Forbush Annual East Quabbin Trip 5/1

11 members of the Forbush Bird Club enjoyed perfect spring weather, this past Sunday, while "touring" East Quabbin, in the area that was once part of the townships of Greenwich and Dana.
Beaver ponds in the back woods of Quabbin are always a highlight, we had nice looks at Hooded Mergansers, a drake Common Merg., Wood Ducks, Eastern Kingbirds, Tree Swallows, Yellow Warblers, Least Flycatchers and diplaying Red-winged Blackbirds, but no Yellow-throated or Warbling Vireos this on this year's trip.
A secluded beaver pond, well inside of gate 45.
Red-winged Blackbird in full display.
14 species of wood warblers were seen and/or heard but the only vireo species was Blue-headed, we missed Baltimore Oriole for the first time in several years. a handsome Blue-headed Vireo (formerly known as Solitary Vireo).
A few Least Flycatchers were present, such as the bird above.
One of two Porcupines that were certainly crowd pleasers, a bit slower than warblers allowed protracted viewing!
While watching one of the Porcupines, two immature Bald Eagles passed over head one just above the other. They "locked" talons and began a spectacular descent spiraling downward toward the earth, after "pin-wheeling" about 6 revolutions they separated, and moved off in different directions.
Bald Eagles locked together.
... just after breaking apart.

This Chestnut-sided Warbler showed nicely.

A non avian highlight is lunch at Dana Common, we usually linger on the common for about 45 minutes for lunch, conversation and birding. A few American Redstarts were found here, we only had a few during the day. Our trip is a bit on the early side of May, so we miss or only encounter a few of species such as Red-eyed vireo and American Redstart. By late-May these two species will be among the most abunbant species in the east Quabbin, likely neither would ever be out of hearing range.

Club members enjoy luch on Dana Common.

Toward the end of the day we had a nice surprise of 4 breeding plumaged Horned Grebes, while this species is an uncommon but annual "pass-through" migrant in Central Massachusetts, seeing them in breeding plumage made it even more special! Another nice bonus was two female Red-breasted Mergansers just before leaving the water's edge near gate 35. These like the Horned Grebes are easily found on coastal Massachusetts during the winter, but they are also very uncoommon away from the coast.

A happy "clan", after great weather, birding and company!

The complete trip list:

Canada Goose ...16
Wood Duck ...5
American Black Duck ...2
Mallard ...4
Green-winged Teal (American) ...7
Hooded Merganser ...4
Red-breasted Merganser ...2
Common Merganser ...1
Ruffed Grouse ...3
Common Loon ...6
Horned Grebe ...4
Double-crested Cormorant ...1
Great Blue Heron ...3
Turkey Vulture ...12
Bald Eagle ...5
Northern Harrier ...1
Broad-winged Hawk ...2
Red-tailed Hawk ...1
Merlin ...1
Ring-billed Gull ...3
Mourning Dove ...4
Red-bellied Woodpecker ...1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ...13
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) ...3
Pileated Woodpecker ...6
Least Flycatcher ...5
Eastern Phoebe ...3
Eastern Kingbird ...2
Blue-headed Vireo ...6
Blue Jay ...12
American Crow ...14
Tree Swallow ...53
Black-capped Chickadee ...12
Tufted Titmouse ...4
Red-breasted Nuthatch ...3
White-breasted Nuthatch ...3
Brown Creeper ...3
House Wren ...1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ...4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet ...1
American Robin ...15
Gray Catbird ...3
Northern Parula ...1
Yellow Warbler ...6
Chestnut-sided Warbler ...10
Magnolia Warbler ...1
Black-throated Blue Warbler ...12
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) ...40
Black-throated Green Warbler ...10
Blackburnian Warbler ...3
Pine Warbler ...42
Palm Warbler (Yellow) ...3
Black-and-white Warbler ...10
American Redstart ...3
Ovenbird ...15
Common Yellowthroat ...6
Eastern Towhee ...39
Chipping Sparrow ...26
Song Sparrow ...6
Swamp Sparrow ...3
White-throated Sparrow ...10
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) ...6
Scarlet Tanager ...1
Northern Cardinal ...2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak ...3
Red-winged Blackbird ...12
Common Grackle ...10
Brown-headed Cowbird ...16
Purple Finch ...2
American Goldfinch ...4

Round Meadow Pond 4/26

On my way to the post office this noon I notice an adult Bald Eagle passing low over Round Meadow Pond, in Westminster. I stopped and got the scope on the bird once it landed, managing a few long distance digi-scope shots....a sequence of shots while it "bathed" are below.

I have seen Bald Eagle(s) on the following dates during April:
4/3 1 adult
4/11 1 juvenile (likely 2010 bird)
4/12 2 adults perched a hundred feet away
4/21 1 adult
4/26 1 adult

***a few additional dates :

4/27 2 adults

4/29 2 adults

5/2 2 adults
*************
The possibility of a pair either nesting or prospecting in the area must be considered. There plenty of bodies of water nearby including to support a pair; Round Meadow Pond, Wyman's Pond, Wachusett Lake (not the Res.), Mare Meadow Reservoir, Bickford Pond, NoTown Reservoir...to name a few. BTW, many of the lakes and reservoirs were formed many years ago to "feed" the paper mills in Fitchburg.

