Pepperell 4/09/07

I took a visit to Gardner Farm, along the Nashua River in Pepperell , Ma., this evening to look for waterfowl. Generally during March and early April good numbers of puddle ducks and geese can be found in the wet depressions adjacent to the corn fields. Hooded and Common Mergansers along with diving ducks can be found in the river, these usually peak while there is still ice away from the main channel. Much of the waterfowl has appeared to have moved north and or dispersed now that many lakes and ponds are ice free in the lower Nashua River watershed. Tonight there was only a fraction of the waterfowl that was present a week ago.

Grassy wetland along the Nashua River

An American Kestrel put on a nice show for me, first perched on a distant branch, to which it returned to over and over inbetween brief "sorties".

Eventually it was "joined" by a single Blue Jay which was displeased with the falcon's presence.

Blue Jay and Kestrel having a "civil discussion"

Then it moved onto some nearby corn stubble, offering excellent viewing.

Beautiful male American Kestrel

Birds seen and heard:
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 2
Wood Duck 6
American Black Duck 2
Mallard ~50
Green-winged Teal 6
Great Blue Heron 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Killdeer 2
Mourning Dove 4
Blue Jay 2
American Robin ~50
European Starling ~75
Song Sparrow ~15
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird ~300
Common Grackle ~25
Brown-headed Cowbird ~100
American Goldfinch ~4