1983 BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB STATISTICAL REPORT

During 1983 the Brookline Bird Club listed 300 Massachusetts species, and identified an additional six hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, or exotics, totaling 306 in all. Trips to Maine added two, New Hampshire two, and a deep sea voyage to Hydrographer Canyon added six, giving a grand summation of 316 birds for the year. Jackdaw, Nantucket 3-19/21 was added to our life list of exotic birds, its origin being questioned.

We scheduled 220 trips afield. Of these, 186 were reported, 12 were cancelled, and 22 failed to respond. Of the reported trips there were 78 all day, 76 morning, eight afternoon, 17 evening, and seven weekend events.

Written in on the Massachusetts Check List were the following:

Golden Eagle                                    Quabbin                                1-9

Egyptian Goose                                Quabbin                                1-9

Arctic Loon                                      Quincy                                    1-16

Ipswich Sparrow                              Newburyport                    1-29

Gray Jay                                           Becket                                    2-6

Lesser Black-backed Gull       Nantucket                           3-19/20

Jackdaw                                            Nantucket                           3-19/20

Summer Tanager                             Mt. Auburn                          5-3          

Cerulean Warbler                            Plum Island                         5-7

Prothonotary Warbler                  Mt. Auburn                          5-8

Blue Grosbeak                                  Mt. Auburn                          5-14

Brewster’s Warbler                        West Newbury                 5-15

Black-headed Grosbeak           Uxbridge                               5-22

Kentucky Warbler                            Westport                               5-22

Northern Raven                                Mt. Greylock                      6-10

Acadian Flycatcher                        Granville                               6-12

American Avocet                             Plum Island                         8-13

Golden Sparrow                              Plum Island                         8-27

Sandwich Tern                                 Monomoy                             9-4

Sabine’s Gull                                    At Sea                                   9-11

Clay-colored Sparrow                 Plum Island                         10-1

Blue Goose                                      Newburyport                     10-29

Gyrfalcon                                         Plum Island                         12-3

Seen in 1982, but missed in 1983 were 15 birds:

Western Grebe                                 Dickcissel

White-fronted Goose                   Golden-crowned Sparrow

Wild Turkey                                     Pine Grosbeak

Royal Tern                                        Red Crossbill

Chuck-wills-widow                        White-winged Crossbill

Townsend’s Solitaire                    Common Redpoll

Sutton’s Warbler                             Hoary Redpoll

Connecticut Warbler

Please notify me if you can recall any of these from an unreported 1983 Massachusetts field trip.

Gains over 1982 were 14, namely:

Egyptian Goose                         Clapper Rail

Gray Jay                                     American Avocet

Jackdaw                                      Golden Sparrow

Cerulean Warbler                       Sandwich Tern

Brewster’s Warbler                     Sabine’s Gull

Black-headed Grosbeak           Loggerhead Shrike

Acadian Flycatcher                     Gyrfalcon

In 1983 we scheduled 63 trips to the Newburyport area. Fifty-seven trips reported a total of 259 varieties. High counts of 100 (10-1), 106 (5-15), 115 (5-15), 120 (5-21), were outstanding. Eight Plum Island evening walks listed 90 species plus Whip-Poor-Will near the Hay Street ice pond in Newbury. Among area misses were Cooper’s Hawk, Arctic Tern, Royal

Tern, Barred Owl, Western Kingbird, Pine-Connecticut-Mourning- and Hooded Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Pine Grosbeak, and the Crossbills.

Pleasing gains included Marbled Godwit, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and the aforementioned write-ins.

From Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 41 trips listed 137, as compared with 15 last year. Notable birds were Little Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Cooper’s Hawk, Black Tern, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, and 31 warbler species.

Nantucket trips in March and October failed to cross paths with the celebrated Western Reef Heron (present from April into September). We did number 131 species there: Greater, Sooty, and Manx Shearwaters, 17 Razorbills, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and the Jackdaw among them.