Recent Neighborhood "patch" Birds

As May approaches its always fun to watch the new arrivals return and pass through the yard and "neighborhood patch". The female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was digi-scoped from the back deck. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Female)

Field Sparrows have returned to nearby sandpit, about 1/2miles from home, Brown Thrasher and Pairie Warblers will not be far behind. Singing Field Sparrow

My first of year Black and White Warbler was seen on 4/20 and I heard another from my deck on the 21st. Rear view of a Black and White Warbler

The American Robin (below) has begun its territorial dispute, with itself, for the 3rd consecutive year....knocking on the glass door every moring. Here its takes a break while I used the deck for morning coffee and birding. American Robin, taking a break from battling with its reflection.

I had yet to see or hear a White-throated Sparrow in the neighborhood this year, but after being awaya few days and returning on the 20th, my first walk yielded over 30 White-throats! One of my favorite bird songs can be heard from home at sunrise each moring, until they clear out in a week or two. Juncos were still in "strong" with over 100 tallied on a 2 mile walk. White-throated Sparrow

I saw 6 Hermit Thrush while during a local walk on 4/22, a digi-bin photo of one of the more cooperative ones is below. Hermit Thrush

While not "super early" for a Black-throated Green Warbler, 4/22 seems a little on the early side, this bird did not sing but came into view while I spished. Black-throated Green Warbler

A little further down the trail this Louisiana Waterthrush (below) reacted nicely to spishing, Like the BT Green above this bird did not sing at all....nor did a Blue-headed Vireo I saw nearby. Louisiana Waterthrush

Off Battle Road, during the 4/22 walk were about 60 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 15 Palm Warblers (below) both these species were singing strong! "Yellow" Palm Warbler

I noticed this "white-tailed" Chickadee in the yard on the 20th a few times since, I did not see this bird during the winter. "white-tailed" Black-capped Chickadee

Saturday afternoon 4/23 this male Eastern Bluebird was in the back yard, last year a pair nested in my neighbor's nest box.
Eastern Bluebird

Sterling Peat 4/5

I birded Muddy Pond at "Sterling Peat" this morning, where I found a nice group of ~225 Ring-necked Ducks, a few Common Goldeneyes, Green-winged Teal (10), Pied-billed Grebe (2), Belted Kingfisher, Wilson's Snipe (10), Eastern Phoebe (3) and dozen or so Tree Swallows.

A nice surprise was a Horned Grebe in a transitional plumage that was a bit "foriegn" to me. But, based on this bird's relatively straight and "heavy" bill, along with head shape would seem to fit Horned Grebe rather than a rare Eared. Ita was was fairly close in size to the nearby Pied-billed Grebes that were present. A few digi-scope shots, poor ones at that, are below (with Ringed-necked Ducks): An "ear-ee" looking photo..the bird was looking away making the bill look rather small. The back of its head

A nice profile, soing its head shape and straight bill...

..another similar to the one above, its bill does appear to be straight like a Horned and NOT "up-swept" like an Eared.

It is some what unusual to see Horned Grebes on such a small body of water, such as Muddy Pond. But, I have seen this species a few times on Crystal Lake and Wright's Reservior in Gardner and once on the Mount Wachusett Community College campus pond! Today's bird stuck to the shore line (the far shore at that) and moved in and out of some vegetation.

Neighborhood American Woodcocks 3/27

Paul Meleski and I birded Bolton Flats, Delaney WMA, Sterling Peat and then took a short walk in my neighborhood today. The recent fridged conditions seems to have put the breaks on migration, but we had an enjoyable day afield. But, my personal hilights were just a few hundred yards down the road from my apartment. Amercian Woodcock are easy enough find in the correct habitat, but having a good look in full daylight is another matter. We found one on the lawn of a nearby residence, and when I returned with the scope, for a few digi-scope shots, I found an additional woodcock. Below are some shots I got this afternoon:

This American Woodcock was in the open, and while about 50 yards away was cooperative and easy to photograph. The second bird (below), while closer, was a different story and it always had the upper hand in a little game of "cat and mouse", never allowing an unobstructed view! I took perhaps 200 shots of this bird and ALWAYS there was a stick or piece of brush in the way. But, perhaps that is more fitting and natural for this species (of course.....I am rationalizing!). facing away ..showing large eyes set close to the back of its head. A "peek-a-boo" shot. Nearly in the open... A flank shot. Even this woodcock was feeling the effects of this blustery day. In this same yard we found 8 Fox Sparrows, a leusistic House Finch and across the street was a lesistic House Sparrow. A leusistic House Sparrow.... ...leusistic House Finch.

Waxwings 3/5 and 3/6

There was a nice flock of approx. 260 Cedar Waxwings at Turner's Falls on 3/5, despite carefull scanning I could not find a Bohemian in the mix.
Below are few digi-scope shots from the "Turner's" Cedar Waxwings.

A nice portrait...

...who's next?....

...a precarious reach....

...got it..

...down the hatch...

Here are few other "good" birds from the Turner's Falls area on Saturday:

The above Redhead was with Rng-necked Ducks, seen from the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun Club.
This Merlin was at Unity Park, in Turner's Falls, it frightened many robins, waxwings and even put up 100+ Ring-billed Gulls.

The above Glaucous Gull, a 1st year type, was one of two present on the river.

This 1st year Iceland Gull spent some time at close range.

Sunday morning I read a report from Nick Paulson, who had found a flock of 85 Bohemian Waxwings at the High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, in Westminster, just a few miles from home. I headed over after morning coffee and the flock, today about 70, flew in from the west about 9AM. The light was poor and it began to drizzle, but I did manage some digi-scope shots of these handsome birds.

A portion of the flock of 70 Bohemian Waxwings at High Ridge WMA.

...zoomed in a bit closer...

and one in flight.