Leominster Birds 4/19

I did some "altas Scouting" in the Fitchburg 12 block, on 4/19, which is entirely within Leominster. There is diverse habitat ranging from relatively remote and large wooded tracts of conservaton land in the hills to 1100 feet elevation, a good deal of heavily populated areas in the city limits, with lower elevations to 300' along the Nashua River. Leominster is my hometown, I grew up within the boundaries of this block, so I should be visiting some places I haven't been to in 30+ years.

The lowest location in the block is a marsh that border's Priest Street, Rte 2 and the Watertower Plaza. Watertower Plaza is the former sight of Foster Grant, the sun glass "people", once a prominant employer in town. According to reports the dumping of chemicals and fumes were linked to many cases of autism (childern of neighbors and former employees) in the area, a portion of this marsh was likely one of the dumping sites.

My first confirmed nester, of this block, was a Canada Goose, that I spotted just before I was to leaving the previously mention marsh.

An incubating goose keeping a low profile.

A few moments later I spied this goose, some type of a two headed "spawn" from the chemical dump? Or a tuning fork?

A little cropping and rotating of the photo below, but the neck postion looks very uncomfortable. I have seen a fair number to "low profile" geese near their nests before, but never one with the posture of this bird. It looked particularly odd because its body was hidden behind vegetation.

Ouch!
It then stretched out a its neck bit more and lowered its head to keep a lower profile.

Looking a bit serpant like.

At the top of a steep embankment I saw this chickadee excavating a nest hole.

Kiss my .....
... well you get the point.

Just missed a great shot!

When I was in high school, I HEARD, you could get a case of this stuff for just under 3 bucks!