STATISTICAL REPORT 1985

by Mary L. Barnett, Statistician

“Come in, Barn Owl. We’re at the Salt Pans. The Tundra Swan just landed.” BBC CB Radio Patrol 12-7-1985

The Birding Highlight of 1985 was the proliferation of radio-equipped cars for the sharing of “hot bird” tips. The air crackled with curious calls as information was relayed — “It’s over the Plum Island Bridge. It’s flying South over the marsh. It’s Down.”

Such cooperative measures helped us to list 298 of the 302 check-listed birds on the Massachusetts Audubon Society List, plus 14 write-in species, 2 subspecies, 1 hybrid, 1 escapee, and 4 Maine and 2 New Hampshire entrys, or a total of 316 birds for the year. More persons saw the good birds, as noted by leaders on their field cards.

Check list birds not reported to me were Leach’s Storm Petrel, Red Phalarope, Dovekie, Chuck Will’s Widow, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, and Dickcissel. Boreal Chickadee was seen in New Hampshire only. Please let me know if you can verify any oversights.

Write-ins included the following:

Kumlien’s Gull (s.sp.)                                   Cape Ann                             1-5

Mew Gull                                                      Boston Harbor                 1-11

Arctic Loon                                                   Nahant                                  1-11

Common Raven                                            Quabbin                                1-27

Jackdaw                                                         Nantucket                            3-16

Eurasian Green-winged Teal (s.sp.)  Plum Island                         4-20

Cerulean Warbler                                           Mt. Auburn                          5-4

Clay-colored Sparow                                     Marblehead                         5-13

Brewster’s Warbler (h.)                                 Mt. Auburn                          5-13

Prothonotary Warbler                                    Mt. Auburn                          5-15

Summer Tanager                                           Mt. Auburn                          5-17

Garganey Teal                                               Plum Island                          6-3

Chilean Flamingo (e.)                                   Monomoy                             8-9

Long-tailed Jaeger                                         at Sea                                    9-8

Sabine’s Gull                                                 at Sea                                    9-8

Curlew Sandpiper                                          Ipswich                                 9-21

Common Puffin                                             at Sea                                    11-30

Tundra Swan                                                 Plum Island                         12-7

Boreal Chickadee                                          New Hampshire             7-13/14

Spruce Grouse                                               Maine                                    5-24/27

Thin-billed Murre                                          Maine                                    5-24/27

Gray Jay                                                         Maine                                    5-24/27

Seen in 1984, but missed in 1985 were:

American Avocet                            Boreal Chickadee (MA)

Leach’s Storm Petrel                     Eurasian Curlew

Audubon’s Shearwater               Sandwich Tern

Yellow-headed Blackbird          Bohemian Waxwing

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher         Kentucky Warbler

Red Phalarope                                 Loggerhead Shrike

Skua                                                Dickcissel

Golden Eagle                                  Ipswich Sparrow

Varied Thrush                                 Long-billed Curlew

Western Tanager

Gains over 1985 were:

Thin-billed Murre (Maine)         Long-eared Owl

Gray Jay (Maine)                          Western Kingbird

Spruce Grouse                               Arctic Loon

(Maine and New Hampshire) 

Eurasian Green-winged Teal

Cattle Egret                                   Curlew Sandpiper

Eurasian Widgeon                         Clay-colored Sparrow

Redhead                                        Garganey Teal

Wild Turkey                                 Chilean Flamingo

We scheduled 2382 trips including 95 All Day, 101 Morning, 11 Afternoon, 21 Evening, and 4 Weekend. 202 trips reported, 1 was cancelled, and 31 failed to file a report with the statistician.

The Newburyport area tallied 250 species, plus 1 sub-species, in 55 reported visits. Our 5 morning Plum Island trips totaled 117 species and the 8 summer evening walks listed 97 species, including 18 varieties not seen in the morning. Morning walks, especially those in October and December identified 38 species missed on evening trips. High Count for the Newburyport area was 117 on May 1ith. Some area misses for the BBC were Short-eared Owl, Saw-Whet Owl, Common Nighthawk, Loggerhead Shrike, Orange-crowned Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Red Crossbill, and Evening Grosbeak.

Two Nantucket trips listed 145 species in 1985, to achieve second place. The March Weekend listed 72 of these. “The flight of 50,000 Oldsquaws was mind boggling! A Gannet feeding frenzy (300 birds) was fantastic to watch” Jackdaw, Adult King Eider Drake, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes in the harbor, and 2 American Oystercatchers on the jetty, set a joyful mood.

