THE 1991 STATISTICAL REPORT
by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician
During 1991, the Brookline Bird Club listed 291 species on 154 recorded field trips. A total of 192 trips were scheduled: 76 all day, 94 morning, 17 afternoon or evening and 5 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather, and 23 trips went unreported.
The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) Checklist were reported by the Club in 1991:
Sandhill Crane Belchertown February 3
Sandhill Crane Newburyport July 15 & Sept.29
"Lawrence's Warbler" Mount Auburn May 9
"Brewster's Warbler" Groveland May 11
Cerulean Warbler Quabbin May 11
Yellow-throated Warbler Martha's Vineyard May 19
Curlew Sandpiper Monomoy May 26
Curlew Sandpiper Plymouth June 1
Prothonotary Warbler Great Meadows July 13
American Avocet Plum Island Aug.24, Sept.1,22,28
Gull-billed Tern Plum Island August 24
Sandwich Tern Plum Island August 24
Sandwich Tern Monomoy August 24
Clay-colored Sparrow Nantucket September 28
"Ipswich Sparrow" Plum Island October 20
Greater White-fronted Goose Concord November 2
Sprague's Pipit Clinton November 2
Gyrfalcon Plum Island November 17
The Sprague's Pipit at Wachusett Reservoir was only the second record for the species in Massachusetts and a new species for the Club's overall list.
At Island Pond, Vermont, John Kennedy led 12 members around and found 88 species, including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, and Boreal Chickadee - four species not found on any Massachusetts field trip.
At Machias, Ida Giriunas and 23 members recorded 126 species on the July 4th weekend. They found Sooty Shearwater, Common Murre, Atlantic Puffin, and Red Crossbills - four additional species to the overall list. They also saw Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Boreal Chickadee. They did not find a single House Sparrow!
The missing birds are the most interesting. Those not recorded in 1991 include Northern Fulmar, both Wilson's and Leach's storm-petrels, Wild Turkey, Golden Eagle, Clapper Rail, King Rail, Western Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer,
Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, Chuck-will's-widow, Acadian Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, and Common Redpoll.
Essex County field trips topped the locations most visited with 74 trips (49 to Plum Island and Newburyport, seven to Ipswich, and additional trips to Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield, Crooked Pond in Boxford, and Lynnfield marshes). The Greater Boston area was birded by the Club on 61 trips (34 to Mount Auburn Cemetery and 16 to nearby Fresh Pond). Twelve trips to Cape Cod and the islands, seven to Great Meadows and four to Quabbin made these locales the next most visited areas. Rounding out the locations that BBC members visited were Plymouth, Lakeville, Lincoln, Natick, Mount Tom, Tyngsboro, Newton and, of course, Brookline.
Sixty-five leaders guided our members around the state and eight leaders did it nine or more times. Jim Barton was listed 26 times, followed by David and Dennis Oliver, who led ten trips. John and Josh Nove, Bill Drummond, and Bob Stymeist each led nine trips. The May 18 trip to Newburyport led by Bill Drummond and 49 members recorded the Club's 1991 highest day total of 126 species. That trip recorded the "Lawrence's" Warbler and a Little Gull that was a life bird for many of the participants.
On the disaster side, Bill Drummond wins again. The Club trip to Stellwagen Bank with 79 participants recorded just seven species on September 8.
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Fall Meeting with Scott Weidensaul: The Return of the Oystercatcher – Saving Birds to Save the Planet
Harvard University Geological Lecture Hall 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, United StatesPlease join us on October 23 for our in person Fall Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30 with announcements, a short presentation by our 2026 Hog Island Scholarship winners, and a talk by author Scott Weidensaul – “The Return of the Oystercatcher – Saving Birds to [...]
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Nahanton Park, Newton and possible other nearby locations
Newton - Nahanton Park 507 Winchester St, Newton, MA, United StatesWe will search for sparrows and other fall migrants at Nahanton Park and a possible other location to be determined nearer the date of the trip.
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Cumberland Farms Fields River St. Entrance
Halifax - Cumberland Farms - River St 10 River St, Halifax, MA, United StatesWe will walk about 1.5 miles on gravel paths in search of late fall sparrows. This is usually a good spot for Lincoln’s and Clay-colored Sparrows. We never know what else might show up. I will arrive early to listen for Great Horned Owls.
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Captain John’s Half-Day Pealgic
Plymouth - Captain John's Whale Watching Tour Company 10 Town Wharf, Plymouth, MA, United StatesThe BBC has chartered a private pelagic trip from Plymouth out to deep waters off Stellwagen Bank and beyond. This trip is cosponsored with the South Shore Bird Club and the Cape Cod Bird Club.
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CANCELLED Fresh Pond Reservation (Early Birders Series) CANCELLED
Cambridge - Fresh Pond - Lusitania Meadow entrance 615 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA, United StatesCanceled due to the leader being unavailable. Look for future trips with Wyatt leading. Join fellow birders in their 20s-30s as we visit Fresh Pond Reservation! Located in the northwest part of Cambridge, Fresh Pond is home to 162 acres of space consisting of forests, meadows, wetlands, and open water. As we navigate [...]