 2nd in 2010 at Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary).
Number of species: 15
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 4
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 1
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus 1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 7
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 2
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 2
Fox Sparrow (Red) - Passerella iliaca iliaca/zaboria 1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis 5
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 2
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus 6
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
It has been another good year of birding thus far! Get out there folks and enjoy it! Happy birding!!
Showing posts with label golden-crowned kinglet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label golden-crowned kinglet. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Ducks galore in Concord, MA!
Ah, a beautiful day it was to be outside today, though it would've been even nicer had it been a tad bit warmer! Beggars can't be choosers eh??! Kirk and I desperately needed to get outdoors and scare up some good birds! We were hither and yonder in Middlesex County, but mainly around the Concord area.
Our first stop was Nine-Acre Corner in Concord where we had good reports from there the past few days via Massbird. Our ultimate hope was to see a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage, but we had just missed the lone bird by about 20 minutes to our arrival (which was around 9:30 am). Nonetheless, we had plenty of ducks to look at, amongst dozens and dozens of Canada Geese. David Swain had reported 107 Green-winged Teal the day before, and there had to be at least that many there this morning. We also had about a half-dozen Northern Pintails, a number of American Black Ducks and Mallards, at least 40 Ring-necked Ducks, a small contingent of Common Goldeneye and one Pied-billed Grebe. There was also a handful of Wilson's Snipe in the mud flats bordering the flooded farm fields there. A Red-tailed Hawk and a Turkey Vulture also made an appearance, and there was also a number of Red-winged Blackbirds. We even had the good fortune of meeting Willy Hutcheson and Pam Sowizral, but most notably, the venerable David Allen Sibley himself (well, he does live in Concord afterall)!
Next up on our list was Dunback Meadows in the Waltham/Lexington area. Numerous Song Sparrows we had, as well as a few Blue Jays pestering a Red-tailed Hawk. We had aspirations of perhaps coming across Fox Sparrows there, but it seems they had already moved through (they had been reported earlier in the week at Dunback). For me, the highlight at Dunback was coming across a couple Golden-crowned Kinglets.
Onwards we stopped over at the Waltham Street Fields where there were at least 30 Canada Geese, but more notably, several (at least 7) Wilson's Snipe that we flushed out as we made our way around the fields there. What amusing calls they have with their erratic flight that is reminiscent of most shorebirds, but especially American Woodcocks.
Our last stop was Great Meadows NWR in Concord. Unfortunately, we thought the dike trail in its entirety was passable.....well, it was, that is if you don't mind getting your feet wet! Highlights there were a few Swamp Sparrows, Song Sparrows, a large contingent of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds (especially near the Concord River), a handful of Buffleheads, a small group of Common Goldeneye, a couple of Mute Swans and a very large flotilla of Ring-necked Ducks. We also saw several Muskrats, a lone Downy Woodpecker and more notably, a Northern Harrier. What was most nice to see while there, and for Kirk and I, a more significant telltale sign Spring is well at hand and that warmer temps are coming, is that we saw 2 Tree Swallows flying around the center dike trail nearest the Concord River canoe launch. Soon enough there will be hundreds of Tree Swallows at Great Meadows!
Not the most momentous day of birding, but decent enough and certainly more than worth it, for any day of birding, whether it be good or bad, is far superior than a good day of work or being at home doing absolutely nothing! Happy birding everyone!
Our first stop was Nine-Acre Corner in Concord where we had good reports from there the past few days via Massbird. Our ultimate hope was to see a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage, but we had just missed the lone bird by about 20 minutes to our arrival (which was around 9:30 am). Nonetheless, we had plenty of ducks to look at, amongst dozens and dozens of Canada Geese. David Swain had reported 107 Green-winged Teal the day before, and there had to be at least that many there this morning. We also had about a half-dozen Northern Pintails, a number of American Black Ducks and Mallards, at least 40 Ring-necked Ducks, a small contingent of Common Goldeneye and one Pied-billed Grebe. There was also a handful of Wilson's Snipe in the mud flats bordering the flooded farm fields there. A Red-tailed Hawk and a Turkey Vulture also made an appearance, and there was also a number of Red-winged Blackbirds. We even had the good fortune of meeting Willy Hutcheson and Pam Sowizral, but most notably, the venerable David Allen Sibley himself (well, he does live in Concord afterall)!
Next up on our list was Dunback Meadows in the Waltham/Lexington area. Numerous Song Sparrows we had, as well as a few Blue Jays pestering a Red-tailed Hawk. We had aspirations of perhaps coming across Fox Sparrows there, but it seems they had already moved through (they had been reported earlier in the week at Dunback). For me, the highlight at Dunback was coming across a couple Golden-crowned Kinglets.
Onwards we stopped over at the Waltham Street Fields where there were at least 30 Canada Geese, but more notably, several (at least 7) Wilson's Snipe that we flushed out as we made our way around the fields there. What amusing calls they have with their erratic flight that is reminiscent of most shorebirds, but especially American Woodcocks.
Our last stop was Great Meadows NWR in Concord. Unfortunately, we thought the dike trail in its entirety was passable.....well, it was, that is if you don't mind getting your feet wet! Highlights there were a few Swamp Sparrows, Song Sparrows, a large contingent of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds (especially near the Concord River), a handful of Buffleheads, a small group of Common Goldeneye, a couple of Mute Swans and a very large flotilla of Ring-necked Ducks. We also saw several Muskrats, a lone Downy Woodpecker and more notably, a Northern Harrier. What was most nice to see while there, and for Kirk and I, a more significant telltale sign Spring is well at hand and that warmer temps are coming, is that we saw 2 Tree Swallows flying around the center dike trail nearest the Concord River canoe launch. Soon enough there will be hundreds of Tree Swallows at Great Meadows!
Not the most momentous day of birding, but decent enough and certainly more than worth it, for any day of birding, whether it be good or bad, is far superior than a good day of work or being at home doing absolutely nothing! Happy birding everyone!
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