Seventeen Razorbills were seen from the boat. The October Weekend was damp, wet, and foggy for two days but cleared on Sunday. Best birds were Eurasian Widgeon, Peregrine, Marbled Godwit, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, and Jackdaw.

Ipswich trips continued to be reported with excellence. 129 species were acquired in 8 scheduled visits and one side-stepping Newburyport trip. Highlights were Curlew and Buff- breasted Sandpiper, Cattle Egrets, Nighthawks, Great Horned Owl, Piping Plover, Least Terns, and Pine Warbler.

Machias, Maine enticed 17 members to find 128 species with the Down East difference. There were 12 Ospreys, 3 Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawk, 1400 Arctic Terns, 120 Razorbills, 15 Black Guillemots, 20 Common Ravens, 5 Boreal Chickadees, 12 Winter Wrens, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 Thin-billed Murres, 1600 Common Puffins, 6 Black-backed Three-toed Woodpeckers, 3 Gray Jays, and a Spruce Grouse. (The August trip to Wells, Maine offered gratifying views of 18 Vesper Sparrows.)

Our Martha’s Vineyard Weekend treated members with 126 species. Seen were Tri-colored Heron, 110 Roseate Terns, 2 Common Barn Owls, 2 Red-headed and 4 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Mt. Auburn’s 121+1 hybrid, from 47 completed trips, was a slight improvement over last year. Summer Tanager, Prothonotary, Brewster’s, Mourning, Worm-eating, and Cerulean Warblers were nice rewards. Missed were Hooded Warbler, Whippoorwill, Hairy Woodpecker, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. A Peregrine was present on May 24th. The Big Warbler Day for the BBC was May 12th with 22 species.

Manchester’s 4 trips combined pleasurable relaxation with birding in an attractive area. 117 Species were seen including Little Blue Heron, Osprey, Cooper’s, Broad-winged, Red-tailed, and Rough-legged Hawks, Goshawk, Kestrel, Merlin, Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, Winter Wren, Water Pipit, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-winged and Pine Warblers, and Swamp Sparrow.

Cape Ann’s walks totaled 113 species in 7 reported trips. There were cold looks at 2 Thick-billed Murres, 1 Harlequin Duck, a dozen Black Guillemots, and occasional Kittiwakes and Purple Sandpipers. A favorite trip was John Nove’s May 12th ramble which logged 70 species and featured a White-eyed Vireo, Cliff Swallows hawking over Niles Pond, and a Cattle Egret hunting insects on a lush green lawn.

Two out of three Bolton visits were rained upon. The third trip was defeated by crow hunters who rained bird shot on the participants! All trips struggled along through 106 species, and found a Least and American Bittern, Alder Flycatcher, and 21 Hooded Mergansers…one female with 20 newly hatched ducklings.

Six Quabbin trips were among our best. 103 species included the big birds like Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Raven, Pileated Woodpecker, Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Long-eared Owls. And there were some small ones like Bluebirds, Redpolls, Pine Grosbeaks, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Acadian and Alder Flycatcher, Red and White-winged Crossbills, and a Saw Whet Owl.

Our 5 Great Meadows visits gained 84 species. Other totals were 81 for the Mt. Greylock weekend, 77 Marblehead, 76 Essex, 74 Boat trips combined, 72 Millis, 67 Bridgewater, 64 Marshfield, 74 Winthrop-Revere, 63 Wayland, 62 Westport, 60 Falmouth, 57 Plymouth, 53 Mystic Lakes, 46 Natick, 45 Lincoln, 43 West Roxbury, 42 Belle Isle, 41 Saugus, 39 Tyngsboro, 39 New Hampshire, 39 Newton, 36 Belmont, 35 Fresh Pond, 29 Lynnfield, 25 Hawks, 18 Boston Harbor, 18 Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, and 2 Lexington.

Trips to Canton, South Shore, Outer Cape Cod, and Squantum were not reported. (8 trips in all). We miss having records from these areas, once so productive of interesting birds.

Our Pelagic Trips proved to be a source of intense discussion: March 10, Isles of Shoals, 23 species. “West winds and mild weather wiped out the alcids. We saw sea ducks, loons, gannets, purple sandpipers, and the usual gulls and kittiwakes.” 

March 23, Lynn Harbor to Stellwagen Bank, 21 species.