Six Ipswich trips, three plagued by bad weather, gave us 129 species. . .missing Pintail, Ruddy Duck, Hooded Merganser, Brown Creeper, 12 common warblers, and Field and White-throated Sparrows. When the weather cooperated, gains included Red-throated Loon, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Ring-necked Duck, Piping Plover, American Woodcock, Rusty Blackbird, and Snow Bunting.

The trip to Martha’s Vineyard listed 125 species and presented American Oystercatchers, Black ‘Tern, Black Skimmer, Barn Owl, and Gray-cheeked Thrush.

The trip to Machias, Maine listed 118; two visits to Westport gained 110, (with six and eight Ospreys, two Arctic Terns, White-eyed Vireo, and Pine and Kentucky Warblers). Man-chester, in five visits, totaled 110, with Vesper and Fox Sparrows. Two Bolton trips found 104 species, our New Hampshire hikes gained 100 White Mountain specialties, eight Great Meadows visits gained 94 species. . .with excellent views of Virginia and Sora Rails, Willow Flycatchers, and Marsh Wrens. Only nine Cape Ann trips responded, with 98 species. Razorbill, Thick-billed Murre, and Black Guillemot were gained. Harlequin Ducks were seen on four visits, generally a flock of five. The Southern Berkshire sweep sighted 93 species, three Bridgewater trips 87, five Monomoy trips 82, Outer Cape Cod 69, Mt. Greylock 69, Squantum 68, Wayland 59, Millis 58, Sharon 58, Marshfield 54, West Roxbury 52, Breakheart Reservation 50, North Andover 50, Wells, Maine 47, Falmouth 47, Plymouth Beach 45, Owl Prowl 45, Boston harbor 44, Mystic Lake 42, Boston Boat 42, Harwichport Boat 42, Quabbin 40, Natick 38, Belmont 37, Deep Sea 32, Lynnfield 30, Fresh Pond 30, Boxford, 30, IRWS 16.

Sea trips became the year’s sensation. In June, 63 people sailed from Harwichport. Rewards were eight Northern Fulmar, Greater Shearwater, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Red-necked Phalarope, and eight Arctic Terns. In August came the Deep Sea overnight to Hydrographer Canyon. Despite engine noise and seasickness, the leaders logged four Cory’s, 20 Greater, seven Sooty, nine Manx, and three Audubon’s Shearwaters; two White-faced, 12 Leach’s, and 1000 Wilson’s Storm Petrels, 20 Red-necked and 75 Red Phalaropes, four Pomarine and eight Parasitic Jaegers, and 500 Roseate and eight Black Terns, The September Boston Boat trip listed 17 species, with two Manx Shearwaters, two Red-necked Phalarope, four Parasitic Jaegers, and two Sabine’s Gulls.

Monthly entries to the Massachusetts check list were:

January                111        May                         80            September       13

February             7               June                        9               October               4

March                    15            July                          5               November         0

April                        57            August                  4               December         1

Honorable Mention is noted for Massachusetts high totals for one full day afield.

January                58          Newburyport                    Blaisdell

February             49            Newburyport                    Grinley

March                 50            Newburyport                  Bouchard

April                    82            Boxford to PI                Van Cor

May                    120         Newburport                    Weissburg and Drummond

June                     93            Berkshires                      Lynch and Carroll

July                      75            Newburyport                   d’Entremont

August                 85            Newburyport                  Smith

September         93            Newburyport                  Bouchard

October               100        Newburyport                    McHale

November          64            Bridgewater                       Gove

December          61            Newburyport                    d’Entremont

The morning walk with the highest total was 82, Mt. Auburn, Stymeist on May 18th. The afternoon walk of August 18 at Great Meadows, led by Ron Clayton had 48, and the top evening count was the Barnett’s 4th of July Plum Island trip with 65.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 1983

January dawned with snowdust whitening the land. Ice skins covered the ponds until they stretched and melted in the sunshine. Twenty members chatted at Newburyport, while plump gulls sauntered across Joppa flats with that wings-clasped-behind-their-backs attitude more suggestive of a Spring morning. Among the 58 species gained (13 above 1982) were Pintails, Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle, Common Snipe, Boreal Chickadee, Savannah Sparrow, Field Sparoow, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting. Preying owls, one Short-eared and one Snowy, investigated the marshes.

