On the Wing #20: Closing the Gap
I must say that I've birded many places this past year. I was able to go to Florida for the first time in two years and picked up several new species, while slowly picking up several more species since then. I've even seen some of my entries on eBird show up on the rare bird alerts for Massachusetts (the most recent one being a young male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) that I spotted at Assawompsett Pond in Lakeville). But this past Friday, I experienced some of the best birding I've ever had.
Last Friday, I went to Parker River NWR in Newburyport and my mind was blown. It wasn't simply the number of species that I haven't seen before, but also the huge numbers of other species I saw there. I saw huge flocks of ducks like Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), Mallards (A. platyrhynchos), and American Black Ducks (A. rubripes), as well as smaller groups of yellowlegs and egrets. In the wooded sections abounded with warblers, Swainson's Thrushes (a lifer for me), and waxwings feasting on the bayberries and other fruit-bearing trees. Little brown jobs turned into lifers as I saw a Clay-colored (Spizella pallida), Saltmarsh (Ammodramus caudacutus), and two immature White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) all make their appearances. To round off the end of the day, I got the opportunity to see Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) actively feeding along the coast while rafts of scoters and five Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) (lifers galore!) assembled on the ocean.
However, while all the new species I saw were a great treat and additions to my life list, one took the cake entirely! Near the sub-maintenance sheds, towards the middle of the island, was a bird I never expected to see. As I approached some low conifers bordering the marsh pools that lay beyond, a man motioned over to me and said,
"It's in the tree over there."
"What is?" I asked.
"Say's Phoebe." he replied before walking back to the parking lot.
I raised my binoculars to gaze at what a small group of people were watching and when it turned out they were trying to photograph a Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), my heart sank. It might have flown already. But then, someone pointed it out in the nearby trees. Raising my binos again, I looked up as saw a flycatcher with a buffy-orange belly. There it was in all its foreign, insectivorous glory! I was amazed both at the geographic lengths this bird had traveled to get to the North Shore (being a southwestern species for the most part. Then again, GMNWR did have a Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) living in its marsh for most of the summer.) and the lack of concern in its overall demeanor. It seemed to be relishing the attention for the most part.
These sightings relate back to my goal of getting 300 species on my life list and I'm proud to say that I only need 7 more species to reach the goal. Here is a summary of what I saw at Parker River with the lifers getting a bold name and star (*) like so. The list is done according to eBird's interpretation of Clement's taxonomy which in the most recent rearrangement features Falconidae being seen as more closely related to passerines and psittacines than they are to most eagles and hawks. I don't argue with it, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. Anyway, here's the list:
Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) 7
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 6 m, 3 f
American Wigeon/Baldpate (A. americana) 2 m, 3 f
American Black Duck (A. rubripes) 101
Mallard (A. platyrhynchos) 42
Northern Pintail (A. acuta) 9
Green-winged Teal (A. crecca) 12
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) pr
White-winged Scoter (M. fusca) 106
Black Scoter (M. americana) 1m flyby
Ruddy Duck* (Oxyura jamaicensis) 5
Northern Gannet* (Morus bassanus) 14
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritis) 368
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 3
Great Egret (A. alba) 32
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 13
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 9
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 3 imm
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 20 flyby
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 43
Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes) 3
Sanderling 20 (Calidris alba) flyby
Least Sandpiper (C. minutilla) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X
Herring Gull (L. argentatus) X
Great Black-backed Gull (L. marinus) 2 imm, 4 ad
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 flyby
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 m flyby
Yellow-bellied (Sphyrapicus varius) Sapsucker 3
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubscens) 2 heard
Northern Flicker (P. villosus) 3 heard
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 2 overhead
Say's Phoebe* (Sayornis saya) 1 ad
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1 ad
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 7
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1 heard, 2 overhead
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1 singing m, 5 ad
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1 heard
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (S. carolinensis) 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (R. calendula) 2
Swainson's Thrush* (Catharus ustulatus) 4 ad
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 10
Northern Mockingbird (Mimis polyglottos) 2
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 1 flyby
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 120
Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1 m
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichias) 2 f
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 2 imm
Bay-breasted Warbler* (S. castanea) 1 imm
Black-throated Blue Warbler (S. caerulescens) 1 m
Palm Warbler (S. palmarum) 11
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (S. coronata) 21
Black-throated Green Warbler (S. virens) 2 imm
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 8
Clay-colored Sparrow* (Spizella pallida) 1
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 8
Saltmarsh Sparrow* (Ammodramus caudacutus) 1 ad
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2 whites, 5 tans, 1 imm
White-crowned Sparrow* (Z. leucophrys) 2 imm
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 13
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1 f
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 3 f
As of October 10th, 2012, I officially have 293 species on my life list. I wonder how long it will take for me to get to the goal. You guys will be the first to know. Happy birding ^_^
Last Friday, I went to Parker River NWR in Newburyport and my mind was blown. It wasn't simply the number of species that I haven't seen before, but also the huge numbers of other species I saw there. I saw huge flocks of ducks like Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), Mallards (A. platyrhynchos), and American Black Ducks (A. rubripes), as well as smaller groups of yellowlegs and egrets. In the wooded sections abounded with warblers, Swainson's Thrushes (a lifer for me), and waxwings feasting on the bayberries and other fruit-bearing trees. Little brown jobs turned into lifers as I saw a Clay-colored (Spizella pallida), Saltmarsh (Ammodramus caudacutus), and two immature White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) all make their appearances. To round off the end of the day, I got the opportunity to see Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) actively feeding along the coast while rafts of scoters and five Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) (lifers galore!) assembled on the ocean.