9 Razorbills                      1 Common Murre

1 Black Guillemot          60 Gannets

5 Minke Whales               1 Harbor Seal

30 Harbor Porpoises  2 White-sided Dolphins

May 5, Lynn Harbor to Stellwagen Bank, 20 species.

1 Laughing Gull                               1 Dolphin

1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird        3 Fin Whales

5 Humpback Whales

June 2, Plymouth to Stellwagen Bank, 22 species.

6 Sooty Shearwaters                   400 Wilson’s Storm Petrels

1 Artic Tern                                  1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

September 8, Boston to Stellwagen Bank, 22 species.

1 Cory’s Shearwater              5000 Wilson’s Storm Petrels _

300 Greater Shearwaters         12 Red-necked Phalaropes

50 Sooty Shearwaters             10 Parasitic Jaegers

200 Manx Shearwaters            1 Long-tailed Jaeger

1 Sabine’s Gull

October 27, Plymouth to Stellwagen Bank, 36 species.

4 Northern Fulmars                   6 Sooty Shearwaters

5 Cory’s Shearwaters                 1 Manx Shearwater

150 Greater Shearwaters          2 Pomarine Jaegers

1 Royal Tern

November 30, Stellwagen Bank, 27 species.

42 Northern Fulmars                  2 Pomarine Jaegers

5 Greater Shearwaters               1 Glaucous Gull

1 Sooty Shearwater                    36 Razorbills

2 Manx Shearwaters                  3 Common Puffins

New species were gained during each month of 1985, as follows:

January                106         April      47             July                   6             October            6

February             4                May       91             August              4             November         3

March                    25            June      8               September        15            December         1

Top trips during 1985, limited to one full day afield were:

January               60            Falmouth                        Timberlake

February             48            Newburyport                  Nielsen

March                 62            Newburyport                  Nielsen

April                   70            Newburyport                  Bolton

May                   117         Newburyport                  d’Entremont

June                    84            Newburyport                   Blaisdell

July                     67            Plymouth Boat Trip       d’Entremont

August                71            Newburyport                   Blaisdell

September        106          Newburyport                   Giriunas

October               75            Newburyport                   McHale

November          60            Bridgewater                     Gove

December          50             Newburyport                    d’Entremont

The morning walk with the highest total was 83, Hotz, Manchester, May 16th. The afternoon trip of November 16th to Belle Island led with 42; leader Desmond. Top evening walk was led by Drummond to Plum Island on June 8rd, 63 species. Of special interest this year is the Piping Plover. We had 43 sightings, at Monomoy (10, 7, 6, 3), Plymouth Beach (5, 3), Ipswich (8), Martha’s Vineyard (4), and Plum Island (1, 1).

Highlights of 1985

Wind and rain and a Happy New Year greeted members at Newburyport. The annual check list gained Bald Eagle, 2 Screech Owls, 24 Snow Geese, a Lapland Longspur, and 50 Snowbuntings. (48 species found; 268 to go).

Light snow cleared to a sparkle of cold sun at Cape Ann on the 5th as 9 birders located 3 Great Blue Herons, Glaucous, Iceland and Kumlien’s Gulls, Kittiwakes, 12 Purple Sandpipers, and a Screech Owl (Locust Grove Cemetery).

In Falmouth, the waterfowl count was cheering. Eurasian Widgeon, Redheads, Canvasbacks, both scaup, both goldeneyes, King Eider, and many others were listed. Red-headed Woodpecker and Carolina Wren were gained.

Boston Harbor had “a very poor January 11th,” according to the leader. They did see a Mew Gull, Arctic Loon, Barrows’s Goldeneye, and one Black Guillemot!

A white-out with hazardous driving kept some members home, but trip leaders hiked several miles into gate 48 at Quabbin, gaining a frozen beard and a wet neck. No eagles. One could hardly see trees. Best birds were the steadfast Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Brown Creepers, both Nuthatches, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Pine Siskins. (January 19th) The trip on the 27th fared better with 7 Bald Eagles, 7 Turkeys, Saw Whet Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Ravens, and 20 White-winged Crossbills.

February birders motored about Essex County from Cape Ann to Plum Island to Salisbury, trying to capture a glimpse of reported Ivory and Ross’s Gulls, to no avail. Ruddy Turnstone and Black-headed Gull joined the list. Then the Newburyport trip of February 23rd scurried to Cape Ann for a Thick-billed Murre and 6 Black Guillemots.