Next day a King Eider swam at the Sagamore end of the Cape Cod Canal. With the mild weather, land birds were well dispersed. Six Redheads, 35 Canvasbacks, and a Barrow’s Goldeneye were recorded.

The Hales’s Cape Ann trip (1-8) spotted five Harlequin Ducks following the shoreline at Halibut Point, a drake Canvasback in the Riverdale Mill Pond, and two King Eiders sitting on seaweedy Bass Rocks. In a Manchester pine tree sat a red Screech Owl, artistically arranged in a pine-pink cavity. Many cameras clicked before it snuggled down below its ear tufts.

Quabbin adventurers (1-9) found the day “quite balmy.’ Six Bald Eagles, one Golden Eagle, and a Northern Shrike appeared. Then three Egyptian Geese flew over at Enfield. Eventually BBC caught up with them, skulking in the marsh at gate 52, a strange encounter.

On 1-15 the weather reports threatened the ultimate snow. . .which decreased hour by hour from several feet to six inches with each successive broadcast. A coastal Nor’easter, pouring slushy rain, cancelled major trips. Next day two members took census at Quincy Bay. Bird of the day was an Arctic Loon followed by Barrow’s Goldeneye, King Eider, Screech, Great-horned, Snowy, Long-, and Short-eared Owls, Fish Crow, Catbird, Hermit Thrush, and Towhee.

After a few days of winter, another thaw ensued and on 1-22 Cape Ann birders spied a Pintail, 60 Purple Sandpipers, three Glaucous Gulls, nine black Guillemots, and two Black-legged Kittiwakes.

Bridgewater was damp and drizzly on 1-23. Pied- billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Hooded Merganser, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Common Snipe, and Meadowlark made it seem like April.

A sleepy Long-eared Owl sat on a beaver stump along the Hell Cat marsh trail as birders considered Plum Island on 1-29. Meadowlarks were singing, four Double-crested and four Great Cormorants were compared, and an Ipswich Sparrow was studied.

At month’s end, a fine Cape Ann day featured King Eiders, Thick-billed Murre on the water at Brace’s Cove, Gannet, Harlequin Ducks, and all the scoters.

The month of February snow arrived. Trips added a Little Gull on 2-5 at Newburyport, and Pileated Woodpecker en route to the Gray Jay at Becket on 2-6. A strong blizzard (2-12) cancelled Cape Ann and closed Plum Island under two feet of snow. Surf ran high. Finding anything in the bounding ocean was terribly difficult but stalwart members listed 18 Iceland Gulls at Newburyport and saw five Robins in the marsh across the Merrimack from Gould-Shawmut. Another Ipswich Sparrow gleaned the wastelands at Plum Island North End.

Jim Berry was set to explore Ipswich Beach on 2-19. Mild Temperatures were overcome by brutal, bone-chilling NE winds. Leaving the bare-swept beach, members turned to the shelter of the dunes, where deep snow drifts barred the way. Jim quipped, “When you don’t see even a Red-breasted Merganser, you know youre in trouble” Best birds were 90 Snowbuntings maintaining their solitude.

Next week (2-26), Quabbin’s disappointed turkey hunters turned out three Ruffed Grouse, “but nothing to cheer about.” Newburyport birders echoed the winter blues. Plum Island was still closed. A Goshawk was some reward.

March evoked little enthusiasm. Eleven Bald Eagles were gathered at Quabbin (3-6), and a cheery chorus of Redwings and Grackles called at Newburyport (3-12). The Owl Prowl turned out one Screech, one Great Horned, and one Barred Owl…and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

Nantucket featured a Jackdaw of unknown origins, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 17 Razorbills. And a SE rainstorm.