However, while all the new species I saw were a great treat and additions to my life list, one took the cake entirely! Near the sub-maintenance sheds, towards the middle of the island, was a bird I never expected to see. As I approached some low conifers bordering the marsh pools that lay beyond, a man motioned over to me and said,
"It's in the tree over there."
"What is?" I asked.
"Say's Phoebe." he replied before walking back to the parking lot.
I raised my binoculars to gaze at what a small group of people were watching and when it turned out they were trying to photograph a Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), my heart sank. It might have flown already. But then, someone pointed it out in the nearby trees. Raising my binos again, I looked up as saw a flycatcher with a buffy-orange belly. There it was in all its foreign, insectivorous glory! I was amazed both at the geographic lengths this bird had traveled to get to the North Shore (being a southwestern species for the most part. Then again, GMNWR did have a Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) living in its marsh for most of the summer.) and the lack of concern in its overall demeanor. It seemed to be relishing the attention for the most part.
These sightings relate back to my goal of getting 300 species on my life list and I'm proud to say that I only need 7 more species to reach the goal. Here is a summary of what I saw at Parker River with the lifers getting a bold name and star (*) like so. The list is done according to eBird's interpretation of Clement's taxonomy which in the most recent rearrangement features Falconidae being seen as more closely related to passerines and psittacines than they are to most eagles and hawks. I don't argue with it, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. Anyway, here's the list:
Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) 7
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 6 m, 3 f
American Wigeon/Baldpate (A. americana) 2 m, 3 f
American Black Duck (A. rubripes) 101
Mallard (A. platyrhynchos) 42
Northern Pintail (A. acuta) 9
Green-winged Teal (A. crecca) 12
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) pr
White-winged Scoter (M. fusca) 106
Black Scoter (M. americana) 1m flyby
Ruddy Duck* (Oxyura jamaicensis) 5
Northern Gannet* (Morus bassanus) 14
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritis) 368
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 3
Great Egret (A. alba) 32
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 13
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 9
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 3 imm
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 20 flyby
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 43
Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes) 3
Sanderling 20 (Calidris alba) flyby
Least Sandpiper (C. minutilla) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X
Herring Gull (L. argentatus) X
Great Black-backed Gull (L. marinus) 2 imm, 4 ad
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 flyby
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 m flyby
Yellow-bellied (Sphyrapicus varius) Sapsucker 3
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubscens) 2 heard
Northern Flicker (P. villosus) 3 heard
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 2 overhead
Say's Phoebe* (Sayornis saya) 1 ad
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1 ad
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 7
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1 heard, 2 overhead
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1 singing m, 5 ad
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1 heard
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (S. carolinensis) 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (R. calendula) 2
Swainson's Thrush* (Catharus ustulatus) 4 ad
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 10
Northern Mockingbird (Mimis polyglottos) 2
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 1 flyby
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 120
Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1 m
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichias) 2 f
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 2 imm
Bay-breasted Warbler* (S. castanea) 1 imm
Black-throated Blue Warbler (S. caerulescens) 1 m
Palm Warbler (S. palmarum) 11
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (S. coronata) 21
Black-throated Green Warbler (S. virens) 2 imm
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 8
Clay-colored Sparrow* (Spizella pallida) 1
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 8
Saltmarsh Sparrow* (Ammodramus caudacutus) 1 ad
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2 whites, 5 tans, 1 imm
White-crowned Sparrow* (Z. leucophrys) 2 imm
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 13
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1 f
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 3 f
As of October 10th, 2012, I officially have 293 species on my life list. I wonder how long it will take for me to get to the goal. You guys will be the first to know. Happy birding ^_^
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