Twenty-four Red-necked Grebes were counted on March 2^nd at Cape Ann. Next day a Mew Gull found Newburyport; there were C. Black-headed Gulls there too. Pintails and Green-winged Teal signaled Spring.

Beautiful weather invited 6 cars of birders to Lakeville for ducks on the 10th while 12 members were seeing 3 Long-eared Owls at Bemont Hills.

A handsome male Bluebird greeted the March 17th Quabbin Trip, a stroke of luck to be sure! 6 Turkey Vultures, 4 Bald Eagles, and 16 Hooded Mergansers in elegant plumage, were gained.

April migrants kept members hopping or hoping as the days advanced. We searched Plum Island for Piping Plover on Easter, but finally found one on the 21st. Purple Finch, not as easy to locate in the House Finch mobs, continued to sing on the island.

A Wood Duck visited Fresh Pond on the 18th of April.

Crooked Pond trips (3) were very successful, finding Louisiana Waterthrushes, Red-shouldered Hawks, Ruffed Grouse, Barred Owls, and on the 20th, a Bluebird. A drake Eurasian Green-winged Teal was seen at the Plum Island Salt Pans on this trip. This duck was last recorded by us in 1972.

Dampness and wind hampered the Hamilton grassrides search for Ruffed Grouse and only 1-2 were heard. Better were the 4-5 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1-2 Broadwings, and 2 Pine Warblers at La Salette.

Crooked Pond was a fizzle on the 27th. The day was cold and rainy. A good day to find a Caspian Tern off Plum Island, so we did.

Mt. Wachusett hawk watchers gained 4 Turkey Vultures, 2 Ospreys, 21 Sharp-shinned Hawks, Goshawk, 170 Broadwings, 2 Red-tails, and 8 Kestrels. Also 2 Pileated Woodpeckers.

The trip to Lincoln on April 28 also offered an assortment of raptors, and spring warblers.

May trips were troubled with rain showers. Many gave up and went home. Best birds were 2 Least Bitterns, 6 Willets, Whippoorwill, 6 Blue-winged and 1 Golden-winged Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.

Bill Drummond’s Newburyport trip on May 18th logged 105 in the rain. Best birds were 2 Least Bitterns, 6 Willets, Whippoorwill, 6 Blue-winged and 1 Golden-winged Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.

The Hales also braved the “dew, mist, and deluge” in Essex to encounter 4 Cattle Egrets, Prairie Warbler, and a gorgeous Scarlet Tanager.

Bolton Flats rained “no Yellow-throated Vireo, no cuckoo. Yuck!”

Catbirds must have rained on Mt. Auburn on May 22. After a stormy night they were calling and displaying everywhere.

As the month ended, Millis birders found nesting Goshawk, Barred Owls, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

June 1st offered a black Ruff at Plymouth Beach, where it chased everything that came near it, performing for 30 minutes.

The June 3rd Plum Island evening trip was a winner. Garganey Teal, 2 Yellow-crowned Night Herons behind the Old Pines, 2 Virginia Rails with 6 chicks, and to close the walk, a Whippoorwill serenade.

At Monomoy, leaders worried about Western Sandpipers and Black Skimmers seen on Friday. They settled for a Parasitic Jaeger, Short Eared Owl, and 100 Sharp-tailed Sparrows.

A wilderness experience for 10 members came at Ipswich Beach on June 10th. This inspiring sunset walk is Jim Berry’s favorite of each year. Three Piping Plovers maintained a toe-hold on the beach. 50 Bank Swallows were viewed at the nest colonies, coming and going from their nesting holes. Concern with deer ticks and Lyme Disease has changed this trip considerably. Members should know that Jim confined the walk to the safety of the outer beach. No longer do we explore the dunes and pitch pines, and regretably must miss warblers, nuthatches, and Brown Creepers nesting there. Jim says the Whippoorwills seem to have deserted the area. Lacking that, he put his telescope on Saturn and everyone gazed at the rings, then spun for home.

Great Meadows was splendid on July 14th, with excellent views of 11 Virginia Rails—2 walked right across the road. Least Bittern appeared, 5 Solitary Sandpipers, 12 Long-billed Marsh Wrens, 15 Swamp Sparrows, and a colorful variety of summer residents were seen amid the wildflowers and marsh creatures,

On July 20th, Monomoy trippers saw a Tri-colored Heron, 4 Foster’s Terns, and 7 Black Skimmers.

A Black Tern was featured on the Plum Island evening trip of July 22. As this trip ended a Red Fox sat beside the road watching us, a nice ending.