On the 26th, spirits rose slightly as waterfowl] displayed Green-winged Teal iridescence, Widgeon crowns, Ring-necked sleekness, and Canvasback aplomb at Plum Island. 65 Brant were especially handsome.

Turning the calendar to April was a pleasure. A few Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers appeared. Ann Blaisdell’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary evening trip viewed 10-12 Woodcock.

Bob Stymeist began to list 11 Mallards and one Black Duck at Mt. Auburn (4-12). Mourning Cloak Butterflies sailed the breeze at Crooked Pond, Boxford, where BBC saw a Goshawk, three Phoebes, two Tree Swallows, Winter Wren, three Hermit Thrushes, three Louisiana Waterthrushes, and a Rusty Blackbird. Coltsfoot budded purple and bloomed golden in a colony along the roadside.

One Woodcock made six flights and satisfied viewers at Belmont (4-17). Early morning walkers heard and saw a Carolina Wren at Hamilton Grass Rides, then toured Ipswich for Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night Herons, Wood Duck, Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock, Rough-winged Swallows, Palm Warblers, and Rusty Blackbirds, on 4-23. Meanwhile an all-day trip logged 71 species (Red-shouldered Hawk and the expected fare at Crooked Pond, and an Osprey eating a fish at West Newbury. Quite amazing were 70+ Common Snipe in the field off Scotland Road. Phil Parsons was telescoping the discovery as members drove up, and shared his delight.

From these preliminary moments, Spring rushed in headlong. John Nove felt its joy at Plum Island as he transposed page three of his field card with all the notations one space up, giving me a wild encounter with 35 Brown Thrashers and 60 Loggerhead Shrikes!

Mt. Auburn early risers began to fill in their lists with Solitary Vireo, three Pine and 18 Palm Warblers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4-25) and two Canada Geese (4-27) not flying over this time, but on the ground. And Winter Wrens and White-eyed Vireos were singing there A Little Blue Heron was spied in flight, and crows chased a Cooper’s Hawk at the tower (4-28). At month’s end the Golden-winged Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Yellow-throated Vireo were all seen and heard in the morning chorus.

Along the causeway the Plum Island members identified a Ruff together with Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Phalarope, and Pectoral Sandpipers. A visitor from Cambridge, England remarked that Ruffs breed 10 miles from his home. This trip also found Whimbrel, Upland Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

And then it was May. Using his tape recorder, Craig Jackson coaxed a Virginia Rail at Breakheart Reservation out across the flattened Cattail reeds (5-1) and found Blue Azure Butterflies everywhere.

Twenty people arrived to search Plum Island in 80 degree sunshine. On the platform at Hellcat Swamp, instead of a hawkwatcher, birders found a wedding party, complete with bride, groom, witnesses, and preacher.

Mt. Auburn offered a Summer Tanager (5-3), a lingering 1/2 Black Duck, House Wren, 21 warbler species (including Worm-Eating), and a large Caprimulgiforme suggestive of a Chuck-wills-widow.

On 5-7 a Cerulean Warbler appeared at Hell Cat Dike near the rest area. Craig Jackson, birding in Saugus (5-8), observed a Brown Creeper assembling its nest under the bark of a long dead Hemlock tree. The same day a small but jovial expedition rounded Eastern Point with John Nove and found a brilliant adult Red-bellied Woodpecker. Mt. Auburn was busy with Prothonotary and Orange-crowned Warblers (5-8), Whip-poor-will, Hooded and two Orange-crowned Warblers (5-11), three Blue Grosbeaks (5-15), Mourning and Hooded Warblers (5-25), and crowds of birders. High counts of 21 warbler species were made on May 4 and 15, despite a cool rain.