On the 27th, Plum Islanders had Yellow-crowned Night Heron once again, 3 Little Blue Herons, Peregrine (perched for 15 minutes at Hellcat) and most entertaining, a Spade-footed Toad in the Old Pines.

August birders checked through the flocks of migrating shore-birds at Monomoy (82 A. Oystercatcher, 6 Whimbrels, 40 H. Godwits, Red-necked Phalarope, plus a Royal Tern). Meeting the Chilean Flamingo on the sands of Massachusetts was indeed a rare experience.

The Revere to Marblehead Neck trip of August 17th found 18 H. Godwits, a Red Knot and a Duniin.

The next day 2 Baird’s Sandpipers were gained on Plum Island. Some members studied boats off the Yacht Club and thereby spotted 2 Foster’s Terns, 1 Roseate Tern, 2 Laughing and a C. Black-headed Gull.

September Leaders at Monomoy learn to deal with big counts. On the 1st for example: 1500 B.B.Plovers, 800 Semipal P, 10 Piping P, 12 A. Oystercatchers, 600 G. and 50 L. Yellowlegs, 15 Willets, Spotted Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrels, 19 H. Godwits, 1 Marbled Godwit, 100 R. Turnstones, 650 Red Knots, 300 Sanderlings, 1900 Semipal. S., 2000 Least S., 250 S.B. Dowitchers. . .to say nothing of 500 Laughing, 600 Ring-billed, 2500 Herring, and 1600 B.B. Gulls; and 190 Roseate, 600 Common, 2 Arctic, 12 Foster’s, and 100 Least, and 2 Black Terns.

On the 2nd of September, 175 juvenile Cowbirds were seen at Maplecroft Farm, Ipswich.

A beautiful trip at Plum Island on September 7 discovered Western Kingbird, Philadelphia Vireo, Hooded Warbler, and Yellow-breasted Chat. They missed the Avocet (seen on the 5^th and 8th) and failed to find the Orange-crowned and Connecticut Warblers seen by others.

At Oxbow on the 14th members saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk catch a Robin and land with it. . .right in front of the party. Sight of the BBC so startled the hawk that it loosed its grip. Both the Sharpie and the Robin flew off, in different directions!

A Cooper’s Hawk was mobbed by Crows and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird darted in and out of Jewelweed blossoms that same day, well remembered.

September Hawk watchers logged: Mt. Wachusett (9-15) 10 TV., 20 Ospreys, 1 B.Eagle, 4 N. Harriers, 64 Sharp-shinned, 448 Broad-winged, and 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 15 Kestrels, and 2 Ravens. Mt. Tom (9-22) 11 TV., 21 Ospreys, 6 N. Harriers, 34 Sharp-shinned, 2 Cooper’s, 13 Broad-winged, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 13 Kestrels, and a Merlin. “A Gray Tree Frog called from the mountain and 117 Monarch Butterflies were migrating.”

October Peregrines (at least 3 seen together on the 5th) kept Plum Island in an uproar. Dick McHale busily sorted reports of these, plus 7 Merlins and the island Kestrels. Birds and birders were equally restive!

On the 6th, an immature Tri-colored Heron was seen at Plum Island, plus 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

On October 22nd there were 9 Canvasbacks, Greater and Lesser Scaup, and 21 Ring-necked Ducks in Fresh Pond. By November 6th these had increased to 280 Canvasbacks, 45 Ring-necks, 41 Greater and 17 Lesser Scaup, 6 A. Widgeons, 73 Canada Geese, 16 Black Ducks, 87 Mallard, a Goldeneye, a Bufflehead, and 2 A. Coots.

A Vesper Sparrow was spied at Great Meadows as the year trailed toward its end. White-eyed Vireos appeared at Ipswich Dump (11-10) and Hellcat (11-24).

Just when we thought the list might be complete, a Tundra Swan flew to Plum Island. Wintry sightings appeared with King Eider and Barrow’s Goldeneye at Fort Heath and Pine Grosbeak and 26 Snow Buntings at Belle Isle.

Our final trip of 1985 returned to the glories of Quabbin. 9 Ravens appeared, plus Pine Grosbeak and Redpolls. The leader called in 2 Long-eared Owls which offered wild vocalizations, many had never before heard. By squeaking mouselike, the leader coaxed one to fly close overhead. A magnificent ending to a year of great birding adventures.

Mary L. Barnett

Statistician