Other May highlights were Caspian Tern and five Wilson’s Phalaropes at Plum Island plus Brewster’s and 20 other warbler varieties in the Newburyport area (5-15); Yellow-billed

Cuckoo seen and heard at West Roxbury (5-15); Bluebird at Pikes Bridge Road and Turkey Hill (5-18); all six vireos and 23 warbler species including Cerulean at Plum Island (5-21); and four Yellow-throated Vireos at Oxbow, plus a female Black-headed Grosbeak on nest at Uxbridge (5-22).

The Martha’s Vineyard weekend (5-27/30) listed ten American Oystercatchers, Black Tern, Black Skimmer, two adult and two young Barn Owls, two adult and two young Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and four Grasshopper Sparrows.

June 19th enticed members to New Hampshire’s Nancy Pond Trail. Findings were 20 Winter Wrens, 15 Swainson’s and a Gray-cheeked Thrush, a Raven, and a nesting pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers.

No-see-ems were thick at Plum Island on 6-20, as 18 Willets flushed and called in spectacular flight against a pastel sunset.

At Millis (6-25) were many European Skipper Butterflies, five Wood Ducks, five Red-tailed Hawks, and five Bobwhite.

July 2nd drowsed in quietude as members listed reptiles as well as birds. Bolton Flats and Oxbow offered Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow and Alder Flycatchers, and an enormous Water snake, Common Musk, Painted, and Blandings Turtles. While members swatted mosquitoes, a Snapping Turtle ate two ducklings.

The trip to Machias Seal Island (7-1/4) was described as glorius, despite thick coastal fog. “Fortunately,” says Ida Giriunas, Capt. Norton’s boat knows its own way to the island.” Common Puffins (600 pairs), 200 pairs of Razorbills and 1200 pairs of Arctic Terns were massed there. One Thin-billed Murre was spotted also. Ida, unable to lead through the forests for Spruce Grouse due to previous accident, hobbled up and down the pavement on crutches and found several Black-backed Woodpeckers. Norm Famous, local birder, took the group to view a typical Maine Bog with Pitcher Plants and blooming orchids. Ida extends special gratitude to Sandy Thomas and Sherm Dennison for their assistance on this memorable trip.

On July 4th the annual trek to Broadmoor Sanctuary, Natick, endured 95 degree heat. An Olive-sided Flycatcher and female Black and White Warbler, carrying food, were seen. One of the famous Broadmoor blonde Woodchucks, with the coloring of a golden retriever, provoked much interest.

That evening’s Plum Island walkers welcomed a cooling sea breeze, one of the joys of tower birding. Two Least Bitterns flew back and forth over Hellcat Dike. Following Piping Plovers along the beach seemed a relaxed way to end the evening.

Spruce Grouse were finally seen – in New Hampshire (7-9/10) along with 25 Swainson’s and ten Gray-cheeked Thrushes, two Black-backed Woodpeckers, two Gray Jays, a Raven, and a Snowshoe Hare.

At Monomoy vast flocks of dowitchers and peeps made for needle-in-the-haystack birding. Birds included American Oystercatchers, and for terns we saw Arctic, two Roseate, six Least, and 1000 Common.

Great Meadows birding parties toured the summer residents of that unique environment. As aircraft flew noisily, a summer drowse covered the watery refuge and offered a solitude at ground level. Dragonflies and butterflies passed quietly over the blossoming wild flowers, Marsh Wrens called, and frogs and turtles came and went on their appointed rounds. Excellent views of Sora and Virginia Rails gave special pleasure.

An Orchard Oriole frequented Pikes Bridge Road on 7-30, as birders began reeling through those endless summer days.

August 13th brought us face to face with an Avocet at Plum Island. An extremely high tide forced 14 Sharp-tailed Sparrows into one dry hump at Plum Bush, and six Whimbrel, 18

Stilt Sandpipers, and two Little Gulls were seen. Another special Plum Island trip (8-27) found a Yellow-crowned Night Heron near parking lot 6, five Wilson’s Phalarope, 34 Hudsonian Godwits at the salt pans, and two Buff-breasted Sandpipers and two Red-necked Phalarope at Stage Island Pool. And there were six Whimbrels, four Laughing Gulls, and a Forster’s Tern. Most colorful was a Golden Sparrow, an escaped African species, at Hellcat’s feeder.

September 4th was outstanding. A Sandwich Tern, 1000 Roseate Terns, and two Buff-breased Sandpipers were seen by all at Monomoy. . .along with 20 oystercatchers, Golden Plover, 16 Black Terns, and a Black Skimmer.

At Ipswich’s Appleton Farm (9-5), members viewed adult and juvenile Turkey Vultures, the young with the gray head.

The Boston Boat Trip reveled in its two Sabine’s Gulls, one in winter and one in summer plumage. They were watched for 25 minutes, sitting in the water and flying. The yellow-tipped bill was noted.

On 9-9 there were 120 Brant and 58 Snow Geese at Plum Island. A Goshawk was encountered, briefly. Swallows by the countless thousands swarmed over the refuge during the month. On 9-17, 250 Common Terns rested on Emerson’s Rocks, and a cormorant walked the dusty road by the old pines. Peregrine and Lark Sparrow were afforded top honors.

At the Truro chicken farm, two Peregrines were seen, and two Chats and a Hooded Warbler were listed, That same day (9-24) Plum Island featured a Baird’s Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and a Lincoln’s Sparrow. Seaside Goldenrod fringed the marshes.

And then it was October 1st with a trio of Little Gulls, one adult, one first year, and one juvenile … at Plum Island.

The Nantucket Weekend (10-8/9) held few surprises; the Reef Heron had departed and most interesting were seven Greater, four Sooty, and one Manx Shearwater.

The general flow of migration drained southward. A Marbled Godwit (10-22) was beautiful at Newburyport Harbor, its wing-linings warmly cinnamon against an ebbing tide.

Fresh Pond, Cambridge (10-29) held a Pied-billed Grebe, 42 Ring-necked Ducks, 94 Canvasbacks, 12 Lesser Scaup, and ten Ruddy Ducks.

Orange and gold foliage welcomed members to Newburyport on 10-27 as a Blue Goose appeared among 17 Snows. A dark-phased Rough-legged Hawk was observed and a Red Fox surprised members at Cherry Hill Reservoir.

Come November, with Autumn’s frosts greeting the mornings, birders took a trip to Bridgewater and Lakeville (11-6) for the waterfow] census. Ring-necks (576), 25 Canvasbacks, 11 Greater and 45 Lesser Scaup, 58 Ruddy Ducks, and 12 Hooded Mergansers were seen. Also ten Pectoral Sandpipers, a Screech Owl, and a lone Chimney Swift.

The seasonal grays of November offered a Razorbill and 30 Snow Buntings at Plum Island (11-20), along with a Short-billed Dowitcher and Black-headed Gull.

At windy Cape Ann (11-6) were two Red-necked Grebes and a Harlequin Duck at Bass Rocks, and two Snowy Owls—one badgered by Crows at Andrew’s Point and another lumped in the salt marsh behind Long Beach.

Two gloomy Little Blue Herons (immatures) stood motionless beside a salt pond on Plum Island (11-27). The year was fleeting; one wished them well.

December, usually restricted news-wise to Christmas Count enterprise, was favored with the appearance of a gray phased Gyrfalcon, sitting on the Plum Island dike south of the wardens (12-3). Two Boreal Chickadees called at the pumping station and Great Horned Owl and Northern Shrike received much notice at Plum Island.

Cape Ann came through (12-10) with 28 Red-necked Grebes, 45 Common and 12 Red-throated Loons at Bass Rocks, six Horned Grebes, three Razorbills, Black Guillemot, and a Thick-billed Murre at Halibut Point.

The feast or famine trip to Quabbin heard a Raven, spied two Bald Eagles, and saw a Goshawk (perched) and a Northern Shrike (12-11).

At Belle Isle, the final entry was another Ipswich Sparrow, and birders took respite to celebrate the holidays, greet the winter solstice, and await the happenings of 1984.

Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician